Guest article by Barry Nelson of Captivated Images
Various marketing seminars will often stress the importance of developing business relationships with vendors such as wedding venues, florists and bridal dress shops. The idea is that if you can develop those connections and create a network of referrals, your business will overflow with customers. What those seminars don’t tell you is this: vendors can smell your self interest from a mile away and they don’t like it.
As a company who has used this strategy with success, I can tell you that there is only one way this strategy works; you must give to the vendor without expecting a single thing in return. I have talked to our vendors and I have asked why they chose us to work with when they get offers all the time from all sorts of photographers. The vendors always have one answer which is, “Because you guys offered to help us without asking us to do anything for you.”
When you see a new photographer hitting their doors, they already start the, “yeah, yeah, yeah, um no thanks.” For us, the formula is simple. And I honestly can take no credit for this because it is my partner Dominique Harmon who does all the leg work and develops relationships and friendships with our vendors. When offering to do something for them with nothing in return, that could mean providing them with large prints (with our logo of course), or a portrait session for their family. Even a commercial job for a flyer or brochure. Heck, I’ve even created simple websites for vendors who didn’t know how to do it themselves and couldn’t afford a big firm. We have learned that when we give and ask for nothing, that is when we become welcomed and trusted.
Don’t forget charitable giving as well. Each year we create a calendar for the Morris Safe House, a local no-kill dog shelter here in Lubbock, Texas where all of the proceeds go back to the shelter. Another thing we do to give back is create a “Don’t Text and Drive” poster to provide for schools and businesses. This poster uses the best known player on the Texas Tech football team, usually the quarterback. This year however we have a consensus All American tight end in Jace Amaro:
Yes, these posters cost a chunk of change. But we are giving them away to anyone that wants one…and everybody wants one. Does it have our logo on it? You bet. But here’s the thing–we really don’t do it for any other reason than to deliver the message to the community. I have lost more than one relative to distracted drivers and this means something to me. So when we deliver the posters to schools or businesses, we ask for nothing in return. We hope that it is cool enough for them to hang, but if they throw it in the trash, we don’t look back. But I can tell you every year after those posters come out, you’ll see them with “photography by Captivated Images” all over town. And you just can’t buy that kind of publicity or good will.
About the photographer:
Owner of Captivated Images in West Texas, Barry Nelson is a portrait photographer who specializes in senior, wedding and family photography. Captivated Images has obtained many awards including the Fuji Masterpiece and Texas Professional Photographers Association Photographer of the Year 2012. See some of Barry’s work below:
Tagged barry nelson, business strategy, Business tips, Captivated Images, Don't Text and Drive, Jace Amaro, networking, Texas Tech.
Charlotte Geier
While I respect your opinion and experience with these issues, my experience has been very different. Since 1994 I have granted use of my digital image compositions as well as photographs to many people free of charge, who have promised all sorts of recognitions. Many have not followed through and I’ve never heard from them again. Just last week I was approached by an author who wanted to use one of my photos in headers on a couple sites for the promotion of her book coming out next month. She promised “proper credit” ONLY, but on checking the sites she mentioned I noted she had not credited other photographers in such a way as to be noticed. When questioned she claimed “fair use” but the images did not match that description. When I pointed out that giving free use of my photos would be akin to her giving her books away, then offered her a fair deal, she backed off with a simply sarcastic “good luck with your work”. All artists should respect the work of other artists and compensate as they wish to be compensated. I have not minded sharing my work with individuals for their personal, non-profit use or for helping others to learn something, but when someone wishes to use my work to promote their product for a profit, I have decided to require compensation and restricted copyright. 20 years of “sharing” for others profit, plus proper sales and copyrights with reputable publishers have taught me strong lessons.
Respectfully,
Charlotte Geier
cindy
Thank you for very real/doable/common sense advice that I can use!
Darcy Wheeler
For those suggesting a legal case with the swimmer composition, read these cases first:
http://www.epuk.org/The-Curve/456/visual-plagiarism
Linda
Who is Joel Grimes, never heard of him. Plenty of images look similar last I heard there was billions of them on our planet. Get out of your small world you Americans, there are other countries on this planet, that don’t hold your spoilt , singular small minded views. Can’t believe your arguing over this. The image is great and if you like it you like it simple as that. This newsletter goes global you realise and the earth is a big planet, and a lot of people reading this have no idea what your on about.
Carol
And an awful lot of people DO know what they’re talking about! Those that aren’t thinking about themselves!
Nigel Wallace-Iles
Great article, thankyou.
In respect of the Joel Grimes image, you’ve done a great job re-creating it. It can’t have been an easy shot to compose and the finished article is a credit to your obvious talent!
Brian
Why when you have obvious talent and great images do you spoil it all with such an obvious knock off of a very well known image without giving Joel Grimes at least credit for the idea and composite.
Very good article and very helpful so thank you for that.
Regards
Brian
Lasse Eklöf
I Agree
Rick Sieminski Photography
Barry Nelson,
Nice article, I enjoyed reading it. I scrolled down the page to your sample images….. don’t you think that the swimmer composite is just a little too close to a Joel Grimes, somewhat famous, image? I’d just be a little concerned about the legal issues with such a close, nearly identical replica, besides why would you want to post such a blatant copy? I would not want to be known for that.
Take Care,
–Rick