This week, we are excited to feature a guest blogger: Sally Sargood. She has been working in the photo industry for more than 20 years and knows the ins and outs of pretty much everything. So, she’s got some great advice and we’re happy to share a post of hers about the importance of being unique and standing out.
Stand Out From the Crowd
In an overcrowded and super competitive market, being different is powerful.
Put yourself in the shoes of a bride looking for a wedding photographer or a mum looking to photograph her kids.
How many “award winning” photographers have you seen advertised?
How many photographers “capture the special moments of your special day”?
How many photographers “create everlasting memories of your family”?
Google the word photographers in your city. Click on all of the websites that come up on the first page and tell me if any stand out? Would yours stand out? Do you have a different message to convey? Or do you just blend in?
The formula of telling everybody how great you are with the best service and prices in town just won’t cut it any more. Why? Because that’s what everyone says they offer!
In the end, are you just doing what everyone else is doing, because that’s what everyone else is doing?
So how, you ask, can I be different?
To begin with, be you! Let the uniqueness that is you come through in your business–and your photography also. Embracing your secret somethin’ is crucial to standing out.
One of my favorite TED Talks is Simon Sinek’s The Golden Circle. He explains why some people and organizations are more innovative, more influential, command greater loyalty and are able to repeat their success over and over. It all comes down to your “why.” If you can communicate why you do what you do, and use this to create a distinct tone throughout your business–your website, blog, emails, advertising etc.–then all of a sudden it becomes more about you and less about what everyone else is doing.
Tell your story. Brag. And communicate how you are better and different. “Facts tell and stories sell.”
Another way to make your business stand out is to perhaps look at pricing yourself differently. Set out your prices and packages in a different way. Try offering different products, for example an Image Box for your wedding couple with 20 of their favorite images matted instead of an album or parent album. Or use predesigned templates for your holiday or announcement cards to give you a more professional look that sets you apart. If you make it different, not only will they be more likely to remember you, but your client also can’t compare you to others.
It’s often easy to get caught up in doing the same thing everyone else is. But taking the time to take a step back and make your business stand out from the crowd can be one of your greatest marketing decisions.
Originally posted by Sally Sargood on her blog.
