Comments on The Light Fantastic TLF: Passing time

V2T - Thank you for your follow up. I have written...

2008-04-10T05:15:00.000+10:00

V2T - Thank you for your follow up. I have written a marketing plan some time ago, and it was essentially a copy from one I found on th net. But I hear and understand your comment and will act on what you say. Thank you.

I thought you might be interested to know a quote in a photographic forum that I saw last night about a photographer who attended the bridal expo.

Q: I just did a bridal show over the weekend. There must have been more than 300 brides there, but I haven't booked any weddings. What can I do?
Thanks - BB

Dear BB
Bridal shows are funny events. I've found the larger events are mainly for the show. The brides come in to see everything, and get totally overwhelmed. Then they move back to finding their vendors through referrals.

The smaller, more elegant shows have a much higher success rate. There may be only 50 or 60 brides, but you have more time to chat and start building relationships with some of them.

Since you've already attended the show, there's not a whole lot you can do now. Did you get a mailing list? Did you get names and addresses from any of the brides that stopped by your booth? If you have access to either, I would suggest writing them a letter, and sharing more information about your business. You have to initiate a relationship to gain their trust, and ultimately turn them into clients.

- Lori

I know that mailing lists are not available from the event, and none of the brides and grooms want to give out those details easily, however it would appear though I haven't had done too badly when I have received emails from people after the event and scored the jobs I did. But your words have caused me to think I just need to hone my skills a bit more in the marketing. I whole heartedly KNOW and agree that to get more money, one has to spend it. It is not the spending that troubles me, it is ensuring I get the biggest bang for my buck.

Thanks again.

Craig,Given that funds are a concern for you, your...

2008-04-09T10:39:00.000+10:00

Craig,

Given that funds are a concern for you, your best course of action is to do some 'shopping around.'

I suggest that you approach some of the reputable marketing firms in your city and ask for a quote on a marketing plan for a small business.

They will ask for further details in order to make the quote for you. Then compare and contrast the quotes - your final decision can come from there.

It will cost you money to effectively market yourself, no doubt about that. However, in order to make a substantial amount of money you need to spend some money.

An additional question? Do you have a written business plan either short-term or long-term? If you do not it would be very helpful to you formalised one.

V2T

V2T agree totally with your post re the marketing ...

2008-04-07T05:56:00.000+10:00

V2T agree totally with your post re the marketing in reference to me wanting to take that to a higher playing field. I agree that for the time investment my result whilst good, was significantly lower than it might have been at the actual expo. That said though, I know a guy who was there and I asked him last night how it went, he said he gave out lots of brochures talked to lots of people but had no solid bookings yet, Though he has a few numbers to follow up on. I have had two emails back from the Saturday of people wanting a copy of their photograph. One of them asked me if they could get me to take family portraits first. I figure fro that request, that if they like me on that occasion I could be lucky and get a wedding as well. I will wait and see. In summary, my strike rate could be a lot higher in percentages, but it is hard to argue with the fact that the expo would have given out many many more brochures to many more people. Statistlically that could have been much higher.

I have thought about someone to do the marketing, but have been hesitant due to the possible cost. Do you know anyone that would give me and the marketing a go? I am open, because I DO want to get to the next level and am not always sure how. I occasionally have flashes of brilliance, but need someone who has an understanding and direction in this arena.

Lions for LambsI enjoyed reading your response Cra...

2008-04-06T22:51:00.000+10:00

Lions for Lambs

I enjoyed reading your response Craig. As always, carefully considered and refreshingly honest.

There are so many layers to almost everything that goes on in this world. So many layers to people also. Fascinating.

V2T

If you secured three bookings out of a potential n...

2008-04-06T22:47:00.000+10:00

If you secured three bookings out of a potential nine candidates, you did well.

However, if your targeted market was, in your words, "negligible" compared to the number of people in the main exhibition area, your possibilities were greatly diminished.

How many bookings might you have secured in a more populated area of the exhibition?

The questions to ask: Is three bookings in seven hours a good outcome considering the time investment? Was it worth the sacrifices, such as time away from family on the weekend?

I am not attempting to be critical with these contemplations Craig. On the contrary, I recall your words from earlier posts explaining your desire to take your photographic business to greater heights. You hope to ultimately develop it into a full-time venture.

Whilst it is admirable to walk the road less travelled, this can be a perilous tact with marketing and promotion.

Being creative and different is admirable, but if it places you on the fringe of the targeted market, you will find a smaller customer pool and attract less business. This will sabotage your ultimate business goals as stated in your previous posts.

Have you considered seeking out some professional marketing advice to optimise your possibilities?

V2T

V2TYes the info stats on the expo would be interes...

2008-04-06T14:02:00.000+10:00

V2T
Yes the info stats on the expo would be interesting to analyze. In relation to what the others did, I suspect they did comparatively much more than I would have. The vessel I was on, and the others on display were moored some 600-700 metres away from the actual exhibition hall, and from the amount of people that trickled down "that far" was negligible. There were 9 couple that came on the ship over the seven or so hours I was there, which is miniscule. One of the much bigger boats called the Starship had a few wanderers, though overall people just didn't want to walk too far.

As I indicated the stats would be interesting, but whilst I have some colleagues that really go in for the bridal fairs and the like, they are costly places to advertise in. The cost of a booth is significant, and the amount of extra work involved is sobering. I just want to be different. There is always a better way to do things, it is generally a matter of finding that for me, and what I like.

_____________________________________________

Yes, as you indicate the general vibe for me is to avoid politics, for the most part because it can be quite divisive. I wold rather have items or comments or thoughts that promote understanding and tolerance. That said, I still feel very strongly about certain topics and will occasionally share that.

Lions For Lambs.

Your final comment is interesting and I can only imagine that subtly there were many elements in the movie that I was oblivious to. For me, it is most often always about the human interest story. I can understand why people boycotted the film. I also wonder if any creative input is exercised from parties that may have an agenda that would influence the outcome of a good film, this film specifically. I think if the truth be known, I am a fledgeling in a political sea. The meanings and double entendre's can and do often get passed me. But that is OK. I am often criticised that I look at the world through rose coloured glasses. But that is matter of my choosing.

I think that sometimes the realities of life's many aspects can be less than appealing. I try to seek after things that encourage, edify and uplift. With me there is no agenda. I accept at times though, that there are moments when I don't want people to look closer. That has more to do with my perception of me than it does with anyone else though.

Lions for Lambs - yes an interesting movie indeed....

2008-04-06T10:03:00.000+10:00

Lions for Lambs - yes an interesting movie indeed. Did you know that it was boycotted in a large way when it was released in States?

Majority of my American friends and colleagues refused to go to see it and refused to acknowledge it with any kind of comment at all.

Unbeknown to many Australian viewers, there is a substantial and controversial political agenda attached to the movie. However, out of respect to you and your desire to avoid politics on your blog, I will refrain from further comment.

I have seen the film. Politics aside, I was engrossed in the human nature side of the story.

What struck me most was the sub story of people ending up caught in lifestyles and positions that they could not foresee.

Their original intentions when making their initial choices were for the better good. However, they found themselves entrapped in the various webs of greater plots and agendas.

Their powerlessness in not being able to backtrack or change their position was disturbing to me.

A strong message was given regarding choices. This message left the viewer to contemplate their own choices, past and present, and where they may inadvertently lead.

I agree, overall the film was a vehicle for 'recruitment' - not necessarily for the armed forces.

V2T

An interesting way to market yourself Craig. I won...

2008-04-06T09:26:00.000+10:00

An interesting way to market yourself Craig.
I wonder how comparatively successful you were?

You mention that you succeeded in securing three definate bookings. No doubt, other photographers succeeded in securing bookings also.

I would be interested in the 'number-crunching' side of things purely from a marketing point of view.

For example:
1. How many people went through the expo in total?

2. Take your three bookings and work it out as a percentage of the overall total number of people who attended.

3. Then, if possible, find out which photographer had the highest number of bookings for the expo.

4. Work out their number of bookings as a percentage of the overall total number of people who attended.

5. If their percentage was substantially higher than yours, have a look at their booth, marketing strategies, freebies/offers they made, and of course, the quality/originality of their images etc.

It may also be that you will have some spin-off bookings from the email images, which would add to your overall percentage.

It's good to be creative with marketing, you just need to ascertain how comparatively successful that was to see if there is a better way to do things.

V2T