I have had few inquiries about branding our business. As such I would like to give few tips that I found useful in establishing kostelphoto.com. This post is for the fellow photographers and any one starting a new business. We found that everything in getting started revolves around three premises. Time, Money and Effort. These are in no particular order, however they are tightly inter-related and co-dependant. The catch 22 is that ff you have time, you have no money, if you have money you have no time, if you have effort you still need time and/or money. The “secret” is to know which ones you have in abundance, which ones you are lacking and how to place them in priority. Also being able to work with all three at the same time is a challenge, however will reward you the most yield for profit with least effort. I know most of you have heard alot of Branding or Marketing yourselves or your business. I recently read few articles how important this aspect of the business is, but for most part I think it is just common sense. As they say “common sense is not so common” and therefore some establishments boom with business and some not so much. Having an awesome capital to “Brand yourselves” is not always a possibility. I would paraphrase “branding” as, you offering not only a service or product, but also your Personal Values Ethics and Morals that potential clients can identify with. Being consistent with your outward appearance identifies you as being meticulous, thorough and neat. Having the same message repeat, ingrains your “brand” into your clientelle. Whether its a logo, your business colour, prices, packages or philosophy and creativity, I certainly believe that is what sets us apart in our industry and what will set you apart from the pact. Not only do we provide photography, we really care about our clients needs, treat them as our best friends and service them with outmost respect.
In fact its the little things that count the most and make a difference between a sale or no sale. Having a considerably new business I understand that having the same values, branding and price points is more like a dream. There is always something new, different that needs to get improved, changed or reworked. Being able to mould to the current needs, constantly adapt to new ideas, technology and service models is crucial to stay and excel in the game. But as long as you adhere to the above to a certain degree, I have no doubt that small business can function just as good if not better than huge corporation. I know that is a far fetched analogy, but for instance. Do big firms or studios with 10 or more employees take time to consult clients one on one, offer a cappuccino or wine and make them feel like at home? Do they send a personalized thank you card after to show them they really appreciate their business? Do they meticulously steak out the venue to create a plan and a workflow in order to achieve the images couple is after? Do they allow or provide complementary engagement session in order to get familiar with the client and allow the client to feel comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera on the big day….et al. So you know what I mean. If you try hard enough to succeed, love your work, create short and long term goals, add a personal touch, clients will feel the passion and they will connect with you emotionally. Following few of these simple rules I demand of our business , has improved our connection to the client and subsequently increased sales.
