image courtesy of Sandy
Puc', Expressions Photography, Littleton, CO
I've been doing a lot of
writing and speaking about what I call "The Boutique Studio
Revolution," one of the most exciting trends in all the years I have worked with studio owners. Lately I've been receiving a lot of
questions
about how to make the transition from a traditional studio to a
boutique business model. I can't answer that question in a single
newsletter, because
any time you decide to change your business model, it takes a lot of
study and understanding. But what I can do is to give you some
information to
think about and some advice on where to start.
If you plan to be at PPA's Imaging USA in Tampa next week, then be sure to attend these two programs:
On Monday, I'll be presenting "The Boutique Studio Revolution" at 9:00 -
10:30 A.M. It covers the essential elements for creating a boutique studio.
On
Tuesday, the convention's grand finale, from 3:00 - 6:30 P.M., is a panel
presentation entitled "The Art of Success," featuring six of the
country's top boutique studio owners: Lori Nordstrom, Sarah Petty,
Sandy Puc', Vicki & Jed Taufer, Jeff & Julia Woods, and Beverly & Tim Walden.
This is an incredible opportunity to learn from an exceptionally talented and
successful group
of cutting-edge entrepreneurs.
These
programs will help you understand what the boutique studio
movement is all about. If you want to learn more about how these studios do business, you can download an article I wrote about them in 2007
from my website. Additional information, including their web addresses,
is featured on The Team link of the BellaGrafica website. BellaGrafica is a new division of Marathon Press, designed
specifically to help boutique studios market to their targeted
consumers. In the coming weeks, more than 100 unique marketing
products, available in six comprehensive collections, will be
introduced there.
In the meantime, here is a list of important factors that most boutique studios have in
common:
-
They position themselves to market specifically to women, and they are mindful that women react
differently
to marketing than men do.
-
They strive for higher sales averages to be driven by lower volume, which allows them to provide plenty
of
attention to each client.
-
They focus on niches that are meaningful to clients, and they work hard to understand their clients' needs and desires.
-
They build personal relationships by creating
a memorable experience for each client.
-
They charge premium
prices and stress the value and originality of artistic photography.
-
They
create excitement through the products they offer, the marketing they create, the experience they provide, and the community "buzz" they
generate through Internet marketing, community participation, and
hosting special studio events.
-
They keep clients coming back again and again because shopping there is emotionally
satisfying.
-
They achieve strong branding through compelling
marketing campaigns that feature top-of-the-line marketing materials.
-
They pay attention to retail trends that affect their targeted consumers, and they make use of these
trends to
shape their businesses.
One final factor of importance to boutique studios owners is well worth mentioning: They fully expect to
earn a good living through their art, and to have enough personal time to enjoy themselves and their families.
Want to learn more about
The Business of Photography?
