Episode 45 - Building Emotional Connection with Clients through Questions

Episode 45 - Building Emotional Connection with Clients through Questions

Building Emotional Connection with Clients through Questions Speaker: For those of you who study with me, you learn this right away. How to build an emotional connection Speaker: The other day, a client came in town and-- let me back up because she never hired me before, so she wasn't a client. But we met a few months ago at a dinner party. We exchanged cards, and then she came back to town because her father unexpectedly passed away While she was in town, she sent me a message saying, "Matthew, I'm just here for a few days." Speaker: She explained the situation, and she said, "I don't know when I'll be back, but I'd like for you to create my portrait." Are you free today or tomorrow? Speaker: Now this message came Speaker: In the middle of the day Speaker: I was free that day. I could have done the shoot, but I responded, " Let's shoot tomorrow because I want to give you the best experience Speaker: And that takes time Speaker: I want to create the most impactful image of your life Speaker: One that you remember forever Speaker: Then of course, she also asked my price Speaker: And I responded And the way that I teach all my students how to respond to that question. We all get it, but how do you respond to that question? Speaker: I responded in the way I teach all my students how to respond Speaker: If you've come to any of my workshops, you've heard me talk about building an emotional connection Speaker: And all my students, they learn that right away Speaker: But I wanna share just one thing that happened with this client when I did what I teach. I wanna share with you how she responded Speaker: I asked this question: If the younger version of you could see you now, what do you think she would admire most? Speaker: What would you want her to know about the woman she eventually became? Speaker: This is just one of the things I teach my clients to do Speaker: But right now Whether you're a man or a woman, I want you to think about that question. If the younger version of you could see you now what you think they would admire most? Think about that Speaker: The younger you Speaker: It's a very deep question Speaker: And yes, it catches people by surprise. Maybe right now you're thinking about your younger self and how you would answer that question Speaker: If the younger version of you could see you now, how you've lived your life, what you've been through, what you've overcome, what do you think the younger version of you would most admire about you? Speaker: This is a question that you should think about Speaker: Even as I ask this question, it's making me think about my younger self Speaker: And I hope it's helping you to do the same Speaker: So here's is what my potential client, 'cause she hadn't hired me yet, this is what my potential client responded to this question. " Just reading this question made me burst into tears. I could feel the child inside me crying deeply." Speaker: If the younger version of me could see me now, I think she would be amazed that I survived Speaker: Back then, when I was a child, I felt trapped. I felt hopeless And I felt alone. Speaker: As a child, I was always trembling because I believed people would hurt me I didn't think that happiness or freedom were even possible for me Speaker: What I would want the younger version of me to know is this: You are not stuck forever One day you will discover your own freedom, your own voice, and your own strength And one day you will finally become yourself. To little me, smile and be happy. You deserve it Speaker: Then she wrote this: "I can't stop crying because of those final words. The grown-up version of me is crying so deeply right now." Speaker: Now this is just one of the things that I teach my students to do Speaker: So what do you think happened after my potential client, 'cause remember she hadn't hired me yet, what do you think my potential client did after answering this question? Now, this is just one in a series of questions that I ask But what do you think happened? Did she ghost me when I gave my price? Speaker: Absolutely not. She booked me right away. We shot the next day. We had an incredible experience. We were both almost in tears during the shoot. And now I have a client for life. The way she walked through the door, the way she walked out the door Let me know that Before I could get home, I had a message from her about the shoot, about the questions that I asked. Speaker: And she said, "I've never had an experience like that before in my life. I don't know what you did, but thank you." Speaker: I hope you really hear this message Speaker: Right now, at this moment, we're not taking on new students, but you can get on the wait list So when the doors open again, you can learn how to turn things around in a way that you'll never get ghosted again. Wouldn't you like that? Every photographer would It's not about your talent. It's not about your work Speaker: Maybe you're just not answering questions the right way in a way that builds trust before they ever hear your price Speaker: to get on my waitlist Just go to the show notes. That's the only place where you'll find the link. It's in the show notes to be on the waiting list. So the next time we open the doors, you can be one of the first to be a part Speaker: of the client breakthrough This is powerful stuff Speaker: Maybe you're wondering what kind of questions that we ask. What kind of questions do I teach my students how to ask? I can guarantee you this, it's not what you're thinking Speaker: Because what you're thinking is probably what everybody else is doing, and everybody is getting the same results. Many people are getting ghosted or people are price shopping Speaker: That's not the way to have a successful career. Whether you're doing commercial work or personal work It doesn't matter Speaker: We are all flesh and blood Speaker: We all have emotions. We all had a childhood. We all live life Speaker: If you wanna have a better life doing what you love as a photographer, do me a favor, go to the show notes and get on the waiting list All right. I hope this message resonated with you Speaker: And I look forward to seeing you very soon. But first, jump on the waiting list so you're ready to jump right in the next time we open the doors. Until then, bye for now. 👉 JOIN THE WAITLIST [https://www.photographybreakthroughsystem.com/photography-breakthrough-system-waitlist]

Episode 44 - Day Three: Client Conversion Challenge Finale

Day Three: Client Conversion Challenge Finale Speaker: Wow. Now that was a fantastic week. Were you there? Last week we did part one and part two of the Client Conversion Challenge, and I've got to say, number one, thank you to everyone who showed up. If you missed it, you actually missed a lot. Speaker: Last week in the podcast, I talked about trust because here's the truth, it's not about your work. A lot of us are trying to be better photographers, and I get it because back in the day, you had to be a better photographer to get work. But that was before AI came on the scene. Before there were millions of photographers. Today, there's just too many things going on, and a client is not going to book you unless they trust you. So last week, in day one and day two of the Client Conversion Challenge, it was all about trust and teaching you how to have clients really trust you. Speaker: But the final day, that happens tomorrow. Speaker: It is the most important day of all. Speaker: If you missed day one and two. You still have a chance to come and check out day three, which is the most important day. Speaker: This is live. You've got to show up. Speaker: But here's what happens when you do show up. Clients learn to show up as well. They stop ghosting you. They learn to trust you before they ever meet you. Maybe you're wondering, how does that happen? Come to day three and find out for yourself. Speaker: All you have to do is click the link that's in the show notes, or if you're on Instagram, go to my page under Matthew Jordan Smith, and there at the top is the link for you to sign up. Once you sign up, you get all the announcements with the link to the live Zoom meeting. Speaker: Now, I still have a lot to do. So today it's very short. Speaker: But the message. Speaker: This will last the rest of your photography career. Speaker: And you'll have a long career once you learn. Speaker: How to build trust. Speaker: I look forward to seeing you there live. At the end of the live, we're taking live Q&A, so you can ask your questions to me directly. Come and join me. I look forward to seeing you for day three of the Client Conversion Challenge. I'll see you soon. Bye for now.

Special Episode - How Do They Know Who You Are

How do they know who you are? Speaker 2: Let me ask you a question. How does someone know you're a photographer? I want you to think about that for a second. Speaker 2: How do they really know you're a photographer? Is it just because you say so? Speaker 2: Today is gonna be a different type of podcast. Speaker 2: And for those who can hear me, Speaker 2: I truly hope this resonates because this episode is not for you to hear with your ears. It's for you to hear with your heart. Speaker 2: A lot has been happening in our world. A lot. Speaker 2: But it didn't just begin this year. It started a long time ago Speaker 2: When someone planted a seed. Speaker 2: The seed was fake news. Speaker 2: Back then, there was no such thing. Speaker 2: The opposite is true today. Speaker 2: Today, many people are staying quiet because of fear. Speaker 2: But as a person of color, I cannot stay quiet. Speaker 2: Seeing everything that I have been seeing, hearing everything that I've been hearing. You've heard it. You're seeing it too. Speaker 2: Some are taking it seriously, Speaker 2: Some are saying, "Oh, just wait till the end of the year." Speaker 2: The truth is, no one knows the future. Speaker 2: I told you this was gonna be a very different type of podcast. Speaker 2: Let me turn back to that first question. Speaker 2: How does someone know you're a photographer? Speaker 2: Do they know that just because you say you're a photographer? Speaker 2: We are living in a world where people are saying a lot of things. Speaker 2: Taking on all types of labels, and people are believing them just because they say it. Speaker 2: Someone very wise once said, Speaker 2: "You know a tree by its fruit." Speaker 2: Let's say you're walking by a bunch of trees. Speaker 2: All these trees are packed with fruit. The fruit's red. You recognize it. You know what it is. Speaker 2: But somebody mislabeled all the trees and said, "Oh, these are lemon trees." You can see with your eyes they're apples. You can tell. Speaker 2: By just looking at them. You recognize the apple. You grab the apple, you take a bite, it's sweet. Speaker 2: You recognize that taste. Speaker 2: But the person who labeled the trees comes and tells you, "No, that's a lemon tree." Speaker 2: But you saw it with your own eyes. You took a bite to taste it for yourself. Speaker 2: You can hear what it sounds like as you take the bite. Speaker 2: There is nothing that tells you that what you've just tasted, what you've just seen, what you've just heard is anything but an apple. Speaker 2: But then a thousand people stand behind the person who said, "That's a lemon tree," and they all say, "Oh, no, that's a lemon tree." Speaker 2: Don't be fooled by the crowd. Speaker 2: Just because the majority says, "That's a lemon tree," doesn't make it so. Speaker 2: Like the wise one once said, "You will know a tree by its fruit, by what it produces." Speaker 2: So if someone says, "I'm a photographer," but they've never touched a camera, is that a photographer? Speaker 2: Today, many people are saying they are Christian. Speaker 2: But have no idea what that means. Speaker 2: To be honest, you don't have to know. All you have to do is look at the fruit, what they produce. That will tell you everything. Speaker 2: Yes. I told you this was gonna be a very different type of podcast today. Speaker 2: We are living in very dangerous times. I, for one, I've seen enough. I know you have, too. This, of all the times in our lifetime, is not the time to stay quiet. Speaker 2: Or to be confused because somebody says they're one thing, Speaker 2: But the fruit that they are producing is showing something entirely different. Speaker 2: It's not about what anybody says, it's about what they do and the fruit that they produce. Speaker 2: There's a very wise book that talks about a time when people will be able to hear but not able to hear. See with their eyes but not be able to see what's happening right in front of them. Speaker 2: I actually never thought that I would see that in my lifetime, but now we are. Speaker 2: Don't be fooled. Speaker 2: By people who tell you that they are one thing and they show you the opposite. Speaker 2: I don't know what's coming. None of us do. Speaker 2: But I don't want you to be fearful. Speaker 2: Don't want thoughts and prayers. Speaker 2: Unless you really believe in prayer and know the power of it. Speaker 2: So we are seeing a lot that's happening all over the world. Speaker 2: If you feel anything, Speaker 2: And if you are the person who believes in prayer, I know there are a lot who don't. For those of you who do, I want you to do something that's more powerful than anything that we know. Join me in prayer. Don't pray with your mouth. Speaker 2: Pray from your heart. It's a very different thing. Speaker 2: I, for one, I know the power of prayer. Speaker 2: Not lip service for people. That doesn't count. It doesn't matter. It doesn't do anything. Speaker 2: Pray earnestly from your heart. Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, anything that's bothering you, Speaker 2: Your career, your personal life, your life in general, the lives of people around you, your country, the world, anything that's affecting you right now, that's bugging you, I want you to pray about that right now. Speaker 2: Not in front of anybody else. Go into your secret place and talk to the Creator about exactly what you're feeling. That's the only way you'll be heard. Speaker 2: I had a person ask me the other day, "Matthew, well, how do you pray?" And this is what I said. Speaker 2: You talk to the Creator the same way you're talking to me. Speaker 2: From your heart, not from your mouth. Speaker 2: Pray from your heart. Speaker 2: You see, we are always trying to figure things out on our own. Speaker 2: But there are a lot of things that are beyond our understanding, Speaker 2: Beyond our control. Speaker 2: So don't be afraid. Pray. But really pray. Speaker 2: Not going through the motions, 'cause that, that does nothing. Speaker 2: Talk to the Creator the way you talk to your best friend. Speaker 2: And let's watch what happens. I told you this is going to be a very different type of podcast. Speaker 2: I hope you heard it. Speaker 2: Bye for now.

Episode 43 - Why Better Photography Alone Will Not Fill Your Calendar

Why Better Photography Alone Will Not Fill Your Calendar Speaker: There's a belief that keeps many photographers stuck. It sounds noble. It sounds humble. Speaker: It sounds like dedication. It says, "I just need to get better. Now let me be clear. You should keep growing. You should refine your craft. You should study light, posing, composition, editing, storytelling, direction, and that client experience. Speaker: Regardless of what AI does, mastery matters. But not just in the photography part. In the client experience part. Things have changed. Maybe you noticed. Mastering photography is not enough. Not when there's AI. You see, better photography alone will not fill your calendar. Speaker: And I know a lot of photographers don't want to hear that today. AI is scary, I get it. Because improving your craft, it just feels safe. But trust me, if that's all you're doing, you're going to be left behind. Speaker: Now I know when you're just working on your craft, it feels like you're in control. Speaker: It lets you avoid the discomfort of being seen, being clear, charging properly, following up, selling, and saying this is why my work matters. Speaker: So you buy more presets. Speaker: Study another photographer's work. Try to copy what they're doing, tweak your portfolio And tell yourself you're almost ready. Speaker: But readiness can become a hiding place. Are you hiding? Speaker: Are you hiding from the truth? Speaker: You see today, craft and photography has become the acceptable form of avoidance. I get it. That's a strong statement. But I want you to sit with it. Speaker: Are you improving your photography because your clients need a better result? Is that what you think? Today, in the world of AI. Speaker: Or are you improving because you're afraid to be more visible with the work you already have? Speaker: Many photographers are trusting themselves behind the camera more than they trust themselves in the market. Behind the camera, I get it. You know what to do. You can see the light. You can direct the pose, compose the frame, edit the image. Speaker: But I'm telling you, that's the old way. And doing the old way is gonna make you disappear. Speaker: If you're still saying, "I'm just a natural light photographer. I'm still building my business. I'm pretty affordable. Speaker: I'd love to work with you." Speaker: That language is not being humble is being uncertain. And sadly, uncertainty is contagious. Speaker: Now, I'm not saying you need to become loud or arrogant or pushy. It just means you need to become clear. Clear about who you serve. Clear about what you create. Speaker: Clear about the transformation your client is going to receive. Speaker: And clear about why your process matters. Speaker: But this also needs to be crystal clear to your clients. Clear about what happens after someone says yes. Speaker: You see a client, they don't need you to be perfect. AI is perfect. We don't need to be perfect. We need to be trustworthy. You need to be trustworthy. And trustworthiness is communicated through more than just images. Speaker: It's communicated through your words. Yes, words matter now more than ever. Also, your structure, your guidance, and your ability to make the next. Speaker: And your ability to make the next step feel safe. You see, this is why I created this three-day client conversion challenge. Speaker: Is focused on conversion. Speaker: And conversion? It's not about pressure. It's about helping the right person move from interest to decision. Speaker: For many photographers, that switch is not happening because they keep trying to prove talent instead of communicating trust. Speaker: If you wanna learn how to help clients trust you, because they're not gonna book you until they trust you, I'd like for you to come to the three-day challenge. It begins this week. Speaker: Now, why the word challenge instead of workshop? Because the challenge is for you to take action. Number one, sign up today. Then the next challenge is to show up. After that, the next challenge is to take action on everything you learned. Speaker: This is for you. If they're ghosting you, they don't trust you. If they're not booking you, they don't trust you. If you want them to trust you and to book you, come to the three-day client conversion challenge. The challenge is for you. Speaker: We're going to end this today. So right now, in this moment, you can sign up, put it in your calendar, and show up. Speaker: Now, if you skip this, you don't sign up, you don't show up, and the next time a client disappears, you now know why. Speaker: But I know that's not going to be you, because right now you're going to sign up, and more importantly, you're gonna show up and learn how to help clients trust you so they can book you, so you can have the life as a photographer that you've been dreaming of. Let's get started now. Right now, go and click on the link. Speaker: It's in my bio in Instagram, and it's also in the show notes. Join the three-day client conversion challenge. We're starting this week. Speaker: All right. I look forward to seeing you very soon live. Let's build trust. Bye for now.

Special Episode - When You Don't Show Up Clients Don't Show Up

Trust Through Client Trust, Not Gear Speaker: What if the reason clients are not booking you has nothing to do with your photography? Speaker: That sentence might feel confronting. It might even feel unfair Because you've worked hard. You've invested in your camera, your lenses, your editing, your website, your Instagram, your portfolio, your pricing guides, your presets, your client experience. You get the picture. You've invested a lot, and still, your calendar is not full as it should be. You see other photographers getting booked. Speaker: Many of them are not better than you. Speaker: Some of them don't even have stronger images. Speaker: And some still are not more experienced, more creative, more gifted than you. Speaker: And that is the part that quietly hurts. Speaker: Because when you're a talented photographer and clients just are not choosing you, the first place your mind goes is, "Maybe I'm not good enough." But you got to hear this. Your photography may not be the problem. Speaker: Maybe you're just not showing up in the right places. Speaker: You see, maybe the problem is that your business is not helping people trust you fast enough. Speaker: And you're not even trying to learn And that's a difficult problem. Speaker: You see, we think about skill as photographer and a skill problem says, "I need to become a better photographer before I get booked." That's what a lot of people think. A trust problem says I need to communicate the value of my work in a way that makes the right client feel certain to choose me. Speaker: You see, those are not the same thing. And too many photographers are just trying to solve a problem based on skill. Speaker: No matter what you hear, you still keep thinking it's a skill problem. Speaker: Does this sound like you? I just need one more light. I just need that other lens And then I'll get more clients. Then I can shoot Whatever you shoot. Speaker: It doesn't matter how much you post on Instagram, how many mini sessions you have, how much you lower your price, how much you refresh your website. Speaker: Maybe you tell yourself you just need to be more consistent But deep down, you know something is off. Speaker: Our clients, they don't book people who show up. They book photographers that understand, trust, and feel emotionally safe to choose. And this is especially true if you work with people. If you do celebrity portraits, fashion and beauty, families, maternity, personal branding, weddings, if you're working with people, this is especially true. Somebody emailed me the other day and said, "Well, I wanna do fashion and celebrity." Speaker: And from the conversation, they were only focused on getting more gear, thinking that would solve the problem. Speaker: Sadly, this is what I hear all the time. Maybe you're thinking that as well. Speaker: We've got to understand, when somebody hires you to photograph them or someone they love. Speaker: Or they hire you in a commercial way, fashion, beauty, celebrity. They're not buying pictures. They are trusting you with identity. Let's say you wanna shoot fashion and beauty. Or no, l- let's say you wanna shoot celebrity, 'cause I get that one a lot. "Matthew, how do I shoot celebrities?" So let's go there. Speaker: They're not just trusting you to take their picture. Anybody can do that. They're trusting you with their identity. You've got to understand that. Speaker: The truth is, it's not just about celebrity. Everybody is trusting you with their identity, trusting you with their memories, with their confidence, and sometimes one of the most meaningful seasons of their life. You've got to get this. Whether you're doing commercial photography or you want to do commercial photography or you want to do more portraits or you want to just have a better business, you've got to understand this. Speaker: If your message is vague, apologetic, purely visual, clients, they may admire your images and still not be ready to book you. Speaker: They may think, "Oh, beautiful work." Guess what? Everybody can do beautiful work. In the age of AI, that's nothing special. What else do you have? Speaker: You see, when a client feels uncertain, they're gonna hesitate. They're gonna price shop. Speaker: And this hurts most of all. They're going to disappear And then you blame yourself. Speaker: But the real issue is your business has not created enough trust for them to hire you or to come back again or to refer you to other people. Speaker: This is exactly why I created this three-day client conversion challenge. Speaker: But the last time I did this, a lot of people signed up. Speaker: Because you know the message is speaking to you, directly to you and your problem. But then during the challenge, Minnie just didn't show up. Speaker: Why is that? Speaker: Now, if that's you, you signed up, you didn't show up, and you still have the same problem, and you're still beating yourself up, I get it. That's why I'm going to do it again. Speaker: Starting next Tuesday. Speaker: You have another chance. Not only to sign up, but to show up. Speaker: You see, clients can tell the ones who are really showing up, And that's the photographers that they're booking. Speaker: So here's my challenge to you. Sign up today. The link is in the show notes. It's also in my Instagram bio. Speaker: This will probably be the last time you get this opportunity. Speaker: If you skip it and you still keep having the problem, I want you to look in the mirror and ask yourself why you're not showing up. Speaker: Today, we're going to leave it there. Because now, this moment is the time for you to sign up, put it in your calendar, block the time for yourself, and show up. These three days are here just for you. Speaker: It starts on Tuesday. You know what to do. Until next time, bye for now.