Photography businesses have a lot of opportunity for diversifying their revenue streams, creating new opportunities for their clients, and generally having fun with the work they’re creating. I love working with photographers because they have the opportunity to see themselves as service providers and as producer designers. They’re artists and they’re masters of experience.
But every business gets a little stagnant from time to time and photography businesses are no exception. To keep from digging your business into a rut, always be on the look out for a new offer.
Here are 5 steps to help you go from conception to launch to sales.
1) Personalization, not generalization.
Don’t try to figure out what else newly weds want out of their wedding photographer. Don’t waste your time considering how you could reinvent head shots for executives. That’s way too general.
Focus on 3-5 of your absolute favorite clients. Consider what they asked for. Look for opportunities you didn’t pounce on at the time. Was their a style or experience they were going for? A product they would have loved to add on?
The good news is that if your favorite clients would want to something, there are hundreds or thousands of others out there who have the same desires. Creating an offer for a few ends up helping to create something more compelling for many.
2) Understand why it matters.
It’s not enough to know what your best photography clients want. You need to know why.
Your job is to not only make the offer but to do so with a message that matters to your best prospects. Maybe it’s creating a sense of family, feeling like a rockstar, amping professional ambitions, or adding an art piece that makes a space feel more like home.
Dig below the surface every time a client asks you for something special. Look for the core motivation, who she’s trying to become when she asks, and what the ultimate outcome of the purchase would be for her.
You can find out more about Steps 1 & 2 in my free training video—accessible when you RSVP—click here.
3) Tell a story.
Wait, don’t panic. You totally have my permission—nay, encouragement—to tell a visual story. Get out your camera and make some images.
Demonstrate the value your new offer can create for your client by documenting the transition from Before to After. Show your client how the experience you’re offering them will change the way they see themselves, their family, or their home.
4) Get in touch.
This is where it can get a little hairy. If you’ve got a great new offer but no one knows about it, it’s not too great, is it? You need to put your offer in the hands of those most likely to buy.
You started off this little exercise by thinking of 3-5 of your favorite clients. They should be your first stop on the destination to selling your new offer. Maybe they’re ready to buy but at the least, they probably new another 3-5 people in the same situation they were when they made their desires known.
Ask them to put you in touch by phone or email and make a warm pitch. Use the message you know matters and the story you’ve crafted to have a genuine conversation about what you have to offer.
I’ve got more on getting prospects from Buy In to Buy Now in the third video of my exclusive series for CreativeLive—click here.
Once you get the first few sales under your belt, you’ll have a good idea of what it takes to introduce your offer to the public. Then, using your email list… or Step 5 is a great tactic.
5) Connect with influencers.
In today’s media age, influencers could be the photo editors at your favorite magazines. Or, they could be your kid’s best friend’s mom. Think about the spheres of influence your best clients are paying attention too.
How could you get in front of those influencers and show them what you’re creating with your new offer? Often the message that matters or the story you’ve crafted is enough to spark a serious interest that can lead to a lot of new business.
I’ll have more on how to genuinely connect with influencers in my next CreativeLive workshop, Market, Launch, and Sell Your Next Big Thing. I hope you’ll join me!
