Chapter 4: Client Acquisition Strategies and Materials Return to the Marketing and Products Guide »

Because the most immediate need for any business is attracting new or returning clients, a fundamental marketing task is creating compelling client-acquisition strategies and materials.

There are virtually no limits to the variety of products that can be used for this purpose or for the strategies that put them into motion. What they all have in common, however, is their objective: to expand your marketing reach, get your business noticed by qualified consumers, and get those prospects in the door.

Client-acquisition strategies and products are typically directed toward marketing the specific product lines for which you wish to increase session numbers or attract clients within a desired demographic.

Marketing Cards Learn More »

Direct mail continues to be the number-one direct marketing strategy used by professional photographers. But even if you plan to do no bulk mailings at all, you will use marketing cards to facilitate many other aspects of your marketing plan. In addition to information fulfillment purposes, you will need a marketing card or brochure to leave behind at display locations or for use in an information folder to introduce your business to potential marketing partners or media contacts.

Marketing Brochures Learn More »

Marketing brochures can be created in a variety of sizes and used for multiple purposes ranging from direct mail to takeaways at display locations. Mini-brochures make excellent mailers or handouts because they are small enough to be tucked into a purse or jacket pocket.

Portfolio Booklets and Product Catalogs Learn More »

Few marketing materials provide as much punch as multi-page booklets that can be used as portfolio brochures or product catalogs. There simply is no substitute for showing examples of your work, and that’s exactly what booklets let you do. They are the next best thing to providing your prospective client with a private showing of your photography. Furthermore, booklets are more likely to make a positive impression and less likely to be tossed aside.

Marketing Mailers and Handouts

Today’s direct marketing mailers and handouts are a far cry from the boring fliers and postcards that dominated advertising in previous years. In a competitive marketplace, the most effective direct marketing materials contain crisp copy and eye-catching graphics that drive the message home.

Personalized Marketing Learn More »

Personalized “database” marketing, is fast becoming the medium of choice for direct mail, which is no wonder, when studies indicate that a database-driven promotion can surpass a standard response rate by a factor of 26 to 1! Personalized marketing makes this possible by using a database to identify what is unique to the recipient and then inserting that information into the promotion’s design during the printing process. For example, you can personalize high school senior mailings by addressing the senior by name on the front of the card and in the back copy, along with the school name if you wish. And if your database includes gender, you can even send two different card versions with images that appeal specifically to male or female students.

Mailing Services Learn More »

Marathon provides state-of-the-art mailing services that make it easy and affordable to create and process business-building direct mail campaigns. Our specialized staff of mailing professionals are trained in every aspect of postal regulations and can take the headache out of preparing the mailing yourself. When combined with Marathon’s superior quality printed products, our high-speed mail processing service will assure the best possible presentation and delivery of your marketing message.
Marathon also can provide lists for nearly every demographic. Simply define the criteria you wish to target, and Marathon takes it from there. Learn more about these resources in the Pricing Guide packaged in the front of this Marketing Guide.

Gift Certificates Learn More »

Gift Certificates are an excellent source of year-round income when properly promoted to existing and prospective clients. Offering a Gift Certificate Sale in time for the year-end holidays is an especially effective way to promote them. During the rest of the year, feature Gift Certificates on your website or blog, and mention them often in printed newsletters, email blasts or in social networking media in which you participate. If your studio photographs newborns, advertise Gift Certificates as the perfect shower gift for expectant mothers. The design of a Gift Certificate can greatly increase the perceived value of a gift of your photography, so it’s well worth your marketing dollar to create one that is consistent with your business image.

Gift Card Promotions Learn More »

Gift Cards have become a cultural phenomenon because gift-givers love the fact that the cards are easy to give, and those who receive them are thrilled that they can purchase anything they choose with a Gift Card in their hand. That’s exactly why Gift Cards are so great for marketing to prospective clients! When you send a Gift Card—one that has the same look and feel as a credit card—consumers feel as though they are holding on to real money, and they are far less likely to toss it aside. Send individual Gift Cards as part of a sales letter targeting prospective clients or create a promotional mailer that focuses directly on the Gift Card and what can be bought with it.

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