Rangefinder Magazine
July 2005

Click Here for printable version of this article.

Business Savvy by Ira Gostin
Road Map for Today’s Photography Marketplace, Part 2

LAST MONTH WE BEGAN TO outline the keys to success in today’s changing business environment. Steps 1–10 were examined in June. This month concludes that article with steps 11–21.

Success = Planning + Business Strategy + Photographic Talent! If you are an established professional photographer, emerging professional, or delving into market expansion, the following are important and relevant tips to keep your business on the right track. Remember that any good advice must be tempered with your own thoughts and strategies and then incorporated into your business. No consultant should just give you mandates for you to follow.

11. What Is Your Marketing Message?
What single, primary message do you want to send out to the world? If you want your company to do business with another company or a client’s family, you’ll want to let them know certain things about your business. What do you do? Are you a food photographer? Are you a people photographer? Are you a product photographer? Do you only work in the studio?

All of these questions should come across in your marketing message. The most ineffective way to market is by sending out materials that don’t properly reflect the kind of work you want to do. If you refuse to specialize, then pitch yourself as a jack-of-all-photographic-trades, but it is imperative to pitch some specialty.

12. Know Your Market
To whom do you want to sell your photographic services? Are you going to market yourself nationally, regionally, locally? By carefully charting your target market(s), you will ensure that your marketing dollars are not wasted. For instance, if you want to photograph small products in your studio, do not waste money on direct mail by sending your cards to art directors from ad agencies that specialize in marketing children’s clothing.

13. Budget Marketing Time and Money
The best plans in the world are worthless if an adequate budget is not allocated and if you don’t take into account the necessary time it will take to implement the strategies outlined in the marketing plan. A realistic budget should be set after a complete review of all aspects of the marketing plan. Once a budget is set, it should be carefully implemented to initiate the entire campaign. You will need to create and support an advertising or marketing campaign. Time needs to be allocated as well. Make sure you stay on your marketing schedule by allocating a few hours per week to ensure that work keeps coming in.

14. Promote Yourself
Once you’ve got your business established, your business plan written, your marketing plan outlined, your schedule set, and your money allocated, it’s time to promote yourself. Don’t use the shotgun approach. As anyone who has purchased advertising in the past will attest, you can’t just buy an ad and wait for the phone to ring. Does your answering machine or voice mail say what you do? Do your business cards? Do people who know you understand exactly what kind of photography you do? Be “gospel” about promoting your business, make those around you excited about what you do!

15. Be Image Consistent
All your printed materials should have a consistent look and message. Make sure the typefaces and graphics convey the proper image. You want your name and promotional message to be recognized immediately when your materials hit a prospective client’s desk. Hire a designer, or get a consultation from an image specialist. All of these things will help associate your name to what you do.

16. Follow Through
Make sure you follow through on commitments. If you tell a prospective client you will be at his/her office at 2:00 p.m., be there a few minutes early! You can gather a little information by looking around the office and see what magazines your client reads and what types of things they have on the walls and on display. If you receive a job lead from someone, send a thank you note, whether you get the job or not.

17. Follow-Up With Your Clients
Do this in writing or on the phone. You must know your clients’ reactions to your work, your presentations and every aspect of your company that they come in contact with.

While it might seem awkward at first, if you think about what you have received in the mail, most major companies do some kind of follow-up survey with their customers and clients. Photographers are no different.

18. Get Referrals
After you have completed a job, ask the client for referrals. Ask the client who else might benefit from your photographic skills. Do your friends and family understand what you do for a living? Make sure everyone around you understands the kind of clients you are looking for. Get out and network, go to chamber of commerce functions, go to luncheons and hand out business cards or promo materials. Talk about what you do. Show your passion for your photography. Convey a sense of why that prospective client should call you.

19. Your Portfolio Is Your Sales Representative
Your portfolio should be as professional as you are. It should display your images in a professional fashion that is easy to look at and conveys a bit of your personality as well. Your portfolio should show the prospective client or viewer something about you that they might not already know or might not have seen from your promo materials. The prints should be spectacular and without flaw. The album should be leather and enjoyable to touch. All of the images you show should correlate to your web site and promotional pieces.

20. Evaluate Your Marketing
Evaluate things that don’t work, and change them. Be flexible: Your marketing plan is not set in stone. You may find that one aspect of your marketing efforts is not working. Evaluate it, stop, and change things if necessary.

Most importantly, be ready to jump on new opportunities as they present themselves. Don’t feel that you must continue down a marketing path if it seems wrong.

21. Be Yourself
Ultimately, people will hire a photographer because of who they are and what kind of images they make. Let your own personality come through, and let your marketing materials tell a little about you. It’s difficult at first to write about yourself, so some assistance might be required. But when you can write a press release about your accomplishments and get it in the paper, it will ultimately help the visibility of your brand message.

Ira Gostin is a photographer, cowboy and educator based in Reno, Nevada. Business Savvy is a regular feature in Rangefinder. If you have questions about this month’s column, or want to suggest future topics, write Ira at ira@gostin productions.com/.