EPISODE #113

Guest: Gregory Daniel

Co-Owner | Gregory Daniel Portraits
Titusville, Florida
gregorydanielportraits.com

DATE: March 14, 2024

Today, we’re diving deep into the core of a luxury portrait business with the esteemed Gregory Daniel, owner of Gregory Daniel Portraits in Titusville, Florida.

Gregory is not just a repeat guest; he’s one of our most popular experts on all things branding and luxury, and today, he’s bringing up a topic that’s been simmering in his mind for some time now. (I feel like there should be a drumroll inserted here.)

Gregory poses the question: Do we really know what we’re selling?
As he shares his insights, it becomes clear that there’s a significant shift happening in the photographic industry and not a good shift. 

It’s a shift away from our core identity and purpose.

Gregory’s observations are profound. He emphasizes the allure of the experience-focused approach that many portrait studios are adopting, but he challenges us to reconsider where our priorities lie. 

Are we placing too much emphasis on the experience and neglecting the essence of our craft – the product itself?

There’s no doubt that the experience a client has in your studio is important. But should it be the only thing that matters? No. The experience certainly enhances the product, but it should never overshadow it. Gregory says it best when he says, “I think about my product and then the experience is wrapped around it. The experience cannot survive on its own.”

So, what are YOU really selling? Have you allowed yourself to get so experience focused that you aren’t helping your clients see the value in the finished product? 

If so, you’re not alone and you’re not without an answer!

Get out your notepads and pencils–you’re going to want to take notes on this one. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The importance of building a brand foundation with a strong sense of self
• How to put the product at the center of your business
• How to share who you are and who you are not

Here’s a glance at this episode:

• [2:58] – As an industry we are drifting away from who we are and what we sell.
• [5:33] – Gregory compares the shift to a raft ride experience.
• [7:45] – The experience should not be at the center. The core should be the product with the experience wrapped around it.
• [10:08] – Clients are going to have a great experience and the experience makes the product even more worth it. But the product is at the center.
• [12:43] – It is more important for your clients to know you than for you to know your clients.
• [14:59] – Gregory describes his business model and why it’s a little different. He gains inspiration by looking outside the photography industry.
• [17:26] – If you are clear about who you are and what your business is, the right-fit clients will come directly to you.
• [19:19] – Allison is also a fan of knowing who she is not.
• [21:36] – What other businesses focus more on the experience than the product?
• [24:23] – Selling digital files to post on social media is not a product.
• [27:38] – What is the thing that clients will see when they walk through the door that will make them say, “Wow! I want that.”
• [30:51] – Allison suggests a way to keep clients on track which also improves the experience.
• [33:50] – How can you make it clear who you are and what you do?
• [36:07] – Allison describes the avatar of her ideal client and it has nothing to do with money.
• [39:09] – Focusing on the experience is a business model, but is it the right one for you in this industry?
• [41:03] – When you wrap the product in an experience, the experience lasts from start to finish.
• [43:00] – Reading books and learning more are great, but you have to find your foundation first.
• [47:04] – What would be the one thing you would love to do and feel so passionate about doing if you wiped the slate clean?
• [51:39] – Make sure your brand is solid and it could form your product.

Links and Resources:
Download a Transcript
Book – Building A StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Book – The Experience Economy by B. Joseph Pine II & James H. Gilmore

Gregory Daniel
Website | Instagram

Do The ReWork
Website | Instagram

Allison Tyler Jones
Website | Instagram | LinkedIn