Everyone in the world has stumble across someone, somewhere soliciting some good or service. It really is inevitable and I am sure you all have been annoyed by the approach. As a photographer, a business person I receive multiple emails a week, messages to my Facebook pages, and direct messages on Twitter, LinkedIN, and Instagram sometimes daily from someone with a good or service they want me to try, indorse, review on this blog.

I always read what they have to say even though 99.9% of the time they never make a true business proposal, they always phrase it like a cool idea or thought if I am interested. Sometimes I really would love to open my email and see— ‘Hi I am X, with X company and after reviewing your social media streams, website and content we’d like an opportunity to work with you. Our current service (explain their business or product whatever). Then explain why they think I can help them and how. And finally what I get out of it’— I run a business at the end of the day if there’s no benefit for me it is a waste of my time.

I never get business proposals. So I always if even slightly interested have to send follow up emails asking questions. I rarely ever know the business before they reach out so I have to check out their products, sites, and see how it can benefit me as a potential client of theirs so I can benefit my clients. The emails I get back they either understand my concerns and take my feedback of their site and current offerings into consideration or as was the case this week they get snippy and slightly hostile.

Back story on this week— You all know I publish photography books sometimes for sale, other times custom made and designed for clients (included with their package choices) so I have defined needs that have to be meant. I have trusted companies I already work with so I got a solicitation email wanting me to try their product to review on this blog with I am assuming a marginal discount. I do my due diligence, I check out their offerings, features, open their designer test ease and such. I review prices, I compare prices to companies I currently use, and then I look at the next important thing— distribution.

They are lacking in several areas, I assume they are a newer service honestly didn’t see much about how they came to be, so I reply to the email and identify the only way their service could potentially service me assuming one goal they have be to gain my business. Most businesses that are forward thinking would want to earn more business, that’s how you stay operational.

It would appear from the return email that isn’t this companies goal. They want to use me and in turn my readers, my followers, my social media basically to show off their product by giving me a marginal discount to order from them. So to recap, all my business would gain is a slight discount off production of one of their photo-books because they weren’t interested in my needs, they don’t want to convert my business to them full time.

I have done a lot of deals and partnerships in my time, I get wholesale rates with companies, I have permanent discounts with others, I have blog partnerships, and not to mention advertising print and digital with others. A one time discount to try a product to review doesn’t benefit me especially when I have a company I have used for seven years.

So everyone be careful about those solicitors that come calling. Always do your research, ask questions, write concerns, send recommendations for them to improve and see what comes back. Never jump into something before you have the information you need. Not everything is a good deal and worth while. Say no so you can say yes when the right opportunity comes to you.

And if you need an excellent photo-book, or your writing a novel, memoir or even wanting to start a magazine, I urge you to check out my tried and true source Blurb.com. They specialize in self published print on demand books and you can sell via Amazon and Barnes and Noble as well as digital books as well. It is a great company, I have over a dozen books of my own and from other photographers I love. 10/10 recommend.

As always Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. And Stay Six Feet Apart!