CLIENTS DON’T RESPECT YOU BECAUSE OF THIS
Tags: Business Development, Photography, Personal Development, Photos, Business

Especially within creative industries, many tend to not regard the work of the creative person. The work of the specialized artist. Many just dismiss the expertise required in the line of work. Sometimes you just come across egotistical people who cannot be helped or are beyond help. But who’s fault is this? Eight out of ten times, the fault is us, creative people — we are to blame — us creatives who fail to position ourselves properly.

Here are a few reasons clients disrespect us.

We accept almost everyone as a client: Like any relationship, it is a two-way street. Make sure you’re a good fit for you as you are for them. If you’re not going to choose a spouse based on the value you give and what they give you, then, why would you choose a client who is not a good fit? We select or choose spouses because they are a good fit for us, not just based on looks but beliefs too.

2. We haven’t nurtured our credibility: Social proof is the new currency of credibility. When you build credibility by displaying subject matter expertise (specialization), trust and respect become the foundation of your client relationships. Specialize, build a platform on social media, and allow yourself to be known. Speaking to a business friend of mine just weeks ago, I asked him to attend a workshop to learn a little bit about branding. He asked for a social media page and I showed him the ‘expert.” I almost amused him and he went like this — if he’s that good, why is his following so low? Folks, it’s the 21st century, build yourself a following!

3. We refuse to invest in our talent: Talent is a weapon. Like any weapon, you have to learn how to use it or risk hurting yourself and others. Investment in talent is what purifies it into a crucial art. Not investing in your talent is a sure way to be taken for granted. People respect people who are good investors, the bad investor is never going to be approached for advice.

4. We’re too hungry for clients: Relax. Stay calm. Adopt tranquility. There’s no rush. Keep investing in yourself, your art, and be knowledgeable about what you do. Don’t be everywhere and nowhere at all. Don’t say yes to every job. You don’t need to. You don’t have to. The free works on the internet are just a lot. The internet doesn’t need you making art for someone for exposure. You’re already exposed. Target specific people you want to work with/for. Make goals around these and pursue them. You do not need 500 clients every year, you need 5–10 good paying clients and you’ll be set. Be scarce a bit, please.

5. We fail to fire bad clients: Some clients don’t pay well. It doesn’t take long to figure this one out if you have been in the creative industry for some time. Some clients don’t even pay you in the end. Some are just annoying — they bring projects that you don’t like to work on. Some want to just take advantage of you, worst of it all, some are disrespectful. They disrespect you and your passion! But still, you feel you need to keep them to make the money. Here’s news: Don’t fool yourself, FIRE those clients. Every minute you work with a client you don’t want, it’s a minute you could be searching for a good one. You don’t need lots of clients. You need a few who pay you well. Stop wasting your time and mental health.

BE SCARCE — BE KNOWN — FIRE BAD CLIENTS