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The Marathon Center

Welcome to the Marathon Center, access to some of the most helpful material in the industry to build your business as a professional photographer. We're going to be sharing an endless stream of marketing materials, products and guest posts  to help you raise the bar on your business. We want this year to be the best year yet...and each year that follows even better!
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got Seniors?

3/31/2017

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by Skip Cohen

Over the last ten years the senior market is one of the photographic specialties that's changed the most. There are some big numbers in the potential audience, giving so many photographers the opportunity to work with seniors. 
About 3.5 million students are expected to graduate from high school in 2016–17,
including 3.2 million students from public high schools
and 0.3 million students from private high schools (source).


**National Center for Education Statistics

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So, with a target audience of 3.5 million subjects, the potential for more and more artists to get involved is enormous. For example, follow any of the larger photographic forums on Facebook, and you'll regularly see senior work being posted and discussed.

The intrigue for me, from a marketing perspective, is all thanks to consumer trends and technology.  Working with even a small group of senior clients is giving photographers an opportunity for incredible creativity in both capture and presentation.

This is also that one time of year where I always share my senior shot. Fortunately, the industry has come a long way. But, I can't help but wonder what my senior session would have been like had there been more choices beyond a half dozen clicks of the shutter, two lights and a posing stool!

Think about it for just a second. Today, if you're only doing a traditional portrait because that's all "Mom" asked for, you're missing an opportunity to not only create a stronger revenue stream but to push your creative skills. As a selection of products and services, you no longer have just a portrait to capture, but a still image or series that captures the personality of the senior together with hybrid slide shows, videos, and a complete story-telling experience.

And, along with all the potential to display your creativity, comes a big question, "What are you giving your senior subjects to help them announce their graduation?"

Marathon's running their BOGO on grad cards again this year, and it's an opportunity not to be missed. Here's your chance to not only provide a service to your senior clients but get your work out there to be seen by even more people. Just click on the banner below and connect to Marathon's Grad Cards and let's get things going for you early in the senior season.

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Remember, while Mom isn't in front of your camera, women make 98% of the purchase decisions when it comes to photography. Your seniors might be the subjects, but their mothers are your the audience you're working with when it comes to closing the sale!

If you're stuck on design ideas, Marathon's sales kit is just the thing to help you through the process. We're at the end of March. You've got enough time to order a sales kit and have a full sample set of products to offer "Mom."
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Every artist has the same goal - to exceed client expectations and make yourself habit-forming. A graduate's first experience working directly with a professional photographer is often during their senior shoot. Since relationship building is your greatest marketing tool, here's a chance to establish yourself as the photographic resource for your senior clients and their families, which has the potential to lead to future weddings, babies, children and family portraiture.

Marathon is providing you with a few of the tools to help build that relationship. Now, put grad cards together with your skill set and passion for the craft and you've got the perfect foundation to keep building your senior audience.
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On Your Radar? Great Content Coming in Marathon's Blog

3/14/2017

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by Skip Cohen

When I first met the team from Marathon Press back in the late 80's they were the leader in printed material for the photographic industry. There was no Internet; the word "blog" didn't exist; there were no websites; every photographer carried around a portfolio of images to each convention or business meeting and "live" education was something you either got in a workshop, at a convention or watched on your VCR.

Today, everything has changed. Educational opportunities are everywhere. We blog, tweet and share ideas in seconds all day every day. Your website has become your storefront and your blog, if done right, captures what's in your heart. Very rarely is anybody carrying around a portfolio case these days, which has been replaced by images on a phone.

But there is one thing that's never changed, and that's Marathon's dedication and leadership in helping photographers grow as artists and business owners! And, they're still the leader in marketing material and support for photographers with websites, postcards, brochures, marketing programs and now prints and albums with the Bella line.

Yesterday Marathon launched the first blog post in a series of great content for the future from nine bloggers who all share the same passion for education. This is in addition to the stellar group of writers who have been sharing content in the past. I couldn't be more proud to be one of the nine people above to be sharing ideas on Marathon's "new" Blog. While we all might not always agree on specific concepts in business, we do all agree on the importance of helping you make 2017 the best year yet!

Stay tuned - because yesterday's first post by Mary Marantz, "The Art of Getting Organized" is only the beginning!

If it's not already there it's time to put Marathon's blog on your radar.
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Marketing - the Flame You Have to Keep Alive!

3/1/2017

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© Romolo Tavani
Intro by Skip Cohen

I found the article below in the archives of Marathon's blog. It couldn't be more perfect for this time of year.

We're entering the last month of what's typically known as the slow season, but just because sales might be slow doesn't mean there isn't work to do. This is the time for you to be laying out the last steps of your marketing plans for 2017.

Marketing is a constant flame that needs to light your business all year long. It should never stop as long as you look at your entire plan and design programs/activities to keep your name out there. Marathon's giving you five ingredients below to fuel your plan.

Take the time to review each Ingredient and see if you've done your homework. Marketing isn't just developing great promotions. It's all inclusive with every aspect of your business to build a stronger brand.
“Good marketing makes the company look smart.
Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.”

Joe Chernov
Need more help? Contact Marathon's marketing representatives at (800) 228.0629. Ask about the Marketing Advantage Program too. So many of you simply run out of time - MAP essentially creates a marketing department for your business and utilizes Marathon's assets without depleting yours!

“Why should I market?” is a question many business owners ask and there is a very simple answer. In order for a flame to continue to stay lit it needs three things; fuel, oxygen and a spark. If you take one of those things away the flame goes out. Marketing creates the conditions under which sales can be made. Without the spark, the fuel, and the oxygen that marketing brings to your business, your sales will burn out.

In order for your marketing to work as it should to keep your business burning bright there is a step-by-step process you must follow.

• Awareness: Clients will deal with you only if they know you exist. In order to achieve awareness, your marketing must spell out as clearly as possible and without any confusion as to who you are and what you do.

• Comprehension: Prospective clients must also comprehend what you do. If you advertise that you make the finest Giclée prints in town, you probably won’t sell many portraits to those who don’t comprehend what a Giclée print is all about. So your marketing effort must convey a message that is easy to comprehend, such as: “This is a photography studio that does romantic wedding photography and they are located in the next town over.”

• Conviction: This is a critical step in convincing prospects to use your services. They will experience conviction only if they believe that what you offer might have some relevance for them. Conviction is built in many ways, including word-of-mouth-advertising. Clients who receive top-notch products and services from your studio will tell their friends about you. This facilitates conviction better than any advertisement can. So don’t overlook the power of testimonials, whether they are delivered in person or presented as part of your marketing.

• Trial: Once conviction is established, your next task is to induce prospective clients to try your services. Trial is greatly facilitated by an appealing offer or compelling marketing message, coupled with a “risk reducer” (such as a satisfaction guarantee) and a “payment facilitator” (such as a payment plan or acceptance of credit cards).

• Loyalty: The trial stage allows the photographer to do what he or she does best. When all goes well—when the product, the pricing, the promotion and the place meet or exceed the expectations of the client—then it is possible for that client to develop loyalty: the ultimate achievement in the client-studio relationship.

Once these steps are complete, you will have a much easier time keeping the flame of your business burning bright. 

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