I know, you’re probably swimming in holiday orders at the moment, and are counting down the days until you can take a much needed break from production. But a funny thing happens between the end of the holiday orders in December and the first of the New Year – the orders come to a screeching halt.
Depending on your niche, January can be a rough month. As the bills come in from a fun-filled December, people begin to put the breaks on so they can pay off those credit cards, and bring their budgets back under control. Which means they tend to “hibernate” a bit more, and just do the things absolutely necessary, bypassing the extras.
Instead of taking the month of January off, or sitting back with the understanding it will be a rough month, do something about it.
Create A New Campaign
If you keep doing the same stuff, you’ll get the same results. Instead, come up with an entirely new idea – something you’ve never done before or have seen anyone do in your area. Put a twist on your regular offerings and breathe new life into it.
You can also look for places where people are spending money and reach out to them. For instance here in Denver, the Rocky Mountains are a short drive away. And January through April are huge for the ski industry. Piggyback off of this trend, and find a way to combine your photography with the ski industry.

Market It Differently
In the above example, you actually have two market areas. Because a large majority of Denverites head up to the slopes on the weekends, you can market to the more affluent zip codes within Denver itself. Many also have ski condos they spend the weekend at, so they aren’t on the slopes the entire time. Not only can you market to people in Denver, but you can market to the resort communities in the ski areas as well. Get to know the businesses in your select areas – in some cases you can put up portraits in their shops, and have a great marketing pull that way as well. [Read more...]

more research, ask more questions, and spend more time thinking about the purchase before they actually sign on the dotted line. Build that into your sales process. Don’t expect an immediate sale; instead add in techniques that build up confidence in your relationship. Send thank you notes. Build an FAQ page online to address any concerns she may have. Direct her to that page on a follow up email. Mail out additional support for your products and services, such as testimonials and more in-depth descriptions. It may take a little more time and effort, but having a raving fan to help you sell on the other end is worth it. 











