{"id":2470,"date":"2012-03-08T23:53:22","date_gmt":"2012-03-09T04:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coreyann.com\/blog\/?p=2470"},"modified":"2012-03-08T23:57:07","modified_gmt":"2012-03-09T04:57:07","slug":"corey-talks-preferred-vendor-lists-the-real-skinny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coreyann.com\/blog\/corey-talks\/corey-talks-preferred-vendor-lists-the-real-skinny","title":{"rendered":"Corey Talks: Preferred Vendor Lists, The REAL Skinny"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"photographing<\/a><\/p>\n

Brides, Grooms and all people involved with planning and\/or paying for a wedding. \u00a0I have a PSA that you may find enlightening.<\/p>\n

Preferred Vendor Lists are often a list the vendors PAY to be on!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Recently I was approached by not one but TWO different local venues that are working on brochures promoting their business through Hawthorn Publications. \u00a0At first, I was extremely flattered as one of these venues had gone as far as to get a list of photos together of mine they wanted to feature and have a mock up done of the brochure utilizing images from weddings at the said venue. \u00a0It was flattering and an awesome sight to see. \u00a0 Confession: it was a huge stroke to my ego. \u00a0I may have even done a happy (chair) dance when I read the email. \u00a0However that balloon was quickly deflated when I received a follow up email that told me to be included in said brochure, I would have to pay upwards of $800 to have an ad and be included in the brochure as a preferred vendor. \u00a0Without the money, they couldn’t feature my work. \u00a0I was so sad because I really was so flattered AND excited to be featured on this venues brochure and to be on their list but eventually I decided that wasn’t the kind of game I wanted to play. \u00a0When I got ANOTHER call a few weeks later from Hawthorne, urging me to reconsider and showing me other venues featuring such beautiful places such as the New York Public Library with Christian Oth’<\/a>s famous work I still wasn’t wooed, despite their efforts. \u00a0It made it easier to turn down the next venue that approached me weeks later with the same deal.<\/p>\n

This also isn’t a practice that is limited to venues and brochures. \u00a0Last year I had a wedding coordinator that reached out to me wanting to know my availability for a client they had and thought I would be perfect for. \u00a0I was elated! \u00a0The wedding sounded amazing and it was a date I was available for. \u00a0I sent over my information and eagerly awaited the reply. \u00a0After receiving my brochure, the coordinator replied and said that everything was great… except they wanted me to know one “small” thing. \u00a0They charge a 10% fee to refer clients to me. \u00a0If I wanted to build it into the pricing so their clients got pricing that included the charge (hidden, of course) then they’d be happy to send the different list or I could pay it out of pocket if not. \u00a0I was completely\u00a0flabbergasted! \u00a0I told them promptly thanks-but-NO-thanks and nipped that one in the bud. \u00a0This sadly isn’t just a one-vendor-exception thing, this is happening with many coordinators all over the world.<\/p>\n

I’m not writing this blog post to piss local vendors off (but I’m sure that may happen… oops) but I’m writing this to educate my clients and OTHER photographers. \u00a0The more we put up with this kind of shit, the more that it is going to happen. \u00a0I urge ALL of my fellow photographers to take a stand and say NO to kickbacks and paying-to-play. \u00a0Clients, I want you to be informed that sometimes (NOT always) those lists you get from vendors of “preferred” vendors are not always based on merit but on money. \u00a0If you see that the brochure is from Hawthorn Publications, you can be certain that those vendors paid to be listed. \u00a0I think that is HUGELY important to know! \u00a0When I was planning my wedding, I asked vendors I hired for recommendations for vendors I hadn’t hired and hired based on their advice. \u00a0I know that the referrals I got were solid ones and they made my wedding that much more amazing. \u00a0I can’t imagine what kind of disasters would have happend had my vendors NOT been the best to be recommended but the ones that had paid to be! \u00a0Don’t even get me started on the idea of what I would have done if I had paid more so that my coordinator could have got referral fees!!! \u00a0JUST SAY NO!<\/p>\n

I never, ever want to have a referral based on money, not on merit.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I may never be a preferred vendor but at least you know when you hire me that I’m not charging you any hidden fees to have me photograph your most important day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brides, Grooms and all people involved with planning and\/or paying for a wedding. \u00a0I have a PSA that you may find enlightening. Preferred Vendor Lists are often a list the vendors PAY to be on! 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