Spring Seasonality - Down to the Wire

by Skip Cohen

​It's Marketing Monday, and we're getting down to the wire on things you can do to build a stronger business during Spring seasonality. Mother's Day, graduations, proms, and Father's Day are all on the horizon, and time is no longer on your side for planning.

But what is on your side is communication with your target audience. You've got the ability to plant those seeds of ideas with your social media presence, phone calls, personal contact, and simply utilizing your greatest marketing tool - continuing to build your relationships with your clients.

• Social Media Content: Whether for your blog, Facebook, or other social media outlets, take the time to share ideas on gifts involving photography and video. This is your chance to shine as the leader in imaging in your community.
• Call Your Lab: It's an easy task. Just call your lab and ask, "What's new?" You're looking for gift ideas that your clients can get excited about. And remember about canvas prints - they're old to us but not necessarily to your client base.
• Gift Certificates: Whether you're sending them out directly or to a third party to give as a gift to their clients (realtors and insurance brokers), design a certificate for a discount or free goods on a future purchase of your services. For example, realtors always have new clients who they've sold a home. Instead of the usual gift basket they usually do, include a certificate for a free portrait sitting and position it as a gift from the realtor. The value of the certificate adds to their basket, and it also insulates you from eroding your pricing.
• Pick Up The Phone: It's the perfect time of year to check in with your clients. You don't have to be selling anything; just checking on their well-being, family, kids that might be graduating, etc. The subtitle to Scott Stratten's book Unmarketing is "Stop marketing and start engaging!"
• Review EVERYTHING You Offer: There's an old line that goes something like, "If you do what you've always done, you'll never get any more than you ever got!" So, if you review your products and services, are they exciting, or would they put a rock to sleep? 
• Look For Partnerships: Whether sharing the cost of a joint mailing or cross-promoting with each other's products/services, you don't need to fly solo. Look for partners with companies who have the same demographics as the target audience.

Here's the bottom line - this is an exciting time to be involved in any aspect of imaging. There's never been a greater sense of family in the world, but if you sit and wait for business to knock on your door, you'll miss so many opportunities.