Recorded: Welcome to The Rework with Allison Tyler Jones, a podcast dedicated to inspiring portrait photographers to uniquely brand profitably price, and confidently sell their best work. Allison has been doing just that for the last 15 years, and she’s proven that it’s possible to create unforgettable art and run a portrait business that supports your family and your dreams. All it takes is a little rework. Episodes will include interviews with experts from in and outside of the photo industry, many workshops, and behind the scenes secrets that Allison uses in her portrait studio every single day. She will challenge your thinking and inspire your confidence to create a profitable, sustainable portrait business you love through continually refining and reworking your business. Let’s do the rework.
Allison Tyler Jones: Hi friends, and welcome back to The Rework. Some of the best ideas that I’ve had for my business have been gleaned from other industries, whether it’s luxury cars, luxury clothing, there’s just been so much inspiration that has come from outside of our industry. And so I wanted to bring in my darling daughter-in-Law, Careesa Campbell Jones, who works in marketing now and spent several years working in marketing for Ferrari North America. I think she has some great insights that you’re going to love. So let’s do it. Pull out your notebooks, pull out your pens. You’re going to want to take some notes on this one and spend some time pondering how you can make your portrait studio into a luxury brand based on what Ferrari knows about luxury branding. Let’s do it.
Allison Tyler Jones: I am so excited to have a brand-new guest on The Rework podcast today, somebody who is near and dear to my heart and very special to me. And this is my brandly newest daughter-in-law, Ms. Careesa Campbell Jones. Welcome, Careesa.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Hello. Thank you for having me, mother-in-law.
Allison Tyler Jones: I know. She smiles. I’m so glad that you’re here, and I appreciate your expertise. So Careesa, tell our listeners, kind of give them an idea about what your degree was, what work you’ve been doing, what your work you’re doing now.
Careesa Campbell Jones: So, I went to UC San Diego and studied communications there. I do marketing for work now, and I got my experience, not necessarily from college, but really from interning and working my way up into really deciding what type of marketing I enjoyed. So that led me to a position as marketing manager at a Ferrari dealership. And I spent about three years doing all sorts of digital marketing, events management, email marketing, social media planning, all sorts of really cool exciting things. And after leaving the dealership, I now currently just focus strictly on all digital marketing efforts.
Allison Tyler Jones: I love that. And you’re doing that for a medical company?
Careesa Campbell Jones: So a total 180 of the type of industry. I went from the Ferrari dealership, and now I’m in healthcare.
Allison Tyler Jones: I love it. Okay, so what I wanted to talk with you about is that you’ve helped me do some marketing for my business, and we’ve talked a lot about how we want to do that. And what I find interesting is that you understand my business really well because of your experience at Ferrari. That luxury brand was just baked into you. So tell about that. When you first started there, you probably didn’t know a ton about cars. So how were you indoctrinated into the Ferrari? What was the Kool-Aid drinking process like?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Lots of Kool-Aid. I was never a car person. I still don’t really even consider myself a car person, but when I worked there, it’s hard not to, first of all love the product that you’re marketing and selling. It’s truly a really well done brand. I think what I learned the most was how not to market to that specific clientele. So something interesting about Ferrari is you’ll never see a commercial on TV about Ferrari. You might see a Ferrari in a TV commercial, but you’ll never see the brand promoting themselves on that platform. And there’s a reason for that. Their clientele aren’t watching TV. They’re not sitting down on the couch waiting for that commercial to come on. That’s not what convinces their clients. And that’s also, they don’t need to be promoting themselves to the general public. They pick and choose their clients. If they don’t, they have basically a wrap sheet. They pay attention to that, and they really know their clients and how to reach them.
Allison Tyler Jones: Okay. So say more about the wrap sheet. What does that mean?
Careesa Campbell Jones: They basically have a specific clientele that they look for, and they have to cross off certain boxes so they’re not going to waste their time on somebody who they already know. Maybe you are a millionaire, but what kind of millionaire are you? They pay attention to that. And there are different layers to certain cars that you qualify for. So if they don’t want you to have a car, you won’t get one. They really do.
Allison Tyler Jones: I have to know more. We haven’t talked about this before this podcast, so I’m like, oh, I’m hearing this just the same way as all of the listeners are hearing it. So what does that look like? I know there’s probably proprietary things that you can’t say and I don’t want you to share that anything that you shouldn’t, but what does that look like? So what I’m hearing you say is it sounds like when somebody walks in the door to a Ferrari dealership, is that really how most people come into contact with Ferrari? How do their best clients or their ideal clients typically start with the brand?
Careesa Campbell Jones: So there are two layers to this. If you want to order a brand new car that has not hit the market yet, you’re talking about pre-ordering, that’s when they’re extremely selective. So in order to pre-order a brand new Ferrari, you have to have owned a certain number of cars for a certain timeline.
Allison Tyler Jones: A certain number of Ferraris?
Careesa Campbell Jones: A certain number of Ferraris, specifically. They want to know how often you engage with their brand. And that basically qualifies you to be able to order a vehicle.
Allison Tyler Jones: Interesting.
Careesa Campbell Jones: So if I won the lottery yesterday and I wanted to order their newest, latest, greatest car that they just announced, the newest Ferrari, I wouldn’t be able to get one. I have to prove a certain number of ownership years or however. I mean it could have changed by now since it’s been a few years since I’ve been there but that’s typically how they do it.
Allison Tyler Jones: Two, you’ve only been out for two years, so I’m pretty sure we’re still, we have some relative info.
Careesa Campbell Jones: I’m sure they haven’t changed that much. But they do that for a reason. And when you order a new car from them, they want you to keep the brand as they intended it. So you won’t be able to order a pink Ferrari from the factory.
Allison Tyler Jones: Okay.
Careesa Campbell Jones: If you want pink, you get it wrapped after the fact, and they don’t really like you doing that anyway.
Allison Tyler Jones: And that might go on your wrap sheet.
Careesa Campbell Jones: It might hurt you in the end. Yes, exactly.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah, that might prevent you. That’s interesting. So really it’s very comparable in what photographers do in that if our studio is based in finished product, we don’t want selling digital files because we don’t want somebody putting some brown filter on it doing the DIY. We want to deliver the finished product in the way that we think it’s best and the way that it should be best displayed. So that’s similar. Interesting. Okay, love that. So if you can never order a new Ferrari, what? You buy used ones and show that you took really good care of them and you promise to always care and love for them?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Yes. So how you start off is you go, sure, walk into a Ferrari dealership and you say, “I want to buy this used Ferrari.” And from there, and it depends on the type of vehicle that they’re releasing as well. They would never consider any of their Ferrari’s entry level. They would never say that. They’re all high-end luxury vehicles. I mean, even certain types of Ferraris that they want to know you’ve owned. So they might want to see you’ve owned a Testarossa back in the eighties.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right.
Careesa Campbell Jones: They want to see that you’ve gone to a dealership and either leased or purchased a Testarossa at one point. So it just depends on the type of Ferrari. But yeah, sure, you can walk into a dealership and purchase or lease a used one, and that’s what the purpose of the dealerships are on the regular day to day. You can order a new car assuming you’ve proved certain things. So it is available. It just takes time.
Allison Tyler Jones: So there’s different ways to interact?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: With people, okay.
Careesa Campbell Jones: And so back to the commercial, just because you don’t see the marketing, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. They’re very into the experience side of marketing. So a lot of my jobs surrounded events and current clients trying to keep them continuing to come back to our particular dealership. We don’t want them purchasing from a third party vendor.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right.
Careesa Campbell Jones: That doesn’t count towards their cars.
Allison Tyler Jones: Oh, that goes against your… So they buy it from some…
Careesa Campbell Jones: It has to be through authorized Ferrari dealership. And there are a lot of perks to that. When you buy through the dealership, you get the marketing emails, you know what’s going on, you get to be part of the come see this new Ferrari launch in our dealership first. So there are definitely perks to doing it that way. Hermes is really similar with the Birkin bags.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah.
Careesa Campbell Jones: You don’t see them advertising for that in a Google advertisement. You have to be in the know.
Allison Tyler Jones:
Right. And you mentioned something the other day when we were talking about something that we were thinking about doing for the studio is you said, “Oh, it’s kind of like the people that bought the Ferrari’s at auctions and then they come in and want to have them service at the dealership that they end up being such a pain.”
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: Say more about that.
Careesa Campbell Jones: So you can purchase a Ferrari or any luxury vehicle at auction. That’s an easy way to be able to afford one if you really want one, and you can’t get one from a dealership, or you don’t want to spend as much as you would at a dealership. But the issue that we saw a lot was we had clients buying their cars for really cheap at auction and then coming in to get those luxury vehicles serviced and could not afford the maintenance. And I mean, really it just causes you problems in the long run. Sure you have it, but if you can’t maintain it then you’re not doing yourself or the luxury item you just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on any justice.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right. So what makes it worth it, in your mind when you were working at that dealership to your ideal client, that marketing that’s going out there, what makes it worth somebody not buying an auction and coming in and buying a used Ferrari at the dealership?
Careesa Campbell Jones: The experience altogether. Ferrari, if you work for them, you go to training. It’s for our North America if you’re here. So that’s what I did. They’re over in New Jersey. And you spend weeks leading up to your completion of training, and they teach you all about that. We do secret shopping as an experience for that. So we learn what our competitors are doing and how their experience is better or worse than our experience and what we offer. So I would say you can, I think establishing that relationship with the client and salesperson knowing that you have somebody to go back to. Let’s say your goal is to be one of Ferrari’s top clients. You want to know how to do that, you’re going to have to go to the dealership and have a good relationship with them.
Allison Tyler Jones: So from the get-go, let’s just say because you were on the inside of this, I am brand new to Ferrari and I love them. I have always loved him and just want to buy one. So I come into the dealership. How is that experience different than another regular car buying experience? I think a regular car buying experience, you go in, there’s usually five guys standing around smoking cigarettes, leaning against the wall and then one of them will come, hey.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Sure.
Allison Tyler Jones: What are you doing?
Careesa Campbell Jones: I think that the sales, because of the training, this is just an internal perspective, I also can’t afford a Ferrari.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah, neither can I.
Careesa Campbell Jones: I’m not in that realm, but I think the salesmen hold themselves to a higher tier. And they know the type of clients that they’re dealing with, and these clients expect a certain level of care while they’re with us. And we have to match those levels. I mean there are a lot of clients who hate their local dealership, but that’s the dealership you’re expected to go to.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right.
Careesa Campbell Jones: I mean I’ve seen so many salespeople try to repair those relationships because it’s essential…
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah.
Careesa Campbell Jones: To move forward. So sure, you can go to a third party unauthorized Ferrari dealership and just buy a car and never hear from that salesman again. Or, you can have a relationship directly and work your way up from the inside.
Allison Tyler Jones: I think it’s so interesting because usually when somebody’s selling something, we’re always thinking, okay, how can I get somebody to buy this? How can I get the client to love me and love what I want to sell and how can I sell it? And it’s definitely a reverse sell, is what you’re describing is that it’s like, well maybe you’re worthy to buy this vehicle.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Sure.
Allison Tyler Jones: I mean, I’m sure that if somebody walks in with enough money to buy that used Ferrari, they’re going to sell it to whoever.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Of course, of course.
Allison Tyler Jones: They have bills to pay.
Careesa Campbell Jones: They want to make the sale.
Allison Tyler Jones: That dealership in San Diego, that rent wasn’t free.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: So of course, they’re going to sell it, but there’s tier to engagement with or how much you can get because with the Ferrari, a brand new one, that’s like a custom job, right?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: In a way. So there’s a whole lot more that goes into the brand new.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right. And there are timelines. Let’s say you qualify to get a pre-order, you could be waiting up to two years to actually ever see that.
Allison Tyler Jones: Because it has to be built.
Careesa Campbell Jones: But you’re paying for that. They know that Ferrari is worth that.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah.
Careesa Campbell Jones: And they know it. They really rely on that. Because they don’t spend all this money on commercials and Google advertisements, they rely on the brand holding its own.
Allison Tyler Jones: And they have to keep the brand, the integrity of that. And so what were some things in your training or that you saw in a day-to-day job that you felt like people maybe got busted on for not maintaining the brand? Or what are the things that maintain that brand integrity according to Ferrari?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Sure. So actually Ferrari will require you, if you want to attend an event, you have to get approval from Ferrari, North America or the actual Ferrari Maranello depending on the size of the event. So if I wanted to run an advertisement, it has to be a pre-approved Ferrari advertisement. And let’s say I say advertisement, let’s say it’s for an event and they’re doing a booklet like the Ferrari car show. We might get approval on something like that to have.
Allison Tyler Jones: This is the dealership has to submit?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right, the dealership specific. If I wanted to host an event, I would have to send them my concept, my budget, and have a person attend that event from Ferrari North America to ensure that guidelines were being kept in the training.
Allison Tyler Jones: Like no paper plates, what are we talking about?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Exactly. Absolutely.
Allison Tyler Jones: That was a joke.
Careesa Campbell Jones: No, it’s not a joke to them. You have no paper plates, no plastic wear. I have somewhere, I’m sure I saved all the do- nots. That’s why I’m saying I learned more of how not to market. And that’s one of things.
Allison Tyler Jones: And we need that. That’s why we’re here.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Basically, I think what it really comes down to is, and generally speaking, if you have a luxury brand, you don’t want to run campaigns that diminish your brand. You don’t want to run it on platforms that don’t align with your brand, and don’t run ads to clients that you don’t want.
Allison Tyler Jones: Say that one more time.
Careesa Campbell Jones: You do not run ads to clients you don’t want.
Allison Tyler Jones: Okay.
Careesa Campbell Jones: If your clients are… Ferrari is not advertising on Facebook.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Okay. So just keep that in mind. Where are the clients that I want? What are they doing? How do I reach them? And it’s not just throwing money at any ad because you’re worried you don’t have a lot of leads. It’s okay to be exclusive, and you need to be exclusive if you want to attract a certain clientele. I mean, Ferrari is exclusive, it’s rare. And that’s the whole point of the draw to it for new clients that want to move up.
Allison Tyler Jones: What were some of the ways that Ferrari did market? You’re saying some of the things that they didn’t do, so events, having a beautiful event, like a beautiful experience. I know you did a lot of that.
Careesa Campbell Jones: A lot of co-branding as well with like-minded brands. Veuve was one that they have partnered with.
Allison Tyler Jones: The champagne?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Yes, the champagne. With Maserati, for example it was a Ferrari Maserati dealership together. So Ferrari and Maserati events, even in and of themself are very different. And a Maserati event, a co-branding event I did was with MasterCraft Boats. And so we invited their like-minded clients to and our like-minded clients. So we met at the dealership, we drove Maseratis to the boat dock. Then we got on a MasterCraft boat, took our clients out for a day on the lake and then drove back in the Maserati. So they got to actually experience what both products were like without really having to sell them anything. They’re getting to see that for themselves. So that was really huge. And then just similar like the La Jolla Concours car show. That’s a really big one for the local dealership. It’s something that Ferrari realizes is essential. Monterey Car Week, that’s another big one. Ferrari North America handles that for us. So it’s more of getting eyes in front of the clients at events. That’s a really huge way, and it’s a little way to show off too. You want to show the latest and greatest and you should.
Allison Tyler Jones: If you’re a portrait photographer, you know the next few months are going to be crazy. This is our busy season, and how to make the most of that busy season is to make sure that our client communication is in order, that we are not having clients showing up with the wrong clothing, that we are not having clients shocked in our sales appointments by our pricing and needing to go home and measure or going home and asking their husband and then sales burning down and our clients not getting what they need and we not being able to build a sustainable business. So how are we going to make sure that this season is the most successful that it possibly can be? Well, it starts by getting on the same page with your clients so that nothing is left to chance. And how I’ve done this is that I’ve spent the last 13 years revising my own internal consultation form, which by the way, you can download the consultation form that I use in my business absolutely free.
Allison Tyler Jones: But I realized after tweaking that form for about 13 years, that I needed something more. And it wasn’t just a pretty brochure. And it wasn’t a price list with no context because we all know you can send a price list to somebody, and they’re still shocked by the price because they never looked at it or they have no idea what those prices even mean. It’s happened to all of us. What I realized is I needed a single printed piece for my client to take away with them that would leave nothing to chance, and that it would allow me to educate my clients about the price range of my products. It would help them to understand what we would and wouldn’t be shooting for during their portrait session. Like actually creating a game plan for what is it that we’re actually going to be shooting for, and let’s prioritize that.
Allison Tyler Jones: And then also something that would allow the clients to feel confident about selecting the clothing for their session and a printed piece that would allow them to share with their spouse and be able to put together the game plan for their session. So I needed it to be part brochure, part getting ready guide, part last minute checklist, and part consultation form because my consultation form was internal. I was keeping that form, but I wanted this printed piece to go with my clients. And I wanted it to be sexy and good-looking and that they felt completely and totally cared for. So I wanted all of this in a single booklet that the client would take with them at the end of their consultation. Now I’ve been using this. I created about five years ago. It’s called the ATJ Game Plan booklet. And I started off by using it in my studio, and I’ve been revising it for the last five years.
Allison Tyler Jones: And now for the first time ever, I’m offering it to the Rework community to use in your portrait studio. So what’s included in that? In this course, it’s a little mini course, not a big long course. There’s a video lesson with me on how to use the game plan booklet in your consultation. You will also have a video recording of an actual client consultation with me and a client using the booklet in real time. And then you’ll have layered PSD files of the game plan booklet that we use in our studio every day as well as a PDF version of the latest and greatest ATJ consultation form. So all of that is included for just a one-time payment of 295, just 295 to completely change the way that you interact with your clients, the information that they have, how taken care of they feel by making things transparent to them, putting together the game plan for the session so that everybody’s on the same page.
Allison Tyler Jones: We all know what we’re shooting for, we know how much it’s going to cost, they know what to wear, everybody’s on the same page. This is the document, this is the booklet that has changed my business, and I want you to have it too if it works for you. So go to dotherework.com/gameplan. That’s dotherework.com/gameplan. And download that booklet and start using it in your business this busy season. I know that the game plan booklet will be a game changer for your business.
Allison Tyler Jones: The thing that I love about what you just said is being selective as the brand, that you don’t want to put things out there to attract, you don’t want to be fishing with the wrong bait basically. And it doesn’t mean that we think… Well, I mean maybe in Ferrari world they do think, but it’s like we’re not trying to exclude necessarily, what we want is that people who would live and die for the brand, who really totally, completely appreciate the Ferrari. So like the lottery winner, there might be a lottery winner who has always wanted a Ferrari forever, and they’re willing to now go through the process to buy the used, to interact with it, to not paint it pink, to do all the things to where they can eventually get the one that they want. And they’re willing to go through that process because it means that much to them to have that brand in their life and to interact with it in the way that Ferrari has set up the story, the brand, all of that.
Allison Tyler Jones: And so I think it’s no different to our business in that. Okay, what we really truly believe in is that you should have these images on your wall. They should be presented in this way, and we really only want clients who are convinced of the value of that.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Exactly.
Allison Tyler Jones: And if you’re not convinced of the value, then you’re wasting your money and time even interacting with our business. So do you see parallels with that, with the portrait world?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Definitely. I also think too, so generally speaking outside of a luxury brand, a good marketer will not sell you the product. They’re going to sell you a solution to a problem that leads you to their product. When you’re working with a luxury brand, I don’t necessarily think that’s always the case because of what you just said. Luxury, the word in and of itself explains that it’s to enhance their life. You’re not helping them solve a problem. And with the dealership, you’re really helping them realize a dream, and they have achieved this level in their life where they are afforded luxury items as something to enhance their life. Not necessarily that you’re solving a problem of helping them spend their money maybe, but it’s a really important difference to make that you don’t have to be shoving this idea of your product is the best down their throat all the time. They should be able to see that and seek you out.
Allison Tyler Jones: Absolutely.
Careesa Campbell Jones: On their own.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah. I absolutely love that. And I feel like the further I go along that really it is painting a vision of the dream, and this is the dream. So Ferrari, the dream is you driving around looking like Christie Brinkley in National Lampoon’s Vacation in this beautiful car. For my clients or what I want my clients to have is I want them to have the best, my highest and best use of my talent and ability to light their family, photograph their family, but also to get their family to interact, have expression that is unique to their personality and have that interpreted in an artful way so that it is the art in their home. And so they don’t need me because they have an iPhone. You can get from point A to point B on a bike.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Sure.
Allison Tyler Jones: You don’t need a Ferrari. Right?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Of course.
Allison Tyler Jones: And so you don’t need that. It isn’t really solving a problem. For portrait photographers, I think we’ve always heard like, “Oh, it’s freezing time or it’s memories.” Which all of that is true. But going to the next level, in my mind, the dream is wouldn’t it be so cool if you could hang your family picture next to a piece of art that you bought from a museum?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: And not feel like, okay, I’m embarrassed by that.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right, sure.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah. And that it’s been framed to perfection. It’s been created specifically for that space in your home and that every time you walk past it, you not only love your family, but you love your home and how it looks.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Exactly. Yes, I agree with that. I think too, it’s when you think that vision you just painted, there’s a reason that you’re not doing advertising to college age kids, right?
Allison Tyler Jones: Sure, yeah.
Careesa Campbell Jones: You know better. They don’t appreciate that. And I think it takes time to, if you’re just newly starting out, it can take time to find that. But you should have a vision. If you’re going to be spending money on marketing, you need a vision of who your clientele is and what you want your brand to look like before you spend any money. Don’t waste your time on advertisements if you don’t know the answers to who are my clients? What is my ideal client, and where are they? Just save it. Save your money until you get it right.
Allison Tyler Jones: And how do you find that out? How do you suggest finding that out?
Careesa Campbell Jones: That’s a good question. I mean, if you found your clientele and found the right, I know it took years for you to build up to where you are as well, but you had the vision.
Allison Tyler Jones: Well, and I think your ideal client can morph, right? When you’re very first starting and you don’t really know your business very well, or maybe you don’t know your craft very well and you’re at a certain price point and you’re maybe working out of your car or you don’t have, there’s just different stages of business. My goal has kind of always been that this year’ high-end clients will be next year’s mid-range clients. I mean not really in a year, but over time.
Careesa Campbell Jones: There’s progression.
Allison Tyler Jones: You get better and better at what you’re doing. And you get better and better at not necessarily the craft, but better and better at taking care of the client. What are new ways that we can spoil them? What are new problems that we can solve for them? What are new dreams that we can create for them? And for me, I’ve gone through that trajectory of the young mother or the mother of the senior in high school to the older mom, to now the multi-gen grandma who is like, “My grandkids are everything and money is no object.”
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: Forget those kids. We just love the grandkids.
Careesa Campbell Jones: And you’ll eventually get to a point for client retention. And that’s where the bulk of my focus was on client retention. And I loved it. That was the best part of my job. And I still to this day have the most fond memories of all the clients. And I mean, sure they can go hash it out with the sales guy on how much they want to spend, but the marketing side of it, they just get to come experience the true nature of the car, and that’s really what brings them back. Sure, maybe they don’t want to spend half a million dollars on a car, but they do it because all these other experiences get to come with it. That helps them build memories with the vehicle and want to come back to the same brand.
Allison Tyler Jones: And so what were some of those experiences?
Careesa Campbell Jones: We would go to racetracks. And one of my most fond memories is driving from San Diego up to Sonoma and staying at a resort for three days up there and getting track time for two of those days with client dinners in the evening, a brunch in the morning. I mean, it’s not just one event. There’s many events later. You might do a dinner on one night, but this was a full weekend of very cool activities. And that is something that just, you’re not going to get that at a third party vendor.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right.
Careesa Campbell Jones: If you bought the car.
Allison Tyler Jones: So it’s kind of like you’re in the club.
Careesa Campbell Jones: You’re in the club, of course.
Allison Tyler Jones: You’re coming and there are other Ferrari owners, and you can talk about your cars and your passion and things that you like.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Like-minded who sell your car too. It’s kind of a show-off thing as well. We do our cars, it’s called a cars and coffee. And that’s when all the owners will come out and show off to each other and make friendships and connections. And that helps too. When you have clients that love your work and they’re going to tell people about it, that helps you too.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah, I love that. I have one of my clients, he had some friends, and they were all Ferrari owners. And they made a crest, and they called themselves the Fat Boys Ferraris club.
Careesa Campbell Jones: So funny.
Allison Tyler Jones: None of them were fat, which is hilarious. But anyway, I don’t know why that sticks in my mind. So how could you apply that? Because obviously most of us are not having a half a million to a million dollars on a job for a client, would that it were. So how do you translate that into something kind of more like as a portrait photographer, how would you see that translated, that concept of experience and memory?
Careesa Campbell Jones: Having a great experience in the studio and making sure that your clients look forward to. I mean, taking family portraits can be stressful. We just did that in July.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yes, we did.
Careesa Campbell Jones: And finding the outfits and for the women in particular, getting your nails done, hair done, there’s so many stressful things leading up to that moment that when they walk in the door, you should expect them to feel that weight lifted off their shoulders, and that you are going to take it from here and it’s going to be perfect. And I think it’s really important to curate that and not have a puddle on the floor when they walk in, not have the equipment ready, have it be something that they are like, “Wow, that couldn’t have gone smoother. I was so stressed, I had nothing to stress about. That was so easy.” I think really harping on the experience, if you can’t get them outside of the studio, if you can’t afford a marketing budget, which it’s okay if you can’t, just find other creative ways to make an impact.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right, to make the experience. Because in my opinion, everything is marketing. The experience, every interaction the client has with you is marketing in one way or another. And speaking of our last family portrait session, which was in the summer, one of the things that Stacey did, because Stacey photographed it because I had to be in it, unfortunately. Not unfortunately that Stacey was photographing it, unfortunate that I had to be in it. But what happened is our daughter and her wife wanted to announce that they were pregnant with twins. And nobody knew, but they let Stacey know. And so I had posed everybody, we set everybody up to get everybody in the picture. And I don’t know how many of us are, there are 30 people now or whatever.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Over 30, yeah.
Allison Tyler Jones: So I had posed everybody, I went and jumped in. And then Stacey was saying, “Okay, everybody look over here.” And then she was saying the normal things like say funny things, say gumballs or I don’t know what she was saying. And so we’re saying it. And I’m just worried about is this good? Did I pose everybody right or whatever? And then she’s like, “Okay, everybody look over here and say Brecken and Hailey are pregnant with twins.” And then everybody just totally freaked out. And that was the first time I have ever had the experience of having an experience that had been curated for me.
Careesa Campbell Jones: For you specifically.
Allison Tyler Jones: In my own business. And it was really, I’ll always remember that. We’re always going to remember in our family that Haley and Brecken announced their babies during our family photo shoot.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Yes. And those, I’ve seen a sneak peek of everyone’s reactions during that. And I think we all felt the same way. Not only excited, but looking back on it, you’re so right. And she did a great job at upholding not only the level of secrecy that she had to get through from you, but she just executed it so well. And even if it weren’t family, Stacey’s essentially family, there’s still a level of professionalism that she upheld. And that’s great. Even if it’s not you, if it’s someone that works for you, they still have to meet you at your level.
Allison Tyler Jones: Yeah, I love that. So other experiences that I can think of, just when you were talking about that, driving up to Sonoma and all of that, those of us who work on location, how can we make it, let’s try to schedule it on days where the weather’s halfway decent and bringing water and thinking ahead of every possible thing that could go wrong and trying to smooth over the rough places, making the consultative selling ahead of time so that they feel really confident in what their clothes are, that you’ve approved all that stuff. You’ve looked at it. And so they walk in feeling like, okay, the clothes are good, everything’s fine. And then how can we just help them have a good time? I think for us as portrait photographers, we have such a unique opportunity in that people mostly are thinking it’s going to be hard and horrible because that’s how it’s been every time that we were growing up. And how it’s been with usually their husbands that they’re dragging them out to the golf course and to take the pictures ,and it’s hot and they’re in sweater.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Those are my strongest childhood memories, going to JC Penney and fighting every step of the way to go to that portrait studio. And I remember my brothers arguing about what ties they had to wear. And I totally get it. I think a lot of people can relate to that.
Allison Tyler Jones: Well, and what do people say? Oh, your family’s so cute. Yeah, well, we look like we love each other, but we were ready to kill each other. We’re on the verge of divorce. And so letting them know that, okay, this is going to be stressful, but then you actually make it not just not bad, but you make it good.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Above and beyond.
Allison Tyler Jones: To be able to turn something around that they thought was going to be bad, that is a huge win.
Careesa Campbell Jones: And thinking the prep work is really important. And you and I have talked about what can we give them after their consultation that will excite them to come back.
Allison Tyler Jones: If you can take an experience that somebody is dreading. So I guess in the Ferrari world, it’d be like if you didn’t know, maybe you would feel like, I’m going to go in there and they’re going to do Pretty Woman on me. We don’t have anything in your size. So that’s probably what people are feeling like, okay, I’m not cool enough to shop in here. And then they go in, and somebody totally takes care of them or whatever, but then they still realize you got to earn.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Of course. And you have the espresso machine ready, you have water. The receptionist is kind and greeting them immediately upon arrival.
Allison Tyler Jones: Also gorgeous, probably.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Yes, definitely.
Allison Tyler Jones: No frumpy receptionist at Ferrari.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right, exactly. If they need the restroom, walking them in that direction, not just pointing and say, good luck. See you over there. If they need to go see a service advisor, walking them to that person. So really, I mean, not is crucial.
Allison Tyler Jones: Those are all free things.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Exactly.
Allison Tyler Jones: It costs no money to just take the extra step to be kind and to just know that they are on your radar. It’s not just…
Careesa Campbell Jones: Exactly.
Allison Tyler Jones: There’s some guy out in the back lot looking at the Testarossa.
Careesa Campbell Jones: And that is…
Allison Tyler Jones: Then they’re like, um?
Careesa Campbell Jones: What you want to avoid.
Allison Tyler Jones: Looky-loo, aisle nine. That didn’t happen, I’m assuming.
Careesa Campbell Jones: We get looky-loos, but we’re always kind.
Allison Tyler Jones: But you know what I’m talking about. Like over the microphone?
Careesa Campbell Jones: No.
Allison Tyler Jones: Careesa. Okay. Well, I love it. I think you’ve given us something to really think about and to something to compare our industry to. I want to just go back to and wrap it up with, don’t advertise to attract people you don’t want. And then know who your ideal client is and where they are before you spend a dime.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: And that is like, don’t advertise in ways that your clients are not going to be interacting with. And then what were the other things?
Careesa Campbell Jones: So the main takeaways, don’t run campaigns that diminish your brand, and don’t run ads to clients that you don’t want. Don’t run ads on places your clients are not.
Allison Tyler Jones: Your ideal client.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Your ideal client and exclusive. Those, I would say, are the four main takeaways in keeping those in mind when you are thinking of marketing efforts. If you want to try something new, answer those four questions first before you spend money, before you sign up for an event.
Allison Tyler Jones: Do I really know who I’m advertising to? Do I really know where they are and what they value? But also to go back to that being exclusive, it is okay to be exclusive because by definition, most of us are solopreneurs. We’re the only photographer. By definition, we’re exclusive because you cannot shoot everybody even in your…
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: Little town if you’re in. So you have to protect the asset of what it is that you’re doing. Ferrari can’t build a car for everybody in the world.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Exactly. Limiting your pool makes it easier on you in the long run too. To your point earlier, not being exclusive to be mean, you’re being exclusive because it helps you too. Instead of trying to target everyone, which is impossible to do, pick an audience and create your campaigns around them. Make your life easier, and it’ll attract the right clients for your business.
Allison Tyler Jones: And as you build that clientele, treat them like the gold that they are and give all the attention to the people that have already come to you. So that’s the other thing I think is interesting. With Ferrari, you can’t get the most desirable thing unless you have proven.
Careesa Campbell Jones: The loyalty to the brand.
Allison Tyler Jones: Right. And so isn’t that great? What everybody else flips that on the head. They’re always going after the new. The deals and all the special things are being given to all the new clients, but the luxury brand is the opposite.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Sure. And you want your clients to come back. Client retention is huge. And that goes back to what experience are you giving them? This sounds harsh, but don’t promise something that you’re not going to keep because they’re going to talk about it.
Allison Tyler Jones: Absolutely.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Whether you do a great job or not, they are going to mention it. Make sure that you can give your clients the best experience they deserve.
Allison Tyler Jones: I know I had an experience with this when I realized at one point a light bulb that went on for me was I realized when I was in the 12th revision on a holiday card for a client that only bought holiday cards because I let them do that at this time years ago. I realized she’d only bought holiday cards, so I’d killed myself to do the session to help her do all the things. And we’re like 12, 13th, 14th revision. And then I realized that I was pushing off my number one client who had spent $60,000 with me that year. I kept ignoring her emails because this client was killing me. She was like the auction winner of the Ferrari that couldn’t afford the actual service. And so kept trying to get it down and cheaper and was just killing me. And then I realized, okay, I can’t do this level of service for people that don’t appreciate it and aren’t willing to invest in it. It’s just not, and it’s not fair to my clients who are willing to.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Right.
Allison Tyler Jones: And get me and are nice and easy, but I’m shoving them off because I’m dealing with…
Careesa Campbell Jones: There’s only one you. And your time is valuable. So keep that in mind.
Allison Tyler Jones: So in our business, we are very much, we’re the Ferrari, we’re the asset. So you have to protect it and you have to.
Careesa Campbell Jones: You’re providing the luxury item here to your clients.
Allison Tyler Jones: Love that. Okay. Well, I appreciate all of your insight and value. Is there anything else you want to leave anybody with as you’re heading off into the sunset to go to Hawaii?
Careesa Campbell Jones: No, I just appreciate being able to share some thoughts with you. And hopefully, I get to come back.
Allison Tyler Jones: Oh, you’ll be back. Thank you so much. Love you.
Careesa Campbell Jones: Love you too.
Recorded: You can find more great resources from Allison@dotherework.com and on Instagram at do.the.rework.
