Jackie on Marketing

My mom just called and said, 'have you done your marketing for tomorrow?' to which I responded with random questions and 100% confusion. How did she know I was working on marketing right now and how did she know what my plans were for tomorrow? I soon realized though, that she was talking about the thai dinner I'm planning on cooking tomorrow. Oh, THAT kind of marketing.

But it brought up an interesting thought for me: HAVE I DONE MY MARKETING? For today, for tomorrow, for next week and beyond...it's definitely a continual process and unfortunately, I'm not engaged in it as much as I should be.

So allow me to engage. In myself. In you.

Marketing is the ability to get and keep customers. Marketing happens IN THE MIND of the consumer. So who's your consumer/customer/client/target audience? That's the first question to answer. My target audience is YOU. Haha. Not. But anyway, what do you do? What do you want? What do you value? These are the types of questions to be asking a target audience.

Next, what benefits can I offer to further my appeal for my clients? Any ideas? A beneficial bonus additive is at the top of my list to provide more for my clients, so I'm brainstorming away...extra enlargements, canvas prints, a slideshow on dvd, props during the shoot, wine tasting before the shoot (I have done this before!), a ride on a yellow scooter after the shoot...

All of these benefits just aid in the value my clients hold for me and my work. And my value to you (or my clients) is extremely important to me. I don't want to this to get too much of a 'Jackie's Business Plan Outline Session,' but basically...I just needed to keep my gears turning on this subject. So thanks for indulging me.

Marketing should be taking up much more of my time. And I need to go about it in the right way. So perhaps another post or two on marketing may follow in the future as I learn and do and trial and edge my way up. I love to share with you.

Now share with me - which headshot is better?





Oh! AND - the thai cooking I'll be doing tomorrow was learned from a native - Kanchana Rubino from Sweet Basil Inc. who offers fabulous thai cooking lessons straight from her life experience in that lovely land. Call her and see (and learn!) for yourself!