If a customer needs a package to be delivered from point A to point B, they don’t care whether the courier* is talented enough to ride an odd-looking bicycle or not. The only value to the customer is the ability to deliver the package on time. The customer won’t pay more for a fancy set of wheels or any extra cycling skills because these have no value to the customer.
No matter how talented a photographer thinks they are or how many awards they may have won, it’s the customer who determines the value of the photography. The customer’s perception is the photographer’s reality. Unwanted value isn’t any value at all.
If customers aren’t buying what a photographer is selling then that photographer needs to change the way they talk about their services. Somehow, the photographer has to increase the perceived value of their work. The best path for this starts with the photographer understanding their clients’ marketing needs.
Unfortunately, no business ever says, “Hey, let’s spend some money on photography today!” Instead, the business has to realize that it has a problem and that photography is the answer.
The photographer’s own marketing job is to sell problems. Make potential clients aware that they have a problem.
And then…
The photographer has to be the solution.
For example:
There’s no point for a photographer to say, “I do great business pictures, hire me!”, when no clients are asking, “Hey, we need business photography. Who should we hire?” In this case, the photographer is the answer to a question no one is asking.
But if the photographer points out:
• Not getting attention? Adding a professional photo to a print advertisement increases readership of that ad by 300%.
• Not standing out? Lack of credibility? No sociability with customers? Using real employee pictures on a web site makes a stronger first impression and can triple business credibility compared to using stock pictures of anonymous people.
• Low online sales? Good product photography on a web site can quadruple sales compared to low-quality pictures or no pictures at all. Bigger pictures sell more product.
• Want to keep reader interest and enhance brand image? Lifestyle pictures are best for creating an attitude, supporting a brand and creating interest, but not necessarily for selling product.
then perhaps a business will realize they have a problem which needs a photographic answer.
Sell problems first and then be the solution to those problems.
Added June 12, 2014: A blog post by marketer Seth Godin on the topic of creating problems.
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*The person in the photo isn’t a courier but seemingly a commuter in downtown Toronto.
