Have you ever heard….Can you ‘just’ take a few pics for me? or Can I ‘just’ get the images on cd? from potential clients?  When I first began, I heard this a lot.  It was as if putting the word ‘just’ in there diminished the job and made it sound more like a favor for that particular person asking.  Like they didn’t value my job as a professional photographer but rather saw me as a hobbyist.  Maybe they thought by putting the word ‘just’ in there is was more like a favor.  But what they didn’t realize is that that word devalued my job and made it seem like something Uncle Joe could do.

While this has mostly changed, every now and then I still get the occasional ‘just’.  In my head I want to scream, but then I remember it is my job to educate people on what I do and I remember that not everyone is my client.  And that is ok.

Not too long ago I had a neighbor, who I had never actually met before, stop by my house to ask if I could ‘just’ take 6-8 photos of her son.  She went on to explain that she really didn’t have any money for professional photos at the time and heard I had a nice camera. Have  you ever heard something similar?  As much as I wanted to help this person out, I knew that I had to remain professional.  It was my job to educate her and let her know that photography is my job.

I explained that I would be happy to take the photos for her and told her my session fee.  I briefly explained the process of taking the photos and how an ordering session worked.  She said, “well that sounds great but I only need 6-8 photos.”  I then explained that no matter how many photos she needed, it was still my time and talent, post-processing, etc  And she finally said, “oh so this is your job?”  I said yes it is!  She finally got it and realized that photography is a lot more than clicking the shutter 6-8 times and we are done.

She never became my client and I am sure she found someone who is a hobbyist to take those photos for her.  And I am glad she did.  Although I wish everyone could be a client, I have to realize that that is not possible and be ok with that.  Doing favors for people could get out and then that would continue the cycle of bringing in clients that don’t value your work.  The ‘just’ clients.

So how can you avoid the ‘just’ clients?  Here are a few tips:

• Make sure you let everyone know that you are a professional and not a hobbyist in the way you communicate with potential clients, with your policies and procedures, etc. 
• Create a set of policies and procedures that you follow for every single inquiry!  No matter if it is your neighbor or someone you have never met before, don’t forget to go through the same procedure for every client.  Send them a portrait contract, explain your process, let them know what to expect, how much typical clients spend, etc.  Be upfront so that they know exactly how everything is handled when hiring you as their photographer.
• Communicate through your professional business email!  Sometimes I will still get messages via Facebook for inquiries.  I immediately ask for their email and communicate the rest of the time through my photography email.  This helps me remain professional and not just like a friend taking their photos.
• Perception is Key!  Make sure to remember that little things you do add up to how you are perceived by potential clients.  If you remain professional and create an atmosphere that lets them know you are in business, then you will be perceived as the professional you are instead of a hobbyist.
• Be confident in your work and prices.  Don’t feel bad about charging for your time and talent.  Don’t feel like you have to discount anything because you may know the person hiring you.  When your business is based on personal connections, you may end up becoming friends with lots of people who will refer you to their friends.  Your circle of friends will continue to grow but you have to charge the same for everyone.  Remember that this is a business and you are trying to make a living doing what you love.
• Realize that not everyone can be your client!  And be ok with that!  Some of your friends or neighbors may not be your target market.  I have honestly found that complete strangers make much better clients.  Target the clientele you want for your business and seek out those clients that value professional photography.