through the major photo organizations. If your organization
sponsors monthly talks, request that they book a consultant.
This will allow you to gauge the knowledge, perspective, and
personality of the consultant at a meeting, rather than during
your first consult.
Whether a consultant was reviewed at a meeting or not, you
will want to know a number of things about him or her, and an
initial phone call is a good place to begin. Although most con-
sultants will not charge a fee to discuss their background and
service, it is a smart move to check first.
I was the first consultant in the country twenty-eight years
ago. During the last several years I have watched many consult-
ants come and go. Often reps, art buyers, and photo editors
who are in between jobs act as consultants. While I am sure that
these folks are well intentioned and knowledgeable, you are
best served by those who have chosen to be full-time consult-
ants. I would suggest that you not put your career choices in
the hands of someone who sees consulting as a part-time or
in-between job responsibility. Your consultant will be advising
you on decisions that will affect your entire career. You need to
align yourself with a consultant who has a long-term commit-
ment to our industry.
You are looking for a consultant who is devoted to becom-
ing knowledgeable about all aspects of the photography busi-
ness that they seek to consult on. Full-time consultants spend
countless unpaid hours researching, reading, and speaking
with your buyers. They devote many hours to educating people
and answering questions posed online on organizational
forums. They may write articles because they want to reach as
many creatives as possible. These are the people you need to
seek out.
When talking with the consultant, inquire about the
services offered. Some consultants specialize in marketing or
motivation strategies, while others offer a full-service approach.
Ask about the consultant’s background, in and out of the indus-
try. Some consultants come to the business from the agency
world. While their experience might help photographers look-
ing to work in the ad sector, their information may not serve
the corporate shooter or the consumer photographer seeking
to build a portrait and wedding business. In addition, if aCHAPTER15 / OBJECTIVEHELP FROM THEBUSINESSCONSULTANTChapter 15.qxd 6/25/07 7:20 AM Page 93