It was a high pressure situation. He had just handed out his products to be tested. He gave his BEST sales pitch. And honestly, it sounded pretty dang good. But then, the Sharks on ABC’s show, Shark Tank asked him, “how are you different than __________________?” I could practically see the racing heartbeat of this poor inventor/entrepreneur. Because despite the fact that they loved the taste of his product. His packaging was branded so perfectly. He had sales and had marketed himself to perfection…. He couldn’t answer that question. And so, I ask you the same thing…
How you answer that question is critical. In 2018 there were 132,100 photographers, registered and taxpaying in the U.S.A. So if I’m a client looking for photos and you can’t tell me, “Why you?” If you can’t tell me why I should hire you over somebody who does the same thing as you at a cheaper price and possibly better… then I’m gone.
So like I said… your ability to finish this sentence…
Is absolutely critical!
Because here’s what we know…
In my More than Marketing course (being released again in April 2020), I teach photographers how to finish that sentence! Together we find their why, their ideal client and use that to identify their superpower (a.k.a. the thing that makes them different).
Once they know that sentence, I teach them how and where to plaster it all over their website. I teach them how to talk about it ALL THE FREAKING TIME on social media without making you or your audience tired. I teach them how to use that to SELL THEIR SERVICES!
Taking better photos isn’t going to help you get more bookings! (So stop buying photography courses!) Switching editing styles isn’t going to help you get more bookings! (So stop buying presets!) Trying to copy what other photographers are doing because you are inspired by them and you know you were meant to do something big… isn’t going to get you more bookings! Because that’s not being different.
You must answer the, “WHY ARE YOU UNIQUE?” And i’m talking about more than a few descriptive words. I’m talking about something that you do that is so unique, so YOU, that no photographer COULD copy it even if they wanted to!