# How do you advertise?



## elizpage (Jun 24, 2014)

I've found this website Thumbtack - Accomplish your personal projects, which has been wonderful for me. You can quote clients for $1.67 per credit (most of them cost 2-3 credits each but larger events are 5 credits or more) 

Has anyone heard of this? It's been a godsend for me.


----------



## 12sndsgood (Jun 25, 2014)

elizpage said:


> I've found this website Thumbtack - Accomplish your personal projects, which has been wonderful for me. You can quote clients for $1.67 per credit (most of them cost 2-3 credits each but larger events are 5 credits or more)  Has anyone heard of this? It's been a godsend for me.




I looked into it. I saw so many places an people who felt like it was a scam and that they didn't feel that most of the leads were legit that I've stayed clear of it.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 25, 2014)

I think I looked into that once, but I honestly charge too much for anyone to ever book me through that. 

People who use that service to find stuff, are cheap.

I advertise through Facebook and by word of mouth, with a senior model program and clients who just generally love me. :sillysmi:


----------



## pixmedic (Jun 25, 2014)

e.rose said:


> I think I looked into that once, but I honestly charge too much for anyone to ever book me through that.
> 
> People who use that service to find stuff, are cheap.
> 
> I advertise through Facebook and by word of mouth, with a senior model program and clients who just generally love me. :sillysmi:



Waaaaait......
You are saying people looking to book through thumbtack are cheap, then say you advertise through FB...which is the king of cheap.

Just sayin.


----------



## robbins.photo (Jun 25, 2014)

I went with the chicken suit on the corner of a busy intersection holding up a sign approach.

So far it's worked like a charm, not one annoying phone call and zero messages.



Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


----------



## e.rose (Jun 25, 2014)

pixmedic said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > I think I looked into that once, but I honestly charge too much for anyone to ever book me through that.
> ...



Haha, no actually... I advertise through Facebook, because it increases the reach of my views... which I filter by location and interest to target my ideal client type... and I do so using the photos of my previous senior models, who are recognized through that advertisement by their friends... who in turn call me. :greenpbl:


----------



## e.rose (Jun 25, 2014)

e.rose said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> > e.rose said:
> ...



AND... I was saying the people LOOKING FOR SERVICES are cheap.

Not the people using Thumbtack as a means to advertise.

The people LOOKING FOR SERVICES on Thumbtack are just as bad as people shopping on Groupon. They're looking for a cheap deal and nothing more. There's no money to be made there.


----------



## TheNevadanStig (Jun 25, 2014)

Facebook the king of cheap? Not even close. FB>Thumbtack>Craigslist


----------



## NayLoMo6C (Jun 25, 2014)

Might I add, I have a fb page for my photography gig, but recently haven't been getting any traction from it because fb wants to nickel and dime you to boost your posts onto other people's newsfeed. Some of my posts on fb reach 0 audience, and not even my fb friends are able to see the stuff i put up. it wasn't like this not too long ago. Now I just advertise on CL


----------



## e.rose (Jun 25, 2014)

TheNevadanStig said:


> Facebook the king of cheap? Not even close. FB>Thumbtack>Craigslist



Exactly. FB ads can get expensive quick. 

But in all reality I use it as an extension for my word of mouth advertising... which... coincidentally is the cheapest route as far as advertising expenses... but the most effective 

And again...

When I said "cheap", I didn't mean the amount it costs to advertise. I was referring to the amount the potential clients are willing to spend upon seeing your ad through that particular medium.

You can still find really cheap-o people on FB (that's the majority of what is there), but if you're targeting correctly, you can tap RIGHT into you target market.

I posted a preview image of a senior... spent $0 dollars to do it, It reached 800 people, got several comments, and 48 hours later, I had an inquiry in my inbox for a potential client, because she saw that photo of her friend, and saw the other photos of her other friends that I took.

Sounds pretty good to me.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 25, 2014)

NayLoMo6C said:


> Might I add, I have a fb page for my photography gig, but recently haven't been getting any traction from it because fb wants to nickel and dime you to boost your posts onto other people's newsfeed. Some of my posts on fb reach 0 audience, and not even my fb friends are able to see the stuff i put up. it wasn't like this not too long ago. Now I just advertise on CL


----------



## e.rose (Jun 25, 2014)

(No, but for real... there's a right way and a wrong way to run a business page on FB. I'm not guru at it, but I get the responses I want when it counts.)

There are a few webinars you can watch -- Their main purpose is to try to sell you some system at the end, but the 45 minutes they spend teaching you stuff, they give you some good information... enough to be dangerous.  :sillysmi:


----------



## pixmedic (Jun 25, 2014)

TheNevadanStig said:


> Facebook the king of cheap? Not even close. FB>Thumbtack>Craigslist


Not cheap for YOU to advertise with FB....

the people LOOKING for things on FB are cheap.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 25, 2014)

pixmedic said:


> Not cheap for YOU to advertise with FB....  the people LOOKING for things on FB are cheap.


  That's cause you aren't marketing the way I am. 

Sent from my iPhone using PhotoForum


----------



## Life (Jun 25, 2014)

I got $50 of bing ads for free.. 0.06C a day play a little bit per ad click. I'm using that until the $50 runs out lol.


----------



## elizpage (Jun 26, 2014)

e.rose said:


> I think I looked into that once, but I honestly charge too much for anyone to ever book me through that.
> 
> People who use that service to find stuff, are cheap.
> 
> I advertise through Facebook and by word of mouth, with a senior model program and clients who just generally love me. :sillysmi:


I mean, I've booked several gigs on there that have been legit. It's a good way to practice and get my name out there.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 26, 2014)

elizpage said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > I think I looked into that once, but I honestly charge too much for anyone to ever book me through that.
> ...



At the prices you *should* be charging? Or at a lower rate?

You were the one asking about pricing before right? And we talked about how you should charge what you want to be making *if* you were full time, even if your'e not?

Cause here's the deal... you might have booked gigs through them, and they might have followed through... but if you're not charging what you should actually be charging, then yeah... your name is gonna get out there... but it's going to get attached to the stigma if you being a "cheap" photographer. And you're ONLY going to get clientele that wants the farm for next to nothing, and it's going to be difficult for you to try to raise your rates.

More so than working hard to "try to get your name out there" (which *is* important, don't get me wrong), you should be working towards how to market to your *target market*, rather than throwing darts and a dartboard and hoping some stick.

That being said... if you're getting people to book you through that at the rate you should be charging for your services... then that's awesome! :sillysmi:


----------



## bentcountershaft (Jun 26, 2014)

So I guess buying a banner to pull behind a plane is old hat, now?  Jeez, I'm always the last to know.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 26, 2014)

bentcountershaft said:


> So I guess buying a banner to pull behind a plane is old hat, now?  Jeez, I'm always the last to know.



Well. I mean. That's how I met my husband.

I took out one of those ads... and I've known him for like 9 years now... and in this digital age, 9 years might as well be 9,000... so yeah.

Old hat.

Like the phrase 'old hat'.

   :hug::


----------



## robbins.photo (Jun 26, 2014)

e.rose said:


> bentcountershaft said:
> 
> 
> > So I guess buying a banner to pull behind a plane is old hat, now? Jeez, I'm always the last to know.
> ...



Rotfl... Which makes me wonder how long that banner had to be - considering how fussy you are about your clients. What did you tow it behind, a Hercules transport plane? Lol


----------



## Tee (Jun 26, 2014)

Craigslist.  Don't knock it till you try it.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 26, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > bentcountershaft said:
> ...



Me? Fussy about my clients?

I mean... I just know what I like, that's all.

And yes. Hercules transport plane, and I required the pilot to be Jared Letto, whom I made to go flight school JUST to pull the banner behind the plane that said:

"Wanted: Jared Leto look-a-like. Must be a musician, must be hilarious, have great eyes, fabulous hair, a good fashion sense, and be cheesilly romantic. I will probably behave like a 5 year old once I get to know you better, so you also must be able to play along and develop child-like quirks of your own. Apply in person only. And no, I won't sleep with you on the first date."











Tee said:


> Craigslist.  Don't knock it till you try it.



Been there, done that, got cheap-os. BUT... then again... that was back in PA.

I'm in Nashville now. 

Maybe I should try again.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 26, 2014)

Also... Not trying to brag, but... 
 I am currently sitting in a huge comfy chair, in a coffee house, where I JUST booked another client... Because of FACEBOOK and word of mouth.  Jus' sayin'.  Sh*t works, once you get it rollin'.


----------



## robbins.photo (Jun 26, 2014)

e.rose said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > e.rose said:
> ...



Ok.. so say a guy was like real close, you know. looking absolutely nothing like Jared Leto, couldn't play a musical instrument to save his life, was about as funny as small pox, crosseyed, balding, dressed like he shopped at goodwill (and was crosseyed), who's idea of romance was getting his own beer out of the fridge every odd thursday - but had a lot of childlike quirks. Or at the very least was pretty childish. Lol


----------



## robbins.photo (Jun 26, 2014)

e.rose said:


> Also... Not trying to brag, but...
> I am currently sitting in a huge comfy chair, in a coffee house, where I JUST booked another client... Because of FACEBOOK and word of mouth. Jus' sayin'. Sh*t works, once you get it rollin'.



PShaw.  Nothing says "class" like the chicken suit.  Plus as long as I hold up the KFC sign occasionally, free wings.  That's rright, FREE WINGS.


----------



## e.rose (Jun 26, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> Ok.. so say a guy was like real close, you know. looking absolutely nothing like Jared Leto


 
I probably wouldn't even give him the time of day.



robbins.photo said:


> couldn't play a musical instrument to save his life


 
Is he at least artistic in SOME way?



robbins.photo said:


> was about as funny as small pox


 
*I'm* about as funny as small pox. I don't want to be married to myself.



robbins.photo said:


> crosseyed, balding, dressed like he shopped at goodwill (and was cross-eyed)


 
I'm too shallow for ALL that sh*t.



robbins.photo said:


> who's idea of romance was getting his own beer out of the fridge every odd thursday


 
Does he bring me one too?



robbins.photo said:


> but had a lot of childlike quirks. Or at the very least was pretty childish. Lol



I mean, I can work with this one, as long as the other 7 are in place. 



robbins.photo said:


> PShaw.  Nothing says "class" like the chicken suit.  Plus as long as I hold up the KFC sign occasionally, free wings.  That's rright, FREE WINGS.



Now if he had FREE WINGS... he might have a bargaining chip.


----------



## robbins.photo (Jun 26, 2014)

e.rose said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > Ok.. so say a guy was like real close, you know. looking absolutely nothing like Jared Leto
> ...



Woohoo!  Chicken suit wins again!


----------

