2010 Marketing & Products Guide

Chapter 01

An Introduction to Marketing

Determining the needs and wants of prospective and existing clients is critical to the well-being of a photographic business. This task is a function of marketing, which is essential for business success because it can:

• Open the door to new clients
• Increase word-of-mouth referrals
• Add value to products and services
• Make sales to clients much easier
• Foster customer loyalty to the business

Effective marketing requires a plan that involves:

• Identifying prospective clients
• Determining their needs and wants
• Creating a demand for the products the business sells to fulfill those needs and wants
• Selling and servicing clients so that satisfaction and referrals are ensured

Marathon can help you to master the art and business of marketing through educational publications and workshops and through its comprehensive Marketing Advantage Program. Learn about them in the companion Education & Motivation booklet that is packaged with this Marketing Guide.

Before You Start To Market

In the photography industry, one size definitely does not fit all; marketing plans, strategies and materials are as individual as the studios they represent. Therefore, marketing decisions rest squarely on the shoulders of the studio owner or manager. The purpose of this Guide is to help photographers make intelligent decisions about the resources they direct toward marketing their photography. However, for any marketing activity to succeed in building a quality brand, several fundamental management steps must be accomplished first. These steps are summarized below.

Create a Focused Business Concept

How do you assure that your business concept is compelling enough to attract the clients that
you desire?

• Your business concept should be instantly understood by consumers, so keep it simple.
• Don’t try to be all things to all people. Today’s consumers are looking for experts or specialists in specific fields.
• Smart marketers know that it’s better to do a good job of marketing one single product line than a sloppy job of marketing several.
• Even if you market only one product line, you will still do business in others. When you do a great job of marketing one product line, consumers will assume that you have expertise in others.
• A benefit of limiting the number of product lines you offer is that your business will be much more focused and, therefore, much easier to manage.

Select and Understand Your Target Market

Different types of photography attract vastly different types of consumers. Marketing experts group consumers into “market segments” according to specific personal, behavioral and purchasing characteristics. Market segmentation allows businesses to target ideal consumers by varying their approach to the Marketing Mix (Product, Promotion, Place and Price) to more nearly address the needs and desires of these specific consumer segments. Understanding market targets is especially important for photographers, as experts believe that women represent as much as 80 percent of the industry’s purchasing power because they strongly influence decisions that affect household spending.

Establish Your Marketing Advantage

Whether your business has operated for many years or is just starting up, the place that it occupies in the market is based on how well you have positioned it through marketing activities and the word-of-mouth reputation generated by your clients. Achieving a favorable market position begins with a general understanding of your competition’s strengths and weaknesses, where you stand in the market today, and three key elements that will form the basis of your market-positioning efforts: your artistic style, your product focus, and your approach to hospitality branding. Once you can express these key marketing-advantage elements in clear and succinct action-compelling language, your hard work will pay off in terms of a strong marketing identity from which you can build a recognizable and respected brand.

Marathon Can Help

Marathon understands that accomplishing the tasks listed above can be daunting, that’s why Marathon offers numerous educational resources that can guide you through this difficult process. Learn more about them in the companion Education and Motivation booklet that is packaged with this Guide.