When marketing their photography services, professional photographers must recognize that business clients have different needs from retail customers.
For retail customers, those who purchase family portraits or wedding photos, the images themselves are the final product. But for business clients, photos serve as tools to achieve broader objectives, primarily to drive company revenue.
Retail customers make purchasing decisions based on a mix of emotions, whereas business clients are typically driven by one overriding emotion: fear. Fear of making a bad decision, fear of losing money, or fear of damaging their reputation in front of superiors.
For small businesses, where photographers interact directly with the owner, the goal is generally to help increase sales. In larger companies, the priorities can be more complex. While sales growth remains important, it may not always be the primary reason for hiring a photographer. For example, photos might be needed for public relations, communications, or brand positioning.
When working with a larger company, photographers often engage with mid-level employees, rather than owners or executives. These employees are responsible for hiring the photographer and managing the project. Unlike a small business owner who spends their own money, these mid-level employees are using company resources, which influences their decision-making process.
When hiring a photographer, the priorities of these mid-level employees include:
— Minimize risk: Ensure the company’s time, money, and reputation aren’t wasted.
— Avoid problems: Make sure the project runs smoothly and the photographer is reliable.
— Secure a positive outcome: The employee wants to look good in front of their employer.
Message your customer, not your audience
A photographer shouldn’t rely on a one-size-fits-all marketing message for all their business customers. The photographer’s message should be tailored for an individual fit.
The theory behind this is the Elaboration Likelihood Model (longer explanation here). A tailored message will be more persuasive (i.e. will increase the “elaboration likelihood”) to a business customer given their frame of mind while deciding on a photographer.
For small businesses, the marketing message should highlight how the photographer can help increase visibility, build trust, and ultimately attract more customers.
For larger companies, the message should emphasize the photographer’s ability to minimize risk, deliver high-quality work on time, and ensure a smooth, successful project.
