Why cheap photographers are powerful, and what to do about it
Does my headline make sense? Do you immediately think I’m out of my mind? You be the judge. Have you ever:
Spent time clicking on photographer’s links on ISO (in search of) posts and then gotten lost in reviewing a cheap photographer’s work, clicking further to check their website? In the middle of the night maybe, and you can’t tear yourself away?
Spent time agonizing over your prices because you’ve seen other photographer’s advertise similar for less?
Written a post (rant) about how so-and-so is charging peanuts for an entire gallery and you wonder how they can sustain it, or wonder if you should drop your prices because of it?
Have you ever said, written, or thought that your market is oversaturated with cheap photographers?
In short, have you paid attention, even an ounce, to cheap photographers? If the answer is yes, then you will agree that cheap photographers are powerful. Super-powerful. Why?
They were able to take your precious attention from your business and put a spotlight on theirs.
What do you want your time to be worth to clients? What is it worth now? Let’s say it’s $100 an hour (or you want it to be). If you spend 15 minutes ranting on Facebook and then reading 50 comments commiserating with you on the volume of cheapo photogs that you can’t compete with, that 15 minutes just cost you $25. Would you walk over to the field where this photog is doing their minis and hand them over $25 (they’d love that, it might even replace an entire session for them for no work!) No, you wouldn’t. But you’re doing it virtually. Your time has value, every minute and we have a limited supply. While we battle all sorts of time-wasters in our lives, why do you give your power, in the form of attention, to what you don’t want, and dislike? And what do you think they’re doing - paying attention to you? If you see them busy, then they are working, while you are watching them work and complaining that they exist. Regardless of their unsustainable business model, who is taking action in their business? Hint: not you! Could you, in that 15 minutes, have created an ad, called or emailed a former client, created a newsletter template for your email list, prepared a few IG images with captions, created a list of hashtags, tested a new lens, read a chapter in a marketing book, to further your business? Ok, and now you’ll tell me that we all have to be industry advocates and educate cheap photogs on charging more. Here’s where I’ll tell you that the best way to reach a cheap photographer is to lead by example. Don’t preach or lecture - have you ever had someone do this to you on any topic? Think of how you reacted. Lead by amazing and successful example, and instead of telling people to be more like you, show them so they want to emulate you. Be a role-model, not a preacher. Demonstrate success. That means, give attention to the most important thing - YOUR business.
They’ve made you doubt yourself.
When I read articles about Jeff Bezos and his net worth, it can make me feel doubtful about my own abilities and talents. That there ain’t no way I’m gonna be worth billions. But, it does give me something to aspire to - success. I mean, he started Amazon in his garage. I’d consider that good self-doubt. The kind that lights a fire under me to do better, be better, to strive to overcome whatever fears plague me and to keep building, virtual brick by virtual brick, my successful business that thrives in a way that elevates me in my life. Will I ever reach the level of Amazon? Likely not, but I can certainly create something that sustains and enriches me financially and creatively.
By the other token, what self-doubt does a cheapo photog instill? The kind that makes you think you should also become the cheapo photog; they look busy, right? They’re working, getting clients, and they 'seem’ successful. Everyone is flocking to them, so price must be the right measure by which people judge how they buy photography services, and thus there is no way you’ll ever be able to charge more. Even worse if your work is comparable - God, the mountain is getting higher and you’re falling deeper into the trenches where there is a battle for pennies. But how else could you possibly compete? The truth is that the cheapo photog is simply a trigger for all of your own fears of making it. It has nothing to do with them, but it has everything to do with you. If you might not know exactly what you should be doing to gain exciting and amazing clients, then it’s a pretty easy thing to just give in and do what they do, even though you know, in your heart of hearts, that it will kill your dream to be a successful business owner and kill your creativity to take a cheap wage for your art and talent.
If you’ve allowed these things to happen, there is good news. You can take your power back (and then protect it with every fibre of your being). Vow to yourself to ignore cheap photographers at all costs, because those costs are real and high. Consider that they aren’t your competition at all, unless you want anything they have (and you really don’t want $25 clients). Attention is powerful. Turn that same attention and energy into your own business and you’ll fare far better than letting it leak out to the wrong things. Let’s create our truth - that WE are powerful and that we can be the makers of our success.
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