Photographers are aware of the significance of marketing to both the development of their business and the acquisition of new customers. However, marketing techniques are constantly developing, which means that tactics that were successful in the past are not guaranteed to be successful in the present or the future.
In this piece, we will discuss three photography marketing strategies that have shown to be effective throughout our combined experience of more than a decade in running a prosperous multiple-photographer studio!
The list of marketing strategies available to photographers is extensive. Some of the topics included on the list are social media (such as Instagram, short-form video for TikTok and IG Reels, Pinterest, etc.), paid advertising (such as Google ads, Facebook ads, etc.), SEO (search engine optimization), conventions and bridal shows, online directories, and more. In this piece, we will concentrate mainly on word-of-mouth marketing and keep the other issues for other details.
Please note that this instruction comes straight from our complimentary one-hour workshop, “3 Steps to $100,000 More.” Suppose you are interested in increasing the number of leads your business receives, the amount of income it generates per customer, and the number of customers it converts into paying customers. In that case, you are encouraged to register on this page.
Simplify the process of viral dissemination
Teaser photographs should be delivered to the customers and any other suppliers engaged in the shoot on the same day, along with explicit permissions, directions, and even advice to make sharing more likely and have a more significant impact. This should be done with each session.
The majority of photographers wait until they have selected and processed all of their photographs, which may be anywhere from a few weeks to several months after the session, to share images with the customers and suppliers. However, most of the excitement and intrigue had died at that time. Sharing during the same day or within a few days of one another enhances the spread of the photographs and transforms each individual who participated in the shoot into a marketing engine for your company. This applies to practically every photography session, from weddings to family portraits to event photography.
The Procedures Involved in the Transfer of Images
To put this approach into action, please follow these steps:
- During the session, rate your finest photographs.
- During a pause in the action or immediately after the session, use Lightroom Mobile and Lightroom Presets to create a collection of teaser photos using your “starred” photographs as the source material.
- Send the photographs to the customers and any other suppliers involved in the shoot, such as the event planner, the florist, the designer, the venue or location manager, and any other relevant individuals.
- Include explicit permissions for people to use the photographs on their social media and ask them to tag you when they post it or link to you if they use it on their website. You should include these permissions with the images themselves. (The masterclass will go into more detail on SEO.)
- You might even take it a step further by providing full shoot/vendor credits, example captions, or event advice for the most effective ways to publish images. These can assist in simplifying the process and increase the visibility you receive.
Develop Slideshows on the Same Day
Using a same-day slideshow is one of the most effective marketing hacks that may help you obtain more referral business if you are a photographer that works at events such as weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, or other parties.
Show 20–30 of your favourite photographs from earlier times of the same event on an iPad, laptop, or even projected onto a display while you are at the event (if the DJ can do this). Put some of your business cards on the table next to the presentation. Ensure the client’s and event coordinator’s permission before moving forward. This straightforward tactic can catapult your referral business to new heights if you have a fantastic collection of photographs.
Consider the following. When you photograph an event, you will find that the attendees are people in the same life stage, age range, and target demographic as the actual customer. The difficulty is that most photographers never get to show their work to these individuals. By the time the photographs have been delivered and shared, which might take several weeks, relatively few individuals can view them. We decided to start providing same-day slideshows as a solution to this challenge.
Every same-day presentation, we develop results in at least two to three new clients interested in booking our services and ready to purchase them. It is a rock star movie that makes the customers delighted when they view the photographs, and it is simply one of the finest marketing tools. Make a splash at every event you shoot by generating excitement!
Process Steps for Presentations on the Same Day
The procedure is very much like the teasers that were described earlier.
- Mark the best photos on your camera as they are taken throughout the event.
- Transferring your favourites to your phone using the Bluetooth or wireless app on your camera is something you should do as soon as you have a spare minute.
- After that, put the images into Lightroom Mobile and apply a speedy preset to each one. Visual Flow Presets are utilized for every one of our projects.
- After that, with the photographs still open in Lightroom, click the button that looks like a slideshow.
- If practicable, the visuals should be sent to a DJ to display on the projector.
- When everything works as it should, the entire procedure may be completed in as little as 15 to 30 minutes. During a very hectic day, if you have the option, you should have an assistant help you with the procedure.
Conduct giveaways and staged photoshoots.
Let’s move on to the next topic: collaboratively styled photo sessions. Create a list of preferred service providers for a themed photo session in your downtime between paid assignments. These vendors are other companies with an audience that is demographically similar to your desired target audience in terms of geography, age, and other factors. They need visuals, and you need a network; thus, this is a circumstance in which everyone benefits.
A styled session might allow you to generate photographs for yourself and your vendor team rather than carrying out your client’s wishes. We haven’t learned anything new, have we? The trick, though, is as follows. Instead of using models, you may discover real-life “models” by holding a giveaway on social media. You have complete control over how the giveaway is conducted, but before getting started, be sure to read through the terms and conditions of the social media site. Make the most of this chance to expand your profile on social media and increase your connection with followers. In addition, there is a significant increase in the possibility of converting the contestants or even the chosen models into genuine paying customers if you choose models drawn from real life.
Procedures to Follow When Working Together on a Styled Shoot
- Develop an intriguing idea to present to several potential suppliers (makeup artists, florists, venues, designers, planners, etc.).
- Make your presentation, then get your team together! Make sure that the expectations and the timeline are apparent.
- Find out the procedures and regulations for entering. You can utilize a third-party giveaway plugin such as Gleam.io or stick to something straightforward, such as using the in-built tagging and commenting systems included with each platform.
- Develop a marketing image that each of the vendors may share. I am using consumer design software like Canva makes this process relatively simple.
- Make it a requirement that the contest is announced on all of the cooperating vendors’ social media profiles simultaneously on the specified day and time.
- Determine who the winner is, and get ready to shoot!
Benefits and Results
If you are successful in this endeavour, you will obtain the following benefits:
- Improve your ties with your suppliers.
- You should deliver at least fifty outstanding final photographs that may be utilized for websites, portfolios, and other purposes.
- Develop material for the blog and several SEO-based pieces, some of which will be discussed in subsequent posts.
- Give me at least fifty photographs I may use for social media, and they can be released whenever you choose.
- Develop your skills in new methods and develop original ideas for projects.
- Develop your presence on various social media platforms.
- Request further references from the businesses who took part in the themed shot.
- Make the participants and the winners into paying customers.
- As you can see, collaborative-styled sessions are one of the most significant ways to accomplish all you need to do in a single shot.
Conclusion
Referral marketing will always remain one of the greatest (and easiest) ways to convert customers and expand your company, even though marketing strategies and technologies are continually evolving. We hope that the three articles and the actions outlined above will be of assistance to you in achieving your goal.
In the following articles, we will discuss further marketing hacks, tips, and secrets such as search engine optimization (SEO), short-form viral marketing (SVM), directories, and various other topics. If you are interested in learning more, please watch our free masterclass one hour long and focuses on strategies to generate an additional $100,000 in revenue for your photography business.
