The Road to Seasonality - Part X - Analysis Paralysis

by Skip Cohen

This will probably be the last post in The Road to Seasonality series. I've done my best to cover so many different things you can be doing to help make this year's holiday season one of your most successful. Sadly though, there are still too many of you caught in analysis paralysis, trying to figure out what to do next.

STOP OVERTHINKING! First, you're only one person - even if you have a staff to help support your business, it still comes down to you. Second, you're better off doing something and being only moderately successful rather than being complacent and going into the holiday season without any marketing plans. Last but not least - remember the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.

I wrote a post a few weeks back with a similar theme, but let's take it a step further. Here's a check-off list to work from, and it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you maintain a presence with your target audience and do something!

• Get your holiday card together! This is one of your images on the front, a holiday message on the inside, and on the back, your logo, and contact information. It's just like the back of a Hallmark card! Remind people what you do for a living.
• What products and services are you offering your clients? We're really down to the wire here, but if you still haven't decided, pick up the phone and call your lab! From prints to albums to canvas, metal, and novelty items - don't let the holidays go by without sharing something new. And remember, holiday cards for your clients! Marathon Press has their BOGO program going on right now - buying on a BOGO offer increases your revenue by 50%!
• "Day in the Life" Albums: I love the concept because it demonstrates your skill as a storyteller. Plus, rather than just one portrait, you have an opportunity to build an album telling the story of a client or their family. It's also perfect for capturing a few hours of images of kids and pets.
• Legacy Sessions: I wrote about this briefly in Sunday's post. This is an incredible opportunity to work with REAL seniors (not high school). Whether it's a series of portraits with a soundtrack or a video, the market potential is enormous. It's a video session you capture of a subject telling the story of part of their journey in life. How many senior members of your own family have you lost over the years and wish you had a video of them talking about their life?
• New Markets: The restaurant market is one of the fastest-growing in the country for photography. So many restaurants, because of the pandemic, went to carry-out service as well as outdoor dining. But they had virtually no images for their website. And if they're offering new outdoor seating, they've got nothing decorating the area!
• Partnerships: Stop thinking you have to go it alone. This is the perfect season to cross-promote with florists, venues, and other photographers. And if you want to do a direct mail piece together - what better way to reduce your costs than sharing the project.
• Support Gifts: Now's the time to think about those key vendors who helped you over the past year. Holiday cards are great, but most of you have at least a couple of people who deserve something more. Maybe it's taking them out to lunch to say, "THANKS," or some sort of gift basket. From referrals to simply going the extra mile to give you a hand, don't let the season go by without recognizing your appreciation.
• "With our Blessings:" This is a program Bob and Dawn Davis talked about in a podcast a long time ago. For example, they send pictures to the various vendors of their contribution to the event and sign them with our blessings after every wedding. Clay Blackmore told a story years ago about a caterer who asked him to grab a few shots of the buffet, etc., at a wedding they were both working. Clay took it a step further and captured a short video. Today that caterer has grown to be one of his biggest sources for referrals.
• Own Your Zipcode: Start going door to door with other retailers within a 2-5 mile radius of your location. You're not selling anything - just being helpful and reminding them what you do for a living. You're their number one resource when it comes to imaging!
• Coloring Books: During the pandemic, Steven Gotz hit a home run taking images of everything from animals to family portraits, pulling the color, turning them into line art, and sending them to clients with young children as coloring book pages! It's simple and perfect for building holiday goodwill this season.
• Your Blog: It couldn't be easier to write a post these days - just be helpful. How about a series of tips for Mom and Dad to get better holiday pictures this year? There are so many things you take for granted and do every time you click the shutter. Well, turn them into tips for content on your blog and Facebook page. There are five post topics most of you can write about immediately from fill-flash, depth of field, posing, composition, and storytelling. And it doesn't matter whether capture is with a phone or a real camera - all the technique is the same!

Here's the bottom line - the future of your business is in your hands! I'm not suggesting it's easy, but nothing in life is effortless these days. Just remember that relationship building is your strongest marketing tool. You've got to be out there and shed the chains of analysis paralysis.

It's November 1 - so what are you doing today to help secure business over the next two months?