Proud Photography Blog

As a photographer, you will have to deal with not just colleagues and clients; you will also have to deal with external people who will help you run your business. This includes people who hire or supply your equipment, people you hire studio space from, people who print your photographs and frame them, people who you hire vans from and so on.

When you become the person doing the hiring, it’s important to remember to treat people how you expect to be treated.  This means following some rules to make sure you have good reputation but also do the right things for your own business.

Here are some tips on how to build rapport with your suppliers and contractors.

1.    Be concise

When you are using someone else’s services it helps if you are clear with what you want and need.  This means that when you are asking for framing, for example, it’s  a good idea to state exactly what you want, and how so that there are fewer mistakes and changes necessary later on.

2.    Legal

Where it’s possible use contracts and make sure all things are documented and official.  For example, if you are hiring someone to help you with your work then use a suitable contract for this so that you are covered legally.  If you are hiring equipment for example, make sure that you know what happens should the gear be stolen or if things go wrong.  Do you have insurance to cover this?  Is the vehicle you are hiring covering you because you are using it for work reasons and nor personal?

Checking these things before you go ahead saves you money and time in the future.

3.    Pay on time

When you take up someone else’s services make sure you check the payment terms.  Some services require payment beforehand but many businesses have a 30 day payment option.

Its quite normal for people to wait until the end of the 30 days to pay – you can do this if its how your cash flow works.  However there may be special circumstances, where a provider asks for earlier payment or a despot, or for you to pay in percentages.

In each case make sure that you are happy with the arrangements – you could have an excellent helper for example that you always pay immediately because it keeps their relationship between you good and because you can afford to.

Paying on time also means you can negotiate good deals and discounts – don’t be afraid to shop around for deals if your supplier is unrelenting and refusing to give you no discount at all after being a loyal customer.

4.    Keep It Professional

At the end of the day, the people you hire to do your jobs are there to help you make your life easier. If you do encounter problems with people then don’t be afraid to complain or to look for a different supplier, however always keep things professional.  Don’t get into petty fights and arguments; do check what your rights are if things go wrong and always deal with things with dignity.