Browncoat
Senior Member
One of the best marketing books I've ever read is called Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, by Al Ries and Jack Trout. The basic principal outlined in the book is:
Here's another thing about positioning: anything you say about yourself is automatically discarded by the people you're saying it to. If you advertise that you have the lowest prices in town, no one will believe you. In fact, most will look elsewhere for someone cheaper just because you said it. Customers are also far more likely to eventually go with one of your competitors who may be higher priced, just because they are tired of looking around.
And finally: anything someone else says about you is automatically given certain degrees of credibility. Think about that for a moment. Who is talking about you? Is it your competitors? A disgruntled customer? A happy customer? With everyone being on Facebook, someone can spread the word to hundreds (even thousands) of people in just a few seconds.
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How many of you have tried handing out coupons? I'd be willing to bet that marketing effort wasn't much of a success. Percent off coupons devalues your service. If customers think it's only worth 75% of the full price this week, then why would it be worth full price next week? Why not try giving something away for free instead?
Back to positioning...
As a photographer, you have to realize that networking and referrals are your most powerful marketing tools, even in today's virtual world. Wedding planners, salons, florists, cake shops, even dog groomers should all be on your radar.
If you were to hand out coupons, gift cards, or fliers outside any of these businesses, most customers would throw away your promo without even looking at it. Why? Because you have positioned yourself as a marketer. You're just a salesperson looking to get some new blood through your own doors. However, if you were to network and have the owners or workers at these shops hand out your promo, that's something else completely.
We'll use a salon in this example:
Give a few of the stylists at the salon some of your gift cards to hand out to her most valued customers. Make the gift card for something of value, like a free 30 minute session. What have you accomplished in doing this?
The stylist:
You can be damn sure the stylist will inform the customer that your gift card is only for her most valued customers. The stylist is now positioned in that customer's mind as a professional who thinks enough of her work to have it photographed. You can also bank on the stylist asking you for more cards.
The photographer:
This customer may purchase a print of your session. At the very least, put your watermark on the file and email it to her. She'll almost certainly put it on Facebook. If nothing else, you've gained a portrait for your portfolio. But...this customer is now a referral that you didn't have to directly market to. She may purchase from you now, in the future, or refer someone else.
And most important of all, you are now positioned in the customer's mind as a photographer whose work has value.
- You can only occupy one position in someone's mind at any given time. You need to convey a focused, concise message about who you are and what you do, so that your customers will see you in your niche. Don't diversify.
Here's another thing about positioning: anything you say about yourself is automatically discarded by the people you're saying it to. If you advertise that you have the lowest prices in town, no one will believe you. In fact, most will look elsewhere for someone cheaper just because you said it. Customers are also far more likely to eventually go with one of your competitors who may be higher priced, just because they are tired of looking around.
And finally: anything someone else says about you is automatically given certain degrees of credibility. Think about that for a moment. Who is talking about you? Is it your competitors? A disgruntled customer? A happy customer? With everyone being on Facebook, someone can spread the word to hundreds (even thousands) of people in just a few seconds.
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How many of you have tried handing out coupons? I'd be willing to bet that marketing effort wasn't much of a success. Percent off coupons devalues your service. If customers think it's only worth 75% of the full price this week, then why would it be worth full price next week? Why not try giving something away for free instead?
Back to positioning...
As a photographer, you have to realize that networking and referrals are your most powerful marketing tools, even in today's virtual world. Wedding planners, salons, florists, cake shops, even dog groomers should all be on your radar.
If you were to hand out coupons, gift cards, or fliers outside any of these businesses, most customers would throw away your promo without even looking at it. Why? Because you have positioned yourself as a marketer. You're just a salesperson looking to get some new blood through your own doors. However, if you were to network and have the owners or workers at these shops hand out your promo, that's something else completely.
We'll use a salon in this example:
Give a few of the stylists at the salon some of your gift cards to hand out to her most valued customers. Make the gift card for something of value, like a free 30 minute session. What have you accomplished in doing this?
The stylist:
You can be damn sure the stylist will inform the customer that your gift card is only for her most valued customers. The stylist is now positioned in that customer's mind as a professional who thinks enough of her work to have it photographed. You can also bank on the stylist asking you for more cards.
The photographer:
This customer may purchase a print of your session. At the very least, put your watermark on the file and email it to her. She'll almost certainly put it on Facebook. If nothing else, you've gained a portrait for your portfolio. But...this customer is now a referral that you didn't have to directly market to. She may purchase from you now, in the future, or refer someone else.
And most important of all, you are now positioned in the customer's mind as a photographer whose work has value.
