Whether you’re in a big or small town, the local photography scene can be quite competitive. These days, many people are picking up easy-to-use cameras, setting up websites and free social media profiles in a matter of hours, networking with possible clients and securing tons of gigs. If you’re a professional photographer, it can be challenging to set yourself apart from others and prove that you are the best person for the job.
If you want to shoot special events like weddings, birthdays and professional gatherings, as well as show off your portraiture and landscape skills, you need to make a few marketing moves. Here is how you can start dominating your local photography scene.
Use content marketing to attract your crowd
Pay-per-click Google ads and Facebook advertising may be out of your budget, and it might not be the most effective tool to attract customers in your local photography scene. Instead of trying to force a connection with your target customers, cultivate it with valuable content instead. You can do this by writing blog posts, creating videos, emailing out newsletters and uploading photos to Instagram that will appeal to your crowd.
CreativeLive instructor Jared Bauman of Content Marketing for Photographers says you need to figure out who your audience is, and then “Create content that is catered to them, solves their problems and further builds their trust in you. For example, if you’re a wedding photographer, create a guide that walks your client through the entire wedding process for a particular aesthetic they’re interested in.”
Do you want to improve your photography skills and attract more clients? Tune into Wedding Week to learn more.
Network with professionals in your industry
If you photograph animals, make it a priority to connect with pet groomers, animal rescues and dog walkers. If you take pictures at bar and bat mitzvahs, make friends with local rabbis and synagogue staff. If you are a wedding photographer, you should be in touch with wedding planners, DJs, bands and caterers, along with dress and tuxedo rental shops and venues.
CreativeLive instructor Skip Cohen Marketing for Photographers suggests starting a luncheon to network any professionals relevant to your industry. Once you meet them face-to-face and establish connections, your business will blossom. “This is about building relationships, and the first meeting is just about getting to know everybody,” says Cohen.
Increase your photography skillset
No matter how much practice you’ve had, anyone can benefit from further improving their craft. Enroll in local and online classes taught by successful freelancers in your local photography scene to learn what you can do to make your photos look better and capture beautiful moments.
Scott Robert Lim, who charges $10,000 per wedding and teaches CreativeLive’s “Photographer’s Guide to Marketing,” says it took him 16 years to become a confident photographer and tell a story with his photos. “There has to be a strong voice coming from each photo. The Eiffel Tower might happen to be in the background, but that’s not the story of the photo. I’m always thinking, ‘Here’s the place; now create and set the story.’ And it has to happen within a minute or two—wedding photography is very fast.”
Do you want to improve your photography skills and attract more clients? Tune into Wedding Week to learn more.
