There are endless steps you can take to improve your career in photography marketing. The first step you should consider is figuring out what kind of photography you lean towards. What kind of pictures do you enjoy taking and what kind of subjects do you think you are good at capturing? There are people who can capture a landscape photo, but don’t know how to take an appealing picture of food. It’s imperative to find your strengths and weaknesses.
In fact, it is usually easier to build a brand on a specific field of photography, so your clients also know your strengths and what kind of photography they will be see from your service.
It may be appealing to get as many clients as possible, but this instinct may be misleading. You want to get the right customers who are looking for what you have to offer. That way they are more likely to return for more, as well as refer you to friends and family, which is far more important than making $100 from one client and never seeing them again, or worse, getting negative public feedback.
Another helpful strategy is keeping track of customers. Not only is it convenient to be able to pull up records in case someone has a question or a comment about a past shoot, but it will allow you to contact previous clients to remind them of your abilities and your availability for another photo shoot. It is also a good idea to make an email list of your clients and email them periodically to update them about your recent jobs, as well as any promotional offers or updates.
As with many fields, social media is a critical marketing platform for photographers too. Everyone knows Instagram, Facebook and the other top social media platforms, but many people don’t consider using Pinterest or blog posts. People can be reached on a variety of sites, so make sure you market yourself on all relevant options to increase your reach.
Also be sure to reach out to non-profits that coincide with your interests and your kind of photography. You may not be able to be paid for this kind of service, but you will be able to build your portfolio and your exposure with these organizations will help to build your reputation and demonstrate your skills.
Our last tidbit of advice is to make connections with the people who hire you for shoots. Never be afraid to ask for a reference and/or a review.
With whatever field you decide to follow, there is a lot you can do to take your career to the next level, but with all of these steps listed above never forget to stay true to who you are and why you’ve chosen this career. Learn more here.
