Thursday, August 20, 2009

Business Day Thursday: Wal-mart vs. Nordstrom Customers - Who's Your Market?

Good Afternoon Everybody,

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         Wow, we had a great time last night with my "Let My Light Shine On" webinar. Thank you everyone for the "rave" reviews. The presentation went a little longer than the scheduled 90 minutes - almost two hours - but heck, just that much more "bang for the buck."

We had about 95 people in the audience and ton's of questions from the participants.  What I loved about the presentation was the fact that I had Nicholas standing by fielding all the questions and answering ALL Of THEM with the exception of the one's he passed on to me. 

If you missed it and would still like to get in on all the information I covered, you can head on over to the Digital Resource Center [link] and download your own personal copy.  It's a great resource for anyone wanting to take their outdoor photography to the next level.

Because the presentation is in "real" time it certainly brings a sense of spontaneity to the the presentation for all, including me. I've got a few things up my sleeve for the next presentation so stay tuned to DigitalProTalk for details.

Hey gang, I've still have a busy day on my plate and need to pack for the wedding celebration this weekend so let's get right to this week's Business Day Thursday episode.  Here we go...

Wal-mart vs. Nordstrom Customers - Who's Your Market?

A few weeks ago while on my training shoot with my two assistants we were just discussing "customers" over lunch. We have a new Nordstrom's - one of my favorite stores - opening up in Cincinnati in just a few weeks.  In fact, I'm shooting the grand opening for them.

Happy Shoppers - iStock_000006404809XSmallAnyway, the topic of customers and customer service came up.  One of my assistants made a remark about the state of mind of two different customers - the Nordstrom customer and the Wal-Mart customer. 

He put it something like this. "You know, when you observe the Wal-Mart customer, they are always in a hurry - they just want to get in and get out and be on their way.  The whole shopping experience is just that - rushed.  Add to that, a few hungry kids in tow and more errands to run, the shopping experience may even be a hassle."

He continued, " But now consider the Nordstrom customer.  They are generally upscale with a few more disposable dollars to spend.  When they visit Nordstrom's it is truly a pleasant shopping experience.  Nordstrom's helps make it a pleasant experience with impeccably kept stores, very knowledgeable personnel, and a customer is always right policy.  People are generally relaxed and happy when they shop Nordstrom's."

You know his comments jolted me to a realization of what kind of experience do we want our customers to have - a Wal-Mart experience or a Nordstrom experience.  I like to think we provide the Nordstrom experience at my studio.

What kind of experience do you provide at your studio - is it classy, warm, friendly, upscale?  It needs to be if we want to sell our products and services to a client who is willing to spend more for the Nordstrom experience. 

Sure, each of us is in a different place in our careers and in growing our businesses. But regardless of where we are, the Nordstrom "road map" is a good road map to follow. I found this wonderful piece on the "Nordstrom Experience" right here.  It's in PDF form so I suggest you download it, print it, tape it up in your work place, read it every day, and point yourself and your studio employees in that direction.

Hey gang, that's it for me today.  I've got bags to pack, batteries to charge, and flash cards to clear.  I’ll see you from 30,000 feet tomorrow. Adios, David

4 comments:

  1. I really want to hear your comments about the 50D. I also want to know you thoughts on the lens 18 - 200, I'm thinking about buy this lens. Your comments on these two items is greatly appriciated!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry, it's not bad English it's bad typing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. How you treat your customers dictates how much you can charge?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yeah, I do believe the shopping experience influences how much clients will spend in the end.

    On the other hand when I go to Wal-Mart I usually take my time and try to find the best deals on anything that I may need or want.
    There is something to be said for the variety of items and the inexpensive prices that Wal-Mart provides.

    I think for most of us there will be a middle ground because, lets face it David, we are not as established as you... but we strive to be.

    I printed the PDF out and will see what I can draw from it.

    As always thanks for getting the gears turning...

    ReplyDelete