Up until very recently, my dream of becoming a renowned photographer was pretty undefined.
I have some major things done – like purchasing camera equipment, building a website, and actually shooting different events and activities.
But now I’ve come to the point where I have to think about outlining a marketing strategy. More specifically, coming up with what we want to offer and how we position ourselves in the crowded pro photographer marketplace.
In my research on how to think about branding, I came across some insights written by William Taylor, the co founder of Fast Company.
“For decades, organizations and their leaders were comfortable with strategies and practices that kept them in the middle of the road. That is where the customers were, so that’s what felt safe and secure. The central challenge for an organization or individual now is to rise above the fray. It’s not good enough anymore to be pretty good at everything. You have to be the MOST of something.”
The MOST of something?
That’s gonna force us to abandon generality and a simple overview of services. We’ll have to embrace and commit to a specific definition that sets us apart from the competition.
That means exposure, risk and the unknown.
That means thinking differently about the company and why it exists to serve our clients. I’ve helped lots of my own clients do this for themselves, but I’ve struggled to apply it to my own Studio.
So here is how I’ll start thinking about it:
- It’s not about photo session times and selling individual prints. It’s about creating the most incredible experience for the clients – an experience that will make them want to come back again and again.
- Its not about explaining or justifying our hourly rates or material costs. It’s gonna be about producing the most value for their time and the art we are creating for them.
It’s the search for what we are the MOST of: Are we the most creative? Have the most patience? Are we the most thoughtful or artistic?
It’s a work in progress but I’m looking forward to defining it from our customer’s perception of “most.”
It’s not my natural automatic reaction to intentionally stand out and be unique. For most of my life, I think I’ve lived more in the middle of the road where it’s nice and safe.
So I grabbed a quote from Texas populist Jim Hightower that will serve as a reminder to stay focused:
“Today with so much change and uncertainty, the middle of the road is to nowhere. There’s nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.”
Message heard loud and clear Jim. I don’t want to hang out with dead armadillos and go nowhere.
So my fellow dreamers, here are a few simple questions to ponder:
In your life and when following your dreams, what are you the MOST of ?
How can you rethink your dreams so that you are certain to stay away from the middle of the road?
Until next photo,
Rem
Remy’s dream is creating opportunities for photography showings and public displays of her work and to ultimately be recognized nationally as a photographer … then the world. Remy’s post day is Friday
Remy’s dream is creating opportunities for photography showings and public displays of her work and to ultimately be recognized nationally as a respected photographer . . . then the world. Remy is CEO of Cornerstone Creative, a business consulting practice in Northern California. Remy’s post day is Wednesday. +Remy Gervais
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