by Skip Cohen From prints to albums to image boxes, there are so many different ways to help you market your skillset. But for many of you, image boxes represent an entirely new direction, especially as a marketing tool. Here are three ideas targeting different types of clients:
Image boxes come in all shapes and sizes, and you've got the creativity to develop promotional programs that are just as diverse. Click on any of the four well-respected companies above to help give you more ideas. There are hundreds of others. So, if you don't see anything you like here, call your lab or album company and find out what they offer. The key is to be different and make your promotional offers unique from what your competitors are doing. As my buddy Terry Clark said several years ago: "Look at what everybody else is going and then do something different!"
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by Skip Cohen Last week, I held an online coaching workshop for VIP attendees from the Hair of the Dog Summit I spoke at a few months ago. We've all attended various workshops and taken tons of notes. The we return home, letting life get in the way and not following up on actionable ideas. The purpose of the follow-up program was to help these artists stay focused on things they could still be doing to contribute to this year's success in holiday sales. It's November 13, and there's still time for you to have an impact on making 2023 one of your very best years ever!
You'll miss out if you keep procrastinating and waiting for the business fairy to sprinkle magic dust on your doorstep! There are no unicorns when it comes to building your business, just hard work and your ability to create top-of-mind awareness with your target audience. No one blog post can cover all the ideas out there, but it's Marketing Monday, and there's still time for you to have an impact on this year's sales. I want to help you THRIVE, not just survive! by Skip Cohen
Last year, right about this same time, I was running a series called "Sound Advice." Looking back through my archives, I ran across this post on diversity in your skill set. It's only a four-minute sound bite, but it's relevant to so many of you. I'm hoping most of you are starting to fulfill holiday orders – but that doesn't mean you can't still think about your immediate future from a "what if?" perspective. When business is bad, life becomes a lifeboat drill. We examine all our costs, procedures, etc. Often, the things we change and cut back on are issues that should have been addressed long before the crisis. So, think back to the height of the pandemic – when events were all canceled, people were paranoid about virtually everything – and we all hunkered down. Now, think about your plans if another crisis were to happen, even the most local event that forced you to change your business model. Do you have the skill set to tackle something else, or are you strictly a one trick pony? What's your backup plan? It's a short sound bite from last year, and while references to 2022 aren't valid, the concept of diversity couldn't be more important and worth considering. With IUSA coming up in January and more conferences and workshops on the horizon, whether LIVE or online, what will you do to expand your skill set? by Skip Cohen If you wander through the SCU archives you'll find posts covering virtually every topic in marketing. Sadly, too many of you are still pondering the meaning of life and your business. I want to take a different approach this Marketing Monday and give you another resource to build a stronger strategy for your business. If you haven't checked out everything Marathon offers, you're overdue! Yes, Marathon is a client, but I was working with them for thirty years before they became one of my sponsors. In the 90s, they printed my first co-authored book, Don Blair's Guide to Lighting and Posting Body Parts. I've been to their plant, spent time in their booth at various conventions, and worked together with their staff. I've followed their growth and expansion into offering some of the very best printed products and marketing support in the industry. It all starts with a click on the red banner at the top of their home page. From there, click on any of the drop-down windows to identify each service/product they provide. And in terms of specific support for the holidays - their BOGO program is going on right now. NO PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER SHOULD EVER USE A STORE-BOUGHT HOLIDAY CARD! There's still time to create your own card featuring one of your images and, on the back of the card, your contact information. And for your clients, nobody can help them create their family card better than you! Plus, with Marathon's BOGO, you can pick up additional revenue because of the savings. It's all just a click away on the banner below. Here's the bottom line - from Bella Art Prints and Bella Albums to studio products, volume photo solutions, websites, their MAP marketing support to direct mail, and everything in between - they're ready to help. But even more impressive, and what I love most about Marathon is their ability to become your marketing department. They've got the expertise and the services/product lines to help you achieve a powerful finish to 2023 and, more importantly - set the stage to kick off the new year! And if I still need to convince you to check out everything they offer, then pick up the phone and call them yourself. You won't be disappointed! by Skip Cohen For six years I wrote for Shutter Magazine. Each article was accompanied by a short video highlighting the topic. The fun of the video really was in the theme that always followed my article. And the more absurd I could be, the more likely readers would remember what I said. This particular video was for an article I wrote in 2014. It was all about your greatest marketing tool - building relationships. From pounding the pavement and knocking on doors, to partnerships and community involvement, Scott Stratten says it best, "Stop Marketing and Start Engaging!" While Unmarketing certainly isn't a new publication, it's an outstanding book. It's well worth a trip to Amazon to add it to you business library. Just click on the cover shot to the right. Meanwhile, think about every aspect of your business where you can touch a past or potential client. From how quickly you respond to questions on your website, to keeping in touch with past customers to working with other vendors, and being helpful on your blog - every contact is an opportunity to build a stronger relationship. Happy Throwback Thursday! If you want to catch more fish, use more hooks! George Allen by Skip Cohen Every year around this time I start a series of reminders of things you should be doing to capitalize on seasonality. Today's post is modified from the SCU archives, but the point is still the same. While business has great potential all year long, it's the November/December seasonality that offers you the most potential. This was originally the seventh post in my get-ready-for-seasonality series two years ago. However, the reality is there isn't any single key to success. But there is a winning combination of publicity, products, and promotion. As we head into the close of 2023, besides all the other aspects of marketing I've been writing about, you need to be creating awareness. What good is working so hard to create the best images of your life if nobody knows who you are? Too many of you think of publicity as awareness outside your control. It's time to kill the myth. Thanks to social media and communication technology - EVERY business can control and contribute to their own awareness.
Stop waiting for that knock at your door from a reporter who wants to do a feature profile story about you and your business. Those opportunities will come, but you have to build your own awareness first! The bottom line is simple: "use more hooks!" by Skip Cohen Hump Day thoughts are short ideas to help raise the bar on your success, especially during this upcoming holiday season. Most of you, at one time or another, have been involved in a brainstorming exercise. Most often for me, it happened in marketing meetings in my Polaroid days and later at Hasselblad USA. The whole idea is based on a small group of people doing a brain dump of ideas/solutions related to some aspect of business. There were no rules - just talking slow enough for somebody to write down the ideas - back then on a whiteboard. There was no such thing as a bad idea. The fun began once the ideas were compiled - how to enhance, combine, or boil them down into an actionable program. Here's my point - if you're stuck for promotional ideas for this holiday season or ways to kick off the new year, take the time and start writing down ideas. Don't think anything through initially - just write them down. Give yourself an hour or two in an environment without interruptions. And if you need a little help, bring in a family member, associate, or friend who knows a little about your business. You might be surprised by what comes out of a bit of brainstorming! All it takes is one idea to grow into something to impact your business. Two heads are definitely better than one and by brainstorming as a team and sourcing ideas from each other,
you have a better chance of coming up with a strategy that will allow your business to overcome a setback or challenge. Richard Branson by Skip Cohen
You've only got sixty days to make a difference in your business. And while some of the things I will suggest are definitely last-minute rushes – they can still have an impact!
This post is longer than usual and only begins to cover a few building blocks to make this year's holiday season the best. Remember, everything you do now also helps with a strong foundation for the upcoming new year. And if you're stuck for ideas - you know where to find me! Intro by Skip Cohen It's Marketing Monday, and wandering through the SCU archives, I found one of my favorite guest posts by my good buddy, Scott Bourne. As 2023 seasonality starts to ramp up, have you built a reputation for being unique? If not, then what you're offering is a commodity - the same thing everybody else promotes! And to Scott's point: You've got to be unique - not just in terms of technique and quality, but your ability to build relationships with your clients. Walt Disney may have said it best: To be successful you must be unique, you must be so different that if people want what you have, they must come to you to get it. by Scott Bourne I've written lots and lots and lots about selling photography. The other day someone asked me, to forget the books and long blog posts and seminars I've taught and sum up the key to successful photography marketing in three words or less. I am proud to say I was able to do it in two. Uniqueness and Value Those are the two words I want you to concentrate on when you're trying to build your photography business. These are the ONLY things that matter when it comes to marketing. Not your logo, or which award you've won, or which association you join, but whether or not your photography company is unique and offers real value. Ask yourself... Is what you do unique? Is it something that people want and need? Is your photography truly valuable?
If you answer "No" to either question then you are going to have an extremely difficult time surviving, let alone thriving in the photography business. Because at the end of the day, if you aren't unique you are a commodity. And if you're a commodity, then you will get your butt beaten working long hours for VERY little money. If your products aren't valuable, then no matter what price you charge, you'll always struggle. A car with no engine is not a good deal for the average person. The average person can't build an engine, install it and drive away. So no matter how low the price, the car with no engine has no value. You have to find ways to bring value to your clients. If you do that, then price isn't an issue. And price is what this post is really about. You see, if you are unique, you can charge a higher price - but only if somebody wants the unique thing you have. If you are NOT unique, then you will always be competing on price. If you are on the other hand, valuable, but not unique, nobody will see the value. This is an ethereal concept but try to dig into it. Make a list of how you are truly different from your competitors. Then make a list of how you bring value to your customers. What's your USP (unique selling point?) What's your value proposition? (How does your product match up with the needs, beliefs, feelings and desires of your prospects.) When you can answer these questions, you can move forward and thrive. Twenty years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Mark Twain I'm proud to be a contributor to the Marathon Press blog, along with a number of other members of the imaging community. I shared this post a while back, and it's so relevant. It's a quick post starting with the hope that you let that quote from Mark Twain sink in a little. It makes sense to take time here and there to ponder and think about things you want to do to grow your business and your skill set as an artist. This is where it might be time to build your business bucket list! I love the concept, but so many of us have it all in our heads rather than written down. When you write things down, they become more real. We all have things we hope to do someday, but we rarely consider business goals beyond growing the business, increasing revenue, etc. So, regardless of how absurd or extravagant ideas might seem today, writing them down moves them out of "wish" mode and closer to reality. On the personal side of "no regrets," my old buddy Duncan MacNab told us a week before he passed away, "I have no regrets. I did it all when I was younger." Life is too short - don't wait to chase your dreams. Go for it! Kick back a little and think about things you want to do to build your business and expand your creativity. There are no rules and no guidelines: explore, dream, and discover. Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Zig Ziglar by Skip Cohen
A few years back, I started a series of reminders to help you set the stage for holiday seasonality. I'm bringing back a few of my favorites. My goal is to help you build a better foundation to finish 2023 with great sales. There's one ingredient that tops the list and sets the stage for EVERYTHING you do in marketing, brand-building, and promotion - your ATTITUDE! When I was in junior high, the basketball coach had a sign in his office, much like the Zig Ziglar quote above: Winning is 80% motivation and only 20% skill! Seasonality is already ramping up. But there's still time to capture and create more business for 2023; it all starts with your attitude. Here are some things to consider:
I'm not minimizing how tricky business is these days. However, with the renewed sense of family that came out of the pandemic, you have so many opportunities to capture more business. Remember, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it! And, if you're overwhelmed and don't know what you can still do, you know where to find me! by Skip Cohen I catch up with a lot of photographers every day, both directly and in the various forums, primarily on Facebook. In addition, I recently did a 90-minute presentation at the online Hair of the Dog Summit. Looking at so many of the questions I've seen being asked, so many artists seem to be caught in analysis paralysis. Too many of you seem caught up in so many different aspects of your business that you've stalled on making decisions. Eventually, you'll miss the opportunities, spending so much time overthinking your goals that the potential for success evaporates. It's like freezer burn on that bag of shrimp I forgot about that was frozen for far too long. Sure, they were still edible, but they're sure weren't as good. Stop overthinking ideas you know in your heart are right. And don't "should" on yourself if they don't work out as good as you had hoped. When something is underwhelming, step back, take a long look at what you did, and then revise your game plan. The bottom line? Stop overthinking! I'm not suggesting you attack your business without a plan; just recognize when you no longer need more opinions or time to ponder. Many years ago, I heard my good buddy Matthew Jordan Smith tell a story about his images when he first started. He'd share his work with everybody to get their opinion until he finally realized he had to listen to his own heart. He had to decide for himself what made a great photograph. It wasn't only about his technique, but understanding and building a relationship with each client. We're getting down to the wire on implementing creative programs for the holiday season. Don't let time pass you by because of analysis paralysis. You know how to focus your camera - now it's time to focus on your business and your target audience. You only regret the things you don't do!
Author Unknown by Skip Cohen My roots in Customer Service go back to when I was a kid helping my grandfather in a little hardware store in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. But my real education in consumer support started with Polaroid's introduction of the SX-70 camera - estimated to be 300% defective with those first ones off the production line. Fortunately for Polaroid back then word was slow to spread, there was no Internet - just phone calls and snail mail. Having kicked off my first blog post fourteen years ago, while I know I've written about the topic many times in the past, there's no such thing as too many reminders about the importance of dealing with angry customers! I found a couple of great quotes a while back about angry customers: “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning!” Bill Gates “Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.” Zig Ziglar The reality for many of you is too often completely different. You're afraid of angry customers. I've even heard a few horror stories of photographers going head-to-head in arguments with clients. You'll never win in that kind of battle.
Here are a few tips and suggestions you can use to help learn from angry customers and, at the same time, become your own bomb squad!
Modify the opener any way you want, but the defusing line is: "How can I help?" or another one to use is "Let's see if I can help fix this for you." Your goal is to demonstrate empathy, kick back, be quiet, and listen. (This is where I get to plug in my favorite one-liner: You've got two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you talk!)
Resolve issues quickly with solutions that have value to the consumer. Come up with a resolution fast and work towards having one that your client feels is fair. Years ago, living in the Chicago area, we tried carry-out from a new Chinese restaurant. Halfway through dinner, there was a small dead cockroach in the fried rice. I immediately packaged everything back up and went storming back to the restaurant. Instead of immediately apologizing and doing a refund, the owner wanted to give me a gift certificate to come back! Obviously, we never ate there again, but to try and argue with me about the merits of their food at that point was far from realistic. Remember, one angry customer today can turn into a troll and undermine your credibility throughout the community. And the community, especially in cyberspace, goes far beyond your city limits. On the other hand, a satisfied customer who feels you've been on their side and working towards solving the problem will help build a foundation for future business. by Skip Cohen It's Marketing Monday, and after a week-long break, I'm back and fired up about one of my most favorite topics: holiday cards. There are two perspectives - your own card and the cards you should offer your clients. "Snail mail" is alive and well at holiday time. As email and social media have taken over our lives, holiday cards are an memorable break from the monotony of cyberspace seasonal wishes! A holiday card, done right, is one of your most effective marketing tools. Your Personal Holiday Card It amazes me that so many of you miss the boat on using your own images for holiday cards! A holiday card is a perfect way to show your work and remind people what you do for a living. NONE OF YOU should be sending out store-bought cards. Using one of your own photographs for a card is so soft-sell that it's hard-sell without aggravating anybody! The process is so easy - Create a few hundred cards to send to clients and influencers in your community. Put your image on the front of the card and a pre-printed message inside. Then, add a hand-written note for special clients/influencers to personalize it even more. On the back of the card, it's your contact information. Only, instead of the "Hallmark" label, in the center at the bottom of the card, it's the name of your business, your phone number, email address, and URL for your website. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, Marathon Press has its annual BOGO going on right now. That means you're decreasing the cost per card and increasing your potential for more revenue this season. Most important of all, you're reinforcing your career path and boosting brand awareness. Holiday Cards for Clients Let's get holiday cards into your mix of client-based services. This is about increasing revenue. After the last few years of challenges in life, this has the potential to be another remarkable holiday season. It's your work on the front of the card, but this time, a portrait you've captured. And you're working with each client to help make their card unique. Again, Marathon comes through with a substantial boost to your revenue with its annual BOGO program. They even offer a holiday sales kit with samples to help you share the idea with your audience. And a mailing to your database right now, and you only need to ask a straightforward question, "What are you doing for this year's holiday card?" There are so many ways to tie in holiday cards with a portrait session. They're the perfect add-on for everything from canvas prints to metal and even stationery (thank-you cards) and short videos. The point is that you're a storyteller, and here are more ways for you to help you and your clients tell their stories.
This is going to be another record-breaker for holiday messages this year. Think about it for a second: We're at a point in history where we're all trying harder than ever to stay in touch. What better way than spreading holiday wishes this season? by Skip Cohen After all these years of posting daily, developing content ideas that help you build a more substantial business, and being involved in many different programs under the imaging umbrella, I've hit the wall. And as I've written so many times, it's important to recognize when you're about to crash and burn. Several times a year, I write about the importance of taking a break BEFORE you crash. Each time, I've gotten some amazing comments from many of you about how timely my topic was and how much you needed to be reminded. What's ironic is how little of my own advice I actually listen to! This is a very short post today. I want to remind you that while I talk a good game and have years of experience to share with you, too often, it's really tough to follow through. I want to help you grow your business, avoiding many of the mistakes so many of us have made, but I'm still making mistakes myself. We're all work in progress. The hardest thing to do in business is recognize you need a break. But, with the help of some great friends coming down to Florida on Sunday, I've got all the right ingredients. The usual me would feel I was being irresponsible, but the truth is, it's the most responsible thing I can do today. The perfect way to avoid the "heat" of those flames when you're about to crash and burn is simply to do something you love doing. For me and Sheila, it involves each other, good friends, the pups, and always the ocean. See you on October 9! by Skip Cohen I started this series to share short ideas that seemed to fit into the middle of the week scenario. Plus, I love the shot of the camels! Well, it's Hump Day* and the perfect time to hit on one of the biggest benefits of attending workshops, conferences, and conventions - they help you recharge your battery! Yesterday, I presented a two-hour program to a passionate group of pet photographers, thanks to the Hair of the Dog Accademy founder, Nicole Begley. Over the last few weeks, I spent a lot of time pulling information about one of the biggest challenges in business - finding new customers and expanding your reach. But my point today isn't about marketing and promotion but a side benefit of attending a conference like this: it recharges your battery! I'm always writing about taking a break and recognizing the signs of burnout, but God forbid I should practice what I preach! I didn't realize how much I needed a recharge myself. Throughout my presentation, I felt like the Energizer Rabbit. There were just over 200 people in the program, and their energy, comments, and questions reminded me of how much I appreciate the true entrepreneurial spirit of so many artists. From the attendee comments, the enthusiasm was infectious, not just in my program but in two other programs I was able to attend by Anne Thomas on Storytelling and Zoe Hiljemark on The Power of PR. The energy I felt yesterday was spread throughout the attendees. Plus, something unique happens at small conferences like this - everybody supports each other, working towards a common goal to find new ways to grow. So, to Nicole Begley, thank you for the invite and for sharing your Hair of the Dog family. To the attendees, what a kick getting to "mee" so many of you. As I've already said and written - you know where to find me if I can ever help. And to all of you, my readers - as you lay out your calendar for 2024, pay attention to the dates of local workshops, conferences, and national conventions - just like our phones when the battery's low, we all need a recharge now and then. You should attend every possible program you can, whether LIVE or online. Nothing beats hanging out with people in our industry. The energy is incredible, and sometimes, it's just what you need to revitalize your spirit and passion for the craft. “Your customers won’t love you if you give bad service, your competitors will.” Kate Zabiskie by Skip Cohen
So many of you could do a better job when it comes to Customer Service basics. That quote above says it all; stop helping your competitors! It's Marketing Monday, and after a recent battle with an online sales company, the importance of Customer Service is fresh on my mind. The only silver lining is that each bad experience I have, becomes the foundation to remind you about one of your best marketing tools, providing outstanding service. There's no need for this to be a long post today. The basic ingredients for providing excellent Customer Service couldn't be easier to remember:
Obviously, the quality of the services/products you're providing has to be outstanding, but don't underestimate the power of offering a great experience for your clients as well! It's one of the most powerful tools you have to separate your business from the competition. by Skip Cohen
It's Hump Day, and here's a suggestion to keep in mind as you put together future promotions. I've heard so many stories from photographers over the years who put together what they considered a great promotion, but it failed with minimal response. Most often, it was because the perceived value of the promotion wasn't as strong as they thought it would be. Whatever you offer, it has to have VALUE. Value-added marketing is defined as delivering more than your customers are expecting through content and experiences. https://blog.duda.co/ For example, if you've put together a promotion for free goods when a specific service or product is purchased, you've got to make sure your target audience understands the true value of the promotion. We all know when a company pitches us for something they're giving away that has a $299 retail value, you can buy the product for half that through regular retail. Years ago, my daughter, as a fifth grader, wound up on a kid's TV gameshow and won $2000 in prizes, which were taxable at that amount. But the real value was, at best, around $800! It didn't change the fun or the value of the experience, but it does make a point about value. Your challenge is to establish promotional value that exceeds customer expectations. They need to understand the offer, what the product or service does, and how it fulfills a need they have. This is why I love cross-promotions between non-competing companies. A promotion between a wedding photographer and a florist, for example, both have products the client needs. They also have money to spend with both companies. Last but not least, the consumer understands both the florist's and photographer's product line and has a need for both. Hey, it's Hump Day, and these posts are always meant to be short and easy to think about - and if you're stuck for promotional ideas, you know where to find me if I can help. Happy Hump Day! by Skip Cohen Platypod has been a leader in helping artists expand their creativity since the company's first product was introduced eight years ago. From the original Platypod to Platyball, the eXtreme, and just recently introduced Handle - the complete Platypod line, with multiple accessories, has grown to be the Platypod Ecosystem. But Platypod isn't slowing down - Have you subscribed to their YouTube channel? There's now a selection of NEW short how-to videos thanks to a remarkable team of respected industry educators. Each video hits a specific specialty and then a no-nonsense presentation, giving the viewer a solid educational base to build on and, with practice, expand their expertise. The company's plan is to continue to support the imaging community with more short presentations, each one unique in its application. There are now six videos in the series, of which I pulled three in the click-on links below. Another new feature is Platypod Perspectives. Again, short, concise and educational, helping you expand your expertise in imaging and at the same time introducing you to some talented photographers in our industry. Platypod's YouTube channel is loaded with great information and ideas to help you expand your creativity. There's no limit to how you can put Platypod gear to great use - but there's also no limit to the company's goals to help more artists raise the bar on their skillset.
by Skip Cohen I'm excited about being asked to speak at the upcoming online Hair of the Dog Summit at the end of this month. I'm in great company with nine other speakers; all focused on helping you build a stronger skill set and grow your business. Click on the banner above for more information and then to register. What good is creating the finest images of your career if nobody knows who you are? And if they do know you, are they knocking on your door? I'll be sharing dozens of ideas on promotions, building awareness, partnerships, and ways to expand your reach beyond your existing customer base. Plus, there's a special bonus - in November, date to be announced - I'll be hosting a follow-up coaching program for VIP pass attendees, helping you keep the momentum going right through the holiday season. Why you should attend: In the hierarchy of why consumers hire a professional photographer, the top three are brides, babies, and pets. This is from a survey Kodak did at least thirty years ago, and I don't believe it's changed. During the pandemic, weddings were down, along with photographing babies and maternity. The order might have shifted, but here's my point. Seventy percent of U.S. households, or about 90.5 million families, own a pet, according to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Think about those numbers. Seven out of ten families have at least one pet, and the average per household is estimated at 1.6 -1.8. Like our house, many families have two fur-balls. So, the big question is, are you including pet photography in your business? Check out the one-minute video below from the Hair of the Dog Summit Host, Nicole Begley for more info. See you at the Summit! |
Our Partners"Why?"Check out "Why?" one of the most popular features on the SCU Blog. It's a very simple concept - one image, one artist and one short sound bite. Each artist shares what makes the image one of their most favorite. We're over 100 artists featured since the project started. Click on the link above and you can scroll through all of the episodes to date.
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