Be different...create GAPS!

Why should prospects check me out instead of my competitors? How can I distance my business from a price sensitive audience, yet still have people come to me? How does a boutique business draw potential clients in?

First of all, and we have said it before, defining your style and knowing who you are as a photographer helps you break through the clutter of the many aspiring photographers entering the market. 

And remember, your style must be well defined for quick recognition, unique from others, from your heart and most important, it must be investment worthy!

 We knew long ago that we wanted to photograph people in a way that told their stories as well as offer products that were the highest quality we could produce. And we knew we would never be the lowest price in town! 

Over the years, we have focused (pardon the pun) on three distinct areas of photography...black and white Relationship portraits, Color Studies and Beau Visage paintings, all done in the studio which creates a HUGE GAP from shooters in the parks.

As we saw more aspiring photographers shooting in parks around town, we started more heavily marketing our studio work, especially since studio shooters are in short supply these days. It made us different!

For us, our goal is to be the trend-setters, not the trend followers. We believe in ourselves and our products that have been honed and time-tested, so we run FROM the trends, not TOWARDS them, especially since they don’t match what is in our hearts as artists! 

Start by asking yourself some questions to clarify who you are and what you do. Once these two main areas are defined in your mind and on paper, get a little more detailed.  Ask yourself what you don't do as well as what you do. Yep, actually sit down and make a list of what you do and what you don't do!

 When you are a boutique business, you can create GAPS in the service, experience, products and personal touches that you are able to offer. Big box stores can’t do what you can do! All they have to trade on is a low price, but it is very clear that the consumer pays a “price” for that. 

BIG BOX STORES=NO service...NO experience...NO unique and fresh products...NO personal touches. It is a trade off that you can use to your advantage!

As each sale brings in more dollars, the number of sessions needed to profit can be less. We always say to each other, “Work smarter, not harder!”

Many people ask us how to be successful in their business and our answer is always, “Create Gaps!”

It has been true for years and still is a foundation on which we rest our business every day.