My observation is that a well-named product tends to promote itself.
We can demonstrate the value of such an approach at a conference of actors.
There are also many photographers at this conference who promote themselves.
“What do you do, Bill?”
“Well, I’m a photographer.”
“I see, give me your business card. I still need some photographs.”
“All right, here you are.”
But it is likely that he will never call him. He can choose from hundreds of photographers.
But then the actor meets a photographer who has just completed the admin scale for his photography services.
“What do you do for a living, Bill?”
“I’m an image consultant.”
“What are you?”
“An image consultant. I find out what image and what communication you want to place in the photograph, and I capture that on film.”
“When can we start?” is the actor’s immediate response.
Why? Because this genuinely communicates that it is something valuable!
“But it’s very expensive,” he might add. But if it is perceived as sufficiently valuable, the actor will not care! It is never a question of money. I repeat, it is never a question of money; every experienced veteran salesperson will confirm that. When a potential customer or client starts talking about or showing an interest in money, you have probably failed to communicate the value of the product or service. The value of the product simply is not real enough for the customer.
Our photographer can conduct a consultation even before the actual photo shoot, for an extra fee, to find out what the “message” will be, thereby making sure that he achieves his product and that the customer will be satisfied.
Before this photographer underwent training on the admin scale, customers would come to him and he would usually ask them:
“All right, what kind of photograph would you like?”
“Well, I want an image… you know, I want to look strong in it.”
“Sit here. I’ll go get some dumbbells….”
He takes the photographs. The client comes to pick them up.
“Here are your photographs.”
“Well, I don’t know. That isn’t me. I really don’t know.”
“But you said a strong expression. You see, this is strength. See those dumbbells?”
“That’s not what I meant by the word strong.”
“What did you mean?”
“I don’t know. Well, strong.”
A failure of communication occurred. And this failure was caused by an earlier failure on the photographer’s part to take sufficient interest. The customer said: “strong.” But what exactly did he mean by that?
If you do not understand something, you must ask questions. If you are genuinely interested in something, you will ask about it. So if you do not know what the customer meant by the word “strong,” ask him automatically. (Unless, of course, you want to look “stupid.” If someone says something and you do not understand it well and do not ask about it merely because you do not want to look like a “fool,” then that is precisely the moment when you become a fool. So make a policy for yourself and always ask about what you do not understand. This way you will remain wise.)
“What do you imagine by the word strong?”
“Well, you know… strong,” he replies.
And so the photographer hangs several types of “strong” photographs on the wall.
“This is a collection of ‘strong’ images. I want you to look at them carefully and choose the one you like best. Which of them, in your opinion, contains what you want to express?”
This is taking care of the client. Asking questions so that you can learn more.
“All right, I like number 3, that image of strength.”
“I see, all right. Tell me more about it. What do you like about it?”
“Well, you know… see how the head is tilted to one side? That is strength, but a kind of quiet strength. That is what I want.”
Now the photographer has it. He has discovered his image. It is simple now. No problem. The photographer knows exactly how to arrange this image. He has a certain degree of certainty. He communicated and knows precisely what the customer wants. It is no problem, and success is guaranteed. This is no longer a game of chance, but one of certainty.
By using this approach, we organize and promote more effectively.
The customer enters the studio and must first fill out a questionnaire, which gives the photographer a better idea of what this person really wants.
Then the photographer shows him five different “messages” in photographs, or perhaps ten different actors or actresses who express something through their poses.
He may ask: “Which one comes closest to what you want to say?”
And then he would create exactly what he had determined was needed and desired.
The photo shoot is the subsequent event. But all the preparation is done before the actual shoot. When the photographer works in the studio, he must know exactly what the customer wants. He knows how to arrange and light everything and how to photograph it; those are technical skills.
The photo shoot was the event itself, but look at the preparation that preceded it and helped create it.
That is professionalism.
Back to Basics
If you have a problem naming your product, a good way is to remove all the nonsense around it and get straight to the point: “What is it that I do?” Then look at the result of that “doing” and build on it.
This article is based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard and Arte Maren – I recommend purchasing their books.
For study purposes only.
