My first class of the ASMPNY's Sandler Sales Training began last week and I'm really excited for what is to come. Bob Heiss has been training people in the Sandler method for years, and I can already see how valuable this will be for all of us in the class. I plan on blogging about this for the entire length of the class, so keep checking back. The class meets every other Monday.

We began by naming our biggest problems/fears:
*underselling yourself (talking about money)
*cold calling
*fear of negotiation (being too needy)
*worried about rejection/being too aggressive

As Bob explained it, prospects (client) have a default psychological system. They lie to you since they initially don't trust you. Maybe they give you the real budget, maybe not; maybe they fish around for specific information from you. Therefore you have to ask questions and talk about how you can solve their problems. But the common thing is for the photographer to give away too much information. Then the client can take that information and shop it around to others, so that you may end up losing the job. Your willingness to give out lots of useful information before you've closed the deal has worked against you.

When you talk with a client you need to close. "Every close is visible," said Bob. You need to be able to tell what is real and what is not when talking with a prospective client. Are they just trying to get you off the phone? Do they tell you to call back? Have you asked them the right questions to make the close go in your favor?

That's the most interesting thing to me: the psychological aspect of dealing with getting the work. I can see that to understand what people are really saying, by asking the right questions, the pressures and fears fall away and you can deal from a non-personal perspective. That way you can be clear and unemotional in your dealings. After all, it isn't personal.

You need to know what is driving people to reach out to you. According to Bob, the number one thing that drives people is pain. They come to you because their status quo isn't working. It's your job to figure out what's not working for them and show how you can relieve their pain.

Maybe the best thing I took away from this first class was what to do when you've been repeatedly reaching out to someone and gotten no response. Bob suggested leaving a final message (email or phone) telling the person you realize there must have been a delay in the project and it isn't personal, you'd just like to know.

I had a situation like that,m and applied his suggestion and BINGO! I got back an email right away telling me what was going on. Wow!

I can't wait for my next class on Monday.
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(A wonderful perspective and advice for our community.)

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

It’s Just Business

Several recent threads on ASMP’s on-line forums have dealt with photographers’ frustration with client negotiations.
We would like to ask you help us support a former ASMPNY President in this election. As many of you know, Thomas Werner was central to the rebuilding the of New York Chapter, helping to create the strong and vital chapter that you know today.
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Tuesday, Feb 7th is the annual Fine Art Portfolio Reviews, are you ready to show your stuff?

6:45-9pm

***Only prints will be reviewed (no iPads or laptops) unless the work is meant to be exhibited in a museum or gallery hooked up to a computer.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012

7-9pm

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Focus on Sales: Sandler Sales Training Level One

Tuesdays, this fall! Sandler Sales Training is back ! Why should you take this course?

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Must give a major shout out to Stella Kramer who edited and published this blog for the past few years- keeping it chocked full of information and writings based on the contemporary photography world, commercially and in fine art. It must be noted that she posted everything before August 2011.
Most of us miss the smell of a darkroom and the potent chemicals that seep through our hands and clothes back in the day when the darkroom was king.
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I've been in the art and photography industry for 15 years as a photographer, curator and art consultant. I've been fortunate to work with ASMPNY as a portfolio reviewer as well as a panelist for photography events here in the city. Earlier this year my exhibition, "Hotter Than July" was reviewed by senior art critic of New York Magazine, Jerry Saltz. In the past I founded veaux.org, a site for emerging creatives with a gallery space in Chelsea as well as curator/consultant of exhibitions for the Hipstamatic iphone app. Currently I'm working on a project documenting the New York art world while curating exhibitions around the city.
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