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Back to Businss by Michael Connors & MorePhotos Staff

Back to Business ~ Chapter 3, Knockin’ on Doors

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A Success Series for Modern-Day Photographers

Knockin' on doors

image by graur codrin

In last week’s edition, we talked about tactics for getting your work in front of more eyes through partnership marketing strategies.  Has anyone start working on that strategy yet for YOUR business? This next idea is a more recent one and so far it has worked very well for those I’ve shared it with.  Here’s the story behind how it started…

A photographer called me and told me that his business was going down the tubes.  He said he had been shooting weddings and portraits for over twelve years and it had never been this bad.  He asked if I had any ideas.

Hmm, I said.  I told him to go buy a photo Light Box, the ones that sit on the counter for about $80.00 or so.  Then I told him to go to the closest town with a decent population, and go door-to-door to all of the businesses you can.  Tell them your name, your business name, and that the reason you’re stopping by is because you’re a seasoned portrait and commercial photographer and you are personally turned off when you see poor quality images on company websites.  I’d like to offer my services for only $10.00 per photo that have to do with your business web site.  I’ll even upload them to your computer for you (the idea was to give him a reason to introduce himself, it’s for the connections & exposure, not the $10.00 – remember, the more people that know about you the better!).  In exchange for the competitively priced services, you’d like to have credit given on any website images with a link to my website.  Set up a route to a certain town or area once a month between 12-3pm. That way you can tell them you will be back the first Monday of every month.

This is a fair exchange in my opinion.  The company gets professional quality images for their website, which should help them, present themselves at a higher level, and thus sell more of their product or service.  The photographer gets exposure and a little money on top, plus they just expanded their portfolio and got a back link to their website (think SEO).

Well, three weeks after talking to this particular photographer, he gave me a call back.  He took my advice and went to a local downtown art show – a perfect place to start.  The first three vendors he approached said yes, and between them they had 120 products; so the first day he made $1,200, gained exposure, and expanded his portfolio!  Not bad for an $80.00 investment in the light box.

The market for shooting images for the web is endless.  If you’re struggling or looking for a new niche, get out there, get some customers, and make some money.  Once you start knocking on doors the possibilities are endless.

Thanks,

Mike Connors | MorePhotos CEO

Back to Businss by Michael Connors & MorePhotos Staff

Back to Business ~ Chapter 2, Get Your Work in Front of More Eyes

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A Success Series for Modern-Day Photographers

Photography Business Tips - Get Your Work in Front of More Eyes

image courtesy of graur codrin

We’re back with more business advice for photographers.  Last week, we talked about some very basic rules, like the 80/20 rule (80% of people go with the first photographer they find), and some other simple business basics like eagerness, tone of voice and professionalism.

As we move along in the series, we’ll be getting more specific and covering some tricks to help you gain new business in out-of-the box ways.  How many of you are wedding photographers?  While this next tip will work with virtually all types of photography, it may be especially beneficial for wedding photographers.  Here’s how you can gain new eyes viewing your work, and thus more potential clients – through hair salon marketing.   Huh?  Trust me.   I’ve been telling our long time photographers this one for years with positive results.

The average couple books a photographer 2 – 2 ½ months after they get engaged.  That doesn’t leave you with a whole lot of time to nab newly engaged couples and book up your season.  Now if you think about it, who knows what’s going on in the life of a bride-to-be (especially big events like a wedding), better than her hair dresser?  They likely see her every 4-5 weeks and will be one of the first to get a time slot booked for their big day.  Hair is important on a wedding day.

If we go back to the 80/20 rule, we know that if you’ve got a high end hair salon referring you, you’re likely to get some good business from it.  So how do you get them to refer YOU.  Well, doing great work is one way, and if you’re a pro photographer then we hope that’s the case no matter what.  Another way is to get crafty, in a good way of course.  See if you can get in touch with the owner of the Salon, introduce yourself and share your experience in the photography industry.  Let them know that you’d like to work out some referral services that might be mutually beneficial to your business and the salon.  Here’s a good line that usually works:

“Since we’ve never worked together, I thought one morning I could come by the salon and take a group photo of your employees.  If you’re interested, it may be fun to even get a group shot of the employees’ kids together to show the family side of your business.  I’ll print the photos and frame them for you, and you can hang them up in the salon for the world to see your team!  If you like my work, you can recommend me to the brides, families and sports players that come into your salon.  On the same token, I’ll refer folks from event venues and bookings to you for a great salon experience.”

Sounds like a win-win right?  Another bonus is that once you establish a good working relationship, there could be all kinds of benefits.  Offer to come in and re-do the shot every year to keep it fresh in exchange for setting up  a mobile portrait studio on a busy Saturday, offering before-and-after shots for immediate purchase.  Keep this line of thinking and apply it to other related industries.  If you can hone these simple partnership marketing skills, you’ll never have a shortage of business.  Partnerships are like a garden.  Sow seeds and water them and you’ll produce fruit.

Thanks!

Mike Connors | MorePhotos| CEO