Above is an excerpt from a monthly newsletter I received from Modern Postcard today. I have used Modern Postcard in the past to print some of my monthly post card mailings, and was considering trying them again – but I’m having second thoughts. One sentence in their August Newsletter stuck out to me like a sore thumb, “So, skip the expensive photo shoot and create direct mailers with high quality images from iStockphoto.com!“. What? Skip the expensive photo shoot?

I know it’s important to broaden your customer base and there are some companies that cannot afford to spend thousands to have custom images created for their marketing efforts, but I have a few issues with this mailing:

1) I’m a photographer and I’m your customer Modern Postcard. You’re alienating me and thousands of other photographers with this type of language in your marketing! The people you are targeting with this email are those same clients that I am targeting.

2) Photo shoots don’t have to cost thousands of dollars! I know hundreds of photographers, including myself, who have schlepped 1,000 pounds worth of equipment into a mom and pop shop to create portraits of the owners, or to shoot an interior of their store. It didn’t cost thousands of dollars, and it was custom.

3) You’re missing an important point here – Yes, your small business clients can create marketing materials using imagery from iStockPhoto.com, BUT… they would be using the same imagery that can be seen in hundreds or even thousands of other outlets – including their competitors. There’s a big difference (which you don’t point out) between using Royalty Free imagery and using custom imagery created by a photographer such as myself. Did you point that out in your marketing?

Rather than try to help your customers find new, innovative ways to market themselves – maybe you should revisit who’s working in YOUR marketing department and send them back to day 1 of Marketing 101 – “Don’t Alienate Your Customers!”

UPDATE 8/28/2007: Modern Postcard cuts ties with iStockPhoto.com

About the author

Kevin Michael Reed
Kevin Michael Reed (Google+, Facebook) is a fashion & beauty photographer and producer/director based in New York City and Los Angeles, CA. He is the President/CEO of RedFOG Visual Media, a production company in New York City, and a partner in Passion of Photography, Inc, a company dedicated to teaching photographers and sharing our passion through charitable causes. Kevin has lectured and hosted workshops throughout the United States and the world teaching photographers the business and creative sides of photography. (Kevin's Fashion & Beauty Photography Portfolio can be seen here).