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Commentary
Why Choose a SONOPP Photographer,
by Patrick Rice
The choice of a
wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make
when planning your special day. There are hundreds of photographers in
the area to choose from – how do you decide? Are photographers are not
alike!
True
professional wedding photographers in the Cleveland area belong to the
Society of Northern Ohio Professional Photographers (SONOPP). Founded
in 1949, SONOPP boasts membership of only the finest wedding professionals
in the area. SONOPP members benefit from continuous education in the
field through monthly meetings and programs, access to educational
materials, and sharing knowledge with their peers. SONOPP has a strict
Code of Ethics that is rigidly enforced to ensure the consumer is not
only hiring a talented photographer, but also one with impeccable business
practices. SONOPP members work together in case of emergency to ensure that
all weddings contracted with its members are photographed
professionally. Because of this, you never have to worry about your
SONOPP member photographer getting sick or otherwise unable to be at the
wedding – you will have a qualified photographer at your event.
Don’t settle
for less – hire a photographer that is a member of the Society of Northern
Ohio Professional Photographers. You’ll be glad you did!
What is
the REAL truth about brides?
By Tom
Quiner, President, Breakthrough Marketing, Inc.
True or False: Brides
Are Cheap.
The answer is FALSE.
SOME brides are cheap,
certainly not all. If all brides were truly cheap, they would only hire
those DJs or Videographers who are the cheapest in town. The
upper-middle and high-end DJs and Videographers would wither up and die, and
that's not happening.
Do you know why that's not happening?
Because ALL brides want entertainment and videos to be wonderful. ALL
of them.
Let's be clear about this
point: some brides have higher standards of quality than others.
They will seek out the
higher-end DJs/Videographers and spend more money on their services if they
PERCEIVE a specific company will deliver the quality goods they desire.
Perceive:
to become aware of through the senses, that is, by hearing or seeing.
You will create a perception
in brides' minds based on several factors, including the quality of your
marketing materials, the way you present yourself, and the actual quality of
your product.
I observed a fascinating focus group
of brides conducted in the early 1990s. A panel of brides was
convened. These were women who had just gotten married in the previous
two to six months. They had gone through the entire process of
selecting (and paying for) wedding vendors. The panel consisted of
eight brides who had spent between $12,000 and $50,000 on their entire
wedding (including honeymoon).
These recent brides were asked why
they selected their particular wedding vendors. Their answers were the
same. Each bride indicated that price, in fact, had been an important
factor in her search for the right wedding vendor. In retrospect,
though, they typically chose higher priced vendors. Why? Because
they ultimately selected vendors they LIKED and TRUSTED.
Price became less important as credibility increased.
If you want to get more money
from brides, you must
build more trust with each bride you meet. If you succeed, she will
pay your price because she can't get YOU if she goes to another company.
True or False: You build trust
primarily by impressing brides with the quality of your work.
The answer is FALSE. You
build trust by impressing them with YOU.
Brides buy from people. More than that, they buy from people they like
and trust. Yes, the quality of your work IS important, but not as
important as YOU. Brides need to bond with a human being:
YOU.
Brides Buy From People They Like And
Trust.
So how do you build trust? Many ways:
1. When brides call you on the
phone, be excited about their wedding day!
Ask them questions. Let them do most of the talking. When she
calls and asks, "How much do you charge to do a wedding?", be excited about
the question! Don't moan to yourself, "Another price shopper!"
Instead, say something like this: "I'd love to talk to you about price!"
Brides will certainly be shocked with such a favorable attitude!
Begin building a relationship
on the phone with the prospect.
If you don't book the bride over the phone, there is one last gesture you
can make to build trust. You could say something like this: "It sounds
like you'd like to do a little shopping around before you make your
decision. I can help you. Would you like me to give you the
names of a couple of other reputable businesses in town who I know do good
work?"
This gesture will certainly take the
bride by surprise and demonstrate
in a tangible way the nature of your character. You
will refer her to two good companies you know who also refer prospects back
to you when they are overbooked.
2. Handout, display, and mail
ONLY professional-looking marketing materials.
It makes sense. Vendors who look professional in the way they present
themselves are perceived as being more professional when it comes to the
quality of their work. Brides want to work with quality vendors.
Upscale brides, in particular, seek quality-oriented wedding professionals
and are willing to pay more for their services.
3. Use
testimonials and references.
Put a few quotes in your brochure
or sales letter. On your website, put a whole bunch of testimonials
and references. These are convincers that you are trustworthy.
4. Advertise your website.
Put it on your ads and brochures to build credibility.
5. Advertise how long you've
been in business if it has been at least seven years.
Why seven? Just a gut feel on my part that that is sufficiently long
to establish your credibility. Very few businesses last five.
[I'm proud to announce that Breakthrough Marketing, Inc. will celebrate
their 15th anniversary in 2002!]
6. Display logos of the
professional associations you have joined
such as WEVA, NAME, ADJA, or whatever.
7. Announce awards you have
won. Say something
like this alongside your awards: "The standards of the industry are
established by work of this caliber. This is the work the rest of the
industry tries to copy."
8. Use your personal photograph in your brochure or website.
There are pros and cons to
this approach. The pro is that it puts a face on your business.
This is important because it adds warmth and the personal touch to your
marketing efforts. There are several cons. If you don't look
right to the bride, for whatever reason (too old; too young; wrong gender;
whatever), the photo might work against you. Use your judgment,
because it can work wonders in the right situation. Make sure the
photograph is professionally done with a great pose. | 
