Why Use a Professional

In today’s modern economy with greater advances in technology so many feel they can compete in the professional environment. Many organisations are looking to minimise cost but at what risk. Recent articles in business magazines have stressed this point for payroll and tax advice, so why not your company’s brand when it comes to Photography, so here’s my top tips on what to look out for and how not to get caught out:

Insurance

An important consideration. Both Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance should be in place if anything should go wrong. This protects both the client and the photographer if that Ming vase gets knocked over or equipment should fail.

Experience and Credentials

How long have they been working at a professional level? Is this their main career or is it just a fill at evenings and weekends? Do they come recommended by others or can they provide either references or testimonials? Are they CRB checked if working with children or vulnerable people? Are they registered for VAT or hold other key company policies.

Back Ups

Why should this be of a concern to the client? Well, digital equipment can fail and if they only have one copy before leaving site the shoot will have to all be redone – expensive and time consuming and some shoots can’t always be recreated. See Insurance ! Added to that is having a second camera, if one fails can the shoot continue? Do they keep offsite files so if you need a second copy of that CD or DVD it can be supplied and can this be provided say 12 months later, when you think now where are those images we taken ?

Value for Money

Price is always a consideration to any client and so too is the right of choice, but if one company is 50% cheaper you have to ask yourself why? Massive under cutting only leads to a devaluation of the local economy, harms business and often clients find they pay half price but then pay twice, to have the job redone.

Copyright

Always an important point to establish who owns those images, the photographer or you and are there any restrictions on use, if in doubt ask questions.

Marketing Effectiveness

In these difficult economic times efficiency is paramount. Being able to measure and assess your marketing effort is of vital importance. How else do you know what is working and what isn’t? Is your marketing pound achieving what you’d hoped ? Can you measure its effectiveness or not? Do you review quarterly or at worst annually how your marketing communications have performed?

Many companies draw a blank to these questions.  Challenging times call for attention to your marketing communications so that you can correctly target you customer segments, exploit vertical markets and seek new customers.

Conducting a review of all your marketing communications, website, direct mail, adverts and social media activities ensure your brand  stays fresh and doesn’t perish.