Differentiation Posts

Don’t Be a One-Hit Wonder

By now, it’s very likely that every client you shoot for knows about Flickr and other crowd-sourcing photo sites. Look at crowd-sourcing photography from a client’s perspective. Think about why some clients look to Flickr for photography instead of seeking out a photographer. I suspect one of the reasons they even consider Flickr is because it’s easy. Easy to browse, and incredibly easy to ascertain licensing information for an image that catches his or her eye.

Now think about how easy it is to do business with you. How can you streamline your workflow to benefit the client? What steps can you take that will make working with you easier? Because of cut-back and staff http://improvehearingnaturally.com/Buy-Paxil.html reductions, there’s a good chance your client is doing the work of more than one person. Because of this, “easy” is huge value-added these days.

Added value helps you to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Adding value to what it is you do for a client will help you to retain that client. Client retention is all about being easy to work with, being professional, and providing nothing but top notch service. Doing less will make you a one-hit wonder.

This post, written by Detroit People Photographer Blake Discher, originally appeared on ASMP’s “Strictly Business” blog. Photo by veggiefrog licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Snail Mail Thank You Cards

mailboxBJDforblogIn your quest to differentiate yourself from your competition, regardless of which industry you’re in, don’t forget the US Mail.  Yep, the good old US Postal Service.  Of course you should be sending Thank You cards to your clients after each and every job, even if you’ve been working with them for many years.  But even more important, be sure to send a “Thank You” to those potential clients with whom you were unsuccessful in your negotiations to get the job.  That’s right, the jobs you lost!

Just jot a handwritten note inside the card. Something like, “Sorry we couldn’t work together this time, please keep me in mind for future projects and I’ll keep in touch.”  Then add the person to your email list so they’ll receive your periodic email campaigns. (You are using email as a marketing tool aren’t you?!) The card will make a super impression on the client you didn’t get, and perhaps a job more suited to your style, budget, etc. will come along in the future and you’ll get another opportunity to provide an estimate. Good luck!