When you venture out on your own to start a business, it's scary. I should know; I've done it multiple times!
Along the way, I've learned some very valuable lessons from people much smarter than I am - lessons of what to do to grow your business (and what not to do as well).
I've outlined a few of my top suggestions below in the hopes that it helps you get on track to building a successful photography business.
Important: You Need a Portfolio
And I mean a real portfolio here...
Don't point people to Flickr or Instagram. Instead, have a professional-looking portfolio that not only highlights your images (thereby highlighting your talent as a photographer) but also shows off how much of a professional you are.
That means creating a portfolio that is easy to navigate, cleanly designed, and beautifully structured.
What's more, your portfolio needs to have things like your contact information, a contact form, and an about me section so people can get to know you.
Think of your portfolio as your business card - it needs to be short and to the point, but also highly impactful so that it can help you turn potential clients into paying customers.
Additionally, your portfolio needs to be easy to find on the web.
You can do that with the domain name that you choose.
Today's .com and .net domains are overridden with websites, not to mention that a .com or .net domain name says nothing about who you are and what you do.
That's why I recommend a .photo or .pics domain from Uniregistry for your photography portfolio or website.
Not only do these domains immediately tell people what you're all about, but they're also specifically offered to photographers.
That gives you a highly professional domain that allows you to shorten up your portfolio's URL. For example, instead of jacksmithphotography.com, you can get jacksmith.photo.
With a shorter URL, more people are more likely to remember it, and you can squeeze it into tight spaces like your business card.
In other words, having a professional portfolio with a credible URL that points to it is critical for your success.
If you want to build a strong business, you need to start on the ground floor with a beautiful, professional web presence and domain name!
Learn More:
- Get More Details on .photo and .pics Domain Names
- Critical Mistakes You're Making With Your Photography Website
Not Important: Your Competition
It's only natural to want to see what your competitors are doing.
However, the more time you spend worrying about what other photographers in your area are doing, the less time you have to worry about what you're doing.
There are simply too many photographers today to concern yourself with competing with them directly.
What's more, focusing on what other people are doing takes time away from setting goals for yourself and working toward them.
Instead, you need to focus on who you are, what you do well, and how to translate that into a unique marketing proposition that will draw clients your way.
Set aside time each week to establish some short-term and long-term goals, and then analyze how you're progressing toward meeting those goals.
In the long-run, maintaining your attention on your business, your marketing plan, your pricing structure, and your clients will serve you much better than concerning yourself with what everyone else is doing with their photography business.
Learn More:
- How to Attract Clients to Your New Photography Business
- This is How to Increase Your Profits as a Photographer
Important: Customer Service Skills
Here's a news flash - if you're a photographer, you can't just rely on your artistic abilities to build your business.
In addition to that, you need to have the customer service savvy that keeps clients happy, keeps them coming back time and time again, and encourages them to refer their friends and family to you.
In that regard, customer service is equally as important as your photography skills.
Unfortunately, some photographers feel like they just don't have the customer service experience that's required.
If that's you, you need to take measures to learn how to give people not just the photos they want, but the experience they want, too.
Whether that's taking a business class at a local college, attending a seminar offered by the Chamber of Commerce, reading tutorials like this, or catching a YouTube video on the subject (like the one above by Creative Live), any little thing you can do to improve the experience of your clients will only make you a more successful businessperson.
Here's a quick hint - be nice, be engaged, ask questions, joke around, be friendly. If a problem arises, take responsibility and take swift action to rectify it. If a client isn't sure what they want, be patient. If a client is late with their payment, give them a gentle reminder, not a collection notice.
In the end, a photography business is not unlike a relationship. If you do your part and make your clients feel good, they'll come back over and over again!
Learn More:
- 3 Tips for Improving Your Photography Business in 2018
- How to Attract Clients to Your New Photography Business