Paid referrals at a Fareham wedding venue
I couldn't help but comment after a phone
call this week from a local Fareham wedding venue.
I couldn't help but comment after a phone
call this week from a local Fareham wedding
venue.
A non-descript voicemail
which I of course returned became a very cryptic conversation which sounded
initially like a venue asking me to advertise in their wedding brochure. Nothing
too weird this does happen a lot and so I found out the venue. Apparently they
don't yet have a recommended photographer and with 40 weddings a year they
believed that they could put quite a bit of business my way !
On further questioning about the
rates to advertise it became very clear that only a face to face meeting would
get this information because it was "complicated". "complicated" because of
course the venue wanted me to pay them for any referrals I received from them.
What made this more bizarre was that the person on the phone seemed to know very
little about me or the quality of my
work.....
I did explain that I was
recommended as a wedding photographer by many venues in Hampshire primarily
because of the quality of my work and my professional approach, and then also my
willingness to supply venues with images for display and brochures, and my
ability to get their weddings featured in the bridal magazines and that I didn't
pay for referrals. Shortly after this the conversation ended. Needless to say I
won't be advertising, or probably being
referred.
The reason for this post
is for any brides who are only given one recommendation by their venue. You
might want to check to see if that photographer is paying for the referral in
which case you may not necessarily be being recommended the best photographer
for you at that venue. You might also find that the photographer is recovering
the referral fee in their rates, and therefore is more expensive than they need
be.
As always I'd recommend couples
look around for at least three photographers and see complete albums and wedding
coverage as well as making sure that the personality and approach of the
photographer will work with you on the
day.
Good photographers don't need
to pay venues to get work.
Posted: Thu - August 23, 2007 at 08:19 PM
