HOW TO: PRESENT YOURSELF
By Allegra Wilde
I’m not sure Resource had this in mind when they asked me to write a little something about marketing for photographers, but in doing this, I tried to think of the most basic and powerful advice that someone gave me at the beginning of my career. This small idea—principle, if you will—has informed every other step I’ve taken since then, and is not only, in my opinion, the best way to get business, but it’s also the best way to stay sane while you’re making your way to the top.
It’s all about being honest. In your work, your dealings with potential clients, and anyone else who can help guide your career. But mostly, it is about being honest with yourself.
This is not always obvious advice. It’s easy to cover up the fact that you are hungry for business. After all, there is an unspoken rule that “needy is not attractive”. Plus it is sometimes too uncomfortable to acknowledge it.
You are missing an opportunity if you hide your real self and situation under the blanket of bravado.
You know when you are acting like you are more experienced than you are. You know when your work looks like that of other people. You know when you’re pandering to the market. You know when you are adding “fillers” to your portfolio.
And you know when you are bullshitting because you are insecure.
Let’s look at the cold call or email—the first contact you need to make to get an appointment or introduce yourself to an art buyer or photo editor—as an example of how to navigate this emotional minefield. Whether you are in transition with your work or just getting out of assisting, or if you’re looking for an agent, or are very established and need to re-invigorate your career, that call is critical at any stage.
I think the single biggest piece of advice I can give to photographers in this critical step is to Tell. The. Truth.
For photographers just out of school, for those in transition between assistants and full-fledged photographers, for those either repped or unrepped (OK, I think that might cover everybody), it is easy to feel a little insecure when reaching out personally to people who can hire you. What a lot of people tend to do is to posture, to act like they are more established/surefooted than they actually are. And omit from their communication the very thing that would probably guarantee success in securing that face time, or at least the buyer’s attention.
This means leaving a message on their answering machines or sending an email that includes things like the following:
—If you are an assistant or emergent: Tell them you’re just starting. Tell them you have just stopped assisting, that you’re new, nervous maybe, and you haven’t been on a zillion of these meetings, and would appreciate ten minutes of feedback. Tell them they are one of your first appointments.
—If you are established and are not used to going on these kinds of appointments (either because you have been represented, or because you just…haven’t), tell them that. Tell them that your agent usually presents your work, and/or that you haven’t done this in a long time, etc…
There is something about revealing the humanity of your situation. Anyone can relate to it. We’ve all been there. So let these people know the real story, so they can connect with you, as a human being, and in the process be more open. This gives them a vested interest in discovering you, and nurturing your career because they remember what it was like for them, when they were just starting, or making a change, or unsure.
You get the idea….
Remember that people in a position to help you sometimes don’t think to do so—especially when you act like you don’t need the help.
GET THE FULL SPRING 2010 ISSUE HERE.
Allegra Wilde: www.allegrawilde.com
