STORYTIME: The Irritable Attorney and the Big Payout!!!
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, however, one of my clients once discovered that it’s sometimes worth a LOT more.! Here’s the story. . . . and I’ll tell this story without the names or faces to protect the privacy of my clients. The woman in the photo above is NOT who this is about!
Once upon a time, a client was referred to me who was very reluctant to get her photos done. Needing an update, she was being pressured by her business partners into getting new shots to improve her company presence.
She really, really, REALLY DID NOT want her photo taken. Additionally, she stated that she thought my prices were too high.
“I can go to a much cheaper photographer and do my own hair and makeup,” she stated.
While she openly admitted to priding herself on being frugal and stingy, after a lengthy consultation she finally felt comfortable enough to schedule her appointment in front of my lens. I had to thoroughly explain to her the reasons that she should pay for a hair and makeup person because she felt it was just too much money to pay for everything. And the fact that she was an attorney made her a tough case to crack!
She arrived at her shoot with a less-than-ideal attitude and made a few comments about “spending money for all of this.”
Well… as one can imagine, this attorney’s shoot went off without a hitch! Despite it all, she STILL was picky about every photo. I found a PHENOMENAL photo of her; and being the tough cookie I am, I admittedly snapped at her and told her that just as her clients trust her to have their best interests in mind legally, she needed to just trust me having her best interests in mind creatively.
Then came the BIG problem – I told her to put her photo on one side of her business card so people would remember what she looked like after they met her. This was a little bit outside of her comfort zone.
“It’s a PERFECT branding opportunity for you!” I told her.
“Put a big photo of me on my business card? How self-absorbed!!! Absolutely not!” she replied.
Well – I designed her business cards for her anyway to show her the possibility of what I was describing to her and mailed them directly to her home.
I never heard back from her – so I thought I had just lost a client because producing what I had suggested to her was too forward-thinking in getting her more front-and-center with her branding.
WELL…
A year or two after not hearing from her, I ran into her. “You will NOT BELIEVE what happened after I saw you, Levi!” she exclaimed. “I gave someone my business card – the one that you designed and sent to me – and the woman I gave it to LOVED your photograph of me and so I referred her to you!” she was beaming.
“Sweet! I always love a good referral!” I photographed the referral a few weeks after the attorney’s photo shoot.
BUT WAIT…
That same woman (the referral) ended up in an auto accident shortly after her shoot with me. When she came home from the hospital in a wheelchair, she rolled into her kitchen and the business card that I had created for my client was on the referral’s fridge as a reminder to connect for her shoot with me.
She immediately called the attorney on the business card and hired her for her case!
Guess how much money the attorney made off that case? $70,000.
YES – SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!!
And so, the moral of the story: branding and imagery are KEY to keeping yourself in the minds of potential clients. Every time someone sees your profile, a post you make, or an email – don’t hide! Remind them of what you look like and give them an impression of your particular brand. It will always pay off, although you might not see it directly, or quickly. I can promise you that after 16 years of shooting clients for their various professions, this is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned and taught to my clients over and over again.
Stay seen my friends,
Levi
