2020 is officially here! – Anyone else feel like last year flew by way too fast? If you haven’t started marking plans for 2020 yet, then I encourage you to start now before January hits!
Being able to go into the new year with your plans already in place and a course of action to meet your goals is going to be key when it comes to you being able to dive and start crushing those goals!
Now before you start planning your goals and how you will hit them, I always recommend looking at predicted trends for the following year in order to know what trends you want to get on-top of, before everyone else starts using them!
I have searched the webs, listened to the podcasts, and looked over a handful of reports so far on upcoming business trends for the new year ( I truthfully love it! ), so I thought I would share 5 big ones that photographers like you need to know! While none of these trends may be “new” the desire for them is growing stronger every day and if you take advantage of them now, you will come out stronger!
Trend #1 – Video is King
In 2020 you can expect video to be favored by not only social platforms but your audience as well! If you are not on video or have any video aspect to your marketing, this is your chance to get in on it before it becomes even more popular that it already is! Video allows you to take your marketing to the next level by being able to gain a greater connection with your followers as well as show your personality and heart behind your business. Take behind the scenes videos, hop on stories, or stream live on Facebook with tips and tricks for clients! Don’t let this trend pass you by, it is a strong one!
- Share outfit tips
- BTS at shoots
- Videos of you editing
- Show client’s reactions to photos
- Show videos of your products
- Introduce yourself with a video
Trend #2 – Stronger Messaging
Stop relying on your services to sell themselves! In 2020 if you want to stand out you need to bring a stronger brand voice and message into your business! Why is brand messaging important? It is important because brand messaging shows your clients that they can trust you. It shows clients that you know exactly what you are doing and they are in good hands. Brands that have a clear message can sell easier, have higher prices, and have far more demand for their offers/ services!
People do actually enjoy spending money, it makes us feel good and excited to invest in new items – but we like to also know our money is going to the right place. A strong brand message will give your potential clients the ease of knowing they are investing in the right place and will gladly spend money with your business. Your one-hour session with 25 images won’t mean a whole lot in your marketing if your client’s still don’t know if you are the right fit! Create a strong brand mission, voice, and presence to stand out and show you are an expert!
Read More on This – Selling Value over Facts
People want to invest in areas they believe make a difference! Needing help standing out in your market and creating authority in your niche? Grab our mini-guide on Creating Authority in your Niche
Trend #3 – New Marketing Tactics
I have seen quite a few predictions showcasing that those who are willing to pivot, stay flexible, and experiment with their marketing in 2020 will come out on top! Those who stay doing the same marketing tricks they have done for years, well they may see a decrease in business.
Why? Because marketing is changing. The way people consume content is changing. The way people interact with businesses is changing. Social Platforms are changing. If you want to stay relevant, you need to stay open to change and embrace it!
Also, this falls into the same category of using each marketing platform as it is intended to be used! If you are halfway using a platform, it wont show the massive results that are possible!
Read About 44 Marketing Tactics for Your Photography Business Here
Trend #4 – Streamlined Businesses
In today’s world people like things to be done quickly, efficiently, and easily! If your booking process – or any process – in your business does not fit that mold, your clients will notice! Take the time to go through your systems, workflows, and set-ups to make sure that you keep things minimal and easy to walk through for you and your clients!
Make booking, setting up sessions, follow-ups, and image delivery as easy as possible in order to close booking faster and save you more time to work on growing your business!
Trend #5 – Reviews!
Clients prefer reviews from friends and family over spending hours online searching for a photographer!
People want to invest in places that feel safe and know that they will get a good outcome for the money they have paid, so ask those past clients for reviews and post them everywhere you can! Make it known for future clients that your business is loved and provides amazing results!
Send out a mass email to all past clients asking for a review! Even if you get 5 back, that is still a good start to racking them up! Here are 4 things to think about when asking a client to write a review!
- Can you give them an incentive to write a review? ( something as simple as a review in exchange for a coffee on you! )
- Make it simple! Ask them to post the review in one spot, then you can distribute it throughout your platforms from there!
- Give them a reason why they should leave a review! ( Ex- I am sure you remember that when you were planning your wedding reviews played a huge role in who you hired and felt you could trust! )
- Give them talking points on what they could talk about or say to help future clients decide if you are the right fit
Those are 5 big trends that they are expecting buyers and businesses to shift towards as we go throughout 2020! Don’t get caught not using these to your advantage to create a strong business plan that will set you up for success in 2020!
You Might Also Like to Read – Why Your Inquiries Aren’t Booking
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