In the last part we began our marketing series with a look at our personal strengths and skills. We were looking at what we have to sell. In this part, let's look at what we're selling with - our studio and studio facilities.

What's your studio really like? What's good about it? What's not so good? Your next step in developing a marketing program is to identify your studio's strengths and weaknesses.

By understanding yourself (see part 1) and recognising your studio (this part), you have a basis from which to develop your marketing program. It's very hard to develop something without having a clear and honest understanding of your starting position.

What should you look at? Let's start with simple things like your location. Is it easy for clients to reach you? Is the studio easy to find, or are you up three flights of stairs and on an outside balcony? Different studios have different client bases - and so differing requirements.

Is your location a strength or a weakness in terms of attracting and keeping clients? Once your clients reach the studio, what does it look like? Does your studio play the part? Is it functional for the type of work you do? Can you accommodate furniture for a catalogue shoot if necessary? Is there room for a large family gathering? Do you only need an office because you shoot on location? Do your clients never visit you because you always visit them?

Write down the strengths and weakness of the studio's physical attributes and then take a look at the aesthetics. How does it look: contemporary and clean, or a little cluttered and untidy? What impression does this give your clients?

Now let's look at the people who are working in the studio, your partners and staff. What skills do they have and are you using them? Do you feel comfortable delegating duties to them? Do they feel they're given sufficient autonomy and trust? What type of image do they portray? Does it match the image you want for your business? And what's their attitude like, to you, the job and most importantly, your clients?

Equipment is also pretty important for an efficient business. What's your equipment like? Is it the latest and greatest, tried and trusted, or a liability? Do you have the equipment needed to do the work your marketing is going to say you can do?

When clients walk into the studio or telephone you, do you have the skills to convert an inquiry into a sale? Do you know how to ask questions, listen attentively and give your clients confidence in you as a business?

Finances are also very important. Can you borrow money to expand? Is your business profitable enough to fund its own expansion? Are you on a shoestring and will you have to market accordingly to get the business firing? Financial strengths and weaknesses also include your ability to quote for work and price competitively.

And what about planning? How do you rate? As you complete this section, you can see the business you run taking shape. It has its good sides, but it has its weaknesses too. Unless you have an efficient business that provides potential clients with what they want, all the marketing in the world isn't going to help you one iota!

The Walk Through
One sometimes harrowing technique to analyze your business is to do a walk-through. A walkthrough shows you what your clients hear the first time they contact you and what they see when they come to the studio. It can be a great eye-opener and although the results can be a little shocking, it is even more shocking to continue on oblivious to the subconscious messages you're sending out every day.

Your studio's presentation is the most fundamental aspect of marketing. It simply must match the image you're trying to promote through other avenues of marketing and advertising. While these aspects might not seem to have much to do with marketing right now, they will become fundamental when you develop the communication and advertising sides of your marketing plan.

This part and last will become the building blocks from which to launch a marketing program.

Click here to download the templates and worksheets for the Marketing Your Studio Series