Competitors Everywhere... I guess...

I have been participating in two very interesting threads over at Strobist's Flickr Forum. There is discussion over pricing, new wannabees driving prices down and such and a smaller, but vocal group that are arguing that change in the business is inevitable, but that doesn't bode disaster. This was my post to yesterday's thread about the state of business (related to the John Harrington post I linked to recently.)

Well, this was interesting and great timing too. I went in to the office yesterday and had two client meetings. One was with a real-estate person who wanted to "inally get my site to the next level." He has a 'webguy' who is a friend and a good programmer, but not good in design and marketing at all. He realizes he needs that now. Price is not a big deal, he just needs it done. He spent a few hundred with his previous guy and ended up with a web site. he is spending a few thousand with me and will end up with a web site.

Mine will be better. It costs more. That's the way it is.

The second meeting was with a couple who have been looking for a wedding photographer. I showed them my work, portfolio and price packages and they told me they had been considering another guy who only charged $800 and gave them the CD.

I told them that sounded like a good deal to me. I wished them well. They had a strange look and they guy asked me if I was going to try to sell them my services. "What would make us pay you $3200 for nearly the same thing?" he asked.

"Oh, that's easy," I explained. "When I shoot a wedding, my first and only goal is to provide you with the best images that can be shot, to tell your story for generations to follow, and to produce the only thing you have at the end of a very expensive day. Foods gone, booze is gone, flowers die, cake is eaten, tuxes returned... you only have my pictures and I want them to make you smile, cry and want to share them for the rest of your lives. I take that responsibility very seriously. And I need to make the money that allows me to do that. The other guy wants to make 800 bucks as quickly as he can."

We talked a bit more and they left, telling me they had to think about some stuff and would let me know when they made a decision.

This morning an email and request to send info for their deposit.

"We thought about what you said and we agreed that we cannot afford to not use you."

Yeah, that's about right.

Competitors are everywhere if you look for them, but the biggest competitor we all face is that little voice that tells us it isn't our fault, it's the other guy, they did it to us, we can't compete with that guy, if only someone else would make it better for us, why can't things be fair, what does he think he's doing, why can't I catch a break....

Me to voice: Ahhhh, Shuddupp.....