Marketing to a new generation – Be Creative

We’re working on a list of 3 things to help your studio create BUZZ and develop FAME for your clients (perceived or real – doesn’t really matter). Here’s the list:

1. Be Creative
2. Don’t Be Cheap
3. Get in the Networks

Be Creative

I’ve come to a point in my life where I’ve realized two things when it comes to creativity.

• Everyone is creative.
• True creativity takes hard work.

When working on a program or plan to create buzz and help kids feel famous, it’s not always easy. It’s definitely not as easy as buying a photographer’s packet or doing what the guy down the street is doing. Sure that will get you a little further down the road a little faster, but it’s not going to make your studio the ‘go-to’ studio in town. You have to be a little over the top when working on your studio marketing.

Jen Basford of 3 Girls Photography and Tina Slusser-Ley of Tina Slusser-Ley Photography are great examples of working hard to create something great. Individually and at times working collectively they have separately created a yearly fashion show. It’s a lot of work to organize the seniors, clothing, location and other logistics to put on a quality fashion show, but they’ve done it, and done it well. Sold-out shows, attendees turning into paying sessions, younger kids aspiring to be in the show when they are juniors/seniors, and kids talking about the show in school both before and afterward point to a great marketing tool that creates buzz.

Not only does that create BUZZ but it also creates FAME. Kids now fight to get into the yearly show. They want to be one of the stars. A fashion show is a gateway to FAME for some kids – they want to become a big fish in a small pond. Scott Crosby of Picture This Photography is one of the first to recreate the old senior rep program into the current senior model program to help make kids famous. Just ask Scott though, this spurt of creativity was a lot of hard work, but it’s paid off big time. His model program has turned into his senior season – he’s created a BUZZ in his area and the kids see it as a springboard for FAME.

Your assignment for the day. 1. Stop looking around you to see what everyone else is doing – YOU ARE CREATIVE! 2. Work hard on the ideas you have, make them work, because great, creative ideas aren’t usually that easy. The next great idea is out there, and you most likely are the person to do it.