If you’re new in town and need to buy groceries, you can go to any supermarket because they all sell the same products and same brands. Most supermarkets even have the same store layout. So people usually shop at whatever grocery store is closest to them.
What if you need a haircut? Can you go to any barbershop or hairstylist? Are they all the same?
Unlike a grocery store, a barbershop sells a service and that service is bespoke to you.
Some barbers do just the basic work and they do it as quickly as possible. Fast and cheap. This is okay if your haircut is for utilitarian reasons and you don’t care about looks or style.
More experienced barbers can create better quality and more stylish haircuts. This is for people who care about how they look and want to make a good impression.
Every barber may own the same tools of the trade but each barber is different. There’s a leap of faith involved when choosing a barber because you can’t see the final results ahead of time.
Choosing a Photographer
Every photographer owns the same tools of the trade but each photographer is different. They approach photography a bit differently, they price slightly differently, and they produce different images.
So how do you choose a photographer when you can’t see the final pictures ahead of time?
There’s a leap of faith involved but it isn’t a blind leap. You can base your decision on the photographer’s portfolio and experience. Do they have credibility? Can you trust them?
Many photographers run a one-chair shop. They work in low volumes so they can work closely with each customer and produce exactly what the customer wants. But low volume often means a higher price.
When it comes to custom services like haircuts and photography, we all know that low price means inexperience.
If you choose an inexperienced barber and end up with a bad haircut, you can wear a hat and wait for your hair to grow back :–)
But if an inexperienced photographer delivers bad pictures, there may be no chance of a do-over.
Experience is always better than low price when it comes to a custom service.
