Many photographers and other small business owners think of marketing as "where they advertise." And many think of selling as what you say when the client is ready to order to "close the sale."
To be a successful business, you must be marketing and selling in everything you do. If you haven't read Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Red Book of Selling, I highly recommend it. One of my favorite points in the book is when Gitomer gives the advice to always have your antennas up. His point is that if you are alert and paying attention to all things all the time, you will identify opportunities.
At Photography Business Institute, we talk a lot about creating co-marketing opportunities with other small business owners. What are your marketing strategies?
If you put yourself in the right places, meet lots of people and pay attention, you will discover and create opportunities to partner with others. You will stir up some business. And you will more than likely, build long-lasting relationships with people who will help your business grow for many years to come. Selling is about creating relationships, finding out what people need, finding ways to fill that need. It isn't about something clever you say to "close the sale." If you start by pulling out your antenna and paying attention to the signals that are coming your way, your business will benefit.
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