marketing

Are You Utilizing ALL Available Marketing Avenues?

May 17, 2012 By admin

[by Kimberly Blom-Roemer]

There is more than one way to contact a client. Are you utilizing all of them? A truly successful marketing campaign maximizes various avenues:

paid advertising (both print and online)
paid direct mail
free publicity
workshops and seminars
lead generator programs
social networking
face-to-face networking

We all know about direct marketing – sending that periodic postcard out, buying the ad in the right industry book. But have you tried any of these other avenues? Do you issue press releases to your local media and trade publications? Would conducting a workshop make sense? Is your LinkedIN page up to date, and if appropriate, do you have a Facebook page for your business? And here’s the one I struggle with, face-to-face networking… people “buy” from people they like, and they only way they can like you is if they meet your personally.

via Strictly Business.

Take a Risk! Photographer Rep.

May 14, 2012 By admin

[by Selina Maitreya]

Years ago I was an agent, and repped a top photographer in Boston. I was in my game going on 40 portfolio appointments a month. Early on in the process I got very frustrated as ad’s would quickly look through my talent’s portfolio, flipping pages fast. I was usually in and out in 15 minutes.

One day after yet another quick meeting with a prospect that netted little connection and even less attention to the portfolio I left the office. I immediately turned around and went right back in. I plopped myself into a chair, and proceeded to ask my contact every question I’d ever wanted to ask. He was kind and helpful and from that very rocky beginning a new process for in-person visits was birthed. It’s one I share with my 1 on 1 clients every day. Its honest, impactful, service oriented and very quickly creates connection.

It also requires a bit of bravery, has been described as “out of the box” and I guarantee you, may make you stop and think twice. BUT…if you utilize this idea and make it your own, I guarantee you your appointments will last longer, you will gain more understanding of your client and their needs and you will make more of a connection with your contact.

When you call for your appointment communicate to your contact that you are interested in seeing them as you’d like to talk about what a valuable relationship with a photographer looks like to them, and that you’d like to discuss their photo needs and show them your work. When you are in their office, start by reminding them that you know that valuable relationships with photographers look different to different people and that you would like to know what value looks like to them.

Be sincere. You should want to know the answer to this question. You cant provide good service to your clients if you don’t know what that looks like to them.

If this process sounds like a stretch for you…stretch. Give it a try. In today’s competitive world, excellent service speaks volumes. My clients report that when they start their appointments this way, clients open up to them, they learn a lot and by the time they are sharing their work, contacts are engaged. They leave knowing much more about their clients, and their clients know that they truly care about them as well.

via Strictly Business.

Preparing for a Face-to-Face Photography Meeting

May 8, 2012 By admin

[by Jenna Close]

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again for the record: I’m an absolute, bona-fide chicken when it comes to asking for a meeting. The biggest problem with this situation is that in-person meetings are an extremely important aspect of marketing; far more potent than faceless mailers and multiple emails. The only solution I’ve found for overcoming this fear is the following:

Practice until it feels comfortable, then practice some more.

Call people you trust and perfect your phone skills in a safe environment. Put a smile in your voice. Watch your “ummms”. Strive to be natural, confident and friendly.

Actually listen to telemarketers. Once I made myself pay attention to people trying to sell me something, I learned a lot about what I DIDN’T want to emulate.

Go to a portfolio review. It’s a great way to practice talking about your work without the full pressure of a meeting. Study how you react in the face of criticism and learn what kinds of strange behaviors rear their heads when you’re nervous. I suggest taking it one step further when appropriate and question the reviewer about your desk-side manner. How was your body language? Did you appear nervous? Forget to make eye contact? What was their first impression of you as you sat down?

Ask a local photographer you admire to help you. Don’t ask them by email, CALL THEM. If they are willing, meet with them and ask for honest answers. If you can take the risk with someone you admire, you can do it with a stranger. If they say no, chalk that up to experience. Rejection is a part of this process, so it’s best to learn how to deal with it in a healthy way right from the start.

It’s OK to be afraid. You certainly aren’t the only one. I think a part of me will always be uncomfortable with this aspect of the job. However, doing whatever you can to build confidence will make the process far less excruciating.

via Strictly Business.

Qualities of a Workhorse Mailing List

May 7, 2012 By admin

[by Charles Gupton]

The foundation for building a workhorse client contact list is formulating a good idea of the different ways you plan to use the list — and the simplest method of grouping the names so that they can be easily sorted.

I’ve found it’s very easy to over-think and over-complicate the process of organizing a contact list. The options range from placing names on index cards at a cost of a few dollars — to a customer relationship management system costing thousands. It’s far better to start with a simple solution that you can use rather than waiting until you have the perfect solution. The act of doing it will bring the clarity you need.

My contact list provides information for three primary functions: sending emailers and newsletters, mailing postcards, and making phone calls for more personal connections. You also need to have a regular, systematic plan for keeping your list updated. It can be embarrassing to have a potential client find you’ve been sending emails to an address that’s not been actively used for two years.

For simplicity, I currently divide my list into three basic categories:

Influential Buyers – People who have the means and influence to make the buying decisions when photography services are needed. I call these folks most frequently to keep a consistent connection with them.

Influential Non-Buyers – People who wield great influence in deciding who may get hired but don’t actually do the hiring or generally work with the artists who are hired.

Business Referrers – Business connections who either don’t have the means or need for my services but are willing and usually enthusiastic advocates for my work.

My contact list used to be divided and sub-divided by various industries, job titles, etc. But I spent more time putzing around with the lists than I did staying in contact with the people on the lists. My current system isn’t perfect, but now it works when I work it.

via Strictly Business.

Strictly Business, Building an Effective Mailing List

May 1, 2012 By admin

Building an Effective Mailing List

[by Judy Herrmann]

Not so long ago, photographers could achieve success by inundating the market with simple promotions like postcard mailers or email blasts. Today, however, the buyers of commercial photography are buried under a sea of promos that’s getting deeper every day. If the old spray and pray approach isn’t working so well anymore, you may find it more effective to research and court.

Instead of automatically adding anyone with the right job title to your list, take the time to determine that each prospect is worth pursuing. Click through their company website, look for them on Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Instagram and other social media outlets. Run a Google search to see what comes up. Read any blog posts or magazine articles they’ve written or been quoted in. Stop short of stalking but vet them as thoroughly as you need to.

Use this research to hook those that make your cut. Sprinkle your emails and voice mails with specific observations about their work. Comment on their blogs, respond to their tweets. Let them know that they’re more than just a job title to you. Use your creativity to craft a promotional approach that will make you irresistible or at least intrigue them enough that they’ll look at your portfolio.

A smaller list of prospects who need what you sell combined with well-researched insights you can use to build a real relationship can yield greater results far faster than a larger pool of random prospects.

via Strictly Business.