I have had many small business owners ask me about reaching the “upscale buyer,” or in other words, the “rich folks.” In my experience, it isn’t about how much people make that determines how much they will invest with you. Some of the best clients at my photography studio make modest livings but they place a high value art and photography. On the contrary, many people who drive up in their $80k vehicle carrying a $500 purse, want to invest the minimum possible simply because they think they need photographs. I have learned over the years to treat every person the same, the way I want to be treated. If someone is excited enough about photography to call me, I am motivated to create the most amazing artwork in my power for them. Whether they come in dressed to the nines or not, I want them as a client. I also ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening (if you know me at all, that isn’t always easy because I like to talk so much!). I take a lot of notes because I am always looking for things they say that can help me figure out who my best clients really are.
Marketing Help: To reach more of the right target market, start by looking for psychographic trends within your current client database. It isn’t all about demographics, such as age, income and gender but often, more about psychographics, or lifestyle characteristics. I have found little clusters of lifestyle segments within my database over the years which has allowed me to target my marketing efforts better and you can do the same. For example, if you notice that many of your clients belong to a certain club or volunteer for a certain charity, chances are good that there are others in those groups that would also be great clients. If you can find a way to engage in some co-marketing activities with those groups, your marketing dollars will have a greater impact than if you simply rent a random mailing list to a non-engaged audience. Start by reaching out to one of your most influential clients who is a part of the targeted group and ask her what her group needs. Once you have identified those needs, ask her to facilitate an introduction with the director. If you can create an event or fund-raising activity to help them further their goals, your current clients will be your best advocates to help generate a high turn-out for the event.
Finding advocates for your brand is something you should always be doing and by doing some lifestyle segmentation, you can create a buzz within small but loyal groups and start to attract the right clients.
What have you done to identify commonalities and psychographics within your current client base? We would love to hear your success stories so please share! Be sure to subscribe to Photography Business Institute blog.