How Wedding Photographers Market Their Business Today

[personalphotos]

<p>I agree with Nadine's recent post (01:39 p.m) 100, no 150%. I would never ever tie my reputation to a group that would depend on it's weakest link. For example what if you were recommending some new shooter and they do fine work. You get $50-100.00 for your lead and they go shoot the wedding. They then decide editing is too much trouble and never get around to delivering. Or they move, die or a thousand other issues. Suddenly you have a bride screaming at you that you've ruined her entire life because she can't get her wedding photos.</p>

<p>What if you sent leads to <a href="http://www.glennbarnettreviews.com/">this guy</a>? Would you want witness protection after his brides were calling you? Nope, I want nothing to do with either these referrals or handing them out.</p>

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p>There isn't one way to do this. Brides are not all the same when it comes to what they want from wedding photography. Photographers aren't all the same. We work in different price markets and locations across the nation (in the US), both urban and non-urban. We work in different countries. This is why we all need <strong><em>to educate ourselves about marketing first</em></strong>, and then creatively <em>apply what we learn <strong>to ourselves</strong> and <strong>our situations</strong></em>. And then keep <strong><em>changing things to keep up with the changing market.</em></strong></p>

</blockquote>

<p><strong><em> </em></strong><br>

Nadine’s Horse and Cart are positioned in an appropriate stance, in my opinion.</p>

<p>WW</p>

[fotografz]

<p><strong>Peter,</strong> I'd completely buy your argument if it weren't for the fact that this business is one of the few creative services that <strong>doesn't</strong> use agents and representatives ... and BTW, those reps are not a substitute for personal interaction between the artist and client.</p>

<p>A "Rain Maker" is the one who <strong>qualifies a lead</strong> so when you meet the prospect, that lead is yours to lose as opposed to win over ... the percentages would increase, and you'd be less likely to drive for an hour, meet for two hours, and end up with nothing.</p>

<p>A representative can also speak in superlatives that are tough to do personally. I've dealt with numerous agents and representatives for photographers, artists, writers, musicians and composers ... who targeted me as a likely prospect, listened to my needs, suggested a talent, and said why in words that would be deemed egotistical from the artist themselves ... then checked schedules, and pricing structure ... or promised to run the project by the talent to gauge interest if the budget was too anemic. It's simply a matter of communication. </p>

<p>I know no-one likes change, and if it's working for you why change? However, just as the industry is changing, perhaps new marketing ideas have to at least be explored. I'm not suggesting that this would be for everyone ... you'd have to command at least the average price or a bit higher in your market ... and back out the rep fee/commission ... knowing that would free you to concentrate more on doing the work instead of getting the work. More time to increase quality, come up with new ideas, expand services offered, etc. </p>

<p>Trouble is, finding one.</p>

<p>It actually could be an opportunity for those with the right skill sets and some marketing savvy ... rep a number of different photographers that work in different fields of the public sector: Wedding, pet photographers, kid/family, newborns, ... as well as some smaller local commercial photographers, (all kinds of medical, dental, small industrial, real estate, retail outlets need and use photography).</p>

<p>Then there is the opportunity for wedding photographers to diversify ... which is a really good idea given the state of the business today. I recently uncovered a whole new segment of portrait work that has gone virtually untapped ... formal fitness portraits ... from competitive body-builders to figure sculpting, cyclists, and on and on ... anyone in peak condition recorded at that very peak of fitness. People will pay for this vanity product, and it's a blast to do ... not to mention not nearly as exhausting ... </p>

<p>Hope Nadine forgives the non-wedding shot ... but it's to make a point about diversification ... which a rep then could also sell to keep things going in the down season ... in my case it'd be this new "Fitness Portraits" I'm exploring. Talk about word of mouth, I just started and have 5 bookings already. Less effort and about the same net $ as a 6 hour wedding, with far less planning and back-and-forth. Interesting to see how it all pans out. If I had a rep ... well ...<br>

</p><div></div>

[picturesque]

<p>It's cool, Marc. Also cool you found a new avenue.</p>

[nate_delucca]

<blockquote>

<p>Nothing I can do about it (I will not take cuts from newcomers) except mind my own business and be creative about marketing myself.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's a very noble concept, Nadine, but you end up adding another very difficult hat to your already growing collection. </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>In my area there is a similar program called The Short List.</p>

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<p>I checked out the Short List site you were referring to. It's not similar at all to what I was referring to. The Short List really has no marketing properties, it relies on the consumer being pre-sold on the value of the photographers, finding the website without any incentive for action, and randomly basing decisions on taste and preference, without being educated to any other variables between the photographers. Where is the incentive for anyone to do anything with these photographers, specifically promote them? My guess is it doesn't do anything at all for most of the people there because there's no motivating force behind it. </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>These sites exist. Here is one. Just google 'bad wedding photos' or similar.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Those aren't sites, those are pages. Just random posts that someone will casually make about a given subject. Not at all the same as someone saying there's enough bad content out there to dedicate a entire authority site to it, where the content will constantly be refreshed on a daily basis because that's just how much bad there is out there. By only having an occasional post, it actually makes it appear that there's not a lot of bad photo shoots happening. </p>

<p>Peter, that "saving the day" bit was pretty interesting to me.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>How many times have each of you in some small or large way, saved the day?</p>

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<p>I'm hope you work that concept into your USP because I feel like bride's love hearing that. I don't know if it's any different than anyone else, but I know my fiance doesn't feel that way about her photographer. Not yet anyway. Might as well market it though instead of just being an unannounced bonus, could separate you from someone in a close race. </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>... educate ourselves about marketing first...</p>

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<p>I agree Nadine with your whole statement, I think this thread has been proving that the whole time. So what I'd like to hear from you is, how do you do this? And, what forms of marketing are you focusing on? There are many paths to choose to go, which ones do you focus on as an appropriate use of you valuable time?</p>

<p>And when should you decide that it's better to leverage?</p>

<p>With all the hats that wedding photographers wear, it's surprising that most don't outsource more. As in the idea with the rep, it sounds like most would sacrifice a couple bucks to be able to concentrate more on his or her craft, but why isn't this more common? It's been said by photographers on this thread that a high ranked website can bring more leads, why not outsource that? It's said that blogs/facebook/social media can prove a client that you're "in the game," so why not outsource that? Why not use leverage to help your follow-ups by sending cards/small gifts to potential clients that are considering your services? This can all be automated, yet still add a personal touch. If all these things help free you up to do more creative things, isn't that worth the money? Or is sacrificing any profits that can be done yourself considered bad business?</p>

<p>If the business side of things is more important that the creative side, why isn't it done like other businesses who leverage and become more efficient? Isn't that educating yourself about marketing first? Learning that others may be able to help you do it better for cheaper? Find your value per hour in a dollar amount and I bet there's a more efficient and cost effective way to do a lot of the tasks you currently do... opening yourself up to diversifying, which sounds like a great idea to me, Marc</p>

<p> </p>

[shawn_mertz]

<p>Out sourcing and/or having staff is difficult because profit margins are constantly dropping. The Rep on commission can work because they don't get paid if they don't make rain. Finding someone like Marc talked about is tough.</p>

[pete_s.]

<p>I think most photographers deep down believe that if their work is good enough the clients will come. So when the clients don't show up by themselves the photographer naturally looks at their equipment and their technique and wonder how they can improve it. The photography business (camera companies, resellers, magazines, websites etc) of course encourage this as it leads to more sales of camera gear, books, seminars, increased web traffic, marketing revenue and whatnot. Most photographers are just interested in art and the craft of being a photographer, not in business, marketing and management - that's just a necessary evil to make a living.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>1. Sorry, I don't understand your statement about another hat.</p>

<p>2. The Short List itself may not be exactly what you are talking about, but I think I understand what you are talking about, and all the things I said about The Short List still apply. I realize The Short List relies upon the fact that the participating photographers are considered the cream of the crop in the area--hence the snob appeal replacing a strong sell, which is probably seen as too gauche.</p>

<p>3. There are many 'ugly wedding photography sites'. Did you look at them all? If there was one mega site run by photographers, brides would think it was all sour grapes.</p>

<p>4. You're asking me too many questions. :^) I am slightly ashamed to say I am still riding the tails of my referral circles. However, I am working up a new website but don't really plan to get heavily into SEO and all the other stuff. I hate blogs--don't read them. I don't care for facebook. I'll probably be forced to work those resources but IMHO, if your heart isn't in any kind of promotional statement, people know it is false.</p>

<p>5. I disagree about outsourcing the marketing/sales end of things. I believe that the more personal your marketing media is, the better. If I am quirky (I know I am), and that comes across to clients in an appealing way--that is good. An outsourcing agent will not be able to convey that quirkyness--much less in an appealing way. If a prospect runs away because of that quirkyness, then that prospect is not my prospect.</p>

[William Michael]

<p>. . . (some) customers will seek out the intimacy, the personal contact, the tailoring to their requirements and a not so run of the mill product - and exceptional - personal - service, from beginning to end.<br /> If a face to face planning discussion becomes less the main stream, it will become more sort after, in some circles.<br /> Heavens maybe even set of Black and White (wet-lab) hand-made Weddings Prints bound in a Leather Coffee Table Album, might just be a niche market money spinner.<br /> 52 x 995 = 51,740<br /> 24 x 7,500 = 180,000<br /> WW</p>

<p>Fitness Portraiture - Bravo! IDEA! <br>

The best of Good Luck with it.</p>

[personalphotos]

<p>Great idea Marc. I hope this leads to a ton of gigs that work well for you and that you make a name for yourself in your market (maybe beyond!). Great shot Btw!</p>

[KenPapai]

<blockquote>

<p>This is what 95% of people do when looking for a photographer, they google "Wedding Photographer" and the city.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br /><br /> 86% of statistics are made up on the spot.</p>

<p>Otherwise an interesting OP.... a lot of it rather obvious and covered quite well here in this forum over the years.</p>

<p>Also, with Marc's experience and technical expertise and how much thought he puts into this business and how much he shares and helps out in this forum: totally a dude paying it forward. ;-)</p>

[james_sawyer]

<p>I honestly didn't read the entire thread, but if i may share, a friend who does wedding photography seriously joined WPPI and he learned a lot including marketing his business.</p>

[imagesbyeduardo]

<p>Danger, danger. While most of what the OP posts makes sense, basing an overall strategy on a sample of one (1) person is, shall we say, bad marketing? In particular, I find the points about FB (somewhat) and "trendy" shots (very much so) non-universal. One person's view does not fully represent the entire market. Not even close.</p>

[martin_spence]

<p>This has been a very useful thread to read.<br>

Marketing is something I really need to work on..</p>