Baby portraits don’t really work for me much anymore. They are long, hard and, well, a flooded market. There are a million baby photographers within five square miles of my studio. Likely yours too.
I don’t really mind competition. It motivates me to stand out, create offers that are unique and constantly find ways to hone and refine my sales message.
It’s hard to compete, unless…..UNLESS you can create something so unique, they will line up to pay you. AND, they will be much more receptive to being sold on the VALUE of what you bring.
NOT on the easy value-less, fly-by-night approach of the shoot and burn offer. Which seems to permeate photography and the culture surrounding it these days.
Shoot and burn, my friend, is a dead -end street. I get it however.
It feels good to get paid something for something you’re created. And the reactions! Wow. What an amazing high that feels like.
Problem is, it’s no better than a cup of sugar, which in reality is poison, tastes great, and in the end will do more harm than good.
If you’re in it for the long haul, which you ought to be, since there are few business opportunities where you get to run your business for the short haul, then it’s important to apply certain selling, marketing and long term business building strategies.
Finding your market, finding those who are willing to pay you for your service, is the number one essential ingredient. No market, no business.
But better yet, find the markets where they will pay you a premium. And where your offers, your service, your packages create more sales, more profits for you and your photography business.
If I were younger, starting out, I’d go after the baby market. In spite of it being flooded with more photographers per square mile than any other. I simply just don’t want to anywhere. Been there, done that. Nice to have options and alternatives.
If I were after this market, I’d go straight to direct mail, babies first year wall panel offers. Why? First off, mail is so rarely used, it stands out. And, the wall panel concept is so alluring to most new moms many can’t resist it.
And once they bite, come in for the first session, they’re clients for life.
But, like most things in life and marketing, ya gotta work it. There are no easy roads.
I created a series of presentations on marketing the babies first year program for members. Worth a watch.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”
Leave a Reply