As photographers, we’re certainly faced with a client that made us seriously consider the idea of working at the grocery store and throwing our illustrious career into the air.
No matter how excellent your photography is or your skill in using it all How to get friends and influence people Tactically, some customers are completely unsatisfied. Here are four strategies that will help you when you find yourself facing these situations. You can screenshot the list and return to it every time you find yourself in this situation. Take a deep breath, read through the list and you’ll see how well this game plan works.
1. You do not have to reply immediately.
We live in the age of individuals. From Instagram to Amazon Prime, we’re used to having everything happen instantly. When receiving a hot message from a customer, the knee-jerk reaction is immediate. You feel attacked and your body can be flooded with “fight or flight” hormones, which doesn’t always lead to the best response. When someone is very aggressive, I find it best to wait to respond. I usually send a message like, “Thanks for the text, I’m in the studio, but I’ll be happy to answer your questions when I get back to the office later today.” I’m not in the studio. I’m sitting in front of my email at my desk. Even so, I know that taking a few hours to respond gives me time to breathe, think, and form a calm and professional response.
2. Ignore the loaded comments and focus on the solution.
It’s tempting to string together smart and worthy comebacks. However, it doesn’t fulfill its goal of handling things professionally. Your professional reputation is more important than bringing someone back to their old position. Take a deep breath, ignore the insults, and focus on the solution. What do they want to do? “If I remove all emotion from the situation, what do they ask for and what can I give them?” Focusing on a solution doesn’t mean you have to go back to the whole work for free because they want something they never expressed. It simply means that you listen to their communication, sift through their emotions, and offer options for presenting it back to them.
3. You Don’t Need To Give A Reason.
This is a big broblem. Controversial people love any fuel they can get their hands on. One way to arrive at a sensible solution without providing them with ammunition is to offer solutions and set boundaries without going into the reasons that led you to them. Phrases like “sorry that won’t be possible, but I can suggest…” or “I can’t accommodate that request, but I’d be happy to offer you…” are Very effective sentences. You don’t have to give people reasons. Set your boundaries, come up with your solutions, and let go of the reasons.
4. Refer to Contract.
If your contract is not tight, this is your first point of action. If you are a American professional photographer membership, you can access various photography deals specific to your industry. Business platforms like Honeybook also offer contracts. I started with a template like this in my early years, and I’ve been adding to my template over the years to tailor it to my needs. When it comes to contracts, phrases like “according to our contract…” can be read strongly, but you want to get back to your signed agreement. You can use a slight modification like: “although we’re contracted with… I’d rather give you the option…” This effectively refers to what you’re not obligated to. but also shows that you are choosing to meet them anyway.
If I could summarize my entire approach to managing difficult customers it would be “take a breath, remove the emotion, and come up with a solution.
What’s your favorite “managing the tough guy” strategy or phrase? Leave a comment below. I am always looking for more strategies. Spread happiness!
