AS SEEN IN
AS SEEN IN
I’ll admit. I cringe when we get negative feedback at The Joy of Marketing. Maybe it’s the oldest child in me, but I don’t deal well with dissatisfied clients. Yep, I take it personally. I want everyone to be satisfied. When they aren’t, I just want to have a good cry. Yet I know we’re not perfect.
Sometimes in an organization or business that is facing marketing issues, a rebranding strategy can be a smart strategy. An organization I am active in, Toastmasters International, has deployed a rebranding strategy with a goal of gaining exposure and momentum to help grow their organization.
Last night I was flipping through one of my favorite magazines and looking at the upcoming fall fashions. A few things caught my eye and when I looked more closely, I noticed that the price was not given. Rather than a dollar amount, the copy read price available upon request. I immediately thought, ooh that item must be in limited quantity and very exclusive. I bet it’s expensive.
As small business owners, there are a lot of lessons we can learn from the big brands that have done a good job of establishing a high perceived value for their products and services.
There are certain times of the year when it is a natural fit for marketers to reach out to their community to help fill their needs. Back to school is one of those times. Parents have had a change of schedule in the summer. Kids sleep late. Many of them are home from school. Alternative child care arrangements often must be made. Play dates come and go like there is a revolving door at the side of the house. And then, as summer nears an end, kids are restless and anxious to reunite with friends.
If you’re new in your small business or have relocated to a new community you
may be struggling with where to start to get the word out about your
business. You probably have more time than money to invest in your
marketing efforts at this point. You’ve taken advantage of every free and inexpensive tool there is, from Facebook and Twitter to auction donations, displays, etc. But you’re just not attracting who you want.
Starbucks did it with coffee. Sprinkles did it with cupcakes. Businesses big and small do it every single day.
What do they do? They take something that has been around for years. Something that is relatively mundane. Something that we all can make ourselves. And they turned that thing into something we’ll pay someone else to do for us. Heck, we’ll even pay a premium for it! If they can do it, we can do it, too.
Many of you have probably read Malcom Gladwell’s best-seller, Blink. If you haven’t it’s an entertaining read. His point is that we, just like our customers, tend to make snap decisions. In fact, it takes us just 2 seconds before our mind starts jumping to conclusions. So what does that mean for you as a business owner?
After reading Erin’s blog post a few days ago, it occurred to me that not only do we need to forget about every little thing our competitors are doing, we need to put more of US in our brands. When you are building your brand on something authentic, it should be based on YOU. You are the one who has the passion to make the decisions about what your brand looks like.
Picking out shoes that are in style… Singing karaoke… Resisting the Reese’s Peanut Buttercups that find their way into the studio…. All things I’m TERRIBLE at. And I bet you have things you’re not great at, too. If marketing’s one of the things you DREAD…. It may just...
Calling all photographers who are introverts… (don’t worry, I won’t make you get up in front of everyone 😉 I see you hiding over there… And I know this is your jam: Curling up on the couch with an episode of Fixer Upper and tucking into a good book…. Am I right? But...
I was THAT photographer when I started… …pretty much the cheapest in my market. I’m not proud of it. But we all start somewhere. Back then photography was a fun hobby. I had a 9-5 job I loved as an ad agency marketing director. But then, I had TWINS. I didn’t want to...
The Photography Business Institute exists as an alternative to college or trade school to coach professional portrait photographers as they build sustainable businesses. Request more information to learn how the Photography Business Institute can transform your life and your business (all without missing a single family dinner)!