Are your photography services a must have?
I came across an article at Adage the other day: “Where Are the Must-Have Items This Holiday? Lack of Innovation, Not Only Economy, Blamed for Season’s Sales Slump.”
It was perfect timing since this month I’ve been planning for next year and finding ways to push my business and photography to the next level.
The article talked about how there were no standout must have products and how most retailers were playing it safe. There are a few standout products like the iphone of course.
A couple of comments stood out, and really got me thinking about how they apply to my studio, and the photography industry in general.
“Both manufacturers and retailers have mistaken the fact that consumers are shy to open their wallets for the fact that they’re not interested,” she said. “They can be enticed. We’ve seen that. How many ‘cash for clunkers’ were there? How many iPhones [were] sold in the midst of the recession?” Wendy Liebmann, CEO of WSL Strategic Retail
Ms. Liebmann said her firm’s research shows that without must-have items on store shelves, consumers will focus on basics and replenishment. And playing it safe comes at a price, she said, if retailers are passing up potential sales. “People do have some money to spend, especially at Christmas,” Ms. Liebmann said. “But retailers and manufacturers have to give shoppers something enticing to buy. For something new and different [shoppers] will find the money. Until then, they’ll remain cautious.”
Bold emphasis mine.
It’s easy to blame the economy, the amateurs with cameras and everything else, but the real question is are you offering a must have service or product? Are you playing it safe?
• Why should clients book your services?
• What are you offering that they absolutely can’t get anywhere else?
• What makes you unique?
• Is your work better than the average amateur?
What will you do in the next year to make your services a must have?
Category: Marketing
