Posts Tagged ‘prospects’

Jan
24

Your intern is not the expert

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

It’s amazing how many of my clients ask me if their intern, assistant, or most inexperienced person on staff should do their social media marketing.

Really?

In some cases, social media drives more than 30 percent of a photographer’s income.  The percentage is higher for wedding and retail photographers.

Should the person who knows the least about your company or industry  be the one representing you out in the world?

No.

There is a myth that young people are social media savvy because they all have Facebook accounts.  That is like saying my aunt Lucy should deliver my next direct mail campaign because she sends me postcards while on vacation.

Teenagers tend to know their cell phones inside and out.  Would you hire a teenager to call on your best client or make the introduction call to a hot prospect?

Of course not. That is what you are doing when you entrust interns with your social media.

Now, the good news.  Interns and assistants are a very useful part of your social media campaign.  Have them set up accounts, monitor your accounts, track Google alerts, research information, look for articles to share, and post information directed by you.  Social media is social and not about posting your latest press release.  It is a two-way conversation; a knowledgable person needs to be the conductor of such an exchange.

How would you train your assistant to attend a networking event on your behalf?  You must have confidence in your team member. Will she represent you well?  If you are satisfied with her abilities, let her respond to basic social media comments and post standard information.

Make sure you have policies in place to support your team.  They need to understand when it is appropriate to comment and when they need to hand over the matter to you.

Social media for business is most beneficial when used for networking and educating prospects and clients.  Ask yourself: Who is the best person to take on that role?  If you can spend an hour a day networking online in the name of growing your business, I say ultimately the job is yours.

 

 

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Posted in business, social media | 5 Comments »

Aug
19

Rise of the new media photographer: Part Three

Tuesday, August 19th, 2008

Telling your story.

Every photographer has a story to tell. How well that story is told directly reflects on the success of the business. Fortunately, the opportunities for a photographer to share her story are increasing every day. 

Traditionally, a photographer’s story has been based on experience, business practices and ultimately the quality of the portfolio.   Today the portfolio is still extremely important. Experience and business practices are still part of the story, but in the digital age prospects want to know more.

A new media photographer understands that the need for quality imagery is greater than ever.  Web Sites are increasingly becoming the place where business relationships begin. Sharing the message of the importance of quality imagery is the foundation of every new media photographer’s story.  Second is that using his service is the answer.

A quality portfolio of images will always be the No. 1 tool in a photographer’s toolbox.  Today, images may be creatively displayed on the photographer’s web site adding a sense of the photographer’s style.  But, in an age where multiple qualified candidates are just an art director’s click of the mouse away, it’s important to offer a little more depth.  There needs to be a personality behind the images.

Blogging is a wonderful answer for a prospect’s desire for more information.  A new media photographer can share his latest images, background on photos, solutions to problems or commentary on the industry.  Podcasting is another avenue in the web 2.0 world to share an audio version of a photographer’s blog.  Again, the topics are endless and the results are powerful.

Video has become an extremely powerful medium in the quest to offer art buyers a deeper understanding of a photographer’s personality, workflow and methods.  New media photographers will often hire a videographer or charge an assistant with taping an interesting photo shoot.  The videos are usually entertaining, revealing and offering a little extra confidence to prospects.

A side, but very important, benefit of blogging, podcasting and videocasting is the opportunity for the photographer to position himself has an expert.  Offering quality content encourages people who care the opportunity to link to and recommend the information and services offered.

The new media photographer embraces the opportunity to share in the conversation.   New media allows for a worldwide audience to find, follow and build a relationship with a photographer even before the first formal communication is made.

The more information offered, the better qualified a prospect may be before emailing or phoning the photographer.  Often by the time a photographer is called the customer has already decided to hire her and is usually willing to pay their price.          

Rosh   

 

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