After years in the business, sometimes its difficult to think back to the very first day you opened your doors, and waited patiently until the first client came in. 
Chances are even if you’re brand new, you’ve started out with friends and family. I remember doing a ton of friends, just to gain experience and to get my portfolio up to where we had something to show other prospects. That’s the best way to start.
I remember one of our dreams was to do love portraits, or photographs of two people in an image that portrayed a scene of romance. In order to get exactly the right look, Andrew photographed his brother and myself in a variety of photographs, which we used to show potential clients what we had in mind.
You have to have samples of what you truly want to do. A potential customer can’t read your mind, and they can’t picture what you describe. They have to see it to believe it, and want it.
You don’t need dozens of images. Just one or two to get your ideas across.
Then its time to get out and network. Bring your image with you and head out to a networking group. You can find dozens of them around your local area. Look in newspapers, call you chamber of commerce, or jump on Meetup.com. I had a list of a couple dozen networking opportunities after just a few minutes on Meetup.
Then go out and talk to people. It may take you several groups to find your first customer, so don’t get discouraged.
The funny thing is the more you network, the more you run into the same people again and again. I attended a lunch group yesterday and met someone new, and ran into the same person at an evening event. People at networking groups are out doing the same thing as you. You will run into the same people again and again. This builds trust and familiarity. Even if they don’t need your services, they may talk to someone later in the event and say, “You have to meet this photographer I just met…”
It will happen, just stick with it.
photo source rockesty
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