From Glenn Mickle:

I read your book, Wombat Selling, six months ago and found it to be a revelation. Not because of it’s remarkable content, although the research, concepts and action plan are pretty amazing. What I loved more than anything is that, at last, someone has articulated the sales method that I had been fumbling with for ten years.

Let me explain. I have been a self-employed wedding/portrait photographer in Orange, NSW for ten years. Prior to that I worked in press and druing that time did photography, journalism, layout/design and even sold advertising. I loved my work as a photographer. It’s a rare privilege to be invited into someone’s home and heart to help record their lives.

Over the years I developed an approach which I discovered later (thanks to your book) approximated the WOMBAT method. Usually my new customers came from referrals and that’s a good place to start. My goal from the first meeting was to create images for them that would not go out of date (this is a common objection to the price of professional photography). I reasoned that if a portrtait dd not date then it would be excellent value for money, almost irrespective of the price paid.

Bob Pritchard, aussie head-kicking marketer, says you cant promote your business until you know what business you’re in. What I discovered was that I was in “the family history business”. Therefore timeless portraits must include four essential ingredients (and these do not include posing, lighting or didigital manipulation). The four are the client’s family history, personality, emotions and relationships.

I would explain this to my clients and they would then go home to prepare for the shoot. On the day of photography session (usually at their personally significant location) I would bring my camera gear and they would bring all these wonderful raw materials for me to work with. Family heirlooms like hats, jewellery or books. The locations would include grandparents farms or the place where mum and dad first met. We would photograph family picnics, riding bikes, drinking wine or playing touch footy.

Of course all these great ideas caught on film by me, but provided by the clients, made me look like a creative genius. That was also good for business.

Anyway, as you can see, by focussing on the process, I was basically following your methods. I was taking the client into check and they were helping me. When it came to checkmate, it was often a case of “I yield!”.

So again thankyou for your book and your thoughts.

Glenn Mickle

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