The quickest way to lose a potential client is to spell their name incorrectly.
Advice for a Photographer Seeking Representation
Q:
What’s the best advice you can give a photographer who is seeking representation?
A:
Best advice to find a rep is to email the reps that interest you. All we want to do is check out your website. If you know people in the business you can ask around and get the word out there that you are looking.
Print Mailers
Q:
Right now we send print mailers to approx 500 people 3-4 times per year. At what point should we remove someone from the print mailing list if we haven’t received a response after maining, emailing and calling on multiple occasions?
A:
Continuously fine tune your list to match the images you are sending, and update it as people move around. Not getting a response is not the problem. In our business we have no idea when our promos are working because the norm is not to get a response. So update constantly but not for that reason.
Speak In Each Email As If It’s The First One
Always assume your client has less than one second for your email. Include any links they may already know. Write in full sentences that retrace the emails so they don’t need to scroll down and read old ones to understand. Speak in each email as if it’s the first one, gathering all the info. Unless of course, you are responding immediately, then it can be quick “yes” or “no”, etc.
Following up After Promos
Q:
How soon after sending promos is it ok to follow up?
A:
Follow up with the recipients immediately or within a few days. We are all inundated with images so we forget quickly. Our business is based on short term memory.
Finding New Photographers
Q:
How do you find new photographers? Specific websites?
A:
Guest Post, Mara Serdans: I get lots of emails and promos from photographers. Otherwise, I find new photographers on Instagram, at portfolio reviews, blogs, magazines and at gallery shows. I peruse directories like At-Edge, Workbook, and Found Folios. I love checking out PDN’s Annual listing of New and Emerging Photographers. I’ll even go back to the previous years’ listings to remind myself of the talent.
Guest Post: Creative Consultant, Mara Serdans
Most Important Part of an Email
Most important part of an email is to spell their name correctly. Read it out loud. Twice.
Reaching Out to Clients
Q:
How would you advise a photographer to reach out to new clients to ask for a face-to-face meeting to introduce oneself?
A:
The best way to ask for an in person meeting is to treat your client as you would want to be treated. A phone call would annoy me so I don’t do many of them. If you can meet the person at an event that could help, but otherwise the simple answer is: email them with your website as that is what they really need to see first.
Seeking Representation
Q:
What’s the best way for a photographer seeking representation to reach you?
A:
Guest Post, Jorge Perez: I prefer emails. But with that said, you need to be innovative.
You have to “cut through the clutter” . We get a million emails a day. If it’s a new photographer seeking representation – make the email short, personalize it, put the one best image that represents your work.
Keep it short and quick. Even direct message me on Instagram. Think outside the box.
Guest Post: Jorge Perez, JP Reps
Always Have Your Website Link On Your Emails
Photographers, always have your website link on the bottom of your emails. Always.