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The number one complaint I hear from photographers in my community is not being able to book clients or not having enough clients.
Why is it that some photographers thrive with a fully booked schedule of amazing clients and some equally talented photographers struggle?
The secret to success is: understanding your client, branding your business with them in mind, sharing messaging that speaks directly to them, a clear marketing strategy, being proactive and consistency.
If you don’t know who you’re here to work with, you’re attempting to please everyone, which is impossible. Ask yourself – ‘what sort of work do I love making?’ and ‘who is this work for?‘ If you already have a client base, look at who your best clients are and see what they have in common.
Your business branding should appeal to your ideal client. If you’re aiming to work with high end clients and charge a higher shoot fee than the average photographer, a homemade Wix site that you haven’t updated since 2017 isn’t going to cut it. You’re going to need to invest in creating a visual brand that reflects your pricing and offering.
Speak to your client with messaging that appeals to them. This means using language that resonates with them and sharing images that they can relate to. If you’re a newborn photographer, the way you talk about your work will be entirely different to how an edgy, conceptual photographer talks about theirs. And if you’re an edgy, conceptual newborn photographer (how awesome) then your approach will be totally contrasting to a lifestyle newborn shooter.
I often see very talented photographers put their prices up only to see their businesses drop off because they’re still using the same visuals and messaging that were popular with clients at a lower price point. If you’re upping your rates and adjusting your market positioning, you need to up your game too.
Once you’ve got an understanding of who your client is and the sort of work you want to create for them, getting your work ‘out there’ is the next step. Marketing means consistently and strategically creating, sharing and networking your creative work. A Facebook page you share to once in a blue moon isn’t enough.
Booking quality clients consistently comes as a result of being consistent with your marketing as well as being persistent with your efforts. It takes time and planning to build a profitable photography business, so stick at it.
If you’re stuck with your marketing, I have a very comprehensive pre-recorded marketing masterclass that you can buy here.
To find out more about how 1:1 coaching could help you achieve results far faster than figuring it out on your own, please feel free to book a complimentary strategy call in with me here.
Hunters of Light is an initiative to help motivate and inspire photographers. We welcome photographers of all skill levels and all camera brands, this group is all about creating beautiful images.
The Hunters of Light was founded by Quintin Mills, a Johannesburg photographer and videographer.