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Why do people not value our work?
I have been mulling over a frustrating aspect of being a creative worker for some time now, and the time has come to vent that frustration as I can keep it to myself no more!
It is simple: why do clients not value our work?
I can liken the current scenarios I am facing to, oh I don't know, let's say I am a chip shop owner. So I am busy frying up some delicious chips, I have worked hard at my business and I pride myself on producing the best quality bag of fries for miles around. I should be good at it, I've spent years perfecting the best-fried chip. A customer walks in, "bag of chips, please". "Not a problem, here you go, that's £1.50," I might say. "£1.50?!," the customer retorts. "I was thinking more like 20p, that's value for money, isn't it?"
Would anyone tell a chip shop owner that they're chips are worth significantly less than they are? Would you go into, say an Accountants, and tell them they're only worth £7 an hour? Would you ask someone to do some work for you for nothing and feel like you were doing them a favour???
I hasten to add that a scenario whereby I am being asked to do jobs, and I offer a quote (that is significantly less than what I feel is appropriate) that is then sent back with the line "I didn't think it was going to cost this much, i'll do it myself", is not unusual. In fact, it has happened to me at least four times in the last week. I wonder if it is just me facing these challenges. I can't be the only one.
I value what I do highly. I have many, many years experience in creativity and business, have hundreds of successful projects under my belt and yet, people see me as a very talented volunteer. Do we all value our work or do we sell out? Why is it that people think they are doing me a favour by asking me to do something for nothing, or for very little? Are designers and artists regarded as unnecessary? How do we find those who do value our work?
If you know the secret, be kind and let me know. I am frustrated, angry and ready to give up.
Ok, rant over now, thanks for reading...
It is simple: why do clients not value our work?
I can liken the current scenarios I am facing to, oh I don't know, let's say I am a chip shop owner. So I am busy frying up some delicious chips, I have worked hard at my business and I pride myself on producing the best quality bag of fries for miles around. I should be good at it, I've spent years perfecting the best-fried chip. A customer walks in, "bag of chips, please". "Not a problem, here you go, that's £1.50," I might say. "£1.50?!," the customer retorts. "I was thinking more like 20p, that's value for money, isn't it?"
Would anyone tell a chip shop owner that they're chips are worth significantly less than they are? Would you go into, say an Accountants, and tell them they're only worth £7 an hour? Would you ask someone to do some work for you for nothing and feel like you were doing them a favour???
I hasten to add that a scenario whereby I am being asked to do jobs, and I offer a quote (that is significantly less than what I feel is appropriate) that is then sent back with the line "I didn't think it was going to cost this much, i'll do it myself", is not unusual. In fact, it has happened to me at least four times in the last week. I wonder if it is just me facing these challenges. I can't be the only one.
I value what I do highly. I have many, many years experience in creativity and business, have hundreds of successful projects under my belt and yet, people see me as a very talented volunteer. Do we all value our work or do we sell out? Why is it that people think they are doing me a favour by asking me to do something for nothing, or for very little? Are designers and artists regarded as unnecessary? How do we find those who do value our work?
If you know the secret, be kind and let me know. I am frustrated, angry and ready to give up.
Ok, rant over now, thanks for reading...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cleveland Brady on -
You're not alone. It happens to me like many other creatives. However, the way you deal with this issue depends on what your work is really worth, the style of work you produce and your business skills. How many other photographers are doing what you do? If the prospect client has a choice of photographers who shoot similar work, they will be in position to dictate what they want to pay. Further to this, creatives have had a long history of bad business practices, so as time goes on, your customers will expect the same poor practices from you. Besides, if the client doesn't want to pay the right price, do what the Chippy or accountant would do and turn them down.
Don't give up!
Cleveland Brady
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Permalink Reply by Ken Church on -
I was buyer of photography for many years (now retired) and pretty well stayed with the same guy for many years.We had built up a rapport which didn't give any other punters much chance.
The only way is to keep knocking on doors to find the clients that will work for you and then build up a professional relationship (with an occasional bottle of Rioja). It may take a hundred doors but if you have the talent you will get those clients who will stick with you at any price.
One of the cheapest and most effective ways of attracting new clients is to keep sending out press releases to business and professional press telling them of your latest success. Editors are always looking for interesting stuff to fill their pages and the pulling power of editorial is about 9 times greater than an ad, and it costs you nothing.
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Permalink Reply by Peter Drought on -
I get this regularly. In my particular business (photography) it is in part driven by the fact that a lot of clients now know that if they keep ringing round for long enough they will find an amateur or a student who will either do it for nothing or a massively reduced rate that takes no account of business costs. I know a lot of businesses that are suffering badly because of this. I recently had a client ring up trying to get a job done for so little that the fee wouldn't have even covered the cost of the lighting hire.
For the arts sector generally however it doesn't help that a lot of people percieve "art" as something that they did at school for an hour on friday afternoon and everyone can do. The fact that they wern't particularly good at it personally doesn't come into their thought pattern. It also possibly doesn't help that in the UK particularly, people tend to be obsessed whith shopping based on price, even if they come home later and regret it.
To be honest, I havn't found an easy solution to any of this. The only thing I can say really is make sure all of your work is parefect, identify a core market (which probably won't be a large one) that will hold the work in value and concentrate on this alone.
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Permalink Reply by Liverpool Photography DJC Design on -
Completely agree Peter. The photography business is flooded with amateurs and wannabees who are more than happy providing images / taking on commissions for a simple credit in a publication. Those people starting out in photography and value their work as budget, cheap or free end up being labelled 'the free guy' and can never charge realistic prices.
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Permalink Reply by Sharon K Mathews on -
Oh I know how you feel, I'm just starting out making my work more commercial, and because in the past I've given my work away as gifts, even friends have complained about the price of a photo or print and then they've willingly paid more for the framing!
I guess, Cleveland Brady is right - maybe we should just turn them down, although I'm still at the stage where I keep thinking...well you never know what might come of this job....
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Permalink Reply by Colin
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I had this problem very recently where I was asked to submit some of my images to an on-line magazine so I said no unless I was going to be paid, they came back at me with all sorts of reasons why I should part with my work. it is all on Facebook on my pages. They also said that they have loads of photographers who are willing to let them have images for free.
I am feeling the same as you in that WHY should I give my work away for free!! After all I have had to buy a lot of expensive equipment over the years to be able to do my job.
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Colins-Photography/18006096439?ref=mf#!/ColinsPhotography?ref=profile you will have to scroll down the page a bit to find it..
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