Paid conventional advertising will generate awareness of your photography business but it is highly unlikely to generate inquiries or business. Displays work as an awareness device but create smallish business leads. Lots of venues of awareness creation will bring inquiries but at great deal of effort. Direct contact with prospects is the reliable method. Define your market - wedding, commercial, family, high school seniors -- and make your direct pitch to the buyers. That may be wedding shows, talking to companies, putting up a booth at a family event, or talking to the decison makers at schools. It's a lot of hustle--the prospects are reluctant to come to you - you have to go to them.
If you do weddings, get the list in your area of new marriage licenses and contact them. The same for graduations...do their graduation parties. New babies born...all of these monumental events are in need of a photographer. I would also contact real estate brokers to be the photographer for their listings rather than some of the garbage you seen on agent listings. Horse breeders need promo pictures. Your window of opportunity is huge!
I happen to belong to several networking groups. These events are some of the largest events in the city and they happen monthly. At more than one there is a photographer offering free professional headshots for every attendee. With digital cameras today, there is no expense other than time for each sitting, and it provides a huge mailing list from the sign ups.
Yoy may specialize in another form of photography but the concept is the same. Find networking groups and get involved. Offer some form of Freemium that you can trade for a name and email address. Build a list and market your services to them.
In addition to meeting people, I would use Instagram to post your pictures with the right hashtags - (e.g., #smallbusinessphotgrapher). Also, create a hashtag for your own company (e.g., #mycompany).
What is cool about Instagram is that you can geo-tag pictures as well. So if anyone is searching for #photographer in the neighborhood they will see your picture and can reach out to you.
Don't waste your money on printed media that I can tell you for shure. I generate my leads thru other businesses such as DJ's , Florists etc. The wedding industry is beyond saturated in Tampa Bay now which is a market I've been in for over 30 years. Photography has become a low entry point business now with digital cameras. I still believe that Bridal shows and Craft shows are the best place to get exposure. Bring a price sheet and be prepared to sell yourself.
Business from Easton, MA
Answered on May 11th, 2017
Joining your local rotary, Lions and volunteering in your community is
the best way to meet people and they are likely to do business with you
Keeping yourself out there. Always promoting in the smallest instances. Word of mouth, social media, local family/ baby/ bridal expos/ fairs, etc. Your reputation and your work will speak for itself. :)
I agree with Richard, but would also add Laura's comments about social media. In both cases, knowing your target audience/market is as essential as putting yourself in front of them; and both are absolutes.
It depends on who you are as a photographer, who your ideal client is, who your competition is and where you are geographically. Social media is great no matter what, but there are a lot of places to properly spend some advertising money and places where you can blow it.
For instance, when I shot schools, I found all the trade shows where school principals attended and bought a booth. That brought in a lot of business. Now that shoot more commercial work, it's as much about "Who you know" and networking and showing your best work.
What do you want to get out of your advertising?
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Answers (1-10)
Paid conventional advertising will generate awareness of your photography business but it is highly unlikely to generate inquiries or business. Displays work as an awareness device but create smallish business leads. Lots of venues of awareness creation will bring inquiries but at great deal of effort. Direct contact with prospects is the reliable method. Define your market - wedding, commercial, family, high school seniors -- and make your direct pitch to the buyers. That may be wedding shows, talking to companies, putting up a booth at a family event, or talking to the decison makers at schools. It's a lot of hustle--the prospects are reluctant to come to you - you have to go to them.
If you do weddings, get the list in your area of new marriage licenses and contact them. The same for graduations...do their graduation parties. New babies born...all of these monumental events are in need of a photographer. I would also contact real estate brokers to be the photographer for their listings rather than some of the garbage you seen on agent listings. Horse breeders need promo pictures. Your window of opportunity is huge!
I happen to belong to several networking groups. These events are some of the largest events in the city and they happen monthly. At more than one there is a photographer offering free professional headshots for every attendee. With digital cameras today, there is no expense other than time for each sitting, and it provides a huge mailing list from the sign ups.
Yoy may specialize in another form of photography but the concept is the same. Find networking groups and get involved. Offer some form of Freemium that you can trade for a name and email address. Build a list and market your services to them.
In addition to meeting people, I would use Instagram to post your pictures with the right hashtags - (e.g., #smallbusinessphotgrapher). Also, create a hashtag for your own company (e.g., #mycompany).
What is cool about Instagram is that you can geo-tag pictures as well. So if anyone is searching for #photographer in the neighborhood they will see your picture and can reach out to you.
The best part - all of this is free.
Don't waste your money on printed media that I can tell you for shure. I generate my leads thru other businesses such as DJ's , Florists etc. The wedding industry is beyond saturated in Tampa Bay now which is a market I've been in for over 30 years. Photography has become a low entry point business now with digital cameras. I still believe that Bridal shows and Craft shows are the best place to get exposure. Bring a price sheet and be prepared to sell yourself.
Joining your local rotary, Lions and volunteering in your community is
the best way to meet people and they are likely to do business with you
having met you !
Keeping yourself out there. Always promoting in the smallest instances. Word of mouth, social media, local family/ baby/ bridal expos/ fairs, etc. Your reputation and your work will speak for itself. :)
Social Media, Good Service, Word Of Mouth, and most importantly a nice website portfolio with as many images uploaded possible.
I agree with Richard, but would also add Laura's comments about social media. In both cases, knowing your target audience/market is as essential as putting yourself in front of them; and both are absolutes.
It depends on who you are as a photographer, who your ideal client is, who your competition is and where you are geographically. Social media is great no matter what, but there are a lot of places to properly spend some advertising money and places where you can blow it.
For instance, when I shot schools, I found all the trade shows where school principals attended and bought a booth. That brought in a lot of business. Now that shoot more commercial work, it's as much about "Who you know" and networking and showing your best work.
What do you want to get out of your advertising?