Facebook – All businesses should have a Facebook page, whether you like Facebook or not, it’s where millions of people hang out. Chat with potential clients, show off your latest work and start networking. If you want to get a larger audience join Facebook groups that are specific to your business. If you join a group that has 2000 members you now have 2000 potential new people to market your services to. Look for Facebook groups locally that let members list their products and services. Then offer your services for a discount if they book you within 24 hours. Limiting the time the offer is available will force people to make a decision and makes the offer irresistible.
Instagram – is a great way to show your work off. A growing number of photographers are using Instagram as their website and taking bookings through it. If it works, good for them, but when a client is spending thousands of dollars on a wedding photographer they need to see your work in a larger format. Use Instagram to get people’s attention and only post your best work. Instagram Stories allows you to post short videos. Post only business-related content like pre-shoot, setting up, or arriving at a location. Get in the habit of pulling out your phone and capturing these short videos. Even if it’s you getting your camera equipment ready, post it. You might not be going on a shoot but the viewer will think you are.
Twitter – maybe not be as suited to photographers as Instagram but it can still be used to send out special offers. You can even use it to promote your Instagram posts.
LinkedIn – if your business is aimed at business people and you specialize in headshots, business portraits, real estate, weddings (business people get married too), industrial or product photography, then this is the place for you. LinkedIn is all business all the time, the ultimate business networking site.
Pinterest, Youtube, etc – I know there are many more types of social media platforms, but you can’t do all of them. Youtube is not the best platform for photographers unless they are teaching people how to do something. The only sector I can think of it benefiting would be travel photographers. Pinterest has changed its format and now gives paid ads pride of place, making it harder to be seen. Try to specialize in one or two platforms and do it well.
Setting up a website with a custom domain name is part of your branding. Your site needs to be well laid out and easy to navigate, it has to look professional. This is where you will post your portfolio, write a blog and create landing pages for all the new visitors your marketing efforts bring in. Remember, you only get one chance at a first impression.
This is a biggy. Building an email list is a must if you want to build your business. A quick way to build your list is to offer a lead magnet. The lead magnet could be an ebook, a cheat sheet, or absolutely anything you like. If you shoot weddings/engagements and family portraits you could offer one free engagement session. The lucky couple will be picked in a draw at the end of the month. You advertise the free session on all your social media accounts, free ads, paid ads, and anywhere else you can. The link you provide will send them to a landing page on your website where they can enter the competition.
After the draw, you have a list of people that are going to be getting married plus a couple that won the free shoot. These are qualified leads so that you can email information about your wedding packages. For the cost of a few hours of work, you have a chance to sell thousands of dollars of wedding packages. A year later these people will still be on your list and might be interested in your family portraits
List building is a year-round pursuit and so is sending offers to your list. Try to have a monthly promotion and think months ahead. You want to be booking Christmas sessions in October, not December. Sign up for a free email marketing account at mailerlite.com and start your list today.
Podcasting is really starting to boom. Every subject you can think of has a podcast discussing it. Find a local business podcast, offer to be a guest, and tell your business story. If there isn’t one, start your own. Offer to take the podcaster’s headshot in exchange for some ads on their podcast. Run an ad on a podcast and give the owner a percentage of your bookings/sales. There are so many ways to promote yourself through podcasts, don’t miss out.
Kijiji, eBay Classifieds, Craigs List, Local directories, every city around the world has free classified advertising sites. They are a good place to advertise when you are starting out, but a lot of people on there are looking for cheap and inexpensive. I would use these sites for your first few clients, to build your portfolio. Don’t make it a part of your long-term business plan.
Google Ads – When you use google to search the top 3 or 4 in the results are ads. You can tell they are ads because they have a little graphic, the word Ad within a square, positioned in front of the web address. When you set up your account you get to decide how much you want to spend per day/week/month. You also get to choose which keywords make your listing appear and in which geographical area. These ads are Pay-Per-Click (PPC) meaning you only get charged when some clicks on your listing.
Google my business
Facebook Ads – with Facebook you get to choose between Pay-Per-Click and Pay-Per-Impression. When you are starting out, Pay-Per-Click is your best option. I say that because Facebook ads are graphics that you have to supply. The process of creating the right ad that attracts people can be hit and miss. So if you paid for 1000 impressions and your ad graphic sucked, no one would click on it and you wasted your money. If you choose Pay-Per-Click you only pay when someone clicks on the ad and gets to see your website. If you don’t get any clicks you can make alterations to it until you hit on one that works.
Wedding Related Websites – There are thousands of websites that help couples choose everything wedding-related, including photographers. They can be extremely expensive so be careful. If all the top wedding photographers in your area are on your local site, then maybe it’s necessary to join them. If only some of them are on there, give it a miss. You will get more bang for your marketing dollars by concentrating on Google and Facebook ads.
When I was starting out I made my own trifold brochures using photoshop and a $50 HP printer. Set to the highest print quality it would take 5 minutes to print one brochure. I was sending them to figure skating clubs so I only needed 20+. That first brochure mail-out got me bookings for competitions, awards, and custom calendars.
Don’t rule out brochures. Sports clubs are run by parents that want the best for their kids. Send the brochure to the president of the club and they will take it to the next committee meeting. Having something to hold and pass around will beat an email link in this situation. Today there are many commercial printers offering brochures and flyers at great prices.
If you are a wedding photographer, this is for you. Contact Jewellery stores and offer free engagement shoots if the customer buys a certain price of an engagement ring. So if they spend $1000 or over they qualify for a free shoot. The exact numbers are set up by you and the store manager. This is great for the store because it gives them a way of upselling. You are getting a couple that has just decided to get married and a chance to impress them with their engagement photos.
Other retail and business spaces to consider promoting your services are:
Pet Portraits – Advertise in Pet Stores, Dog Training Schools, Pet Groomers, Pet Boarding.
Infant / Baby / Children’s Photography – Advertise in Kids Clothing Stores, Toy Stores.
Realtor Headshots & Real Estate Stills, Video & Drone – Advertise in Real Estate Offices