The other day I proposed a way to encourage enquirers to look past your prices and make personal contact. It was partly a way to start identifying people who should be your clients, and withdrawing (politely) from those who probably shouldn't. You need to demonstrate to the first group why you’re the right photographer to spend their wedding day with! The 3% rule The 3% rule is our way of saying that you can't succeed by trying to appeal to everyone, and you definitely shouldn't try. It stems from the time, years ago, when we tried to estimate the number of professional photographers in the English-speaking world. We soon realised that we could build a thriving business by turning 3% of them into paying customers. What a liberating thought! It encouraged the idea of Queensberry as a niche company - premium, small and exclusive. It meant it didn't matter if not everyone liked us, or even knew we existed. It meant we could be ourselves, doing exactly what we want, the way we want and focus on people who appreciate what we're trying to do. You're exactly the same. Many a wedding photographer has built a successful career by getting just thirty people a year to say yes to their services. Who cares if all the others have never heard of you, think you're too expensive, or (shudder) don't like your style? What you need to do is define your personal 3%. It will help you focus on two important things, what to do and what to avoid. Sometimes I ask our own people, "Why are you trying so hard? You can always walk away if they don't 'get us', if they want something we don't do, or simply want us to slash our prices. Ask yourself: are they part of the 3%?" True leverage comes from being able to walk away from the 97%. Does that sound arrogant? I hope not. It certainly doesn't mean not listening to the customers. It means listening to your customers. It means being clear about what sets you apart. Which may be product, service, aesthetics, or personality: Yep, we love working with pleasant, inspiring people! Does 3% really mean small? No. We realised 3% would multiply the size of our business many times. Is 3% really 3%? No, it's a concept. It could be 20-30% but it can never be 100%. Does 3% mean working less? No, it means working constructively to define your niche. It means reward, recognition and the knowledge that what you do matters to your audience. So let your own light shine - without being distracted by the 97% :) Cheers, Stephen “If you’re remarkable, it’s likely that some people won’t like you. … That’s part of the definition of remarkable. Nobody gets unanimous praise – ever.” ~ Seth Godin, The Purple Cow