If you think I sell auto parts

I have an odd company name. Once in a while, this actually impedes my message reaching some people and, in fact, I do not encourage others to follow in my wacky company name footsteps. It does present hurdles.

However, it is right for me and my business. More right now than it even was back when I started the company. I think in my case, my company name works a bit of client Darwinism magic, and I’m all for that.

For example, every so often someone who disagrees with me on a forum or the like jumps the logical train tracks with a retort like, “Well with a company name like yours I thought you sold auto parts!” implying, thus, that my own marketing choices were bad and that I must not know what I am doing. In fact, most of my readers and clients either assumed I had a wacky company name or they were smart enough to visit my site and learn the backstory. What these intelligent people (my readers and/or clients) did was most definitely not wonder “What the hell is someone whose company names makes them sound like they sell auto parts was doing posting cogent responses to issues of photographer marketing on multiple professional forums?” and then not do anything to get the answer. The people with the snippy illogical “well your name is weird” comebacks couldn’t be bothered and/or didn’t have the curiosity to find out what was up.

Look, if you can’t be bothered to seek an answer to so obvious a question as “Is this person who sounds like a creative pro really just an auto parts manager?” You are probably not a good candidate for working with me. I have a link to my site on every post I make and in every email I send. If I need to literally take your hand and force you to click on a link, your need for help is way beyond my capabilities. [ 😉 ]

That kind of client is one who expects to spend as little as possible with a consultant, disagree with what that consultant says about her/his site and mailers (etc.), always use cost as an excuse to do the bare minimum of anything marketing-ish, and then wonder why nothing changes with his/her business. The fact that s/he haven’t made any changes after a consultation, somehow, in this kind of wannabe client’s mind, has nothing to do with it.

This problem is, luckily, pretty rare in our industry and, thus, my business. Most of you are smart and curious and have the gumption to either look for an answer or (gasp!) [/sarcasm] ask me directly “What’s up with the weird name?” That wondering is part of what makes you a creative, I think. Most of you are the kind who feel, if anything, liberated to try new things and reach out differently after working with a consultant.

And that’s a big part of why I love to do what I do. When I have clients come to me months later after our work together and say “I just sent out my new mailer and I got a ton of hits to my site!” or “That agency I always wanted to work with just called in my book!” I know that they have done the real work of changing how they approach their marketing. I can’t make them do that–they have to do that themselves. I can give them a path to follow, but they have to take the steps.

And if they can’t figure out first that I don’t sell auto parts, they ain’t ever gonna get there. 🙂

6 Replies to “If you think I sell auto parts”

  1. I may be a total noob when it comes to the business of photography, but I was one of the smart ones who visited your site and learned the backstory. Thank you. You will forever be in my feeds…

  2. The post which I am guessing prompted this one actually made me laugh out loud. It’s so typical of what happens when someone disagrees with someone else’s opinion and has no better response other than finding fault.

    I will admit that I was confused when referred to your site, and my first reaction was “what the heck” but after a little reading I quickly figured it out! 🙂

    Keep up the awesome (inspiring, though-provoking) work.

    Brett

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