Photography Marketing & Selling Secret: The Amazing Power Of The “Gift Plaque”

The "Gift Plaque" Will Bring You In Lots Of Extra Cash You Otherwise Would Have Lost!

You work hard at marketing photography. Indeed, your photography marketing is probably one of the most challenging parts of your photography business.

So when people respond to your photo marketing, you want to be SURE you don’t lose someone who could have ended up being an excellent client of yours.

Believe it or not, if you do things right, you can bring in an enormous amount of extra cash to your photography business that you otherwise would have lost!

Here’s how:

The “Gift Plaque”:  A “Gift Plaque” is a beautifully done (but extremely easy!) item that brings in HUGE sums of money all year round!  It’s actually a “give certificate” but done much more elegantly and personalized for each recipient.  Plus, it mentions no dollar amount, which is so much nicer than the typical “gift certificate.”

Here’s how it works:

You and I will get many calls from people who have not planned ahead.  People who want to have a fine portrait created as a gift for the one they love, and who want it done right, but who waited too long before they called you.

Now, if we’re not careful, we can be so busy, that when someone calls we just say, “You should have planned ahead.  There’s no way we can do anything that fast…”  and send them away empty handed.

NO WAY!!!!!

Here’s what you do to bring in TONS OF EXTRA CASH: …….

…….First, you enthusiastically express what a wonderful gift idea a fine portrait is, and how much their loved ones will love and treasure it.  (Psychologically this let’s her know she’s okay to have waited this late to call us – this is very important to building the rapport necessary to help her become happily involved with fine photography.  It also begins the emotional excitement that is necessary for someone to invest adequate sums of money for photography!)

Next, you ask her the very same questions, such as the “Magic Question” and the “Qualifying Question” off of the Telecharts, just as normal.  (Remember, get her talking, by asking questions.  Don’t you do all the talking, or you will talk yourself right out of the sale!)

Next, you describe with great emotion what a gift plaque is, and what a beautiful gift it makes.

For example:

“I can tell how important it is to you to have a beautifully done, custom portrait!  That’s what we are all about.  We have the PERFECT gift for you!  It’s called the “Charles Lewis Portrait Gift Plaque.”  (Obviously, you insert your own name here.)

You continue:  ‘This is a wonderfully created, custom plaque, beautifully printed on fine parchment paper, with the name of the person you are giving this to, and your name, of course.  It has some beautiful words, which you can personally write to the person, or we have some wonderful wordings you can choose from.  Then it is framed in a fine golden frame.

“Then it’s placed delicately in a beautiful black box, with tissue paper, and with a large silver bow.  You give this on the day, and it tells your loved one how this beautiful portrait is going to be created – in the future – and that he or she is going to receive it after it is carefully crafted and created.”

Then you ask the caller a trial close question:  “How do you feel about this?  Isn’t this exciting?”

Then, based on the response, you continue with your normal telephone techniques and questions from the Telecharts, and set up a time for him or her to come in and talk about this, etc. etc. etc.

See how powerful this is?  What you are doing is making it possible for a client or prospect of yours to invest in a finely crafted portrait now (yes, you collect the money now) and give it for a gift NOW, and then have you create this beautiful portrait after later.  But, YOU GET THE MONEY NOW!!!

Here’s a sample of one of our most popular wordings for our Gift Plaques:

Words on paper could never show
The wonderful you I’ve come to know.
Yet on this very special day
I have so many words to say.

A portrait is worth a thousand words
and so I give this gift to you…
A memory captured forever in time
Of this loving family…yours and mine.

This is the basic wording we begin with, and then we modify it to fit the specific situation or gift occasion.

Believe me, this brings in ENORMOUS amounts of money that would otherwise have been lost – and it’s SO MUCH nicer than a simple “gift certificate!”

Do this!  It will mean thousands of extra dollars to you!  Just be SURE every person answering your phone or emails knows exactly what to say, and how to say it!

Go for it!

Chuck

Tags: marketing photography, marketing photos, photo business building, photo marketing, Photo Sales, Photo Selling, photography business building, photography marketing, Photography Sales, Photography Selling, Photography Success, photography telephone selling tips, selling photography