What do you think is the best way to advertise snakes?

[wolfy-hound]

When I'm looking for a snake, I don't care about the background color. No background color "draws me in" and no setting makes me more interested. I'm only looking at "snake". The window dressing at best does not detract or distract me from the snake. At worst, it's annoying because it obscures the process of examining the snake.

So i get what you're asking but honestly, I just want good shots of the product I'm looking to buy. Unlike a widget, I don't need to see it in use or set up in a display of how one would enjoy it. It's a snake and I want it based on it, and it alone.

So no, a red background doesn't make me more likely nor less likely to want that animal. It's all about the snake.

[kriwu]

When I'm looking for a snake, I don't care about the background color. No background color "draws me in" and no setting makes me more interested. I'm only looking at "snake". The window dressing at best does not detract or distract me from the snake. At worst, it's annoying because it obscures the process of examining the snake.

So i get what you're asking but honestly, I just want good shots of the product I'm looking to buy. Unlike a widget, I don't need to see it in use or set up in a display of how one would enjoy it. It's a snake and I want it based on it, and it alone.

So no, a red background doesn't make me more likely nor less likely to want that animal. It's all about the snake.

Actually, there are certain colors and settings that will draw you in, it's a very big part of marketing and advertising - it's just something that effects you subconsciously, so you never really think about it. I work in advertising, so that's why I'm so interested in this, I was wondering if there were specific things that people browsing through reptiles will react/be drawn to or shy away from as opposed to other consumer groups.

The census is no.

[distaff]

Actually, there are certain colors and settings that will draw you in, it's a very big part of marketing and advertising - it's just something that effects you subconsciously, so you never really think about it. I work in advertising, so that's why I'm so interested in this, I was wondering if there were specific things that people browsing through reptiles will react/be drawn to or shy away from as opposed to other consumer groups.

The census is no.

I really think there is a bigger *picture,* so to speak - for me, a positive interaction with the seller counts more than the photos. I want to buy from someone I can trust, and in such a case I'm willing to buy sight unseen if I am confident they will send me a nice animal. That is where the web site comes in, any videos they have made, any books they have written, and any correspondence I've had with them.

[FranklinMorphs]

I don't have a lot of experience on the doing the advertising side, but on the window shopping side, I have a LOT, lol.

A few of my personal habbits and observations that I would tend to bet a lot of people share. I rarely go more than 2-3 pages deep into a google search, so optimize the hell out of your site, and/or pay someone to do SEO for you, it will pay for itself.

I also like to see activity in forums or on Facebook. If you're not local, this the the only thing I have to go on to gauge your level of involvement in the industry as a whole, and to gauge you as the owner. Crickets online will mean one of two things to me, you have enough snakes that you don't have time to be online and you clearly need to look for help in your office, if not your shop. Or that you're just not engaged in the public aspects of the hobby/industry, which is fine, but it means that the information I can get up front is limited.

I also REALLY like to see clear and public records of your breeding process/hatchlings/clutches etc. This shows me that you're proud of your work and have nothing to hide, as well as makes my research before buying one of your snakes that much easier. On this front, I think JD Constriction is one of the best I've ever seen. He does it all on FB, which means I get automatic updates, which I love, but I would be just as happy if it was all just on his site. Before buying my snake from him I looked at every snake he has, all the of the clutches, etc. And became really familiar with his work in general. Then I was able to narrow it down to one of a few snakes I liked, then I was able to look at pictures of the parent from this year and last year, and really look at this years clutches from the snakes I was looking at, as well as when they bred, how often they locked, when they laid and when the eggs hatched. That just takes a lot of the guesswork and worry out of the purchase for me, and likely saves him a lot of time answering questions about his snakes.

I do find a lot of new places to look at on the forums and the classifieds, but I always do research on the breeder's own website before I even consider buying from them. I ran across a couple that had either no site at all, or only had FB pages that were practically barren. Advertise as much and as often as you can manage, but make sure you have the info and page to back up whatever you're advertising, that will get people to do much more than just glance at your ads. This seems to be a very fastidious community, which I for one really like.

With advertising in general, it's all about the leg work. I learned a lot about how not to do this with my last business. I didn't do any advertising ahead of starting up, didn't do much when I first started, then when I had product on the shelf, people were trying to figure out who I was and if they wanted to buy from ME, and the product just sat while they tried to figure it out, which meant a LOT more work for me later on in the process trying to play catch up.

[wolfy-hound]

I am aware of the subconscious issue in advertising but that's not something you can ask someone. When you ask "What appeals to you" you can't possibly be asking about subconscious indications, because if we knew, they wouldn't be subconscious, lol.

[daniel1983]

How I photograph snakes for sale depends on two things: (1) What snake are I am selling? (2) Who is my intended customer?

I look for different things depending on what I am buying. Looking to buy a het pied ball python....I want to see a belly shot of the markers. Looking to buy a scaleless head ball python....of course I want to see a headshot showing the scalation. Looking to buy a Toffeebelly hognose.....I want a belly shot.

Then you talk about customers. Look up some mountain kingsnake sale photos......that segment tends to use 'natural' type background such as granite or large rocks. Ball pythons tend to get photographed on white or black backgrounds. Selling to someone you don't know?....throw in a 'snake in the cage' photo to show that your enclosure is clean and the snake is kept appropriately. Varies depending on the customer.

There is no cookie cutter answer for your question. Mostly it is a judgement call and your customer's preference. I take a bunch of pictures and always leave it open to the customer for additional pictures upon request.

My main goal is always to accurately depict the snake you have for sale. This is in the best interest of yourself and the customer.

[kriwu]

Thank you for your response Daniel, that makes a lot of sense! I know my questions are pretty difficult to answer, and maybe people can't answer exactly what I'm looking for - but I appreciate your response!

[daniel1983]

Yes, it is not the easiest question to answer. If anyone asks me about photos, my response is always "make sure the snake looks like it looks".....ha ha.

I have seen a few "disputes" over the years due to photos.....sometimes a good picture can make a snake look a lot better than it really is. Sure it could help you get a sale....but it could just as easily get you a dissatisfied customer. If you are involved with marketing in other professions.....I am sure you understand the risks of not accurately representing goods for sale.

[kriwu]

If you are involved with marketing in other professions.....I am sure you understand the risks of not accurately representing goods for sale.

Absolutely and 100%. I assist the owners of my local exotic fish store with photography of their fish, and when a lionfish or a arowana looks different in a customer's tank with a LED light vs our white lights, people can get testy.

But people who purchase fish online, or the goats I photograph, or really anything - any group of consumers looking for specific things, are drawn to ads differently, and I just wanted to see if I could figure out what draws BP buyers. Like already stated, it is subconscious so most people don't really know how to answer it, but there's no harm in asking.