Relationship Sales
How to Build Professional Collaborative Relationships
If a photographer is to survive,
he or she must cultivate the science of human relationships
the ability of all kinds of people involved in the creative collaboration,
photographers, art directors, art buyers, accounts payable people,
even account executives, and others, to live together fairly and
respectfully, in this industry at peace.
After Dale Carnegie
People buy from people they like.
Show Up
Make the Meeting About the Other Person
Ask Questions
Be Caring
Be Present
Listen
Get Information
Give Information
Laugh a Little
Dare to be Different
Develop Loyalty
Be a Little Mischievous
Remember Details
Ask creative questions that are challenging, caring, interesting, informative, open-ended. Creative questions often begin with What if…? How may we…? In what ways…? Who are…? Why…? These kinds of questions are filled with a variety of answers that will help you get to know the other person. Each question leads to dialog. Do not ask questions that may be answered yes or no.
Keep control of the interview. Do not give your power away. Hold back from handing the portfolio to your prospect for as long as possible. Get them talking about themselves.
Repeat what you heard your prospect say to confirm that you understand and to let them know you are listening. What I heard you say is…
Make a list of ten creative questions that you may ask to learn more about your prospect and to get them sharing about themselves. It is okay to take notes. Here is a starter list of questions:
Some advertising related questions:
What if we were to collaborate on an assignment? What would you want me to know about you? What would you want to know about me?
What if you could change one thing about the agency business, what would it be?
What if you knew who the right photographer was to do a job even before you created the final concept? In what ways would you want to work with that photographer?
Pretend that advertising has been banned by congress. What kind of work would you do? How would you go about doing it?
What if the next print ad you did demanded the highest level of innovation? In what ways would you want to collaborate with a photographer?
What if we were living in a utopian world where each person could choose the kind of work they want to do? What kind of work would you do if money was not an object?
If you could make one improvement about how photographers try to get your attention, what would it be?
Let your prospects know that you know something about them and that you have chosen them as prospects. Let them know you are interested in them.
I want to work with art directors who are not only interested in great ideas but who can sell them through to their clients. I want to work with risk takers. Etc… (personalize this) I saw what you did when you were still at Duey, Cheetham, and Howe. How in the world did you get the agency and the client to buy off on the idea in the first place?
What if you had X-Ray vision like Superman? I was sitting in the reception area waiting for our interview and I started to entertain myself by playing a game which I call X-Ray. It’s not what you’re thinking. I pretended I could see the contents of people’s portfolios and briefcases…
Sometimes I believe the work ought to speak for itself. I have discovered that creating a context helps. But what if it could speak for itself? What would it want you to know about it? How would it tell you?
Photography is a universal language. If we all spoke different tongues, how could photography be used to communicate clearly?
Be Mischievous. Ask questions that get your prospects talking about their beliefs in other areas.
If money was not an issue, would you be doing what you are doing?
What if you were eighteen years old again but know what you know now?
What if you could travel anywhere on Earth? Where would you choose to go?
What if you could spend a weekend with anyone of your choice? Whom would it be and why?
What if the fish in your aquarium could speak? What would they say?
What if we never had to eat and only did it for pleasure?
What if money really did grow on trees
Listen! Find common pools of interest. They are there. If they are not, you did not do your research prior to the meeting and are probably in the wrong place. When you have found a common pool of interest, you may have the evidence in your portfolio. That is when to begin your presentation.
Make the Meeting About the Other Person
Ask Questions
Be Caring
Be Present
Listen
Get Information
Give Information
Laugh a Little
Dare to be Different
Develop Loyalty
Be a Little Mischievous
Remember Details
Ask creative questions that are challenging, caring, interesting, informative, open-ended. Creative questions often begin with What if…? How may we…? In what ways…? Who are…? Why…? These kinds of questions are filled with a variety of answers that will help you get to know the other person. Each question leads to dialog. Do not ask questions that may be answered yes or no.
Keep control of the interview. Do not give your power away. Hold back from handing the portfolio to your prospect for as long as possible. Get them talking about themselves.
Repeat what you heard your prospect say to confirm that you understand and to let them know you are listening. What I heard you say is…
Make a list of ten creative questions that you may ask to learn more about your prospect and to get them sharing about themselves. It is okay to take notes. Here is a starter list of questions:
Some advertising related questions:
What if we were to collaborate on an assignment? What would you want me to know about you? What would you want to know about me?
What if you could change one thing about the agency business, what would it be?
What if you knew who the right photographer was to do a job even before you created the final concept? In what ways would you want to work with that photographer?
Pretend that advertising has been banned by congress. What kind of work would you do? How would you go about doing it?
What if the next print ad you did demanded the highest level of innovation? In what ways would you want to collaborate with a photographer?
What if we were living in a utopian world where each person could choose the kind of work they want to do? What kind of work would you do if money was not an object?
If you could make one improvement about how photographers try to get your attention, what would it be?
Let your prospects know that you know something about them and that you have chosen them as prospects. Let them know you are interested in them.
I want to work with art directors who are not only interested in great ideas but who can sell them through to their clients. I want to work with risk takers. Etc… (personalize this) I saw what you did when you were still at Duey, Cheetham, and Howe. How in the world did you get the agency and the client to buy off on the idea in the first place?
Create scenarios:
What if you had X-Ray vision like Superman? I was sitting in the reception area waiting for our interview and I started to entertain myself by playing a game which I call X-Ray. It’s not what you’re thinking. I pretended I could see the contents of people’s portfolios and briefcases…
Sometimes I believe the work ought to speak for itself. I have discovered that creating a context helps. But what if it could speak for itself? What would it want you to know about it? How would it tell you?
Photography is a universal language. If we all spoke different tongues, how could photography be used to communicate clearly?
Be Mischievous. Ask questions that get your prospects talking about their beliefs in other areas.
If money was not an issue, would you be doing what you are doing?
What if you were eighteen years old again but know what you know now?
What if you could travel anywhere on Earth? Where would you choose to go?
What if you could spend a weekend with anyone of your choice? Whom would it be and why?
What if the fish in your aquarium could speak? What would they say?
What if we never had to eat and only did it for pleasure?
What if money really did grow on trees
Listen! Find common pools of interest. They are there. If they are not, you did not do your research prior to the meeting and are probably in the wrong place. When you have found a common pool of interest, you may have the evidence in your portfolio. That is when to begin your presentation.
Comments
Thanks Ian... I love this.. I often ask if people have ever been to Phoenix, have any pets or have ever slept on a ship and if so where was it moored? It can lead to interesting conversations...
Great new blog site... more FUN than a traditional website... nice!!!
Hershey
Posted by: Bruce Hershey | January 22, 2006 11:19 AM
Ian, and all!
Let me introduce myself. I am a MN photographer and met Ian through APA (Advertising Photographers of America) online a couple of years ago. We have exchanged a number of emails, and had the pleasure of meeting Ian late last fall at his Oxygen opening in St. Paul. MN.
This forum should be an excellent way to exchange ideas about growing, and networking, and rebuilding.
Thanks,
Alex B.
Posted by: Alex Bachnick | January 27, 2006 03:34 PM