I get asked a lot of questions about how I started getting work and how I became successful as a professional photographer. One of the most difficult parts of the business is getting initial clients and building a client base. There are many variables, and each plays a role in how you obtain clientele and build your business. Each region and market is different, so just because something works for me doesn't mean it will work for you. Once you identify how your market operates, you'll have a better understanding of what you should do to make your business thrive.
Your clients want to see that the vendor they choose has the right qualifications to photograph their event. Everything comes together when meeting with potential clients. You are now representing your work, and everything you have worked hard to put together. Your investment in your equipment, website, advertising, and brand all comes together for the final test. You need to make sure you are ready to make the sale and win the hearts of your clients.
Call me Captain Obvious, but to gain clients, you need to have a few weddings under your belt. I do not suggest purchasing a DSLR and just going out to shoot someone's wedding without ever having shot one before. If you were going to do that, I would hope it is for a friend who trusts you and will vouch for your services and speak highly of you to potential clients.
Professionally speaking, no matter how much or how little you're being compensated you need to be able to work and think under pressure. You must have a complete understanding of how your camera and equipment works, how to troubleshoot any problems you encounter, and how to work with your clients. If you can find another professional who is willing to take you on a shoot with them, it's one of the easiest and most affordable ways to build your portfolio. Having the expertise of a professional you can ask questions of as you go will save you valuable time, rather than having to figure things out on your own on the spot.
Another way you can get sample shots is by attending the weddings of family and friends to capture moments, personally and own your own, or offering your services as a family wedding photographer. That's how I shot my first two weddings. Family may be a viable first option. Of course depending on your family dynamic, it may be more or less pressure. Remember that it is still someone's special day, and you should act accordingly. I started taking a nice camera to all of my family events so I could practice. This is a great way to obtain sample shots and build a portfolio for your website. As my business grew, I eventually replaced those preliminary images with more professional ones that I had taken with the higher-quality equipment in which I had invested.
Once your wedding photos start drawing more attention, I would suggest you also find a good album company to use. Being able to show a finished flush-mount album to your clients is key, and could potentially seal the deal. Being able to hold something tangible instead of viewing photos on a computer screen takes the client experience to a different level. There are plenty of good-quality flush-mount album companies to choose from, and you can usually get samples of their albums to review the build quality. It's a service that you should offer to all of your clients, and it's a lucrative one: you can typically mark up the album services by as much as 400 percent. Don't underestimate what you are worth as a professional; your expertise is why they pay you the big bucks.
Online sites are one of the easiest ways to capture potential clients. Some are better than others, and I have tried many. Before investing in any service, you should have a few things already completed. Make sure you have samples of your work to load for viewing, a professional looking website that gives the impression of a well-established business, and a separate company-based email address for your clients to contact you. Getting a few friends or clients to write you a good review to post to your site will help you with your web presence, as will great search engine optimization (SEO).
I use Thumbtack.com to advertise my services, which is where a majority of my jobs originate. Like anything else, there are some pros and cons to this system. One of the great things about Thumbtack is that you don't have to purchase anything until you are ready to bid on a job. They limit it to five quotes, and hopefully you'll have the best package, work or price. The strict limit on potential bids helps keep the selection from overwhelming the client, and provides you a much better chance on getting hired. Continuing your communication after providing the quote is key in making Thumbtack.com a success for your business.
There is also a negative aspect to this service. If the client decides to not book anyone or chooses someone else, you just spent money for nothing. This happens more often than not, but persistence is key. Keep in mind when paying for services like Thumbtack that they are hit or miss, and you're not going to ‘win' every job. In the beginning I aggressively pursued smaller, budget-focused jobs, just to get work samples. The problem with Thumbtack, though, is that they promote their website for the budget–conscious clients and state that they can save money by using Thumbtack. It costs nothing for the client to submit a project, but it costs the professionals a lot of money over time. I'm not trying to put down Thumbtack, because with the right communication and packages this service was a game-changer for my business. As my business has matured, Thumbtack remains a large part of my business, but I also spread out my advertising to other platforms.
If Thumbtack isn't your cup of tea, there are many other sites, like Craigslist, GigMasters, WeddingWire, and the Knot, and social media platforms. I have heard stories about all of the different types of services from both clients and professionals. Just take a look at what's popular in your area, both to your prospective audience and to professionals for hire, and trust that if it works for others it can most likely work for you. Don't make the mistake of expecting it to work like magic; effort is required on your part to make it work.
Advertising is one of the most important decisions you'll make during your journey as a business owner. Selecting the right service provider to manage, produce, or facilitate your ads can be the difference between taking this from a part-time gig to a full-time job. The rule of thumb is to reinvest approximately 10% of your business's annual income into advertising costs. When you start making money, investing back into your company can be a huge asset. It's important to make smart choices when spending your liquid assets. How to spend your money can be a hard decision, but some service providers and companies are easier on the budget than others.
One great way to advertise your services at minimal cost is by attending bridal shows. Make sure you have plenty of business cards on hand, as well as additional collateral material and samples of your work. Having a digital version of your work or an album with you for people to view can also help. Be prepared for all types of questions from potential clients as they contemplate their special day. You want to give them the impression that you are credible, knowledgeable, flexible, and accommodating, so you should have a full understanding of the industry. Make sure you keep your comments concise and to the point, with an understanding of what is expected from a wedding photographer. First impressions are very important and, at this stage, you want the couple to become very attentive.
Newspapers can be another good form of advertising, depending on your local market. Whether you live in a large metropolitan region or a smaller market with few photographers, saturation and demand will factor into the effectiveness of print advertising. If you can design an ad with specials or coupons to target readers, you will be more likely to have some clients contacting you. I would advise you to be careful when designing your ad, since newsprint doesn't tend to render the same visual quality as magazine ads. It's always best to err on the side of simplicity.
It's a dream for many photographers to have their photos published for free in magazines and other visual formats. This level of exposure can really bring a photographer out of the shadows and help them to become more recognizable among the community. The benefit of print advertising (aside from newspapers) is that it's somewhat immortal. You may get published in the June issue of a local magazine and it may end up lying on the waiting room table of a doctor's office. Maybe you won't get any calls for the first few weeks, but any patient could see your ad months later and end up calling you. It's the investment that keeps on delivering. If you can afford print advertisements, I would suggest trying it out at least once. They come in many different sizes, like 1/8”, 1/4”, 1/2” and full page; the larger the ad, the more expensive it will be. This doesn't mean you'll win a ton of work, but it's another way to draw attention to your business.
Facebook ads are probably one of the wisest ways to invest your marketing money. There is a highly favorable ratio between the cost margins in comparison to the amount of people you can reach. You can set parameters for your ad to capture engaged couples online or, if you want to be more specific, you can target gender, location and age as well. By determining these specifications, you can be certain that your ad will only reach a relevant audience of potential clients.
There are two types of Facebook ads, which are both effective. The first one is an ad designed to gain ‘likes' on your business profile page. This helps build your presence within the Facebook community and, once you start posting new content, all of the people who liked your page will be able to track your updates. The number of likes may seem insignificant but, in fact, pages with more likes rank higher in newsfeeds and perception of reputation and popularity. I have had serious inquiries from potential clients thanks to this method.
The second way to set up Facebook ads is to actually turn your Facebook business page into its own advertisement in order to drive traffic directly to your business website. This can be good if you really want to attract local, recently engaged couples to your website. These ads can be used to gain likes on your Facebook page, website links, or call to action buttons. Prospects must click on the ad in order for you to actually get charged for it, so make sure it's clear, concise and effective. However, even if they don't click on the Facebook ad, your name will continue to resonate with them as long as you've made your brand and your site clear and memorable.
There are multiple advertising outlets to choose from, and they're not all created equal. It's important to be selective and remember that each company is trying to make money and will usually have a minimum cost. Having the ability to say no is the best way to negotiate price. There was one directory that I was a member of, for free. I managed to obtain two jobs from it, and decided to pay for an upgraded slot. It was expensive to advertise with them, but I managed to talk them down to a very low rate of $88 per month. Now, 20 percent of my bookings come from that service provider alone. Not all of the advertising options will be suitable for everyone, but making some form of promotion a part of your business model is very important.
Whether you love it or hate it, the fact remains that social media is a big part of many lives. If you don't already have one, it's a good idea to create a personal Facebook page, even if you're averse to or not very well versed in using social media. Consider Facebook as a tool to help you connect with other people who may share some of your interests. If you really prefer not to have a personal Facebook page, you must at least establish a company Facebook account. Your company Facebook page should be a representation of your business and brand, complete with photos, updates, and engaging information.
Facebook's best asset for you, as a professional, is the consumer engagement process. Businesses can target and boost regular posts to a select variety of potential clients. Creating a personal Facebook page, in addition to your business page, will enable you to communicate with your current friends list and get your friends to like your business page. This will not only keep them informed about what is happening with your company, but it will greatly boost your business page's popularity stats. Having your friends engaged can help land potential leads, since they may think of you for a wedding or project of their own or for their friends and family. "Friending" all of my clients is something that I practice regularly. Not everyone will be comfortable with this approach, and some may find it a little invasive, but it really is a smart business practice. It enables clients to connect with you on a more personal level and see you as more of a friend or someone they trust than a vendor. This is very important in terms of developing rapport and continued trust. Doing something like this is completely optional and discretionary, but it will greatly increase the likelihood you will stay top-of-mind and win more jobs from that audience.
As I said earlier, having people "like" your company Facebook page is another way to get them involved and interacting with your brand. Make sure to keep all of your posts relevant to the business and keep personal activities separate. No one wants to see your personal family photos or weekend plans on your business page. Consumers want to see examples of your work, recent jobs, and company updates; hopefully, your images and posts will compel them to book your services in the future.
There are many other ways to get clients to your website and engaged with your services. While many wedding photographers will use wedding-oriented service providers, other photographers could use Angie''s list as a form of promoting their business as well. Wedding Wire and The Knot are two of the top wedding resources. It's free to create a profile page, although there is a small catch: To be displayed on the first two pages of a potential client's search results, vendors have to pay a monthly fee. This can cost upwards of $500 per month. Don't let that discourage you though; many independent photographers don't go this route because they simply can't afford to consistently compete with the larger vendors and companies who do pay that kind of money. There is definitely a value to these services, but it would be wise to refrain from making this type of investment until you know that your business is financially sound and you can afford to take such an avenue somewhat regularly. Remember, consistency is key in business, with everything you do.
Twitter is a platform that enables users to share and receive a 140-character message called a "Tweet." Tweets are so simple that it's surprising how many people neglect to tweet on a daily basis. Some may not fully understand the concept, but there are people and businesses that rely solely on Twitter. Showcasing your brand and company information on as many platforms as possible will boost your ability to keep the maximum number of people engaged. Understanding the different platforms is important, because the audiences vary greatly and large portions of consumers are not cross-platform users. Don't miss the opportunity to connect with a certain demographic by failing to capitalize on the opportunity to utilize social media outlets as tools to expand your business.
LinkedIn is another easy account to set up and use to promote your business in cyberspace. It's also unique because it's mostly a platform for professionals and companies. LinkedIn carries a different type of brand presence that might help you be taken more seriously. To begin, you should have your Twitter and Facebook accounts already established so that you can link those profiles to your LinkedIn page. There are two formats available on LinkedIn — personal pages and business pages. To establish a business page, you need to first obtain a company-specific email address, which ends with your unique company domain. LinkedIn will not allow the use of standard web provider email addresses, such as Gmail, Yahoo, and Live, to establish business pages. To get a company email address, you'll need to contact your web service host provider and set up an email account.
Although I've only addressed the big three (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn), there are many other social media platforms, like Google+, Pinterest, Flickr, StumbleUpon, and many others. Using all of these platforms isn't necessary, but it can help you rank higher on search engines like Google. These accounts alone won't be enough to keep your rankings where they should be, though. Optimizing and regularly monitoring and maintaining your website's SEO will help you outrank other professionals in your market on Internet search engines.
After you've diligently set up all of your social media outlets, it's time to make sure they're visible on your website. It's a good idea to keep people aware of your social media accounts by offering links in emails; on your business cards, flyers, and local bulletin boards; or in person when you meet with prospects. An effective way to increase interest and get people to frequent your social media sites is to offer sweeteners, like “one-day-only” Facebook discounts and special coupon codes that will only appear on Twitter. You'll find a balance of what's most comfortable, lucrative, and effective for you, and you're likely to end up promoting some of your sites more than others. There's really no wrong way or right way, one-size-fits-all solution. As long as you're using social media and using it consistently, you will enjoy more business growth than you would by using conventional advertising methods alone.
Your website is like a digital business card. Having a well-mapped, functional website is one of the most important things you can have as a business owner. Most photographers don't claim to also be expert web designers or web developers. There are many website companies meant exclusively for the do-it-yourself entrepreneur who may not have those talents. You can build a wonderful website at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional, and usually pretty quickly. If you can afford to have a website developed by a professional, it's definitely a wise investment. Most photographers I know, however, usually find a friend who has website development skills and who will help them build a site inexpensively or as a favor. If you do have a background in web design and you're well versed in building sites, then your job will be a lot easier. I personally went to school for graphic design and am self-taught in web development. Even so, I now rely on a service that is relatively easy to use but also customizable for the advanced user.
Managing and maintaining your website is key to continue engaging potential clients with your business. You can't just slap together a site, make it live, and call it a day. Your site needs to be continually evolving as an extension of your brand, and it should grow as you grow. Have you ever visited a website that was outdated and not functional, only to leave that site feeling frustrated? Don't let your potential customers have that same experience. Talk with other photographers and collect their business cards to find out what they use, and then determine what you're comfortable with. I like Squarespace.com because they have many templates you can experiment with and customize. Squarespace is a platform, which provides you with the ability to populate your content quickly and effectively without much manual effort. The platform is very responsive and, with a minor amount of HTML knowledge, you can build a beautifully customized website for your business.
Having the right domain and hosting provider are important, too. A domain is a component of the uniform resource locator (URL) used to access websites. You type domains every day when visiting websites. For example, Google.com is a domain. Once you have established your domain, you have to link it to your web service hosting provider. Squarespace is an example of a host provider, but there are many other great providers out there.
WordPress is another popular provider. I recently stopped using WordPress for my blog, but you can create wonderful websites in WordPress if you're web savvy. There are other easy, user-friendly providers, but just make sure whatever you choose is easy to update and looks more custom than template. A unique look is another aspect you should strive for, because the last thing you want is to have a website that resembles a competitor's website.
Before trying to search for jobs or potential clients, it's a good idea to make your business available on all major directories. To figure out where your site is visible, you can go to a website called Yext.com. This website will prompt you to fill in your business information so that it can scan the Internet based on your entries and locate the sites you are currently using. If you prefer, you can pay Yext or a different service provider to manage your online directories and populate the information for you. The information consists of your business name, contact info, and website address. Typically these services cost about $29.99 per month. I've created profiles on Yellow Pages, event planning sites like Eventective, wedding planning sites, and other public business pages such as Yelp and Google Places. Having a presence on these websites can greatly boost your popularity and probability of being found on the web. It's common for people to Google your name to see how well established you are. Having a well-established website, with real testimonials or reviews can increase your credibility and the credibility of your business. It helped me compete with firms that were more established than I was currently.
I have been able to land jobs across multiple platforms from services I never expected to be beneficial. LivingSocial and AmazonLocal are a few different platforms where you can get business. These sites can drive traffic and real paying clients to you with ease. These directories, along with the power of search engines, can push your business toward success. Don't underestimate the power of search engines and directories. If you're proactive in managing your visibility, these services do work, and ultimately provide you with quality leads, which can become loyal clients.
You may be pleasantly surprised to know that some of these types of sites have sister sites that can cross populate your information to further increase your visibility, without you actually joining them on your own. I've conducted searches on my business and found myself listed on sites for which I hadn't ever created profiles. Prudent business owners search for their businesses online periodically, because it's always helpful to know how you look to consumers and potential customers. Sometimes you may also find reviews about your company. All in all, the more information you put out there, the better off you will be when it comes to attracting potential work.
After studying the best possible techniques, researching the finest equipment, developing your website, and fine-tuning your business practices, setting your prices should be the next goal. Being competitive without underselling your services is a balancing act. In the beginning I reduced my margins to gain any job possible. I set my prices as low as possible without working for free. As painful as it might sound to consciously choose less profit when you really seem to need it, starting out with aggressive prices will most definitely get you clients, referrals from those clients, and jobs you might've otherwise lost to more well-known vendors. There are other benefits to this philosophy, such as gaining experience and building an adequate portfolio. If you under sell and over deliver, making sure to give each client your absolute best while pricing yourself affordably, the temporary pain your wallet and ego might feel will soon be alleviated by the rave reviews and increased business you're bound to gain. In hindsight, there's one thing I'd change about my approach to striking out on my own, and that's doing it all alone. Sure, my low prices, strong work ethic and dedication to customer service won me enough jobs to get me started and earn some referrals, but life would've been easier if I had teamed up with another photographer and shadowed him or her for a few jobs. Shadowing fellow professionals can be one of the easiest ways to learn the trade. You can watch plenty of videos, and read how-to magazines, but unless you get out there with your gear and shoot with another professional, the learning curve may be slower. You'll learn quickly about tips and tricks on how to shoot in all sorts of situations. Shooting with another pro can quickly help you build a portfolio that can provide you the opportunity to obtain work on your own.
Another reason I decided to take any job I could get was for the exposure. Your talent as a photographer is something that you hope everyone will notice, but most people don't know the difference between mediocrity and greatness when it comes to the artistic and technical aspects of photography. When trying to educate your clientele, it's possible that your demeanor and attitude toward customer service will help you win jobs more than your skills will. Having a strong foundation in photography will give you confidence and expertise so that you can offer a distinctive level of skill and exceptional customer experience, but a friendly and helpful personality will turn your clients into friends, and that's the kind of professionalism that builds networks.
Determining your value can be tricky if you haven't yet had a job and if you're unfamiliar with the market. It's important to research what clients are willing to pay for photographers in your area and in your specific field of photography. Supply and demand is usually a decent guide. For example, wedding or event photographers are probably plentiful in metropolitan areas, so the pricing is likely to be on a more consistent scale and somewhat lower than more niche areas of photography. However, if your area of expertise is highly specialized (i.e., you work exclusively with musicians, recording artists, and dancers in private studio settings, or maybe you're an urban photographer specializing in cityscapes, etc.) you can probably justify somewhat higher prices.
One common mistake new photographers make is assuming people will pay top dollar for your services if you haven't had the proper experience or exposure. Would you pay steep prices for someone you haven't heard of before, or weren't totally sure how qualified they might be? Credentials are important with anything you're going to do professionally. When you apply for a job, employers look at your résumé to see where you went to school, whether you have a degree, the quality of your education, and your work experience and history. Your portfolio and background in professional photography will be just as important to your future clients when entrusting you with documenting their memories. Over time, your brand will carry the weight of the prices you can eventually charge, but be careful not to set the prices higher than what makes sense. For example, if you had a package priced at $2,500 and then realized that only two clients booked you in six months, you would probably feel inclined to reduce the price of your packages. Most likely, this reduction in price would not sit well with the clients who booked you at a higher price if they found out about it or noticed it on your website. Referrals are a very real part of the photography business and, if they indeed referred your services, the price reduction would eventually get back to them somehow. “Low and slow” is your best bet. Start out very competitively and gradually increase your prices over time, in proportion to your growing portfolio. Prices are expected to rise over time, and increasing the value of your services sends the right message to past and future clients. Everyone likes to get a good deal, and if you can deliver a high level of service and a quality product/experience for a reasonable price that still earns you a profit, then everybody wins. Time is money, and the more time-consuming services you include in your packages the less you'll earn per hour. If your goal is to earn more money, you can either raise your prices across the board or price your packages for bundling so that you can offer discounts when a client books a combination of services. A global price increase will boost your hourly earnings per job. You'll benefit from changing your prices every year or so, and establishing the numbers will become easier with experience.
Once you carefully review what you are willing to put time into and how much work you're willing to do for albums, prints and other services, you'll know what will make a package stand apart from the competition. You'll also hear things from clients in regards to other types of packages and deals they've seen elsewhere, and how inclusive and comprehensive those numbers are. If you can keep your work to a minimum while offering items that don't require a lot of time, your hourly rate will increase because you'll have less on your plate. It's all about finding the balance that will bring the most value to you and your clients. Another trick is package bundling pricing. When clients book multiple services, you can offer them a discount while still making exactly what you want. If my client decides on a wedding photography package, and has an interest in videography, I will explain my packages and entice them to bundle it with the package. In doing so, they receive a discount off of both packages. Presenting options like these can be the bait that lands more gigs on your hook. Having a sweetener in your presentation will give you the ability to sell your services with confidence.
Once you have figured out how to price your services, you'll need to decide whether or not to make the information public. Many high-level professionals opt not to list pricing on their sites and require customers to contact them for details regarding their prices. This actually helps drive conversation about a customer's needs and facilitates a better understanding of their expectations and budget. Conversely, if you're not well known or if your reputation isn't established, omitting pricing information can deter potential clients from contacting you. Many times a straightforward, transparent approach is better in the beginning – and if you're pricing your services competitively, you want that to be seen up front in order to expedite the process.
If you decide to create a page listing your prices, make sure to include everything you offer and assign a value to it. Something as simple as a disk of digital negatives can mean a lot to the customer. On my website, I have a copy of the disk for a wedding or event listed at $150. It's inexpensive and relatively easy to make, but it shows the client an added value to the experience and reminds them that it takes you time to offer these touches. When someone looks at what's included in each package, they may calculate the individual prices and understand that packages are a more affordable solution. This makes it easier for you to up-sell your services, packages and additional touches you may offer.
Most people, whether professional or not, understand the importance of business cards. Try to think outside the box with the design, paper stock, and size. Don't let the standard specifications stop you from creating something unique in size and design. Millions of people carry and exchange business cards every day, and it's important to stand out and be memorable. Keep your business card clean and simple with your name, web address, and any appropriate contact info you deem important. Keep plenty on you at all times, because opportunities to network can pop up wherever you go, even at unexpected times. Being caught empty-handed can really hurt you and cause you to miss opportunities to create relationships, develop referral partners, and win clients. People aren't likely to remember your company if you just tell them about it verbally; having a card to present them with will keep you front-of-mind and set off that light bulb when they have or hear of a need for the services you provide. Pushing yourself professionally is just as important as pushing your brand.
Businesses can be similar. People don't choose companies, they choose people. Attitude is everything. It's more than just the way you treat your clients, it's also about how you work with your team members. If a prospective client came to your office and witnessed you speaking in an unkind way to one of your team members, they may feel uncomfortable and wonder if that's how you'll treat them. People want to know that they're working with good people. On the other hand, you may sometimes have to be selective when choosing clients, since not everyone is going to be a perfect fit for you. Turning away work isn't something I love to do, but it's necessary every now and then when clients with conflicting personalities could end up causing more stress and aggravation than the job is worth. Learning how to spot clients like that is important, because your time is money and your services are valuable.
Having a fun, caring, and fun-loving personality can really help you seal the deal. You'll also need to hone your selling skills by fine-tuning the parts of your personality that may present challenges when interacting with potential clients. If you're naturally introverted and shy, or easily intimidated and insecure, it might be hard for you to project the type of confident posture necessary to gain the trust of potential clients. In addition to confidence and posture, you'll also get much farther with a warm and inviting personality that makes people feel comfortable, as we discussed earlier. Being relatable is an asset. When clients feel like you identify with them on a personal level and truly understand and care about their needs, they are more likely to not only choose you over another vendor but also to recommend you to friends and family.
Don't feel like you have to memorize a script or come across as persuasive. Just know your services, know your prices, be firm on your value and confident that you're providing a great deal, and treat each client with respect. If this type of charisma comes naturally to you, you should have no problem growing your business organically.
Sometimes you'll win a job over the competition based on your personality alone. Whenever you have a choice between two or more service providers, you're usually more likely to favor the one who treats you better, right? Doctors, for example. Let's say you switched insurance or moved to a new city and you're scouting out medical professionals in the area, trying to choose your next primary care physician. You've met two equally qualified doctors, about the same distance from your home or work, and they're both in your insurance network. On paper, they're both convenient and qualified. However, Doctor A is friendly, positive, and takes him time answering your questions without making you feel rushed or unimportant. He also seeks out multiple solutions to your problems instead of just quickly writing you a prescription and making you feel like you have limited options. Doctor B is the opposite. He's got a busy practice with lots of patients and you always end up waiting for an appointment well past your scheduled time. Once you actually see him, he rushes in and out, scribbles a prescription on his pad, and leaves you with unanswered questions and a feeling of confusion. Aren't you more likely to choose Doctor A because he gave you more peace of mind and took more time with you?
Partnering with other vendors, or building up your team, can provide many benefits to you and your business. It's desirable to get your name out there in order to have other businesses refer you. This is another reason why having great marketing materials on hand can set you apart – if your ordinary business card falls off a counter or bulletin board and someone else's spectacular brochure stands out, then you're less likely to get remembered. Creating relationships with local businesses and vendors also helps. It's got to be a two-way street. If you've never patronized a business before and then you ask them to display your information and refer your business, it comes across as disingenuous. Another very positive thing is to get venues to place you on a preferred list, which can be rather easy. Most of the time they will require a meeting with you to evaluate your work and get the necessary information before making a decision to allow you to become a preferred vendor.
Partnerships drive business through collaboration. All professionals should want to help each other, and the ones who understand that there are enough jobs to keep close relationships with like-minded individuals are the ones who will excel. Having a mentality of abundance instead of scarcity, and actively seeking out a mastermind group with whom to collaborate, can only help you grow both personally and professionally. You can also give your business an edge by offering services that you typically do not offer, which makes it easier to refer to others and, in turn, hope that they'll return the favor. This last point is why it's also important to offer unique touches or competitive prices – because others who don't know you very well might have a hard time referring their valuable clients to you if there isn't something that sets you apart or makes you more worthwhile than others they may already refer to. If you only offer photography services, you could partner with a videographer and maybe someone who does photo booths. Having the ability to offer your clients more options and make things easier for them may land you the opportunity to gain more work and help other professionals in the same regard.
Networking is something every professional should be actively involved in. Some people love it and some people hate it, but you can research to find the best and most enjoyable/valuable networking events and organizations in your area. Not all networking groups are created equal, and you'll be able to tell quickly if you're wasting your time with a particular event or organization. If networking doesn't come naturally to you, approach it like speed dating. It's never a good idea to spend too much time talking to someone who you can already tell doesn't share any common interests, practices, or clients. Try to meet, build rapport, and connect with people who may overlap your ideal client pool and who can introduce you to other people you might like to meet. Going to conventions, seminars, and workshops can also help educate you as a professional and get you exposure with other people in your field to form working relationships and collaborations, and potentially uncover additional job opportunities.
Building a team is optional. Many of the photographers I know run their businesses like a two-person show. Since I accept my limitations as only being one person and having a family and another career to juggle, I decided it would be best to build a team of qualified individuals. I would love to take credit for the idea of starting a team, but it wasn't mine. A friend had reached out to me on Facebook and asked if I was looking for an assistant, and today she's one of the best photographers on my team. Opportunity rarely knocks twice, so don't turn down the chance to work with someone or accept help when it's offered.
At the time, I wasn't thinking of hiring anyone since I was just starting out, but she was interested in learning as much as she could and was willing to put in the time required. After a year of practice and purchasing her own equipment, she was prepared to handle wedding gigs on her own. She now is one of my senior associate photographers, whom I regularly consult with on business decisions. Thanks to her coming onboard, I realized that I had the potential to attract more clients by building a quality team – or as some would call it, my mastermind group.
Today, I have over 10 team members who share my passion. They're learning and growing professionally, and we all benefit from the combination of unique perspectives. It's a win for everyone on the team, and I wouldn't be where I am today without them. You should think about building a team if you want to eventually book multiple jobs on the same day. If you're a wedding photographer, remember that certain months are more popular among couples, so you're more likely to book consecutive jobs during these times. Having the ability to be resilient and available during wedding season by having a handful of professionals ready to work will keep your business moving in the right direction and help you avoid losing jobs to bigger companies.
Whether you're a fan of blogging or not, most professionals will agree that a blog is an important resource. A blog is a way to educate your clients and bring visitors to your website, which is one of the biggest ways you'll win business. Being perceived as helpful, original, informative, and providing thought leadership will inevitably give you an edge. When I started out, I was merely populating my blog with congratulatory wishes to my recently married clients. None of the information was engaging, nor did it serve any educational purpose. I soon realized that I didn't like maintaining a blog, since I was running every other aspect of the business, too. If you're not a writer by trade, blogging can be very tedious and time consuming. In that case, it's not a bad idea to have someone else (or a number of people) guest-write blog posts for you, or even just provide links and references to helpful content you've seen (with appropriate credits and references, of course). Having interesting information populating your blog can drive traffic to your website from all over the Internet and, in case you didn't already know, you can optimize each blog post for SEO and add tag words to increase your visibility even more. Many soon-to-be brides are in search of advice about everything regarding their wedding, from dresses and makeup, to venues and seating arrangements. Keeping information relevant and informative can boost engagement, and getting people to subscribe to your blog is an effective way to keep people up-to-date with your company news. Your engagement will suffer greatly without a blog.
I used to have a blog through WordPress, but my web service provider (Squarespace) has a blogging module integrated with their platform. I decided to stop using WordPress in favor of the all-in-one service offered by Squarespace in order to keep everything tightly integrated within my website. It's more beneficial for potential customers to read my blog and be directed to my website and other services than it is for them to view my blog on an external site. This enhances the customer experience from the start and increases the likelihood of being contacted for jobs.
Many professionals will agree that they love their clients, and the best thank-you is referrals. While doing wonderful work for your clients usually provides a return on future clients, keeping them engaged during the time when they can't provide you work is very helpful. Promotions are a way to give past, current and future clients a chance to get something for staying connected with your business. Contests and sweepstakes are just one way you can engage people.
While contests may not be an actual service, they are something I provide to current and future clients. Everyone wants to get something for free, with no strings attached. Don't be afraid to give away a photo session or a product for free to help promote your company. Such incentives are an easy way to push more traffic to your website and social media pages in order to receive additional referrals. Keeping people engaged with your company is one major reason to hold a contest. I also like to promote these giveaways to show my appreciation for past clients and future clients.
There are companies that offer services to assist you in setting up a contest, but I decided to just post giveaways on my website and social media profiles instead. Since contests are likely to draw traffic to your website, you should make sure all legal information is clearly posted and up-to-date on your website. You need to make sure it is fair, and that the terms are clearly stated. Only offer what you are comfortable providing free of charge.
Email is a perfect tool for continuing engagement with past and present clients. It isn't too difficult to find an email service that fits with your budget and needs. MailChimp is a free service that is supported by the Squarespace hosting provider. The initial, basic package is free of charge, perfect while you grow your business, and there are also paid packages you can purchase down the road.
MailChimp was founded back in 2001. It currently has over 7 million users who collectively send out more than 10 billion emails each month. The free account allows the small business owner to send 12,000 emails per month to 2,000 subscribers, without any contract or credit card required. This is very desirable and attractive to many fledgling business owners.
While most of these additions will require you to invest more capital into your company, adding different streams of revenue to your bottom line will keep your business healthy and growing. You must evaluate how your current services lineup affects your business. Adding services is not a one-size-fits-all deal, but some services may offer you flexibility in how you manage your free time and gain more revenue for your business.
There are so many aspects to running a business, and while it's hard, the work and effort you put into it will be worth it in the end. When meeting with clients, they should immediately see your passion for what you love to do. Taking photos is not just a job; it's much more than that. It's creating something for someone you don't know, capturing emotion, making memories that last a lifetime. It's those once in a lifetime moments, that are gone so fast, and with your skill as a photographer they are captured forever. It's my desire to communicate that with my clients, and have them understand why I love to do what I do.
