Are you a great photographer with a great portfolio but lack bookings? How can you make sure you attract more clients and get more jobs? In this article, we will go through 6 top strategies to grow your photography business.
Get your house in shape. The basics of any business are the brand, website and contact details even more so for a photography business. So, make sure you have clear branding, logos, website, and ways for customers to contact and book you.
Clear Brand Story
With all the photographers out there, it is a must to stand out from the crowd. Your portfolio should do that, but your business has to stand for something, have a clear brand and convey professionalism. A big part of this is a professional logo, but dont worry, you don’t have to hire a designer to make it for you.
You can try using the Wix logo maker that allows you to create a professional-looking logo online by yourself, and it is very affordable. There are also many other online logo makers available for you to try out. Do some research, play around with your logo design, and eventually you will have a beautiful professional logo without having to break the bank!
Tap the Local Community and Businesses
One of the easiest places to start is right at home in your local neighbourhood. It’s the area you are familiar with and you have people that should know and trust you. Put together some flyers and advertisements to let the local community and groups know that they can book you for all kinds of events or for your studio sessions.
Many businesses overlook the local area when they start prospecting, but it’s the easiest market to go after. People and businesses want to support local entrepreneurs and of course, you have the advantage of being on their doorstep.
Community Groups and Mentors
Your local community is a great resource for help as well. They could be of help with events, if you need assistance with lighting or even just as experts with good advice. A community that you build up or join, like the business breakfast clubs or Rotary Clubs, can give you referrals for jobs too.
Finding yourself a mentor in the field of photography can help your technical skills but also help with business knowledge. Any worthwhile mentor will share their knowledge and want to see you succeed. As you build your relationship with mentors, being in the same industry could also develop opportunities for work too.
Email Marketing
Stay connected with your existing clients and new prospects with email campaigns. You should build up your email list with past clients and anyone who expresses an interest in your website and social pages. Having them all on a list will allow you to market to them and provide them timely reminders about what you do and how to book you.
The emails you send them are a great opportunity to show off your portfolio, as they will be able to receive full-sized images and carousels of your photos. Don’t just send them offers and promotions, give them content they can consume and that captures their attention so that you stay front of mind when they do have a need for a great photographer.
Instagram and Social
Social is increasingly important to get your brand out there, but Instagram specifically is made for photographers and your business. Instagram is the number one platform for visual content, so your stunning photos will find a great audience on Instagram. Some great tips for Instagram are posting professional-client shots in a ratio of 7 to 1 casual or personal shots. The more captivating the image, the better, because it is easy for users to flick through your portfolio and interact with you by posting comments and sending you direct messages on Instagram. Respond to them quickly and hit them up with your services.
Use hashtags that pin your posts to current news and trending topics, this week’s celebrity wedding or a local landmark that makes a great backdrop for portrait photos. Put these hashtags in the 1st comment under the image not directly tagged to the post.
Other Income Streams
You can earn from channels other than bookings. Think about teaching, or opening up your studio for rentals. You could sell or rent out your professional equipment to make some money back from it that way. Travel photography is a great source of income and a fun way to pay for your holidays.
One of the easiest passive income streams is to sell your photos to licensing platforms. The biggest ones are Getty Images but there are others like Shutterstock and istockphoto. Each of them gives you royalty every time your photo is ordered.
Concluding this guide to growing your photography business!
Your skills as a photographer have been honed over years and you produce beautiful work but unless you market yourself and your brand, no one will get to know about your work. Photography lends itself so well to marketing platforms like email and Instagram because the visual messages can be so attractive and compelling. In most instances, the images alone will sell for you, so get your portfolio out there and seen by as many people as possible.
