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So what was it like? Did you find everything was in order? Or were there a few ideas and revelations you thought worth working on?
For most of us, it will be the latter.
As our businesses grow, so do the businesses' personality and age. Aspects that were quite appropriate a few years ago are no longer okay because fashions and attitudes have changed.
For instance, a home studio might have been quite acceptable when you started out, but now that you're trying to charge a higher fee, a separate studio is more appropriate.
Of course, you might be winding your business down and the overheads of a separate studio might not be appropriate for a smaller workload - perhaps your reputation with existing clients is strong enough to let you move home and still charge a premium fee.
Everyone's marketing approach will be different depending on their goals and aspirations. Similarly, even though we're talking about photography, what we're selling might be quite different depending on our market.
Let's take wedding photography again. Some wedding couples have no concept of photography and are looking for inexpensive shots of their special day. A budget photographer is all they want.
A more visually aware client might perceive the difference between a budget wedding and the service provided by a more up-market studio which produces an album and wall print as well.
What Are You Selling, Really?
And then there will be couples who simply want the most fashionable or trendy photographer in town - perhaps the one with the inside cover in all the bridal magazines.
What is the bridal couple buying?
The budget couple is probably buying a basic standard of photography and a record of the day. The more visually aware couple wants service and a high standard of imagery. The final couple wants the association with the best - they are buying image so they can show off to their friends and guests.
In some ways, all three couples are buying all three 'products', but they have different priorities. So what are your clients buying from you?
If you're an advertising photographer, are your clients buying your imagery or your image?
Are portrait clients buying a service, memories, decor or just keeping up with the Jones family?
Often we don't know exactly what our clients are buying from us, and sometimes they don't know either.
That's why it's up to us to understand as best as possible what we're selling and what they're buying. If we know, we can adapt what we're selling and how we're selling it to match our clients' requirements. No doubt this sounds pretty obvious, but have you really looked at what you're selling?
Our first reaction is to say we're selling quality and service. So is McDonalds and everyone else in the world. Quality and service mean nothing because they are expected. A client doesn't expect to engage you as a photographer and receive sub-standard service or bad quality photography.
For the same reason, forget using 'personal service' and other similar 'concept terms'. They are wishy washy, both for you and your client. You need to be specific.
An advertising agency hires a photographer for a number of reasons, depending on the complexity of the shoot and what they think their client wants. The AD is buying a creative partner who can interpret the brief. He is also buying trust because he is sure you can do the job. This gives him peace of mind because he feels comfortable that he will also look good. And finally, the AD probably hires you because he likes you. He is buying a good time - an enjoyable day out of the office. Depending on the AD, he may or may not be buying creative input from the photographer, but he might be buying a convenient location, or a studio that has an in-house retoucher and proofing printer so he can see the results quickly.
Many photographers work in a variety of disciplines: wedding and portraiture, advertising and commercial, corporate and architectural, editorial and stock. Most also have a variety of customers, so what you're selling to one client might be quite different to what you're selling to another. You will need to analyse what you're offering to each group.
Of course, if you think this is getting a bit hard, you can simply decide to sell one particular type of photography and service, and let your clients take it or leave it. McDonalds offers a fixed menu selection - take it or go somewhere else. When the market is big enough, or you have enough appeal, this approach can work brilliantly, especially if you have what they want.
However, the smaller restaurants usually have a changing menu to keep their regular clients coming back. They will also cook your steak well-done, medium or rare. They are much more personal and flexible in their approach to the market. Most photographers are more like the small restaurant. We have to keep a variety of clients happy because if we don't, our clients can easily go elsewhere. And if we're honest, for a lot of the bread and butter work we do, the standard of photography is not going to be a deciding factor.
What's In It For Me?
A 'high standard of photography' is a feature. A 'reasonable price' is also a feature. 'Quick service' and 'friendly staff' are also features of your studio.
These are the types of things a client buys from you, but they don't buy them for what they are, but for what they can do for them. They buy benefits, not features.
When marketing your studio, you need to know exactly what the benefits are so you can explain and sell them to your clients. If they ask why they should hire you rather than the photographer down the street, the answer isn't, 'Because my photographs look better', but 'Because my photographs will sell more of your product' or 'Because my photographs will make you look ten years younger'.
Turn your features into benefits!
One way of doing this is to list down your features and then answer the 'so you' question. We have in-house printing so you get to see the photographs within ten minutes. Our photographs are extremely creative so you will get a better response from your catalogue. Our lighting equipment is the most advanced in the city so your products will look the best they possibly can.
Fill in the features and benefits worksheet so you can better sell your services to your clients. If you don't know enough about your studio and how it can benefit your clients, you'll find it hard to compete against other photographers who know exactly why these same clients should use their services!
Clients aren't just looking for great photography, they're looking for reassurance that you're the best person for the job. By explaining the benefits to them, you'll help produce this reassurance.
Click here to download the templates and worksheets for the Marketing Your Studio Series