# Marketing your business



## Lacey Anne (May 1, 2008)

I'm curious, for those of you have your own photography business, how did/do you market it? What have you done to really grow your customer base and get your name out there?


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## ScottS (May 1, 2008)

Best thing for me has been giving out business cards at the events I shoot. (mainly live music)


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## Antithesis (May 1, 2008)

ScottS said:


> Best thing for me has been giving out business cards at the events I shoot. (mainly live music)



I'm curious how to get into event photography. I have a business/marketing plan set up for weddings, but I'd like to be able to shoot some events as well. Did you advertise some where to start with?


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## maytay20 (May 1, 2008)

1. Give out business cards lots of them.  I also think it is well worth it to have a photo on them!  

2. Give a 10% commission to anyone who refers clients.  I get a LOT of my business this way. 

3. Work as a server at a brewery 2-3 days a week and the building has 3 floors, 1- restaurant the other 2 are catering for weddings stuff like that.  So people often come in to eat and will ask for info on the rooms and i will talk to them about the photography.

4. I have also been a vendor at food tastings / wedding shows.  This costs money usually $250 - $300. With one time costs of sample prints / books for portfolio but unless you print new stuff (and I always do).  And if you can book a $1,200. wedding or two it makes up for the cost!  

5. My web site a lot of people go to my web site.  

So far that is what I have done.  I don't live off photography yet but I am working on it!  So No paid advertising quite yet.


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## kellylindseyphotography (May 1, 2008)

Have a website.  I have freewebs.  Its free, people complain about the ads, but at least it is there and exists.  It will do while I work my way up.

I got free business cards printed of vistaprints.com.  At playgroups, at the park, to friends... I give them my card and it has my website address on it and my phone number.  If people are interested, they can contact me. 

So far, a lot of people between my 2 moms groups have kept me pretty busy!

What kind of photography do you want to do?


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## Antithesis (May 1, 2008)

maytay20 said:


> 2. Give a 10% commission to anyone who refers clients.  I get a LOT of my business this way.
> 
> 3. Work as a server at a brewery 2-3 days a week and the building has 3 floors, 1- restaurant the other 2 are catering for weddings stuff like that.  So people often come in to eat and will ask for info on the rooms and i will talk to them about the photography.



Both are excellent ideas. I don't know if I'd offer 10%, but that would certainly be an incentive for someone to give referalls.


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## msf (May 1, 2008)

maytay20 said:


> 2. Give a 10% commission to anyone who refers clients.  I get a LOT of my business this way.



Is that 10% before expenses or after expenses?  If it was a wedding, would it just be 10% of the initial package bought, or of everything, like reprints down the road?




Antithesis said:


> Both are excellent ideas. I don't know if I'd offer 10%, but that would certainly be an incentive for someone to give referalls.



I think 10% is on the low end for an advertising budget, but I could be wrong.  Its been a while since Id id some research in marketing.


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## ScottS (May 1, 2008)

Antithesis said:


> I'm curious how to get into event photography. I have a business/marketing plan set up for weddings, but I'd like to be able to shoot some events as well. Did you advertise some where to start with?


The only advertising that I did was just to go to shows and then send the pictures for free. Eventually they started paying me a little. 

Weddings are a different thing to break into.


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## craig (May 2, 2008)

I contact art directors and photo editors. I just moved here so things are a little slow. Hopefully start hitting the streets with my portfolio to visit said art directors and photo editors. I am not above spending money advertising. I think it is very important. Just do not have any money yet.

)'(


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## Bthornton (May 2, 2008)

I did/do tradeshow. First as having a booth, then spoke to the tradeshow manager. Now I get my booths for free, shoot the show as well. Along with the clients I meet at the show I also take photos of every booth (part of the job I'm hired to do) and then contact the owners of the the booths I shot via email about a week later with a teaser pic for free. I end up with tons of product shoots as well. I am in the middle of shooting a huge tradeshow this weekend. A 4 day event. It's long 12 hour days. But after day 1 I have booked 2 wedding, a few senior session, and 4 product shoots! Not bad for one day. Plus on top of that it really gets the name out there. I will do 2-3 shows a year and I know what ones to pick.
Along with tradeshows I did a lot with word of mouth of past customers, website draws them in, always, always, have your biz cards on your.
As of right now have been in biz for less than a year, more jobs than we can do, and have already had to hire 2 helpers and that's with having 2 photographers.


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## Lacey Anne (May 2, 2008)

kellylindseyphotography said:


> Have a website. I have freewebs. Its free, people complain about the ads, but at least it is there and exists. It will do while I work my way up.
> 
> I got free business cards printed of vistaprints.com. At playgroups, at the park, to friends... I give them my card and it has my website address on it and my phone number. If people are interested, they can contact me.
> 
> ...


Portraits and weddings. I've been looking for a wedding photographer to shadow but no luck in any of them even returning my calls or emails. I have a friend who shoots weddings in WI and I'm about ready to just fly out there and shadow her for a week! lol!
But I want to really start out with portraits. I've done some for friends and family, and of course, my own kids. I'm just looking at growing and branching out from there. I've been advertising on craig's list with no luck, but I sometimes think the only people who visit there are the ones trying sell something... I'm taking out an ad in the local homeschool newsletter this month and I'm having flyers printed to put on local community bulletins. I do have business cards with a photo on them and carry them everywhere I go. I've handed out several but I think I might need to be even more proactive about the business cards.


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## Rhys (May 2, 2008)

Lacey, I agree.

I've had several enquiries about photography from people interested and that's just through people who've seen my shirt (advertising) or been told about me.

As far as vehicle and website advertising are concerned, just wierdoes and timewasters. Usually the timewasters are trying to sell something.  I always say "I'm not buying anything from you" and then they witter on and on and in the end after being polite and telling them politely that I'm not interested I have to get rude and tell them never to call me again and to stop wasting my time. I would never ever buy anything as the result of telephone solicitation!

I'm thinking hard about holding up a sandwich board beside a busy road junction as advertising. I'm going to have to think hard about what to put on the board as I really only want events at the moment.


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## Double H (May 2, 2008)

I printed up several hundred postcards with photos and info and a few package deals - stuffed them into every mailbox I could find. Got some calls from them.

Always have business cards on hand - you can get a thousand very nice cards for less than $30 online. I use citycolors.com, gotprint.com, and overnightprints.com

I have my own hosting - so I can completely control my website and monitor the traffic/hits. Plus my hosting service offers coupons for free web advertising like Google Ad words among other search engines.

good luck


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## Rhys (May 2, 2008)

A 24x18 board to hold up beside the road with 4 lines of text - one in red and 3 in black that says 
*Special Offer
Photography
803-744-5145
sagephotoworld.com
*Cost me just $25 - a nice plastic lightweight sign. I'll hotglue some plastic tubing on the back to make it easier to hold but that there's my walkabout sign!


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## *Mike* (May 2, 2008)

I think it all comes down to intentionality.  What type of shooting do you want to do?  Who do you want as clients?  Then, everything gets structured around that...  

For example, if you want to shot high dollar weddings, but you do all your consults at McDonald's - it ain't gonna work.  

So, I'd suggest deciding what you want your business to look like, and then start building around that idea.  What impression does your website make?  What impression do your prices make?  How do you make initial contact?  What do you wear?  Where do you meet?

How are you coming into contact with your existing clients?  If you pull people off a bulletin board at WalMart, you're not going to be drawing affluent clients.  If you draw business entirely from friends and family, you're going to be marketing entirely to your demographic - if that's your goal, great!  If not, you need to change things...

If you're launching a business, not a hobby, you need to plan... and budget.  Check out your local Small Business Development office.  Research business plans.  Read about marketing.  Read about sales techniques.  Photography is the element that you can take for granted - it's probably the least likely to be the element that determines success or failure.

Network with vendors _that serve the demographic_ you aim for.  Wedding venues, florists, bakeries, wedding coordinators, bridal shops, etc.  Network with portrait photogs that don't take weddings - if they have your desired clientele, they;ll be the photog that first hears about weddings in those circles.

Personally, I've got a wedding photography studio and a bridal boutique.  I know that 10% of my gross is dedicated to advertising each year.  But, how it's spent makes a huge difference.  And, the most expensive avenues aren't always the best return.   )


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## Rhys (May 2, 2008)

When your business is bumping along the ground, anything that can drag in extra wonga that doesn't cost a ton is welcome. When I can afford it, I'll pay for better advertising. At the moment even $500 weddings would be welcome!


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## *Mike* (May 2, 2008)

Problem is, you quickly start to get pigeon-holed.  And, start with your rates too low and you'll never raise them as fast as you need to.  If you do, you lose the client base that you worked to build and are basically starting over anyway.  

As for $500 weddings... I know that we'd actually lose money if we booked a $500 wedding.  In fact, I can't imagine anyone taking on the liability of a wedding for $500.  Not only are you then in one of the most highly litigious areas of photography, but you either have to invest in the necessary insurance to cover your butt, and the necessary equipment, and all the time, or you shoot with tremendous liability issues.

Edited to add: I know how hard it can be to get a business going...  So, I feel your pain.  My advice is based entirely on my experience, and the observation of (and feedback from) hundreds of other photogs.  My goal is to be as helpful as possible... not to be discouraging.  )


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## Rhys (May 2, 2008)

I was figuring the income from a couple of $500 weddings shot purely as photos on a CD and with an iron-clad contract should pay for decent advertising and the insurance thing. Those "starter" weddings never make it, of course, to the portfolio.


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## *Mike* (May 2, 2008)

Well, I'd rather see a portfolio come through other means...  Bottom line, if you're competent enough to shoot a wedding, you're competent enough to charge a respectable rate.  

As for an iron clad contract - unless an attorney writes it up, I doubt that it's iron clad.  But, even if it is, it doesn't prevent someone from actually suing you.  They may lose, but you're still going to have legal fees getting to that point.  And, because of all the personalities involved, the huge emotional element, and all the associated stress, weddings are the most likely to blow-up of all the possible shoots you could do.

So, I see quite a bit of liability.  Disregarding that...  Take a $500 wedding.  16% goes back to self-employment tax.  Then there's normal income tax.  Then there's equipment - wear and tear, insurance (hopefully), possible equipment rentals, etc.  Then there's any necessary business license.  Oh, and some venues require liabilty coverage from the vendors or you're not allowed on the grounds (some of them will spring it on you at the last minute).  Time wise, you could be looking at quite a few hours...

Then, to turn over the disk actually cuts down on the possibility of any real income.  We'll sell our files with our higher packages.  But, with a $500 wedding it means that you're lucky to break even.  At the very least, why not low-ball on the coverage and then sell the prints, albums, etc.?  At least that way there's a higher earning potential?

Lastly, shooting bottom dollar does lower the perceived value of the service you offer.  It makes it harder on the industry in general, and you in particular as you raise your rates...

I've seen, and worked with a lot of photogs.  It is rare that it works out to shoot cheap and try to work your way up.  Determining what you want your business to look like - and then building everything around it in a more comprehensive plan - works much more effectively.   )


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## elsaspet (May 2, 2008)

I adverise on the Knot and WPJA, but if you want to know where MOST of my business comes from........it's referrals.

Do a killer job.  Make friends.  And you will never want for a job.


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## kellylindseyphotography (May 2, 2008)

Lacey Anne said:


> Portraits and weddings. I've been looking for a wedding photographer to shadow but no luck in any of them even returning my calls or emails. I have a friend who shoots weddings in WI and I'm about ready to just fly out there and shadow her for a week! lol!
> But I want to really start out with portraits. I've done some for friends and family, and of course, my own kids. I'm just looking at growing and branching out from there. I've been advertising on craig's list with no luck, but I sometimes think the only people who visit there are the ones trying sell something... I'm taking out an ad in the local homeschool newsletter this month and I'm having flyers printed to put on local community bulletins. I do have business cards with a photo on them and carry them everywhere I go. I've handed out several but I think I might need to be even more proactive about the business cards.



studio? candid??  children? adults?

If your into weddings, have you *ever* shadowed one?  Definitly keep trying to make phone calls to wedding photogs in your area and offer your services for FREE.  Carry their equiptment and such, and just ghost them. . See if you REALLLY love it and its something you would pour your heart into.

If you have kids, check out www.meetups.com and join a local playgroup in your area.  Or www.mops.com.  Shoot at every playgroup, playdate and produce stellar work.  You will exponetially be busier than you ever thought just by working with those moms alone.  

If your interested in adults, I am really not sure.  You can try asking family members and build a portfolio from there.


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## maytay20 (May 3, 2008)

msf said:


> Is that 10% before expenses or after expenses? If it was a wedding, would it just be 10% of the initial package bought, or of everything, like reprints down the road?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
It is before expenses but it does not include prints, It is only 10% of the initial package.  I do this for friends, other servers, my family and one of the ladies that books the rooms has earned some cash from this.  She even referred her own family to us knowing that she would get the 10% off her family.  The way I look at it most of the time it is a client I wouldn't have crossed paths with so if I have a $1,200. wedding I book and she is the one that told the client about me giving her $120.  I well worth it!


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## msf (May 4, 2008)

*Mike* said:


> As for an iron clad contract - unless an attorney writes it up, I doubt that it's iron clad. But, even if it is, it doesn't prevent someone from actually suing you. They may lose, but you're still going to have legal fees getting to that point. And, because of all the personalities involved, the huge emotional element, and all the associated stress, weddings are the most likely to blow-up of all the possible shoots you could do.



How much is liability insurrance usually?  And who are the best insurrance companies to go for?


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## msf (May 4, 2008)

kellylindseyphotography said:


> Have a website. I have freewebs. Its free, people complain about the ads, but at least it is there and exists. It will do while I work my way up.
> 
> I got free business cards printed of vistaprints.com. At playgroups, at the park, to friends... I give them my card and it has my website address on it and my phone number. If people are interested, they can contact me.
> 
> ...



I took a quick look at your website, and I could be mistaken, but I think your even cheaper than walmarts portrait studio, ignoring the special package they use to draw people in.  I think your work is worth more than what your charging, especially the photoshop work like selective coloring.


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## Lacey Anne (May 5, 2008)

msf said:


> I took a quick look at your website, and I could be mistaken, but I think your even cheaper than walmarts portrait studio, ignoring the special package they use to draw people in. I think your work is worth more than what your charging, especially the photoshop work like selective coloring.


Yeah! Kelly, that's incredibly cheap! I would double (at least) those prices!


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## Bthornton (May 5, 2008)

Antithesis said:


> I'm curious how to get into event photography. I have a business/marketing plan set up for weddings, but I'd like to be able to shoot some events as well. Did you advertise some where to start with?


The way I started was just to ask. I asked the manager of an event and they did not care for the photographer they had before and that was it. I find a lot of my event work from being spotted at an event shooting. When the event is more on the casual side and most are my partner and I wear nice t's with our logo on and we get asked for our biz cards all the time. Another way to get into event photography is to do some charity shoots for no charge. Yeah it's a lot of work for nothing but besides the fact you are doing something good for someone you will get a LOT of future work. The event we just wrapped up was a 4 day trade show where over 100,000 women attended. From this long weekend we now have 40 sessions everything from babies to weddings as well as 3 catalog shoots and 2-3 more events. For me it's not the amount of $$ I make at the event it's the amount of new customers it brings.


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## kellylindseyphotography (May 5, 2008)

Lacey Anne said:


> Yeah! Kelly, that's incredibly cheap! I would double (at least) those prices!



Wow, you think so?  I make a very small profit, but its because I just started the "business" side of it and charging money.  

I'd love to see you put together a portfolio of some sort online Lacey Anne.  It would be a good jumping point to getting your name out there!


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## Lacey Anne (May 5, 2008)

kellylindseyphotography said:


> Wow, you think so? I make a very small profit, but its because I just started the "business" side of it and charging money.
> 
> I'd love to see you put together a portfolio of some sort online Lacey Anne. It would be a good jumping point to getting your name out there!


Oh, I have one.  The link is in my signature.


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## kellylindseyphotography (May 5, 2008)

Lacey Anne said:


> Oh, I have one.  The link is in my signature.




DUh!  I swear I clicked on that link before and it took me to a blog.  I must be thinking of another tpf member.  I love how the porfolio page has switching pictures... the only CC I can think of is to only show your best and brightest.  I noticed a few that could be removed for not being up to par with your better stuff.


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