How not to write a photography RFP
Hello all. Many apologies for the seasonal hiatus. I’m feeling much better now so how about I blog at you?
I get a lot of RFPs, requests for proposals, from clients looking to hire a professional photographer like me. (I’d like to get more RFPs, but that’s neither here nor there.) The issue is that there are two kinds of RFPs: those that know how to hire a photographer, and those that totally don’t. Most, as far as I can tell, totally don’t. Hiring a photographer is not like hiring a janitor. So here are my suggestions, dear clients, for how not to write your next photography RFP.
1. Don’t ask to see our work. It will tell you how good and qualified we are (or are not).
Not all photographers are created equal. Because we’ve both been in business for ten years doesn’t mean we’re just as good as one another, so stop using “years in business” as the only indicator of quality. Understand that different photographers have different specialties, not to mention different skill levels, and the best way to see that with your own two eyes is to see samples of our work. And if you’re not image savvy, ask around for help. The differences are there, even if you can’t see them yourself. Others definitely can.
2. Don’t ask pertinent questions. They, too, will help determine who really can do the job.
Yes I have insurance. Yes I am available on short notice. Yes I can comply with all pertinent OSHA guidelines. I’m happy to tell you all about these details, and I understand they are important to your company. But all too often I get RFPs that don’t even ask about the three main things you really want to know: what kind of work do I do, how good is that work, and what’s it going to cost. (Actually, they always ask about cost. But without those other factors, it’s a useless bit of information. What good is cheap if it’s not the right result?) So be sure to ask about specific job-related experience and skills.
3. Don’t ask if I’ve ever done a shoot like this before. If I’m an expert in exactly this, it’s probably not pertinent.
Speaking of specific experience, there’s one indicator that’s really hard to fake: track record. “Have you ever photographed an elephant before?” If I haven’t, but my competition has, you’ve just learned a lot about who might best be able to photograph your elephant. The guy who is an expert in exactly what you need may not have the opportunity to point that out if you don’t let him. So ask for pertinent prior samples, explanations, and even references.
4. Reiterate that price is the only thing. Even if you’re unqualified, if you’re cheapest we’ll hire you.
I know, that’s easier said than done these days. But seriously, there’s more to it than “what’s your price.” I understand that many, if not most, photo bids go to the lowest qualified bidder. Just don’t forget about that qualification. Many folks are dabbling with photo assignments they’re just not qualified for. If you don’t compare apples to apples (or professionals to professionals) you may get a good price, but ultimately you’ll pay more. Unhappy clients and reshoots are not cost-effective. Hire someone who knows what they’re doing. If one bid is literally a fraction of the cost of the other three bids, you may want to think carefully about who really is the lowest “qualified” bidder.
5. Ask for a set price that’s flat and fits on one line and means absolutely nothing.
These aren’t pork bellies we’re selling, it’s creative skill and talent and production and post-production and a whole lot of things that go into creating, and pricing, a photo assignment. So please know that if you ask for an hourly rate you’re only getting a fraction of the pertinent information. Ask to see invoices of similar assignments to get a real feel for real-world pricing, or ask for a price on a sample shoot you might need to deliver. Whatever you do, don’t only address cost with a single line item for “hourly rate.” It means almost nothing. (When in doubt, ask yourself this: how much does it cost to build a house? Get it? Good.)
The next time you’re writing up a request for photography proposals, let the photographer know you really do care about hiring someone good who will do the job well and professionally. (That is, assuming that’s part of your objective.) You’ll only get the appropriate information necessary to make your decision if you ask the right questions in the first place.
Questions (or requests for proposals!) for me, give me a call and we’ll talk.
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