What is the best way to attract new clients?

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>I am relatively new to wedding photography, I have shot four weddings in the recent past. I am looking to expand over the next couple of years so need to attract some new clients. I was wandering if you might be able to give me a few pointers? I am considering doing a couple of wedding fayres in the near future and have a bit of online advertising in place. </p>

<p>Any help will be greatly appreciated. </p>

<p>Andy</p>

<p>The best way to attract new customers is to show great images. Your work should speak for it self. The other alternative is the undercut everyone else which will eventually drive you out of business.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>The other alternative is the undercut everyone else which will eventually drive you out of business.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You only need to undercut everyone else of the same or higher quality. Basically, be the best value for that price range. </p>

<p>Market your business with your successful past work. It's very simple!<br>

1. Create your brand awareness by using social media platform.<br>

2. Go digitally. Promote your business by using different marketing techniques like SEO, SEM etc..,<br>

3. person to person marketing is one of the easiest way to approach your targeted clients.<br>

4. Follow current market trends to reach right audience.<br>

Hope this will help to grow your business. Good luck!</p>

<blockquote>

<p>You only need to undercut everyone else of the same or higher quality. Basically, be the best value for that price range.</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

LOL! That's a good one. <br>

<br>

So, by progression, each photographer strives to achieve a similar quality of other photographers in their marketplace, while undercutting their pricing structure ... and successively the next photographer undercuts that photographer, and so on. <br>

<br>

That is the very definition of "The Race To The Bottom" ... and why Wedding Photography has gone to "Hades In A Hand Basket."<br>

<br>

- Marc<br>

<br>

</p>

<p><em>Assuming</em> that you have a well fleshed out portfolio of high quality work, it should be child's play to attract new clients if you can get your portfolio and your pricing in front of potential clients. If you have a marginal portfolio, you need to be doing everything in your power to flesh it out, and that should be your A#1 priority.</p>

<p>I used to do the occasional bridal show when I was first starting out, and it was an excellent way to get facetime in front of hundreds of potential clients. It took time and money (both in paying for the space, and for putting together a decent booth, as well as large (real) prints, frames, books, etc.) both before & after, but even the first time (before I really knew how to maximize the experience) I got half a dozen bookings, in addition to the 2 on the day of.</p>

<p>Being personable, and able to talk to brides is a must, but even that won't make it successful for your business unless you learn how to maximize the potential opportunity.<br>

The lessons I learned were:<br>

a) put some effort into your booth. Some great (real) framed pictures, maybe a TV w/ a scrolling slideshow, several books, along with some chairs for people to sit down and peruse, a carpet, a theme, furniture. These are things that show potential clients that you didn't just drop by with a TV and slideshow on the provided table. It also draws them to you. Have hardcopies of your pricing, plans, deals, and alacarte. <br>

a) do a giveaway to get potential clients to provide contact information. Be willing to give away anything from an engagement shoot to an entire wedding depending upon your business needs/desires. Even though the show will provide all that info to you (at least a good one), not only do you not have to wait for it this way, but ONLY the folks interested in photography will have bothered, refining your pile of 'potentials' - the show info is for EVERYONE who walked through the door, even if they have particular interests highlighted. <br>

b) follow up.... the same weekend. With your entrants, you can email them the next day. People waiting on the show's provided info will be waiting up to a week. take advantage of the timeline, and take advantage of the 'visit' made by each and every one of those 'entrants' to your booth.<br>

c) make your follow up personal - start a dialogue. Take notes as you talk to brides. consolidate the info, and refer to your conversation when you email them. An email that reads "Stacy, It was great to meet and talk to you, I had some thoughts about your plans and might suggest that you... " is NOT going to be ignored by <em>any</em> bride. If you can get a dialogue going after the fact, you have almost guaranteed that they will be <em>trying</em> to find a way to hire you, even if you are outside their budget. </p>

<p>But of course all of this is a moot point if you have no portfolio to show, or one of just a few weddings. At the most you should have 2 or 3 images that are from each wedding (or can be identified as such), and you should have a couple of books of exclusively one wedding each to show that you can produce a complete package. If you can't do that by culling your HDD, then as I said, that needs to come before booking a show - unless you've got an absolute knock-em-dead charisma and charm - in which case your portfolio could consist of a couple of polaroids (kidding of course, but the more personality you have, the less actual, you know, product, you need. I've seen plenty of successful wedding photogs who literally spray and pray, and get enough -when combined with their personalities - to make 'happy' clients)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Try to make some funny animated wedding photos. I believe clients would be attracted. Recently, i was attracted amolink keep love in your heart. It's about facebook founder Mark's love story. So sweet. </p>

Stream of consciousness thoughts...

 

Let me preface by saying I'm retired. Horrrrrraaay!

 

Find a mentor. The one who took me under his wing helped me with all aspects of starting a photography business. He

taught workshops that helped immensely. He was a writer for Shutterbug and I callled him and talked and talked. "Better

come to Florida and take my class."

 

Join your local PPA affiliate. Join the PPA. They have errors and omissions insurance that is a good idea to have.

 

I exhibited at several bridal shows. But once I got going I received my business from referrals.

 

Towards the end of my photography career I made headshot business portraits. Used to make portraits of Mary Kay

ladies with a sales director who is a friend.

 

High end clients for weddings I settled into but it's hard to break into that group.

 

How are your people skills? It helps to be able to educate potential clients and have them believe in what you can do for

them. People skills are needed to establish rapport with folks you are photographing. Crowd control. Family dynamics

especially this day and age.

 

A start to help you. No charge. Smiles.

<p>Just a quick tip that is sometimes overlooked, make sure you are watermarking your images that you give to clients to post online and the photos you post online yourself. Also, make sure that your logo is professional and doesn't distract from the image; if you aren't a designer, hire one to make your logo (putting an amateur logo on your photos does more harm than good!) Reduce the opacity and shove the logo in a corner where doesn't cover key elements of the image. This is basically free advertising when your client posts the images on Facebook. People looking at the images don't even have to ask the bride where they got them done, they can quickly see just from looking at the photo. </p>

<p>This of course ties in to having a well-maintained social media/web presence to begin with. That means posting your best shots, as many as possible, and posting frequently. Request reviews from clients if you have to. Build a website and pay attention to SEO. Start an Instagram account. Make it easy for people to find your work and identify your style without having to contact you or anyone else. They shouldn't have to contact you until they have made up their mind!</p>

<p>Some of these things I say as a reminder to myself, as well! :) I am still working on many of these things, but since I don't do this full-time, I'm not quite there yet. </p>

<p>Hope it helps! </p>

<p>Andrew,<br>

What progress and what new ideas have you put in place since January?<br>

Have you instituted any of the ideas that have been offered and discussed here? </p>

<p>WW</p>