Getting your photography business set up is one thing.
Attracting clients to your business is another...
In a previous post, I discussed a few crucial steps that are needed to get the legalities of starting a photography business in order.
But that's just the first part - and probably the easy part as well!
Now comes the task of actually getting people to pay you to take their photo.
Below, I outline a few tips for doing just that.
Build Your Brand
Your business needs to have an identity if you're going to attract clients.
That means outlining everything from your logo to the type of photography you specialize in to your business name and website.
Each of these elements needs to work together to create a branding experience that sets you apart from the crowd.
You want your brand to be unique and memorable, but also communicate who you are as a person and as a business.
A critical part of building your brand is your marketing strategy. Get in on an in-depth conversation on that topic in the video above by Jared Polin.
Building your brand means a lot of things, like having a social media presence where you can communicate with potential clients and share some of your work.
When it comes to social media, it's a good idea to focus on one, two, or three platforms - like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - rather than trying to keep up with posting on eight or nine different places.
What's more, you should have a blog on your website, that way you have a means of building a little credibility with how-to posts about photography and other helpful tips that photography clients might enjoy.
Speaking of your website, as I noted in this article, having a unique domain name will go far in helping you to promote your business.
That means ditching the old .com and .net domains in favor of something specific to photographers, like .pics or .photo.
By using a domain that was purpose-built for photographers, you immediately have a professional online presence that gives your business credibility.
What's more, a .pics or .photo domain name is super short, meaning it'll be easier for people to remember your website than they otherwise would.
These domains are easy to set up, too. Uniregistry offers excellent support for .pics and .photo domains with easy setup and management for an excellent price.
When you think about branding your business, it's all about communicating who you are and what you do.
Well, with a .photo or a .photo domain name, you can do just that in one word!
Learn More:
- How to Set Up a Photography Business Step-by-Step
- Critical Mistakes You're Making With Your Photography Website
Practice Your People Skills
You might be the most gifted photographer in the world, but if you can't talk to people and interact with them in a genuine manner, your business will go nowhere.
That means giving your clients an excellent experience so they build trust with you and are so excited by the work you do that they rush out and tell all their friends and family.
After all, word of mouth is the single most effective type of marketing, so the better you can schmooze your clients and potential clients, the better off you'll be.
That means going the extra mile for people.
As another example, when you're working with a client during a shoot, talk to them. Ask them questions. Be inquisitive, open, and warm.
In the end, your photography skills need to be on point, but so too do your people skills!
Not sure how to handle that first call with a client? Check out the video above by Creative Freelance Life for a few tips.
Offer Promotions
A great way to attract customers is to offer promotions on your products and services.
This can run the gamut from a friends and family discount when clients refer their loved ones to a big holiday sale on photography products during the holidays.
You can network, too, and contact other local businesses to see if you can team up to offer a joint promotion.
For example, perhaps you offer your wedding clients a discount if they use a certain bakery or florist. The bakery and florist can do the same for you to help generate additional business for you both.
Heck, even offering something as simple as a free 8x10 print can get some people in the door, so it's not like you have to offer 50% off your sitting fees!
Learn More:
- 14 Things You'll Want to Know Before Starting a Photography Business
- How to Sell Your Photos (the Easy Way)
Work in the Public Eye
Part of the challenge of promoting a new business is simply getting your face and name in front of people.
A great way to do that is to work in the public eye at events that will draw large crowds.
That might take the form of having a booth at a local art show.
You might volunteer your time to take photos at a local charity event.
You can also volunteer your time to take photos of school sporting events and other activities.
The point is that even if you do some of these things for free, you'll likely get a huge return on your investment of time.
There will be significant draws on your time in the beginning, but by getting yourself out there, offering promotions, being a skilled people-person, and building a solid brand will do wonders for your ability to attract new clients.