People call your business because of exposure that you have paid for (ad-
vertising) or exposure to the many other parts of your marketing plan (word
of mouth, business cards and brochures, portraits on display, etc.). Without
advertising and a good marketing plan, the phone doesn’t ring. Without a
clearly defined style in your advertising and marketing, you get phone calls
from clients who aren’t a good match for what you do.
Many photographers spend a fortune on the finest mailers and marketing
pieces—pieces that visually say, “We are good and probably charge more than
other studios.” In many cases, however, the location of the studio, the pho-
tographer’s experience, and the overall business don’t live up to that more
prestigious feeling. Some photographers do the exact opposite—they haveCONTROLLING THE SESSION—AND YOUR BUSINESS 107When clients understand your business and
know how to prepare for their sessions, the
results will make everyone happy.