Branding

5 STEPS/WAYS TO IMPRESS A REP WITH YOUR WEBSITE

1. BRANDING/identity – reveal the quick lowdown of WHAT YOU DO as we land on your site.
2. DESIGN – placement and, size of images, overall spread cleanly mapped out with clear intention. 
3. SCROLLING – keep us active, getting busy as soon as we arrive so that we stay.
4. SEARCHABILITY – consolidate your options into clear groupings inviting us to click deeper into a fine-tuned search.
5. STATIC HEADER – reminding us who you are no matter where we go on your site.

Q:

How can a photographer get out of the loop of comparing themselves to others and their careers?

A:

Photographers looking for inspiration must be careful not to fall into the ‘comparison trap.’ Our careers move quickly, and if we get sidelined, assuming there is some correct roadmap to follow, we will get off course and never reach our potential. We are in an artistic career with one requirement – appreciate your “eye.”

Q:

I want to get into Fashion and Lifestyle commercial photography. Can we do two kinds of photography at the same time?

A:

Focusing on various markets comes up a lot for photographers of all types. I used to hear how European photographers were not as pigeonholed as we are in the USA. Hey, we are human and don’t want to be locked into one field when we have a spectrum of interests. The easiest way to approach this is to master one overall artistic sensibility, style, and vibe that can be relevant in several industries.

Q:

Should I work with an agent who has other photographers like me, or should I work with one who doesn’t have a photographer with my specialty?

A:

The first major step in the rep search process is the skillset every photographer must master to succeed – I call it “the objective eye.” You have to be able to judge a “good” image and a “good” grouping of images. Will your work fit well within the rep’s roster, highlighting and amplifying your brand? Your well-curated viewpoint begins with a snap of the shutter and continues into portfolio/feed promotion. The rep requirement checklist grows from there, but this starting point should shape your search.

Finding the Right Rep Checklist:

1. Who reps competing photographers you admire?
2. Which reps work with the clients you want to be working with?
3. Referrals work best, so ask those in the biz like a paid membership resource you are on, consultants, and clients for their rep suggestion. 
4. What type of reps branding best fits your style?
5. Start with a “Temp Rep” situation to get to know if you work with the same approach on a project. 
6. What marketing platforms are most important to you, and which reps meet your standards in their marketing?
7. The most important one is the rep’s reputation. Ask around and get some good reports on those you can trust. 

Q:

What is the importance of a “one-sheet” attachment promo in an email sent to a potential client? How many images and should this promo include any descriptive text about the images, background/bio, pitch, etc., or should all of the text be in the body of the email?

A:

When saying hello in an email, it can be good to have a fast visual sampling looking like it belongs in that email. The key to a one-sheet promo is that it’s a quick relatable read of a small number of images only, not needing that extra step of being clicked to open.

Q:

Are elaborate/over the top promos worth the money to get a client’s attention? If so, should more simple promos be sent first so you are potentially already on the client’s radar?

A:

Depending on your budget, I like to stick with consistent, well-designed promos with a quick, concise message. The expensive promos we can send or hand to clients could be a striking piece that ends up on their wall, getting the attention of a long-standing art piece. I’ve seen this happen, but it’s like going to Vegas and playing the High Roller risky games.

Q:

What do we do with our email promo “clicked” lists?

A:

To know who CLICKS from our email promo to our website supplies valuable feedback shaping our marketing direction. Analyzing this relevant resource can be what you need to know.

1. Put them on a hotlist and use every method to follow up with them, including following and engaging on IG.
2. Look up all the others at that agency or company on Agency Access, yodelist, and LinkedIn to get them on your lists. If your work is applicable for one person at that place, I will put money down that the same is true for the others.
3. If one of your top dream list clients didn’t have any clocks, you know you have some changes to make.
4. Compare the marketplace segments clicking percentages to see which category of clients your work is attracting vs. which types are not being drawn in.
5. When you get an unusual amount of clients or lack of clicks from one email, use that to analyze what was different, like your subject line, the time or the day of the week, wording changes or design.

Q:

How do I leverage this abundance of accolades and high end client work to get more exposure? My past mailers and hand curated Do you always expect clients to negotiate? Or do they just walk away sometimes if the price is automatically too high?

A:

Unfortunately, clients walk away for so many reasons beyond our control. I like to feel out the situation to hear the temperature of their response before fully committing to a price. Odds are more in our favor if we can create a human connection off the bat, helping us open the doors of communication. The conversation can include the openness to flexibility by discussing a price range before we officially submit an estimate. If clients know we are willing to bridge, they may be more apt to negotiate.

Q:

How do I leverage this abundance of accolades and high end client work to get more exposure? My past mailers and hand curated marketing promos have yielded a 3% response rate, and I must say I’m a bit frustrated.

A:

Emails, in general, seem to be a dying breed pushing us to figure out new ways to be in touch. They are no longer the one dependable marketing tool as they now serve one piece of the promotional pie.

You know I’m all about Instagram, so that is my first suggestion, but of course, we still need to push those promos out.

Email promo material should go out in two separate ways, which will, in turn, support each other:

1. Mass email lists will have a lower response rate because they are a larger list of unknown clients but provide us with solid marketing open/click data.
2. Smaller fine-tuned lists built around those we know, and those who open/click the larger mass emails will get better traction.