A few months back I went to Disneyland... a 9-hour car ride with my wife, my parents, and 3 screaming kiddies. By the end we were all exhausted, grumpy, and ready to sleep for about 18 hours. But once I had time to think about it for a while, I was struck by the utter brilliance with which Disneyland markets itself.
And I'd like to show you how you can apply these concepts to your photography business.
1. Every time you get off a ride, you have to exit through a store. This is brilliant... when you get off of "Star Tours," you exit through a Star Wars store, full of Star Wars merchandise. When you get off the "Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters" ride, you exit though a... you guessed it, Buzz Lightyear store. And every one of these stores was packed.
Now, to be honest, because my oldest child is 8... and wants to buy everything he can possibly buy... I found this to be a bit annoying. But it's darn effective.
How to apply: Every time you send, deliver, or e-mail anything to one of your clients, make sure to include an upsell. In other words, don't just drop off a set of completed wedding photographs. Drop off a set of completed wedding photographs along with a coupon for 25% off of a 6-month anniversary portrait.
2. Customer service rules! It doesn't matter if you're asking directions from the Chief Information Officer, Cinderella, or the guy sweeping up popcorn along Main Street... every single person who works at Disneyland is extremely helpful. Even the incompetent girl working at the ice cream stand was really, really pleasant.
How to apply: Treat every customer like gold... because if you do, you might earn a customer for life. And as we all know, it is much easier (and cheaper) to make money from satisfied existing customers than it is to get brand new customers.
In other words, if all the workers had been snotty... we wouldn't ever go back. But as it stands, we're already getting out our 2010 calendar and makin' some plans.
3. Pay attention to the details. If Disneyland were simply a parking lot filled with rides... nobody would go. The true genius of Disneyland is that you truly enter another world... and you're not just paying for the rides... you're paying for the entire experience.
And the key to that experience is an astonishing level of detail. This is particularly noticeable on rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, where every piece of dirt on every pirate looks authentic. At least a dozen times during the trip my wife told me, "These Disneyland guys are geniuses."
How to apply: Don't just sell photographs... sell the entire experience. For instance, if you're taking a $1,000 family portrait, don't just take The Joneses out to the woods, line 'em up and start snapping away. Woo them with scones and coffee... maybe some candy for the young ones. Make them feel like they are royalty... like they're the only family worthy of having their portrait taken by you. Trust me... this extra effort will pay off dividends for years and years, both in referrals and repeat bookings.
4. Get your image out there... on everything! You actually get numb to it after a while... all of the merchandise out there with Mickey, Minnie, or whoever the latest hot character is... but it's not just coincidence that the Disney characters appear on everything.
How to apply: Even though I strongly disagree for branding for branding's sake... select your very best photograph... and put it on everything. On every business card, on every envelope you send, on every advertisement you write. This way, eventually, people will actually associate that image with your business. Just like we associate Mickey Mouse with Disneyland. They are, truly, one and the same.
5. Keep up with the times. Now, for a nostalgic guy like me, this was a bit sad... but it's smart marketing. But some of the "classic" Disneyland rides have been updated to be relevant for the younger generations. For instance, the Swiss Family Robinson tree house is now the Tarzan treehouse. The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea submarine ride is now the Finding Nemo submarine ride.
Basically, they're trading nostalgia for cash.
How to apply: Educate yourself on the latest ways to market your business. For instance, if your specialty is taking High School Senior Portraits... you need to be able to speak the lingo of your typical 17-year old. (But don't ask me... teenagers confuse the heck out of me.) In other words, the same advertisement you might have used in 1985 will have to be dramatically rewritten to be relevant to 2007 teenagers. This all comes back to "knowing your audience," which is critical if you're trying to actually sell your photography services.
And when I go back to Disneyland next year, I'm sure I'll come up with 5 more lessons that can make your photography business even more successful.
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