Photography Marketing Is Really "Salesmanship In Print." Here's How To Craft Powerful Offers That Will Have People Wanting To Hire You Today!
Photography marketing is difficult for most photographers because we love photography, NOT marketing. But if we don’t become obsessed with marketing our photography business, we won’t have any clients, and we’ll end up going out of business – fast.
One of the biggest photography marketing mistakes I see photographers making all over the world is that they don’t know how to craft offers, both online and offline, that are irresistible to their target market. In today’s market place, your offer MUST be irresistible if you want people to take action immediately.
So let’s talk about 14 key ingredients of crafting an irresistible offer. Use this as a fool- proof checklist for each of your offers, whether it’s an online or off line offer:
1. Financial savings – a discount on the Creation Fee, and a discount of 20-25% off, or more, on the portraits.
There are many things that make a photography marketing offer “irresistible” as we will talk about here. But it helps to have ONE of these keys be some sort of a financial savings. And the bigger the savings, the better. Now, obviously, it really helps when you have substantial fees to begin with, as then your discount still allows you to earn a great profit.
Now, this is important: You do NOT … raise your prices, just so you can discount them for a special offer – unless – repeat – unless you keep them at those new, ;more adequate prices from now on. We are going to be HONEST with our prospects and clients. If we can’t make a great living being honest, then let’s find another profession to be in. You want to be able to walk down the street with your head held high, proud of your success in your photography business.
2. Deadline #1 – a specific date. This is a key part of making your offer irresistible. You must make this date very close to the present, (just a couple of weeks away max) so it gives urgency to everything.
This is a REALLY important part of an offer. You must have a date – a specific date – when this offer expires. No specific expiration date means little or no response to your offer..
3. Deadline #2 – how many people can get in on this offer? You are an artist. A craftsperson. Everything you do is custom created for your clients. As a result of this, you can only take XX people for this very special offer. That’s all the openings you have for this special offer. Your time is very limited. You are already busy and successful.
So the offer expires either on the date you have given, or when the XX people respond – which ever comes FIRST.
This adds more urgency. And in direct response marketing, urgency is vitally important.
4. Powerful, amazing, Triple Guarantee. If you want someone to make a decision today, you MUST remove all risk for the prospect. You must take the risk off of her, and place it squarely on your shoulders.
It’s very important how you word your guarantee. You want it to be really powerful. That’s why we word it like this: We absolutely guarantee that you will be THRILLED, not just “satisfied” with the photographs we create for you. If you aren’t THRILLED, we will do whatever is necessary to see to it you are THRILLED, or we will give you all your money back. No hassles, and no hard feelings, either.”
5. Lots of Bonuses and Premiums – Professional direct marketers refer to this as “piling on.”
You want to add some great bonuses and/or premiums, to help “nudge” her over the “will invest line” so she takes action immediately. And the more the better.
And just to be very clear here: No, when done properly, this does NOT make you sound desperate.
There are two types of bonuses and premiums:
a) Linked bonus – has something to do with photography – however, and this is very important, I do not recommend you ever give away your photography.
Examples of “linked” bonuses:
Frames
Special presentation folder or folio
Photography planning service (if you normally charge extra for this)
Going to their home to see everything and help them with their clothing, etc. at no extra charge (if you normally charge for this service)
b) Non Linked bonus – has nothing to do with photography at all. (Non linked bonuses can be very persuasive, if they are bonuses your target market really would like to have.)
Examples of “non linked bonuses:
Dinner for two at a very nice restaurant
Symphony tickets
Ballet tickets
Theater tickets
Flower arrangements
Gift certificates to a jeweler or other shop in the area
6. Emotional appeal – stories, fuzzy words like mom, dad, love, emotions, relationships, togetherness, “I love you.” etc. And don’t forget about emotional stories. (Often times used both in the sales letter, and the “lift note.”)
Remember – forever – that people invest in photography for EMOTIONAL REASONS. So the more emotional words and appeals you use, the more IRRESISTIBLE your offer becomes.
7. Unique factors – worded both in a benefit way, and an emotional way, so it’s crystal clear to the prospect how these Unique Factors will benefit her. This is a very important part of crafting a PERSUASIVE OFFER.
Always remember that your prospect or client always wants to understand, on an EMOTIONAL LEVEL, what is unique about you, what separates you from every other photographers around – AND – how can she benefit by these Unique Factors. So be sure to tell her all about it.
8. Extra bonus only for the first x to respond. (Many times put in the PS. of the letter or email, as well as in the body.)
This is above and beyond # 3 above. This is like an afterthought you had while you were writing the letter to her. You just thought of this, and added it to the PS of the letter. But you can ONLY do this for the first X people to respond. It gives her just another reason to take action IMMEDIATELY.
9. In Human Psychology, we know that for almost all people, the fear of loss is greater than the desire for gain. You can use this in your marketing & selling as what is known as “Take away selling” Remember, as Gary Halbert always said, “Marketing is salesmanship in print.”
For example, when you mention that you can only do this special offer for the first x people to respond, that is an example of “take away selling.” There’s an excellent chance, that if they hesitate on taking action right now, they will lose out.
10. Real value – the actual value of what you are delivering to the client. Quality must be high. Service must be wonderful, etc. This is why long copy always outsells short copy. It takes a lot of words to talk about the real value of what you are offering – both on an emotional level, and on a financial level.
11. Perceived value – this is what you can build up in your letter, testimonials, lift notes, etc. to have the prospect perceive that the value is much more than what you are actually charging with this amazing special offer.
12. Overwhelming proof – most commonly using testimonials to “prove” everything you are saying in your letter. People are skeptical. So you must prove what you are saying – and testimonials are one of the all time best ways. Use them in the letter itself, and also in your testimonials brochure, and even in your Lift Note, as well. You can NOT over use testimonials. They are extremely persuasive and powerful.
13. A legitimate reason for the offer. You want to explain, somewhere
in your letter or email or web page, why you are making this offer to this person. (This is one of the most powerful reasons why sending these offers to your VIP’s is so effective – because you can explain that you appreciate them, and want to thank them for working with you in the past, and are therefore making them this wonderful offer.)
14. Exclusivity – you want to be sure to explain to the reader that this offer is ONLY being made to _______. It is NOT available to the general public. It is exclusive just for your clients, etc. ….. This adds power and persuasiveness to your marketing. You are making these people feel special, exclusive. It’s a very powerful part of crafting an IRRESISTIBLE offer.
These 14 areas will dramatically increase the effectiveness of all your photography marketing. Use all 14 in every offer you craft and watch your photography business grow and prosper!
All the best,
Charles J. Lewis
I’m especially fond of the non-linked bonuses because I find that linked bonuses always seems like you’re just trying to reel the client back to attempt upsells etc.
Great well rounded article!
Right on, Dane. It does need to be done carefully.
Thanks,
Chuck
Great content, Thanks