Posted by Rob Haman on January 28, 2009 at 11:50 AM
I'm working on a targeted marketing campaign to interior designers through post card mailings, a second mailing is coming up next month to the same list but with a different incentive. The first mailing I offered a 10% discount on a first order.
This time I'm trying to come up with a unique offer to really make them want to respond. Any marketing experts out there?
Rob
Posted by Frank Winters on January 28, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Hi Rob, I'm not a marketing expert but I can tell you no one gets excited about a 10% discount.
What is there about your offer that would be particularly targeted to the interior designers in you list? Focus on that and you might get more responses.
A long time photographer/friend has used this tactic for years, Rob. I don't recall that she's ever offered a discount as incentive, so I can't comment on that. But she has refined the post cards greatly, and reports very good success.
Her evolved approach is to use oversize cards so they stand out. She's using 6x10's or some similar size. She's also printing a new "feature" image on the front side each month. Her aim is to get them large enough to attract attention, and make the front of the card something that ADs and GAs will want to pin on their bulletin boards to look at for a month. She came to that viewpoint after seeing her cards posted in several offices, and one in particular had 6 of them pinned up if I recall correctly. She points out that your business HAS TO go up if your work is front and center in the workplace where images are in regular use. She's actually had calls from ADs asking about her next card when she was slow to get them out.
Posted by Jamie Botdorf on January 28, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Rob - great question...I have a background in Marketing, but won't claim to be an expert. Here are a few things to consider - I hope these are helpful.
1 - % off is a tough one...especially when offered on the first purchase. This tends to undermine the value of your work right away. At best, offer a % off on the NEXT purchase (as a reward for being a repeat customer). Even better would be to keep the price of your print steady, but offer a % off on the accessories/services around buying your print (matting, framing, delivery/shipping, etc.). BTW - I think Frank is right about no one getting excited about 10% off. I think I read somewhere the minimum threshold is 15% to start getting someones attention.
2 - Another popular approach, similar to a % off but a little more effective, is the "Buy One - Get One" approach (or BOGO). This is used in retail sales alot. Buy the large print, get a smaller print for (free, reduced price, etc.)
3 - think about what you can offer that would be a benefit to an Interior Designer. Would they like to get a DVD catalog of your prints that they can review with their clients? Would they be interested in consultation services where you come to their place/client and discuss what you think would work best - sizes, colors, themes, etc.? Maybe offer 1 hour of free consultation. Think of ways to make their jobs easier.
4 - you don't have to give away the store - it's all in the "perceived" value of your offer. There are many things you can do that really don't cost you much in terms of time/materials, but they could be perceived as very valuable to the customer. Sometimes little "extras" are enough to persuade someone to action.
5 - speaking of action - your postcards should generate a sense of urgency - a reason to act NOW! "Limited time offer!" "The first 5 customers get a....", "Get an exclusive on this print before I make it available to the general public...". "Buy today and save..." This is your call to action. Tell them exactly what you want them to do and when to do it (now!).
6 - think about what behavior you want to reward - if you want them to be repeat customers, offer deals on the next purchase, if you want them to spread the word, reward them for giving referrals, if you want them to buy a lot of things at one time, give a bulk discount. They will act in the way you incent them.
Well, there are a few general suggestions. I hope that gives you some ideas.
Good luck!
Posted by Ron Niebrugge on January 28, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Rob,
Interior designers can be a good market, at times they will buy a lot of photos. We have worked with a few, usually on new hotel projects.
I think photography, more then any other good or service comes down to image - both literally and figuratively. Your photos will either resonate with a buyer, or they won't - 10% off isn't going to change that.
Similarly, I don't think a buy now limited time offer works either. Interior designers buy when they have a need. They aren't going to buy now and hold on to them - you want them to remember you when they have a specific need.
Personally, I would make your name and your photos the centerpiece of your marketing campaign. Let your photos do the talking.
Good luck!
Posted by Richard Wong on January 29, 2009 at 2:02 AM
I have an advertising background. I'm not sure if this is the right audience to respond to discounted offers. People that use interior designers have money. Your business to business campaign should focus on what unique advantages you bring to the table. Is it your personality? Your photos? Your customer service? Anything? Basically define your brand as clearly as possible. There is so much junk floating around out there that people don't even bother to look at it unless it is compelling.
Ron and Richard's excellent points spurred more thoughts from me about interior designers specifically, but other specific markets as well (if that makes sense). The important point in any targeted marketing is to be familiar with how a particular market uses photos. In our limited experience with interior designers, design firms, and architects, photos are used in more ways than merely single framed prints.
They're very often used (and these are the big dollar uses) in installations, in which the photo or a series of photos as a part of a larger display or setting. They might be displayed in tryptics (three separate framed oversize photos showing different points of view of the same scene, almost looking like views of the same scene through three adjacent windows, kind of a broken up pano, if you will) for example. There may be one or two larger photos surrounded by smaller ones on the same theme, etc.
If you're known to the designer or design team or client, there might even be very lucrative commissions involved. A good friend got a commission to shoot the same stream once a month through the four seasons, and the images were used together in a single large room. He got paid to take the photos, then he got paid for the prints. Very, very nice- both the end results and the buxx involved.
It occurs to me that an important part of a marketing campaign aimed at designers would be familiarity with new and innovative ways to use the photos in installations, as well as traditional ways. You will not only be offering your photos for sale, but inspiring potential clients to new ways of using them. I'm brainstorming here, but if I was targeting interior designers specifically, I'd become familiar with their favorite publications and examples of leading new styles in which photos are featured. If you become recognized not only as a source of photos, but also as a source of ideas and inspriration, I bet you would rise far above other photo sources used by designers.
Hmmmmm...... Speaking of good ideas!
Posted by Rob Haman on January 30, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Thank you all for the advice, this project is still very new, testing the water. We chose a demographic of designers within a 200 mile radius of home which picked up a few larger cities. If it looks promising I'll then target some larger areas like Chicago, San Fransisco etc.
I've paid for the tracking package and design work so it's just the cost of the list and the printing/postage. I'm sure the current economic state has a certain amount of influence on marketing as well, people are spending less.
"I'm sure the current economic state has a certain amount of influence on marketing as well, people are spending less. "
We're getting some interesting signals on that, Rob. Our studio sales are down number-wise, but individual sales are larger. Overall the income level is much the same. Gently interviewing clients has revealed to my wife that people are putting more thought into buying, but once they've convinced themselves that they need something they aren't afraid to spend. Rather than making smaller purchases they purchase less often, if that makes any kind of sense.
We're seeing similar spending changes in other sectors of our business too. Yes, there are companies and individuals doing poorly out there, but there are also lots doing well. Everyone is more cautious, but business goes on.
I expect that your chosen sector, interior designers and design firms, is feeling the pinch with fewer new home starts. But with lower prices on existing home sales, there's growing movement out west anyway. That may mean more money for remodels on homes bought at bargain prices, for example. Government spending is down so there is less new construction, but we're seeing growth in public utilities.
Do you know any designers or architects? I think it would be fascinating to talk to them and learn what they're seeing in the economy and future trends. I bet their forecasts will be a lot more focused and useful for designing your marketing strategy than my offhand observations.
Discussion
8 repliesThis time I'm trying to come up with a unique offer to really make them want to respond. Any marketing experts out there?
Rob
What is there about your offer that would be particularly targeted to the interior designers in you list? Focus on that and you might get more responses.
Frank
Her evolved approach is to use oversize cards so they stand out. She's using 6x10's or some similar size. She's also printing a new "feature" image on the front side each month. Her aim is to get them large enough to attract attention, and make the front of the card something that ADs and GAs will want to pin on their bulletin boards to look at for a month. She came to that viewpoint after seeing her cards posted in several offices, and one in particular had 6 of them pinned up if I recall correctly. She points out that your business HAS TO go up if your work is front and center in the workplace where images are in regular use. She's actually had calls from ADs asking about her next card when she was slow to get them out.
1 - % off is a tough one...especially when offered on the first purchase. This tends to undermine the value of your work right away. At best, offer a % off on the NEXT purchase (as a reward for being a repeat customer). Even better would be to keep the price of your print steady, but offer a % off on the accessories/services around buying your print (matting, framing, delivery/shipping, etc.). BTW - I think Frank is right about no one getting excited about 10% off. I think I read somewhere the minimum threshold is 15% to start getting someones attention.
2 - Another popular approach, similar to a % off but a little more effective, is the "Buy One - Get One" approach (or BOGO). This is used in retail sales alot. Buy the large print, get a smaller print for (free, reduced price, etc.)
3 - think about what you can offer that would be a benefit to an Interior Designer. Would they like to get a DVD catalog of your prints that they can review with their clients? Would they be interested in consultation services where you come to their place/client and discuss what you think would work best - sizes, colors, themes, etc.? Maybe offer 1 hour of free consultation. Think of ways to make their jobs easier.
4 - you don't have to give away the store - it's all in the "perceived" value of your offer. There are many things you can do that really don't cost you much in terms of time/materials, but they could be perceived as very valuable to the customer. Sometimes little "extras" are enough to persuade someone to action.
5 - speaking of action - your postcards should generate a sense of urgency - a reason to act NOW! "Limited time offer!" "The first 5 customers get a....", "Get an exclusive on this print before I make it available to the general public...". "Buy today and save..." This is your call to action. Tell them exactly what you want them to do and when to do it (now!).
6 - think about what behavior you want to reward - if you want them to be repeat customers, offer deals on the next purchase, if you want them to spread the word, reward them for giving referrals, if you want them to buy a lot of things at one time, give a bulk discount. They will act in the way you incent them.
Well, there are a few general suggestions. I hope that gives you some ideas.
Good luck!
Interior designers can be a good market, at times they will buy a lot of photos. We have worked with a few, usually on new hotel projects.
I think photography, more then any other good or service comes down to image - both literally and figuratively. Your photos will either resonate with a buyer, or they won't - 10% off isn't going to change that.
Similarly, I don't think a buy now limited time offer works either. Interior designers buy when they have a need. They aren't going to buy now and hold on to them - you want them to remember you when they have a specific need.
Personally, I would make your name and your photos the centerpiece of your marketing campaign. Let your photos do the talking.
Good luck!
They're very often used (and these are the big dollar uses) in installations, in which the photo or a series of photos as a part of a larger display or setting. They might be displayed in tryptics (three separate framed oversize photos showing different points of view of the same scene, almost looking like views of the same scene through three adjacent windows, kind of a broken up pano, if you will) for example. There may be one or two larger photos surrounded by smaller ones on the same theme, etc.
If you're known to the designer or design team or client, there might even be very lucrative commissions involved. A good friend got a commission to shoot the same stream once a month through the four seasons, and the images were used together in a single large room. He got paid to take the photos, then he got paid for the prints. Very, very nice- both the end results and the buxx involved.
It occurs to me that an important part of a marketing campaign aimed at designers would be familiarity with new and innovative ways to use the photos in installations, as well as traditional ways. You will not only be offering your photos for sale, but inspiring potential clients to new ways of using them. I'm brainstorming here, but if I was targeting interior designers specifically, I'd become familiar with their favorite publications and examples of leading new styles in which photos are featured. If you become recognized not only as a source of photos, but also as a source of ideas and inspriration, I bet you would rise far above other photo sources used by designers.
Hmmmmm...... Speaking of good ideas!
I've paid for the tracking package and design work so it's just the cost of the list and the printing/postage. I'm sure the current economic state has a certain amount of influence on marketing as well, people are spending less.
Rob
We're getting some interesting signals on that, Rob. Our studio sales are down number-wise, but individual sales are larger. Overall the income level is much the same. Gently interviewing clients has revealed to my wife that people are putting more thought into buying, but once they've convinced themselves that they need something they aren't afraid to spend. Rather than making smaller purchases they purchase less often, if that makes any kind of sense.
We're seeing similar spending changes in other sectors of our business too. Yes, there are companies and individuals doing poorly out there, but there are also lots doing well. Everyone is more cautious, but business goes on.
I expect that your chosen sector, interior designers and design firms, is feeling the pinch with fewer new home starts. But with lower prices on existing home sales, there's growing movement out west anyway. That may mean more money for remodels on homes bought at bargain prices, for example. Government spending is down so there is less new construction, but we're seeing growth in public utilities.
Do you know any designers or architects? I think it would be fascinating to talk to them and learn what they're seeing in the economy and future trends. I bet their forecasts will be a lot more focused and useful for designing your marketing strategy than my offhand observations.