Best Business Practices for Photographers [116]
I will then look into their circulation figures. Sometimes I know the figures because I'm familiar with the publication; other times I have to look the numbers up in the "advertise with us" section of their website. While there, I usually bring myself into reality by finding out what they charge for full and half-page ads in the publication. Knowing this can make my rates of even several thousand dollars seem cheap in comparison!
From there, I'll check with software such as fotoQuote to see what a stock image would cost them to license for the magazine. This often might be a choice that the client is considering behind the scenes and which you may be unaware of. If the only portrait of a subject or photograph of a product is available, but that photographer has quoted a fee of $3,000 for one-time use, the client might be considering you as a possibly cheaper option to produce an image. If fotoQuote reports a stock fee of $1,750 for a cover use for this circulation trade magazine, and you know your expenses are going to be around $700, then a fee including expenses certainly would be fair at $2,400. The question the client will have to ask is, "Should I commission the work for $2,400 and hope for a great photo or license a photo that I know will be great for $3,000? What is that $600 variance worth?"
Usually, this research takes less than five minutes and, after sending the quote as a PDF via e-mail, I will follow up with a phone call, ostensibly to see whether they've received the quote, but actually to get a read from them as to whether I am way out of their expectations or to see whether I can get them to commit to me right then, over whoever has not returned their voicemail and might be sending an estimate in an hour when they get home and call. Hopefully, by the time that other photographer sends his or her estimate, the client will say, "We're all set; we've found another photographer." Having been on the receiving end of that before, I do everything in my power to respond immediately to all client calls and inquiries.
During the call, I'll also talk about some creative ideas I've had about the shoot, and I make sure to express that I am excited about the project. This cannot be stated enough—you must be enthusiastic about each assignment for which you are being considered. Nothing sours a prospective client more than a lackadaisical attitude about the assignment they are considering giving you. There is truth to the theory that you should smile when you're on the phone, because people on the other end can tell that you're happy when you do. This applies to enthusiasm, too.
Even if I can't get a commitment from the client (and I've followed up by a request that they sign and return the contract at their earliest convenience, because we're not committed until we have a signed contract back), I'll ask when they hope to have a decision, and then I'll let them know that I'll follow up with them…and then I do. I might even follow up the phone call with a short e-mail as a courtesy, if I feel it's appropriate and not going to come across as pushy or overbearing.
If I don't get a signed contact back, but the client seems amenable (or is not objecting) to the contract, I'll ask about the subject and take the approach that the assignment is mine. If the client offers the subject's contact information, I'll gladly take it and reach out to the subject about dates, times, and setting a tentative date. Once I've done this, I convey this to the client in an e-mail. If at a later date (which still must be before we do the shoot) the client has a problem with a term in the contract, I am negotiating from a position of strength because I am already familiar with the assignment and have a tentative date set to photograph the subject. If it's a term I am comfortable with modifying (such as pays in 45 days, not 21), then