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The One-Two Punch For Finding Photography Clients

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Its sad to see a photographer who is really good at photography, yet knows nothing about business.

When we were first starting to climb the ladder of success within the photography industry, we met a couple who were several years older and had several more years of experience. We looked at their work and instantly knew they were one of the best photography studios in our area. Until we got to know them and started learning more about how they ran their business.

When we would get together for dinner, they would proceed to list out several things they were currently working on. And those several things seemed to change every few months. Then they confided the real truth.

“As much as we love photography, we just can’t rely on it for a full time income. We have never been able to figure out how to push it to the point of creating a secure and profitable income.”

These people had some “major player” clients. They were written up in local media. They won awards and were recognized within the photographic industry. Looking at them, they were the people to model. They looked like they had it all together.

But while they were very good at photography, they had never taken the time to learn about the business world.

They created their pricing structure for the low end because:

They felt guilty about charging “too much”, even though it was their belief system that created what “too much” meant, not what others were willing to pay

They let the low end structure their pricing – and their high end was more than happy to pay it, knowing they got a “deal”

For all of these reasons and more, their marketing, pricing, and financial tasks struggled. [Read more...]

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3 Things Your Photography Clients Will Never Tell You … Unless You Ask

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What’s the best way to grow your photography business? If you said “through referrals” you are correct. The concept of referral marketing involves two things:

1. Being able to make your clients even happier and more profitable throughout the years

2. Having each client refer you to their friends and family.

These two steps are all you need to grow your business without spending a ton more on marketing.

And while its easy to assume your clients are happy and referring you, its completely different than really knowing if its true. To get a handle on these two things requires you to ask each customer these three things.

#1 – Why did you choose to use me?

Customers are selfish by nature. When they decide to use a company or service, its because you have met all of their qualifications as a business owner. Yet every client has different qualifications. For some that might include great prices, good customer service, or a strong rapport – all of which they will rarely volunteer unless you ask for the information.

So ask them.

Find out what you are doing right. Then use that information to hone in and do more of it. When you start seeing patterns – multiple people focusing in on what they like best – you may have found a unique selling point that you can use in your marketing to attract more people, just like them.

#2 – Is there anything you wish I offered or would do differently?

As a small business owner, chances are you operate to a certain extent with blinders on. That’s not bad – its easy to do. You get so close to your business because you live it and breathe it everyday, that its hard to look beyond the norm for something new. [Read more...]

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How To Clone One Client And Turn Her Into One Hundred Clients

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Jenna has been planning on having a family since the day she married her best friend. They were going to work for a year, buy their first home together, settle down and start their family. One year came and went. So did the second year. And the third.

Finally after many trips to fertility experts and tens of thousands of dollars in treatments, Jenna and her husband were pregnant. They were ecstatic. They wanted to enjoy every moment of this child from this point forward.

They found Trish, a photographer who specializes in maternity and baby portraits and instantly knew they had to use her to remember this experience forever. Two weeks before the baby’s due date, Jenna and her husband entered Trish’s studio, and captured the joy and love they felt for their first child. Three weeks later, the baby was born – a little girl who became their pride and joy. Another two weeks flew by and Jenna brought in her baby girl for her first baby portrait.

Jenna didn’t just love her portraits; she loved everything about the experience. She purchased everything Trish recommended – from wall portraits, to albums, to collages and digital albums she could share online with family and friends far away. She became an evangelist for Trish’s business, raving about her in every play group and meeting she attended.

Sounds good, right? Wouldn’t you love to have a client like this? What about having 100 clients like this?

When you see it written out like this, its easy to get excited and see how this one client could help your business grow massively.

Yet then something happens. The mail comes. The phone rings. An order is “lost” and an “emergency” suddenly commands attention. And the thought of your perfect customer disappears.

So customers come and go. Some are good. Some not so much.

Yet if you stop and think about it and reflect back on who your perfect customer was and who you would love to work with again and again – Jenna’s name pops up every time.

So the key to success isn’t bringing in more customers. Its bringing in more Jenna’s.

But how do you do that?

Clone her of course.

Okay, I’m not serious about cloning her. We can’t do that yet ;) But if you’ve fallen in love with “Jenna” as your client, you can bet there are 100 more “Jenna’s” out there that are in similar circumstances and they would make just as great customers as Jenna was.

How do you reach those other 100 customers? You speak directly to them. [Read more...]

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The Two Most Important Words In Your Photography Marketing Plan

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With just a few minutes of reading to finish this post, you will become better at marketing your photography business, all because you learned the two most important words you can use in your marketing tools and why they will help you.

Two words. By using these two words over and over again in your marketing, not only will it enhance the way your prospects and clients look at you, it will also help you discover a stronger connection with your clientele. All because you focused in on what they truly love the most.

In the last two paragraphs, I’ve used both words again and again. Did you catch them?

If not, let me share them with you now.

The First Word Is You

Let me share  two paragraphs with you.

I am a photographer who specializes in model portfolios. I have photographed clients in many locations, from inside my studio to on-location work at some of the best hotels in the world. I can provide you with a great portfolio that will have agencies knocking on your door.

or

What would make you look your best? Do you enjoy a day of pampering, where someone else is in charge of hair and makeup, ensuring you look your best? Or would you prefer to have a part in the direction of your special day – helping to create the perfect portrait experience you’ve dreamed about?

Which do you prefer? What is more compelling about the second paragraph? [Read more...]

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One Great Way To Give Away Your Photography

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As I sat in the doctor’s office with my mom a while back, I couldn’t help but notice how cold it was. In the waiting room, it was just a bunch of chairs along a wall with the receptionist busy at work behind the desk. Other than the windows on one wall, there was nothing in the room. It didn’t change when we went into the exam room. A table, a sink, a couple of chairs … and four very empty walls.

Granted, this is a heart surgeon and he doesn’t have an overly warm bedside manner. And its clearly obvious he doesn’t have a knack for decorating. But wouldn’t a few “warm” touches make the patients feel better?

The more I looked around, the more examples I began to find.

A massage therapist with a few charts and quotes hanging in her massage room.

A dentist with a VERY inexpensive framed poster hanging on the wall.

I’m sure I could go on and on, but you probably understand exactly what I’m talking about. In fact, I bet if you think for a moment, you can probably think of a friend, acquaintance, or someone you actually use in your personal life that fits what I’m talking about.

The problem is these people are probably great at what they do. The heart surgeon is one of the best in this area.

Yet none of them have spent any time studying decorating, interior design, or the art of creating a room that makes their clientele feel special. For some, they may hire a decorator to help them. But for most, they are simply small business owners that started out the way you and I did, and spent their time, energy and money on what they deemed most important. And it wasn’t what was hanging on their walls.

Which is where you come in.

Why not find a few of these offices where you could hang your work, decorate their offices to make them warmer and more homey, and boost your business in the process?

While I’ve focused mainly on doctors and professionals here, by know means is that the only focus. Any business owner that brings in clientele could bring opportunity. A coffee shop. An accountant. Use your imagination.

One of the easiest ways to start the process is to find someone you know. Do you have a friend with a small business office? Of do you visit an office regularly that could use a little help?

Then mirror the opportunity with what they do. A heart surgeon’s office is probably not the right place to hang baby portraits. But it may be the perfect place to hang family portraits, especially those that contain extended family members – grandmas and grandpas.

The portrait could be a great way to bring in new business. But don’t forget the only way they will know who you are is if you tell them. A business card in the corner of the frame is great; as long as the first person can’t remove it. Make sure the small business owner doesn’t have a problem with you “advertising” your services. Then keep it subtle. “Permanently” adhere your business card to the bottom corner. Add a small plaque underneath. You may even find an office manager that is willing to put your brochures out on a table in the waiting room.

Once you have one in place, work for the next. Its easier to go into another office when you already have statistics and names following you.

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7 Secret Marketing Strategies Top Photographers Use … And You Already Know How To Use Them

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Many small business owners have trouble with marketing. They think its difficult, an acquired skill that takes years to learn.

In reality, marketing is something you have to work at for the life of your business. Yet it isn’t difficult to learn or do. You just have to realize it is a part of your business and you have to do it. Many of the things that will help you be most successful you already know. See how many things you are already doing.

1. Understand, know and love what you are selling.

Sounds easy enough; yet in reality many people create packages they aren’t really sure about. If you don’t have faith in what you are selling and know it inside and out, you’ll never be able to sell it to a prospect. And they really want to buy!

Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. And you don’t have to create complex messages. In fact, the simpler the better. If you aren’t sure if your packages are simple enough, explain them to a family member or friend that doesn’t spend a lot of time in your business. Can you explain it in a few sentences and have them get it? If not, go back to the drawing board and rewrite your content. You should be able to quickly describe what you do, what you have to offer, and have them wanting more information.

2. Have your information in a variety of ways.

If you’ve ever told someone what you do, what is the next question they usually ask for if they are interested? They ask for more information. People are skeptical by nature. They don’t hear a few sentences and immediately buy, especially if it’s a larger ticket item. In order to appease their instincts and help them determine if they can indeed trust you, they ask for more information to prove in their minds that you are legitimate. While you don’t have to have volumes of content, you do have to have your content in a variety of ways. Your website is the easiest, especially if its in blog format, because you can add a ton of content to it any time you choose. You can also have postcards, brochures, videos, and a variety of social profiles. Make sure they all say the same things and frame your business in the same way. They should be able to move from one place to another, improving your image in their minds. [Read more...]

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January Madness – How To Create A Booming Start To The Year

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I know, you’re probably swimming in holiday orders at the moment, and are counting down the days until you can take a much needed break from production. But a funny thing happens between the end of the holiday orders in December and the first of the New Year – the orders come to a screeching halt.

Depending on your niche, January can be a rough month. As the bills come in from a fun-filled December, people begin to put the breaks on so they can pay off those credit cards, and bring their budgets back under control. Which means they tend to “hibernate” a bit more, and just do the things absolutely necessary, bypassing the extras.

Instead of taking the month of January off, or sitting back with the understanding it will be a rough month, do something about it.

Create A New Campaign

If you keep doing the same stuff, you’ll get the same results. Instead, come up with an entirely new idea – something you’ve never done before or have seen anyone do in your area. Put a twist on your regular offerings and breathe new life into it.

You can also look for places where people are spending money and reach out to them. For instance here in Denver, the Rocky Mountains are a short drive away. And January through April are huge for the ski industry. Piggyback off of this trend, and find a way to combine your photography with the ski industry.

Market It Differently

In the above example, you actually have two market areas. Because a large majority of Denverites head up to the slopes on the weekends, you can market to the more affluent zip codes within Denver itself. Many also have ski condos they spend the weekend at, so they aren’t on the slopes the entire time. Not only can you market to people in Denver, but you can market to the resort communities in the ski areas as well. Get to know the businesses in your select areas – in some cases you can put up portraits in their shops, and have a great marketing pull that way as well. [Read more...]

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Photographers – Black Friday – Facebook: What Can You Do?

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Tis the week that starts the rush in holiday shopping here in the US. And according to the National Retail Federation, up to 152 million shoppers are expected to head to the stores and shop online for bargains sometime over the coming long weekend.

And while shopping on Thanksgiving weekend is nothing new, how shoppers will track the bargains is – and its changing rapidly with technology.

  • 50.5% will keep up with advertising circulars received in the newspaper and mail
  • 31.7% will watch holiday commercials

All of which is to be expected. But what is new is how we’re now using technology to get the exact information we are looking for.

  • 23.1% will seek out coupon websites – think RetailMeNot.com, FatWallet.com
  • 17.3% will monitor Facebook pages
  • 11.3% will check out group buying sites like Groupon and LivingSocial

And for those people that use tablet devices, over 31 percent will check out retailers’ Facebook pages and 21.3 percent will use the group buying sites.

So for many retailers – BestBuy, Macy’s, Kmart, Sears, etc – they won’t be focusing solely on the customers coming into their stores; they will spend equal time discovering ways to reach out to the people searching online from the comfort of their homes. Many will be participating in “deal of the hour” and other programs that they can release in a variety of ways, including email, Facebook and Twitter.

What Can Photographers Do?

While a photography studio may not be on the top of consumers holiday lists as they hit the stores on Friday morning, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn a thing or two from what the big retailers are doing, and put it into your own business. [Read more...]

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7 Tips For Marketing Your Photography To Women

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Is there really a difference in the way men and women shop? Yes. And in most cases they aren’t just subtle differences – they can be extreme. Enough so that entire companies are now devoted to studying sales and spending habits of the two sexes, and have come to distinct patterns to both. If you intend to market predominantly to women (which is probably the case in a variety of photographic niches) don’t just study marketing and sales; study marketing and sales strategies for women. Here are some distinct differences in how women buy.

Sell With Emotions

Even the title says it all. Women are simply more emotional than men, and tie their purchasing decisions to things that feed their emotions. Women love stories and happy endings. They love to be led along a storyline, and be kept in waiting to find out how situations will play out. Old Spice ads? You bet. We couldn’t wait to see the next one in the series and find out what crazy thing would happen next. Stories give us a few seconds to step away from our busy lives, and focus in on something that is completely irrelevant to our current situations, yet has impact on what we are thinking and doing.

Ask For Opinions

What do women like doing more than hearing a great story? Talking about it of course. We like to tell our friends, mention it in a group we belong to, share it on Facebook, and leave our comments on a blog post. When we don’t have time to chat with our best friends every day, logging into our Facebook accounts at 10 pm before we turn in can be just as rewarding. Don’t just leave it to chance; make the request. Tell people exactly what you want them to do and they will more likely follow through.

Build Time Into Your Sales Process

Women typically take a longer period of time to settle in on a purchase. They do more research, ask more questions, and spend more time thinking about the purchase before they actually sign on the dotted line. Build that into your sales process. Don’t expect an immediate sale; instead add in techniques that build up confidence in your relationship. Send thank you notes. Build an FAQ page online to address any concerns she may have. Direct her to that page on a follow up email. Mail out additional support for your products and services, such as testimonials and more in-depth descriptions. It may take a little more time and effort, but having a raving fan to help you sell on the other end is worth it. [Read more...]

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The Only Goal Of Every Marketing Campaign And Why You’re Probably Doing It Wrong

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If you’ve been in business for any length of time, you’ve created a number of marketing campaigns to reach out to potential customers.

Why did you create them?

If you thought, “to bring in customers” you’re only half right.

Ultimately all marketing is created to bring in new customers. But if you don’t consider the “how” within the campaign itself, you’ll never have the results you’re looking for. Let me explain.

I recently went through a wedding magazine here in my local community. Chances are its not a whole lot different from the one’s in your community. And as I browsed through them one thing clearly jumped out at me.

All of the ads are virtually the same.

Sure, the photo, logo and phone number changed. But the structure of the ads themselves was all the same.

So what makes someone choose one over the other?

An Ad Needs To Say More

As a photographer, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the emotion of your own work. You loved the client, you loved the atmosphere, and the particular image you’ve chosen for your ad really “speaks” to you.

The problem is the potential client doesn’t have that same vantage point. They don’t know the client, they don’t know the details of the image, and they don’t know how well you’ve connected with the image. They just see the one photo in the ad, and base their entire first impression from it.

The problem is their first impression becomes muddled when they see photo after photo, page after page, and they all pretty much begin to look alike. And that’s because business owners don’t take it to the next level, and put into a marketing campaign what truly needs to be there.

The goal of every marketing campaign is to create a new belief, or change an old one.

We buy because somewhere deep inside of us we know we have a “problem”. And the person that comes closest to helping us solve our “problem” is the company that we ultimately will do business with.

Don’t believe me? Think about any product you’ve recently purchased.

Let’s use household cleaners. If you go up and down the aisle at your local store, you know there are dozens of different options. Some are “extra strength”, some are “gentle”, some are “safe for the environment”. When you approach the cleaning aisle, you have a “problem”.  You want to buy a cleaning product to use within your home. So you go shopping with a few ideas in mind, and possibly some preferences. Yet just by looking through the available products, you can quickly be swayed to other options. Maybe you’ve never thought about the harmful affects of cleaning products before. Would one that promised to “be safe in the environment your kids live in” make you think twice before you buy? Of course. Their marketing campaign – in this case the title and tag lines on the product itself – is enough to win you over and make you buy. And if you add in a television commercial or magazine ad that explains the same things in more detail, you may bypass looking at the products on the shelves, and go straight into the store with the sole intension of buying the “safe” product.

Okay, that’s cleaners. But does it really work for photography? Of course.

Since I began with an “ad” of a wedding photographer above, lets continue on with that example.

What is a bride looking for when she’s hunting for a wedding photographer?

Some brides may be looking for the perfect photographer because she doesn’t want to relive the horror of having “uncle Bob” shoot her wedding and lose everything like her best friend went through.

Or maybe she’s looking for a great photographer that will fit in with her personality, offer her a high level of customer service, and provide the perfect memories of her very special day.

Brides all have different visions and different wants from their photography. But if they have to choose based on dozens of ads that all look the same, it comes down to a coin toss.

Start the process by making them think. Even a simple question can set you a part from your competitors.

Then go into more detail. You may not be able to get a ton of information into an ad, but why not continue the story on your website? If you’re mailing a postcard, continue the story on the back, and explain why the average photographer doesn’t give you 100 percent of the service they deserve.

The goal is to get them to start questioning how all other photographers do things, and why you’re a little different. Once you get that question into their minds, you’ll quickly move apart from your competition. And book more.

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