I suppose in any realm, if you want something to be done you need to find a way to convince those around you that your issue needs the most attention. I sometimes think that we get caught up in this idea of running a business or making just enough money on the side that we do little research to see how our proposed client base will purchase.
I have been guilty of this many times. I remember a time where I would simply start an idea because I thought it was cool and my gut would say it sounded like a business idea. The only problem was I had an untrained gut! I trusted the wrong source.
I found one of the best ways to determine if your business is going to survive is to find a call to action. The way I did it was ask questions. For instance, I have been working on a new idea called TERRAMARKER.com. You can visit the site, get a login and request a custom aerial image anywhere in the DFW metro-plex. Now this idea is cool and maybe even nifty. This time however, I decided to ask around to see what people wanted. The results I received were very helpful.
In the aerial photography business, a good number of your clients are going to be brokers. Which also means (sorry no offense) that they are cheap, and even after your cheapest price they will still try to get you even lower. There are always exceptions but as a whole this is true because a broker only gets so much for the transaction of a property and they might not close meaning they might not make their money back.
So I took to heart this idea and I decided to come up with an idea that would make their life easier. I listened to them complain about other photographers and I also listened to them talk about the things they wish they could have. Thus TERRAMARKER.com was born. Of course it’s not fool-proof right off the bat but what new idea is?
Now that I understand this call to action I can build this business with brokers in mind. They can get a free account, access an aerial map and select the building in which they would like to film. This of course is done at a fraction of the cost most photographers charge and brokers can schedule something without the need to get on the phone and call us. It’s all automated.
So do your research and come up with a good way to determine that call to action. I promise that once you find a way to answer questions that your clients are asking, you will find running a business is that much easier. Also, try not to make it to complex. Remember that you have had probably months or even years to contemplate your idea and most buyers will listen to you for about 15 seconds and they glaze over. Give them the simple explanation and the call to action why you are in business then see what happens from there. I think you will notice that you will bring in more clients this way.
Original Post: www.mckane.com/blog