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Crafting a Marketing Strategy
By Ira Gostin © 2003 www.gostin.com
Photographers traditionally search for ways to let the world know they are creative folks, and then market themselves using the same old methods. It's time to change the way you think. Now is the time to develop a new, creative and effective marketing strategy for your photography business.
Marketing has to be constructive. It's about presenting yourself in an honest, simple to understand, positive manner that the client can relate to and be comfortable with. And most importantly, it means presenting spectacular images. After all, that's what your prospective clients are seeking - amazing photography.
Who Are You?
Understand who you are first, who you want to sell to second, and then develop your marketing strategy around these key factors. Once you identify who you are, make it your marketing message, slogan or tag-line. This should be a brief description about what you do: We Photograph People; Digital Food for Menus; Auto Racing the World Over. Whatever you decide upon, it should be a straightforward reflection of you. Your tag-line should be concise and consistent with what you are selling.
Who Do You Sell To?Now that you have identified who you are, you need to determine who you are selling to. This is best done on paper - a successful marketing strategy need only be one page. This list of potential clients, whether self-generated or purchased, is your target market. Do some research. Find out all you can about the prospective clients and formulate a database. Don't overwhelm yourself, keep the lists small and manageable. A list of about 25 prospects per list is a good number to begin with.
The USPEstablish your Unique Selling Proposition. Simply put, what is the most unique thing about your business. Use this uniqueness to position your business in the market. It is the foundation of your brand. The USP is a time-tested and effective strategy that all businesses use. Look at other industries; what do their tag lines suggest? Look at ads in magazines; see how businesses present themselves. Use these ideas as the building blocks upon which you will sell your own unique qualities and talents.
Your Portfolio
When you are choosing images, find unique images that will separate you from the rest of the crowd. This is a difficult process, so ask for help from friends, a portfolio coach or anyone that might be able to assist you. It is very difficult to be objective about your own work, so be sure to show your prospective clients images that talk about you, _not_ what you think they want to see. Accept your uniqueness, embrace it, and be as creative as you can be.
Contact MaterialsLook at your contact materials. They should be professionally designed and reflect the quality product you are delivering. You are marketing to designers and art directors, which means your contact materials need to be professional and creative.
Your Marketing Calendar After you have pieced this all together, develop a calendar for the implementation of your marketing strategy. Will you market every quarter? Every month? Who knows what time is best. That is up to you to decide. I saw a project from one photographer who did a mailing to 50 art directors every Friday for two months, and she was the talk of the town. Decide what you are trying to say, and say it as effectively as you can.
Be committed to the image you are presenting. Be committed to your marketing message. And be committed to your strategy.
Here's a brief check list:
- How am I unique?
- Who am I? (Marketing message)
- Who do I want to do work for?
- How am I going to show them my work?
- Can my contact materials be better?
- Are these the most creative images I can show?
- Who can I get some unbiased help from?
- How often am I going to mail out?
- What other marketing strategies am I going to use?
- Develop your marketing calendar.
- Think positively and be relaxed.
- Double check everything.
- Look up the word serendipity in the dictionary.
- Start!
- Drop off your first mailing at the post office and treat yourself to some creative activity!
You can't stop marketing. It must be a part of your weekly routine. All of this work can be accomplished in just a few days per month. It isn't overly complicated; it just requires your commitment to change. "That's the way we have always done it," is a dangerous strategy. Don't be afraid to change.
Ira Gostin is an entrepreneur, photographer, cowboy, marketer and photo educator and lives on his ranch in Reno, Nevada. He can be reached at ira@gostin.com.
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