photo by Ondrooo via iStock
It seems like the top photography products change every single week in the age of the internet, where fads come and go faster than any sane professional can keep up with.
So, how do you, as a photographer, decide what photography products to offer? How do you decide what companies to purchase these photography products from?
There are a lot of questions about this important sales tactic, so let’s start!
Choosing Products to Sell to Your Clients: Ask Them What They Want
photo by TommL via iStock
This should be one of the first questions you ask a potential photography client. What do they want out of this shoot?
While some clients may have an idea about what they’re looking for, most won’t have a clue.
So, this conversation is a great time for you to suggest different ideas to your clients in order to spark their interest.
photo by Neustockimages via iStock
In my portfolio, I always feature different photography products past clients have purchased. If possible, I’ll feature a photo of the client holding their photography products.
This way, your potential clients can see the different trends in photography products in real time. And, while it involves a little more legwork to get photos of each one of your clients with their photography products, I promise the pay back is more than worth it.
P.S. When asking clients about what types of photography products they are looking for, it helps to ask clients for things like Pinterest boards, that way you can get a better feel for their vibe and aesthetic and match the best products with their wants.
Choosing Products to Sell to Your Clients: Sell Products You Love
There are a ton of tips out there for ways to sell photography, but to be honest I hate selling. Most photographers hate selling. So, instead of thinking about my job as one that requires sales, I think about it as one that requires recommendations.
And I love to recommend photography products I can truly stand behind. I compiled a list of the best photography products I’ve purchased for clients before a few years ago, and continuously add to it.
I actually began this list the first time I purchased a canvas print from CanvasHQ.
CanvasHQ has a 4.9 star review average on Google, and unlike some of the photography products stores out where I live in California that can be flaky and take forever to respond to your requests, I found that this small company based out of Arkansas had the best customer support staff I’d ever come across.
Plus, since they are still a smaller company, all of their photography products are crafted by hand, very often at steep discounts, like the 30% off coupon running across the top of their website as of the publishing of this article.
The first time I purchased from CanvasHQ, I did it on the recommendation of a friend and I’ve never used another canvas printing company again. I think about my clients just like this. I’m recommending photography products I love.
Learn More:
- How to Find More Photography Clients
- Learn How to Make More Money With These Photography Business Tips
Choosing Products to Sell to Your Clients: Do Your Research
photo by PeopleImages via iStock
Facebook is a wonderful resource for learning how to sell photography products, because chances are you have a friend that isn’t in the photography industry that has purchased photography products before, and if they had an awful experience or a great one, they’ll want to tell you about it.
And while nobody enjoys hours of online research, you will need to do put in some time in front of your computer before you figure out what to offer and what vendors to work with.
Just like taking a great photo requires planning and preparation, so does developing a product line that resonates with your client-base.
Choosing Products to Sell to Your Clients: Less is More
photo by Sinenkiy via iStock
By “less is more” I don’t mean you shouldn’t go out of your way to offer off-the-wall photography products for your clients, but I do mean you should have a short list of go-to photography products (like I talked about above).
Because, let’s be honest, if you need to ship photography products in from overseas, you may not love the process of the paperwork and your clients can tell when you don’t have your heart in a project.
So, the answer to the age-old question, “what products should photographers offer,” I’d answer, “the products YOU love.”
After all, you’re in this business in large part due to your creative capabilities and your eye for beauty. So trust your gut and offer a selection of products that you love. Chances are, your clients will love them too.
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