Millennial Marketing + Wedding Photography

I met Liene Stevens of Think Splendid a few years ago. I was immediately struck by her quick wit and determination to be great at whatever it is she's doing. Earlier this year, I had the chance to hear her speak at a conference about marketing, specifically, to the millennial generation (want to know what, exactly, that is? Stay tuned…) and how it relates to the wedding industry. I was so interested in her studies that I asked her a few questions about marketing, millennials, and mphotography…no, that wasn't a typo. I love alliteration, so I simply added an ‘m' to photography to make it work. THAT'S CALLED ART. Obvs.

If you'd like to read more about target marketing and how it relates to wedding photographers, please help me welcome Liene Stevens…

In a nutshell, what is Generational Marketing and why does it make a difference? Can you explain what a Millennial is?
Generational Marketing is the art and science of marketing to a specific generation – a group of people born in a set time and who grew up with attitudes, values and experiences different than people who were born in other times do. It's important to note that a person doesn't get to choose which generation they belong to. Millennials are the generation born between 1979 and 2000. They are also known as Generation Y, Echo Boomers, and Trophy Kids. They currently make up 1/3 of the global population and in 2007 became the majority consumer group for weddings. Though young (the oldest is 33) they're powerful. They were the generation responsible for Barack Obama being elected in 2008, accounting for about 70% of his popular vote margin, proving that young people are not apathetic about the issues that matter to them. Millennials are also expected to outspend Baby Boomers by 2017 in both standard and luxury goods and services.

Based on your research, what is the best way for photographers to market to prospective brides and grooms?
Millennials don't relate to the GenX-focused “it's your day” marketing that so many companies still use. Friends and family are a millennial's top priority. They believe a wedding is about everyone in the room and, according to our research with Splendid Insights, 98% want it to be a great experience for all of their guests. In fact, the word “fun” is the number one descriptor used by couples to describe how they want their wedding to feel and 71% want their guests to say theirs was the “best wedding ever.”

Because of this, photographers who show guests having fun at a wedding have an advantage over those whose portfolios are mainly detail shots. People hire a photographer for the memories, so make sure you're showing your ability to capture great memories with the people your clients love. Detail shots may get you published, but it's the people shots that get you hired. Employing a both/and focus rather than either/or while shooting is key.

What should a photographer expect from a Millennial?
There are many, but three stand out in particular for photographers:

Millennials value peer feedback because of growing up in an educational system that focused on group work in teams rather than individual study. They were taught that two (or three or four) heads were better than one, and are used to running their ideas by others in order to come up with the best possible solution. Because of this you are not just selling to a bride or groom and their moms. You are selling to everyone they have ever met whose opinion they respect. Social media mimics the way millennials make decisions and enables them to get peer feedback rather quickly. If you rush or force a millennial to make a decision on their own, it will sour the experience for them. How you enable them to feel in the decision making process is super important.

Photographers face a unique challenge because of how accustomed millennials are to the speed of technology. They know how fast a digital camera works, so if you tell them that their photos will arrive in 8-12 weeks without any other education on your process, they will think you are slacking. Fortunately, millennials believe that being creative is the number one trait their generation should have, so if you can reframe the way you explain your process to include that the photo delivery and albums may take longer because of the artistic process behind them, you will have more success and happier clients.

94% of couples say that the speediness of email replies matters when choosing which professionals to hire for their wedding. We're not talking within 24 hours here, were talking within one or two. Unreasonable? Maybe so, but this is a generation that wants to hear from you immediately and trying to change the habits of 1/3 of the global population is a battle you're not going to win. It is better to shoot a quick email saying you're on an errand and are excited to follow up with them later that day than to just let the email sit unanswered until you have a chance to pay full attention to it.

What should photographers stay away from in presenting him/herself online?
The only one thing photographers should avoid online is complaining about clients, kids or their partner. Millennials research everything — they will read your Twitter account even if they never follow you. If they see that you are willing to speak poorly about what should be your most sacred relationships — your family (and remember, friends and family are their top priority) — they will not be able to trust that you won't speak poorly about them.

Other than that, each person should decide their own boundaries based on their own goals and comfort level. Some people are comfortable sharing photos of their kids, and others aren't, and both are valid. For my own boundaries, I'll talk politics, but rarely faith because I am uncomfortable using something so sacred to me in any way that could be seen as a marketing gimmick. Other people are fine talking about their faith but uncomfortable talking politics online. Both choices are valid. I also recommend avoiding posting stories that make your immediate family feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. It's not worth burning those bridges in order to get a little bit more attention for your brand.

In your opinion, what role does client care play in marketing? Or does it at all?
I believe client care is very important, but that it goes beyond gifts. It is also never a substitute for quality work. A mistake I often see people make is focusing too much on the sizzle and neglecting the steak. They'll spend a lot on letterpressed business cards, expecting that to land them luxury budget clients the next week, and not work at all on their craft or email response times or all the other little details that make up the client experience. You can give a great gift, but if you can't return a phone call, the gift doesn't matter. Both are related to client care and both matter.

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Many thanks to Liene Stevens for offering her amazing insight. I feel lucky to have someone who specializes in the intersection of business and social behavior for wedding and lifestyle industries share freely with myself and others.

Happy Tuesday!