Where Have The Customers Gone?

Posted on 6/10/2009 by Jim Pickerell | Printable Version | Comments (4)

Traditional stock-photo sellers wonder why there does not seem to be any growth in demand for their product. The 2006 U.S. Census Bureau statistics of U.S. businesses could provide some clues.

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Copyright © 2009 Jim Pickerell. The above article may not be copied, reproduced, excerpted or distributed in any manner without written permission from the author. All requests should be submitted to Selling Stock at 10319 Westlake Drive, Suite 162, Bethesda, MD 20817, phone 301-461-7627, e-mail: wvz@fpcubgbf.pbz

Jim Pickerell is founder of www.selling-stock.com, an online newsletter that publishes daily. He is also available for personal telephone consultations on pricing and other matters related to stock photography. He occasionally acts as an expert witness on matters related to stock photography. For his current curriculum vitae go to: http://www.jimpickerell.com/Curriculum-Vitae.aspx.

Comments

Fred Voetsch Posted Jun 10, 2009
Excellent info that is very useful. This is what I like to see from Selling Stock.

Jose Pelaez Posted Jun 10, 2009
Not only is this a new market segment, but it's easy to envision how excited these buyers must be about their new capabilities. It will soon be seen not as an experiment but as an essential part of doing business. In other words, this market may now be ready to absorb price increases that micro must introduce to be a viable distribution model for photographers.

Sharon Mcdonnell Posted Jun 11, 2009
Thank you for this analysis. It seems like is also a reminder to look to the local businesses around us that would like the familiarity of the images but excited by the professionalism. I could use more advice on how to do this including contracts.
In my neighborhood the health care sector, one of the few growing business sectors in the US right now, advertises with an enormous range of imagery and they want local or "could be local" pictures. Moreover, it is important that they use local artists and demonstrate community connection.
These customer segments definitely seems like they would not want to spend hours at a computer terminal figuring out key words.
Thanks again.

Rohn Engh Posted Jun 16, 2009
And the next phase (coming soon):
Once the proletariat of photobuyers discovers that they can use SEARCH to find photographers who specialize, we will see the next phase… segmented, specialized market-targeting.
Niche photographers who have a passion for photographing in a certain area, – skydiving, childhood development, tanks, lambs, -you name it… the specialized stock photographers will be able to broaden their worth to buyers by consulting for/with the photobuyer on the very subject matter the buyer is working on.
SEARCH makes this happen…no matter where you live, or what your photo need.
Once this transformation comes about, – we’ll see a return to “organic” stock photography and a more natural look to images in the nation’s media.

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