How important are online reviews? According to online marketing research, 6 out of 10 potential clients look for online reviews of your studio before contacting you, and 8 out of 10 consider those reviews critical to making a purchase.

This means that even if potential clients know your name, 48% won’t consider contacting you without reading positive online reviews.

While that number should scare you, the solution is easier than you realize. Here’s how: (more…)

Although we constantly talk about social media marketing (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) , it pays to remember that their are many other marketing tools available for your studio. One of the most powerful is the cross-promotion.

Cross-promotions are low-cost techniques for getting your name in front of potential customers by promoting with other businesses. The classic example is putting a stack of gift certificates for bridal photography in a bridal store.

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Infographic by Constant Contact

A new Fall, 2011 survey of small business attitudes and outlook about social media reveals that social media marketing efforts are paying off. Respondents said they have found success in significant numbers:

• 86% found Facebook effective, up from 82% in Spring 2011
• 60% found Twitter effective, up from 47% in Spring 2011
• 55% found LinkedIn effective, up from 47% in Spring 2011

What this means for you: While we constantly encouraging studios to focus on Facebook marketing, photographers should not ignore Twitter or LinkedIn.

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I was at a party recently, and ended up talking to a lady much younger than I am. We didn’t have anything in common, so I kept the conversation going by asking her two questions: “What did she do?” and “Where did she go to school?” She did most of the talking, but it was enjoyable, and after a few minutes we both drifted off into other conversations.

A week later, I ran into the same young lady at another event. Only this time, she acted like we were long-lost friends. As she chatted away, it occurred to me that the conversation we’d had a week before had somehow got her to trust me.

It works the same in marketing. Sales start with trust. Trust is built by communication, and communication starts with questions.

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If you haven’t noticed yet, next to every Google search result is a little button with a “+1″ inside.

This is a preview of a new social networking service called Google+ that started in July. It is designed to compete with the Facebook and the ”Like” button. The folks at Google don’t want to miss out on the social networking bandwagon the way Microsoft was slow to embrace the Internet and web browsers (remember when Netscape Navigator was king?).

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Recently I was cc’d on an email between a client and one of his suppliers. The subject of the email was “social networking.” Here is what the email said:

As for the social networking stuff, it doesn’t work for everyone, but you have to do it anyway. An hour twice a week should be fine. Mostly I think people don’t do it because they don’t know what to do. A couple of links to articles you find online, a video from your website, new products, contests….really, anything works, just get your name in front of customers on a regular basis, and link back often to your website.

Here was my response to my client.

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Marketing folks talk about “push” and “pull” marketing. Push is old-school: you “push” information about your studio to clients and potential customers with newsletters, ads, fliers, etc. Pull marketing is engaging the customer, offering something that interests them, and getting them to seek you out. Examples of pull marketing are Facebook, blogs, tutorials, etc.

You need both kinds of marketing. But as a photographer, your ability to take capture great images can be used to create pull marketing.

Here’s how.

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Having a Facebook page for your business is as important now as having a website. That’s why it is time to start putting your Facebook page name on your ads and on your business cards. Unfortunately, most Facebook page names look something like this:

facebook.com/pages/Flint-MI/jdphotoimaging/14414426999?ref=ts

Not very flashy on a business card, is it?

So here’s the trick to getting an easy to read (and remember!) Facebook page name.

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The challenge of social media (blogs, twitter, Facebook, etc.) is that at first glance it seems like a free and relatively easy way to connect to potential customers, but as Jim Smith at yChange.com explains:

If as a small business you are trying to use social media to get the word out to your customers and prospects about how great your product/service is then you are frankly wasting your time walking down a blind alley. If however, you are using social media to listen to your customer and learn what his/her problem or pain is and what value your business can bring to the table then you are on the right path.

Social media today is for listening. It is not a mike or a megaphone to be used to drown the customer out.

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With everyone on Facebook, MySpace and blogs, sooner or later one of your employees is going to mention you online. This can both help – and potentially hurt – your business.

On one hand, if a graphic artist writes online that they did a cool project for you and links to your website, it is great marketing, and it will improve your Google page rank. On the other hand, if they get in an online fight with one of your old customers, it makes you look bad.

The typical business owner’s gut reaction is to ban ANY mention of your business online by employees. However, if handled correctly, employee participation in online social media can bring you new business. The trick is to take the time to make it clear to them what is considered “good” and “bad” behavior online.

Below is a 10-point set of guidelines that has been circulating around the web. I suggest you copy and paste it, replace (COMPANY) with your studio’s name, and have every employee read it and sign it.

Oh, and by the way, these rules should apply to you too

SOCIAL MEDIA PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES FOR OUR COMPANY

These guidelines apply to (COMPANY) employees or contractors who create or contribute to blogs, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds, or any other kind of Social Media. Whether you log into Twitter, Yelp, Wikipedia, MySpace or Facebook pages, or comment on online media stories — these guidelines are for you.

While all (COMPANY) employees are welcome to participate in Social Media, we expect everyone who participates in online commentary to understand and to follow these simple but important guidelines. These rules might sound strict and contain a bit of legal-sounding jargon but please keep in mind that our overall goal is simple: to participate online in a respectful, relevant way that protects our reputation and of course follows the letter and spirit of the law.

1. Be transparent and state that you work at (COMPANY). Your honesty will be noted in the Social Media environment. If you are writing about (COMPANY) or a competitor, use your real name, identify that you work for (COMPANY), and be clear about your role. If you have a vested interest in what you are discussing, be the first to say so.
2. Never represent yourself or (COMPANY) in a false or misleading way. All statements must be true and not misleading; all claims must be substantiated.
3. Post meaningful, respectful comments — in other words, please, no spam and no remarks that are off-topic or offensive.
4. Use common sense and common courtesy: for example, it’s best to ask permission to publish or report on conversations that are meant to be private or internal to (COMPANY). Make sure your efforts to be transparent don’t violate (COMPANY)’s privacy, confidentiality, and legal guidelines for external commercial speech.
5. Stick to your area of expertise and do feel free to provide unique, individual perspectives on non-confidential activities at (COMPANY).
6. When disagreeing with others’ opinions, keep it appropriate and polite. If you find yourself in a situation online that looks as if it’s becoming antagonistic, do not get overly defensive and do not disengage from the conversation abruptly: feel free to ask me for advice and/or to disengage from the dialogue in a polite manner that reflects well on (COMPANY).
7. If you want to write about the competition, make sure you behave diplomatically, have the facts straight and that you have the appropriate permissions.
8. Please never comment on anything related to legal matters, litigation, or any parties (COMPANY) may be in litigation with.
9. Never participate in Social Media when the topic being discussed may be considered a crisis situation. Even anonymous comments may be traced back to your or (COMPANY)’s IP address. Refer all Social Media activity around crisis topics immediately and directly to me.
10. Be smart about protecting yourself, your privacy, and (COMPANY)’s confidential information. What you publish is widely accessible and will be around for a long time, so consider the content carefully. Google has a long memory.

NOTE: All media inquiries (TV, newspaper, radio, blogs) must be directed to me. If I’m not available, politely tell them you have no comment, and get their phone number.