Doctor says bad for business to be in a portfolio

B Rock

I've been cold emailing lately and trying to find some new clients and to build my portfolio. I've been speaking with a Doctor about some headshots and the idea of the shots being in my portfolio came up and he was saying how it is bad for business and deters clients by appearing in someones portfolio. I don't understand this logic and was wondering if anyone else has heard this. Should I just ignore it, make my money and move on or try to convince him to let me use them. If so, any suggestions of how to ease him in to the idea?

Thanks,

Brock

Sam

It's generally not a god idea to argue with your clients.

If he doesn't want his image used in your portfolio, so be it.

Sam

Photog4Christ

What Sam said.

angevin1

Sam wrote: »

It's generally not a god idea to argue with your clients.

If he doesn't want his image used in your portfolio, so be it.

Sam

hahhaaa! No foolin!

Seriously! He has every right to expect your session to be a private matter, much like he does daily with his clients. Respect his wishes, get the JOB and move on!

Being a nurse, I've worked with literally hundreds of MD's, and while they are bright, caring and well spoken, they are by and large very private on a personal level.

B Rock

I understood as I wrote that what the answer should be haha. It kind of blew my mind when he said it was bad for business. I didn't argue but was kind of shocked. I guess there will be more clients. I'm just itching to update my portfolio I guess.

fredjclaus

General logic, is it's not "bad for business" to be in someone elses portfolio. However some people have personal feelings or experiences that make them not want to do it. If the doctor wants you to shoot his headshots, then do it. If he doesn't want to allow you to use his shots in your portfolio, then don't. I'm sure you will have many more clients who will allow you that this doctor saying no won't hurt.

As Sam said, don't argue with the client. Just say "I understand your feelings, and you can be sure, that we won't use your images in our portfolio. Thank you for allowing us to photograph you. Have a nice day." do the job and move on. No harm done.

kd2

I can maybe understand where he might be coming from. Since you were cold-calling, he doesn't really know you and he probably doesn't want to be an endorsement for you (by appearing in your portfolio) without really knowing you or the quality of your work. If you get the job with him, give it some time, develop a relationship with him and perhaps he'll feel more comfortable about appearing in your portfolio at some point.

About the part of deterring clients...

Similar to appearing in someone's portfolio, I recently found out that someone had listed my name on her new website stating I was one of her clients. (I had used her services one time for a very small project last year--just to try her out.) I've not used her again and won't use or refer her to anyone else. She's also done some very unprofessional things that others are aware of. Therefore, I don't want my name or business associated with her and I don't want it to seem that I tacitly endorse her by allowing my name to be on her website. (She knows I don't want an association with her.) Since she didn't have my permission to be listed on her site, I asked her webmaster to remove my name and the link to my site. Since I'm somewhat well-known in the community, I'm sure she was doing it to boost her own credibility, but the implied endorsement was not what I wanted.

I don't mind if anyone else has listed me on their site, but if potential clients or future business associates thought I supported this particular person, it would've been bad for business.

B Rock

Thanks for the elightenment. Never thought about it that way.