After 17 years in business, I still refer to the notes I took from the presentations I’ve attended by Tim Walden and his wife, Beverly. Tim is the co-owner of Walden Photography in Lexington, Kentucky, and one of the most amazing business minds in this industry. He does his job with such class and kindness and invests his time not only with clients but in helping other photographers strengthen their skills, too.

In today’s episode, Tim and I are discussing the fear of selling. In this business, we’re often afraid of coming across as the used car salesman. We don’t want to trick our clients or be inauthentic and sometimes the idea of selling seems “icky”. 

There is no better person to talk about this topic than Tim. He says it best when he says, “Sell the result of your art, not the art.” What does that mean? And how do we do that? 

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

• Stop underestimating the value of your work
• Form the client’s expectations and fulfill them
• Have confident conversations about price

Listen to Tim’s words of wisdom and get yourself a boost in confidence to overcome the fear of selling.

 

Here’s a glance at this episode:

• [02:24] - Welcome to the show, Tim!
• [03:40] - Many in the industry fear sales, but it should be a highlight of the experience.
• [4:28] - Sell the result of your art, not the art.
• [5:33] - It’s your responsibility to communicate the value of the art.
• [7:23] - Success in a sales room is having the right people there - you and the right client.
• [9:19] - Tim shares what he says to clients who are concerned about price.
• [11:25] - Context in selling is a big deal.
• [12:27] - Present the price and value and then be quiet.
• [14:38] - Form the client’s expectations and then fulfill them.
• [16:28] - Excellence is important, but that isn’t what you are selling. 
• [18:50] - A selection appointment should be a plug and play experience for you because you’ve been selling the whole time.
• [20:32] - There’s only one you. What is it that makes your art unique?
• [22:40] - Loyalty has changed. You get loyalty through creating a buzz through a relationship.
• [24:32] - Sometimes we shy away from responsibility.
• [26:07] - When your expertise is established, taking the responsibility of telling the client exactly what they need is received well.
• [28:11] - Allison shares a recent experience of a client who had a hard time trusting her expertise.
• [32:17] - In person sales is where you build a stronger relationship at the highest level.
• [34:52] - Through relationships, you can present ideas that clients never even considered.
• [38:15] - Tim is currently doing a lot of coaching, classes, and has a new podcast.

 

Links and Resources:

Tim Walden
Website | Instagram

Do The ReWork
Website | Instagram

Allison Tyler Jones
Website | Instagram | LinkedIn