Who said senior photography marketing had to be a direct mailer with nicely composed, glossy pictures of smiling teens? Someone must have decreed this because I have a stack of these at my home.
Costly? Yes. Effective? No. The messages vary little. Remove the names and logos, and the mailers are virtually indistinguishable. Ask my teenage sons, the target audience, and they are totally unimpressed with these costly mailers arriving weekly. 
Stop ‘Me Too’ Marketing
A wiser tact is to stand out from the competition. In your eyes, you are different from your competition. But in your customers’ eyes, you are not. When they compare you against your competition, they are comparing similar products (pictures) and services (photography); in short apples versus apples. They need to be hit with a difference in value. Your message to them has to say “Here’s WHY my photography is for you!” You have to be an orange among the apples.
How do you arrive at the “why,” that differentiator?
1. Analyze the competition.
Review your competitors’ marketing materials, including their ads, websites and sales brochures.
- What are their key marketing messages?
- What special offers are they making?
- Do they differ from your marketing messages?
- Do you have special offers?
- How do your competitors position themselves?
- How do you position yourself?
- What are your strengths?
- What are you known for?
- What are you proud of?
Now evaluate your similarities and differences. If there’s overlap, you may need to retool more than your marketing. Sometimes, changing the way a product is offered or adding a new service can jump start a business and make it shine in a brand new light; change can be good and worth advertising in its own right.
2. Learn from your customers.
Ask your customers why they use your services.
- What it is they value about photography services?
- Is it price?
- Is it the art?
- Is it individual attention?
- Is it using the photographer their friends use?
Show them your competitors marketing materials and ask them what they like, what they don’t and why.
In the course of this research you will probably uncover several differentiators. Choosing one will be difficult, but limit it to one. A marketing message needs to be clear and strong. It’s important that your marketing message be focused and strong. Too many differentiators and the message becomes cluttered. So choose the strongest differentiator with the longest shelf life, one that you can serve as cornerstone for your reputation.
3. Trial run your message.
Sending the wrong message can be a costly mistake. The best advice is to conduct a small trial campaign to a small group using your new differentiation message. A trail campaign on the web is a great way to get initial feedback because of its low cost and quick feedback. Based on initial feedback, you can tweak your messaging to talk to your audience.
Once you’re confident the messaging is right, launch the message in all media and materials used for marketing and sales. If this campaign is a radical departure for your business, publicize this new direction with a PR campaign that includes announcements in traditional media and social media. Be sure to add any interviews or coverage to your website. Invite current and new customers to an open house and enlist them in helping you spread your new message using word-of-mouth.
How long will it take for your new message to penetrate? It depends on many factors, but experts say to allow six months at a minimum for your new message to penetrate and for your company to pull away from the pack.
