marketing in wedding photography

[iryna_melnyk]

<p>How do I get clients? I am beginner and I want to book some weddings. I have a nice website http://www.irynasphotography.us but I still don't have any clients :( what to do?? There is a big competition in Boston.</p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>Iryna, I have a few basic questions about your target market in the Boston area:</p>

<ol>

<li>How many weddings typically take place annually in your area? </li>

<li>Of these weddings, how many fall within your price range that you compete in?</li>

<li>How do these prospective clients look for photographers?</li>

<li>What is the price typically paid for photography in an average wedding?</li>

<li>How does your portfolio compare to competing wedding photographers in your area?</li>

</ol>

<p>These are questions that you should be able to answer; not precisely perhaps, but at least have a firm grasp of. If you are unable to answer the questions, I suggest developing a marketing plan which there exists many helpful tools online to assist you. <br>

<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+develop+a+marketing+plan">https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+develop+a+marketing+plan</a></p>

 

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p>. . . I have a nice website"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>A website is PASSIVE. It depends upon people firstly finding it; and then secondly responding to it - and at neither time of those two actions by the PROSPECT are YOU involved - so a website is a very much one sided and biased interaction apropos MARKETING.</p>

<p>A website is a reality and a necessity for starting out today: but it is not the absolute answer. A website is part of the integrated marketing stream of one's business. It would be silly to think that one just simply has to make a website (which is a modern day sign over the shop window) and then sit back and wait for all the PROSECTS to line up, to sign up.</p>

<p>***</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"How do I get clients?"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Advertising and Marketing. These need not cost you the earth, but will take time and consistent effort.<br /> Some simple questions requesting your responses: and some basic ideas for you to consider integrating into your marketing plan, are listed below.</p>

<p>How did you sign the five Weddings that you have in your Portfolio?<br /> What connections and or leads have you marketed to from: the Families; the Bride's and Groom's SISTERS; the Bridesmaids; the Aunties; the Caterers; the Cake-maker; the Hairdresser; The Function Centre . . .?<br /> Do you have the details of those people?<br /> Have you scheduled a (complimentary?) First Anniversary Portrait Sitting with those Five Couples?<br /> Are any of the new Bride's pregnant? Have you marketed a (complimentary?) a Maternity Series to them?<br /> Do you have Business Cards? If yes - how many are you carrying now? How business cards many did you give to Prospects that you met TODAY when you initiated and then engaged them in a conversation about PHOTOGRAPHY?</p>

<p>WW</p>

[studio460]

<p>William said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>Do you have Business Cards? If yes - how many are you carrying now? How business cards many did you give to Prospects that you met TODAY when you initiated and then engaged them in a conversation about PHOTOGRAPHY?</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Excellent tips, William! I finally had some business cards printed, and always make a point to carry a few in my pocket. I keep a box of cars in my car as well. I seem to give at least one out almost everyday!</p>

[William Michael]

<p>Thanks.<br>

What's on the reverse side of your Business Cards?</p>

<p>WW</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

Get to know people, do good work, ask them to refer people to you. Also make sure you only ever use your own work in a

portfolio whether it is online or in print (you'd be surprised by the number of people who don't adhere to that simple common sense rule: there's at least one website dedicated to exposing the frauds who use other folks work and allot their own, http://www.stopstealingphotos.com)

[savagesax]

Have a free sales force. How would you like to have a whole lot of people giving out you cards? I belong

to 2 city Chamber groups. In Chamber groups there are a lot of people that need business from

computer repair to hair stylist, lawn care, painters, printing, and much more. Chamber groups are

business people. They hand out business cards and so do you. If you hear about someone needed a

service, you give them that persons card along with yours of course.

 

There are network groups just with weddings. You have people doing cakes, wedding dresses, florists,

catering, head dress, printers for invitations, DJ's, even ministers. You will surely be busy. Start your

own group if there isn't one.

 

There is a florist in the group that gets a pile of referrals from an upscale hotel. Every Monday he drops

off 3 or 4 flower arrangements for the front desk and other locations, one for the manager.

 

I think about 75 percent of my work and my time is booking weddings, selling yourself and others.

[fotografz]

<p>Iryna, it is a tough world out there these days, and Boston is a very competitive market. But you probably knew that, and came here looking for answers.</p>

<p>Just taking photos is not enough. Just having a website is not enough. Even taking <em>good</em> photos is not enough.</p>

<p>I looked at your website and IMO it is too generalized … you are trying to sell to many types of photography in one place. People tend to want a Wedding Photographer, not just a photographer. Perhaps consider dedicating a website to just Weddings and Portraits?</p>

<p>Your wedding images are small in number for each wedding shown. Consider showing a more complete wedding or having a link to a more complete one to demonstrate how you cover a wedding from start to finish. </p>

<p>The first step in marketing yourself is to have a philosophy behind your approach. What is it that you think makes you special and different from other wedding photographers? Every product or service in the world does this before doing anything else. It is often called: "A Unique Selling Proposition. (USP)" Without a USP, you can be relegated to being a price only consideration. </p>

<p>What makes you different need not be just the photographic approach, it can also be some special group of people that you would appeal to, or a specific professional or academic group. </p>

<p>A photographer friend of mine spoke Polish, our area has a large polish population. He placed very inexpensive ads in one of the Polish papers, and put fliers up in the Polish clubs, associations and churches in the Polish area of town … and secured a lot of business.</p>

<p>I worked in the advertising industry in my area. 90% of my clients for the first 3 years came from that source. Then word of mouth started spreading from there.</p>

<p>Once you have developed what it is that makes you different, then it will suggest which part of the over-all wedding photography cliential you should concentrate on. That becomes your primary target market. Otherwise, it can become over-whelming.</p>

<p>- Marc </p>

<p> </p>

[william-porter]

<p>Iryna Melnyk writes:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>There is a big competition in Boston.</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

Iryna, there is big competition in Abilene, Texas. If things don't turn around soon, there will be more wedding photographers in the United States than lawyers — at a time when fewer and fewer people are bothering to get married.<br>

<br>

•<br>

<br>

Bob Bernardo says, <em>"</em><em>[A]bout 75 percent of my work and my time is booking weddings, selling [myself] and others."</em> </p>

<p>I've heard very similar statements from many of my wedding photographer friends — I mean, the ones who are shooting weddings almost every weekend. Unlike me. <br>

</p>

<p>Will</p>

[William Michael]

<p>For any business to be successful, "following up" anything that one initiates, is very important: especially so in marketing.<br>

But, it would be a good habit for you to get into "following up" in all aspects of your professional life.</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p> </p>

[stella_martin]

<p>Yes there is is very huge competition in this era, you have to struggle a lot to get clients, try to do dales force of your website. Let people know about your website in social networking sites and many more.</p>

[iryna_melnyk]

Thank you for the great tips!