The 5-Second Image Challenge: Part 2
Sunday April 30, 2006 by Mitche Graf
This is part 2 of: “The 5-Second Image Challenge”.
Click here to read part 1
Last month, we talked about how as human beings we make mental judgements about things in our world within 5 seconds of seeing, feeling, hearing, smelling, or tasting something. Once that initial impression is made on our brain, it is virtually impossible to change what we think. This same dynamic is also in play when potential customers are exposed to our business. First impressions are the strongest and tend to stick with us the longest.
As Professional Photographers, we spend most of our time working on the “substance” of our business and not enough time on the “essence”…. Our days are filled with client phone calls, lab paperwork, mowing, straightening the camera room, cleaning the bathroom, ordering supplies, and of course playing with all our new techni-toys! But what gives you the leg up on our competition and separates you from the rest of the pack are your creative juices and your vision of the future! If you don’t do it, nobody else will! We need to spend more time working on our business and not so much time in our business….
We began the “5-Second Image Challenge” last month by exposing ourselves to how other top-notch businesses in our area handle the issue of image-creation and positioning, and by doing a little “shopping” around town. If you missed Step 1, “The Image Inventory”, I encourage you to go back to Part 1 in last months’ issue before proceeding on with this assignment.
Now it’s time to take an up-close-and-personal look at our own business as an objective observer. Everything you do must be with your perfect client in mind, and must pass the “5-Second Image Challenge”. Let’s get started with the fun stuff!
THE PHYSICAL INVENTORY:
The thought I want you to keep in the front of your mind through this entire process is this…. Who is my perfect client? Do you want to cater to old school, new school, high-end, low-end, or somewhere in-between? There’s plenty of all to go around, you just need to know who your perfect client is when trying to understand the dynamics of your image.
We are going to start with the outside of your entire studio, whether you operate out of your home or have a retail location. As you go through this process, it’s important you write down everything you notice, and I suggest you create 2 columns… One column will be for things that can be taken care of rather easily, like raking leaves or washing a window, and a 2nd column for things that may require a financial investment or a large amount of time, like painting a fence or getting new furniture for your gallery!
You want to put yourself in the mind of the consumer…. Or your perfect client. As you make your way closer, make a note of everything you see…And remember everything a potential customer observes in the first 5-seconds about your business goes into what they are going to be willing to pay for your products and services. We’re talking about “perceived value”…. The higher the perceived value you have to your clients, the more you are able to charge, the more referrals you get, the more sessions you shoot, and the more time off you will have to do the things in life that are most important to you!
As you stand outside and observe your business, are there weeds on the side of the driveway that need to be taken out, what about any fence you may have… Is it in good shape, or could it use a couple of nails and a fresh coat of paint? How does the paint look around the building? Does it look fresh and crisp? Are the shrubs and bushes properly trimmed and groomed?
Are your flower baskets overflowing with weeds and dead flowers? Do you have a regular scheduled day each week when the mowing is done, and maintenance is performed? Are there weeds growing up in the cracks, are their cigarette butts, and gum wrappers in visible sight? Are there dead leaves scattered all over the ground? Do you deadhead your flowers on a regular basis?
What about the windows? Are they consistently washed, or can you see fingerprints and dirt on them? Having a top-quality image means that some things go unnoticed. If a window is clean, you don’t even notice it, do you? But you will definitely notice if there are prints and smudges all over. Or if the grass is neatly mowed, you don’t notice that it doesn’t need mowed. Keep an open mind as you go through this process….
Now, we are going to walk inside your studio for the first time… Does your entrance way invite you in, do you have clear and legible signs that shows your hours of appointment… Is it professionally done, or do you use a dry erase board?
As you walk in, how does it make you feel? Does it give you that “WOW” feeling? Does that feeling match the image you want to build? What smells do you notice? Are they fresh and clean, or old and musty? What part of your studio do you see first? Does it look clean and organized? When people walk into your gallery you should tell them everything you want them to know about you through the work on the walls, the fragrance in the air, the style of the furniture, and the general overall feeling they get within that first 5 seconds! Do the same exercise with your camera room, dressing rooms, restrooms, Portrait Park, or anywhere else your customers may experience while doing business with you.
THE MARKETING INVENTORY:
This step you will need to sit down for. Grab every piece of literature you have, and a good cup of coffee! Business cards, price lists, brochures, wedding information, reorder forms, clothing tip sheets, coupons, contracts, direct mail pieces, newspaper ads, yellow page ads, bridal fair ads… Anything you hand out, mail out, or stuff into something!
Your marketing literature is a big determining factor in what position you occupy in the mind of the consumer. The quality of the paper it’s printed on, the font selection, the quality of the ink, the color of the paper stock, the way you present it to your customers… It’s all part of the apple pie! Do you just hand them a piece of paper with your wedding or portrait prices on it, or do you package it in an elegant envelope, with gold foil lettering, finished with a gold seal? Perception, Perception, Perception!
If you are not exactly sure how to improve on what you already have, take a look at some of your competitors literature, and at some marketing materials from other industries. Your life insurance policy, Franklin mint plate sales flyers, the welcome kit from your local chamber of commerce, sales flyers you get in the mail, wedding invitations from your supply house. These are all things that can give you fresh ideas on how to improve your marketing literature, and your image. You can do anything you want, if you just open you mind up to new and innovative ideas from outside of the box. I challenge you to invest some time and money to create a unique look for your business that is unequalled in your market, and separates yourself from the rest of the pack!
There are a few other very simple ways you can enhance your image and create greater value for your products and services…. Say thank you…. Any opportunity you have to say those 2 little magic words should be treasured and taken advantage of. We should all never pass on a chance to make our clients feel special and appreciated. This alone can make all the difference in the world in your business this year! Say thank you, and mean it! Say it a lot! Send thank you notes within 24 hours of their visit, or call them within 24 hours after they pick up the final order to make sure everything is OK. You have other occasions to touch theirs lives during the year also… Special cards on their birthday, anniversary, job promotion, awards they receive, holiday cards, or… for no reason whatsoever! You will be amazed how much goodwill you can create from simple gestures like this.
This exercise has hopefully generated some creative energy flowing through your entire body, and will allow you to see things through the eyes of your perfect client.
Change doesn’t take place unless we take action on what we learn, so I challenge you to make it happen! The difference between “ordinary” and “extra-ordinary” is the little “extra”! That’s what separates true greatness from mediocre…. Good Luck, and Power Selling!
Mitche Graf has a passion for sharing his “Power Marketing” techniques with other professional photographers, and this has allowed him to opportunity to lecture in over 40 states and 6 countries around the world. He can be reached at www.powermarketing101.com or by calling 888.544.4149
