The business of photography and retouching
Do you look like your business? Does your business look like you?
A business is judged by its various appearances: appearance of the store, appearance of the web site, appearance of the employees. A less than favourable appearance will create a less than favourable impression on the customer.
A “good looking” appearance encourages a customer to trust that business. A poor appearance makes the customer suspicious.
You look like your business:
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According to former US Navy Rear Admiral and computer scientist Grace Hopper, the most dangerous phrase in the English language is: “We’ve always done it this way.”
Hmmm…
We’ve always used stock pictures.
We’ve always done a big group photo.
We’ve always done our business headshots against that wall over there.
We’ve always had our president photographed at his desk.
We’ve always done a cheque presentation ceremony.
We’ve always done our product shots on white.
We’ve always used only small pictures on our web site.
We’ve always had little media interest in our press releases.
We’ve always thought business portraits were like passport pictures.
We’ve always chosen the cheapest photographer.
There’s a well-known saying that states, “A confused mind always says no.”
This also applies to customers who are confused about a sales offer. They will always take their business elsewhere.
When searching through photographers’ web sites, a customer can become confused when they don’t understand exactly what the photographer is offering, the benefits of hiring that particular photographer, or any of the claims made by the photographer.
A photographer’s web site can create confusion by:
— Having too much information or too little information. Oddly enough, the correct amount of information might be related to the photographer’s prices.
— Offering too many choices.
— Using too much technical jargon.
— Showing a lack of consistency in presentation or message.
— Having no differentiation from other photographers.
Some businesses intentionally try to confuse customers. This is done so that one company’s products or services can’t be easily compared to its competitors. This practice can be common among companies that sell a commodity in an oligopoly, such as telecoms and home energy companies. How much do you enjoy dealing with these companies?
A confused customer is always an unhappy customer.
Many photographers use one of those dubious haze filters on their lenses to eliminate “haze”. Perhaps putting a clarity filter on their business might be more effective.
Some photographers offer their customers a disc with all the pictures they shot on that particular job. Similarly, some customers want a disc containing all the photos taken. Why?
To me, this suggests that the photographer can’t edit, the customer can’t make a decision, or the customer doesn’t trust the photographer to do the job properly.
Certainly there may be times when having all the photos might be a good thing, for example, when the pictures are used as evidence in a trial. But quantity is not quality.
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While shopping in a Toronto grocery store today, a woman approached me and simply asked, “Donate?” She held up a laminated piece of letter-sized paper which had the headline “DONATE DISASTER RELIEF” along with some small, generic pictures of people who may, or may not, have been in disaster-stricken areas. I turned her down.
The woman continued walking the store aisle, asking everyone else the same thing. As far as I could see, everyone turned her down.
Although she may have been legitimate in her request, she had no credibility. The flimsy piece of paper she held was obviously cheaply printed and her “presentation” was unconvincing.
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When searching for a supplier or vendor, many companies seek the lowest bidder, the cheapest price. But imagine what might happen if these companies searched for the best supplier.
Imagine what might happen if a company chose the best they could afford rather than the least they can get away with.
Imagine what might happen when the best they can afford helps enhance their corporate image.
Imagine what might happen when their enhanced image earns more attention.
Imagine what might happen when more attention means more business.
Imagine hiring a professional photographer next time.
There was a time when headshots were only for models, actors, politicians and CEOs. Those days are long gone. The world is now more photo-orientated than ever before.
If you’re planning to get a new business portrait then get in front of a mirror and practice your best baby face.
According to a study by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem:
Previous studies have shown that viewers can form judgments of trustworthiness after as little as 100 ms exposure to a novel face, and certain facial features evoke feelings of warmth, trust and cooperation while minimizing feelings of threat and competition. People with relatively babyish facial characteristics such as proportionally large eyes, a round chin, and thick pudgy lips are perceived as kinder, warmer, more honest and more trustworthy…
