What 3 things can photographers do now to plan for the first quarter of the year?
Just because January marks the start of the “slow season” doesn’t mean your life should slow down! In fact, it should be incredibly busy – this is the time to do an inventory of your skills, start pulling together plans for the new year, and build relationships with vendors to partner with in 2023.
- At the top of the list is putting together promotional plans for the new year. What will you offer in the year ahead that separates your business from the competition? Start with looking at the community and what all the other photographers do each year, and then do something different!
- Call your lab and ask, “What’s new?” Look for products that are unique but not so different that you have to explain them in great depth.
- Don’t just discount! When you discount, whatever you’re selling becomes a commodity item. Look for ways to put together packages, bundles that have value both financially and emotionally.
- Create and promote new concepts. Do you offer a Legacy Package? A Day in the Life Package? Pets and family packages?
- Now, analyze your skills. You won’t survive in the current environment as a one-trick pony. So, what are you missing to be more diverse? Lay out plans for classes and workshops outside your comfort zone. Growth only happens when you’re learning something new. Look at programs at IUSA, WPPI, and state conventions where you can expand your skills into new territory.
- Stop thinking you have to fly solo on everything you do! It’s time to start building relationships with other companies outside your business. Look for partners in cross-promotions, sponsorships, and just good old direct mail pieces. For example, a photographer, florist, and venue could create an outstanding promotion for Mother’s Day 2023. A postcard featuring each entity has the potential to generate excitement, and each partner becomes an ambassador for the other businesses.
And these are just three things to be doing – there are dozens more, including being involved in your community, publicity, open houses, networking luncheons, cleaning up your website and the list goes on and on.
