Marketing

Q:

Are email promos welcome? Must they mention the pandemic or be relevant to it?

A:

Email promos are welcome right now, maybe even more than ever because people are home at their computers. The images don’t have to be relevant but you may waste the release of an image now since it won’t be used soon. Show an image with the goal to draw clients to your website. To not mention the pandemic now would be insensitive and could even be hurtful. The definition of “too salesy” would be to ignore what your audience is experiencing. Good sale is to know your audience and see it through their eyes.

Q:

Do you ever find photographers or directors on Instagram?

A:

Word of mouth tends to be the way I find people. It’s still pretty hard to find a photographer through random searching although there are always exceptions, of course. My advice is to try to get clients’ attention in every way possible, including targeted ads on social media, snail mail and email promos, setting up meetings, etc. 

Guest Post: Creative/Art Director
Dave Gassman

Q:

How would you advise a photographer about how to get more work?

A:

Focus specifically on the client/industry with which you most want to be working and shape your portfolio around that market. Start with one area and master it. Then you can expand and grow…

Q:

How do you feel about using Instagram Stories as a marketing tool?

A:

Insta Stores are EVERYTHING. It’s a new way to market yourself that is available to everyone and completely free. According to research, on average 80% of users ‘Forward Tap’ through Instagram Stories rather than ‘Exit,’ proving how effective they can be.

Q:

I need advice on naming my business. Is it an important part of marketing? I’d prefer to use my one name and add the word Media, Photography, or Creative after it, but my name is common and there are some sub-par photographers with my name out there right now. Thoughts?

A:

Your name needs to sum you up quickly and succinctly. Media, Creative and Photography all have different business-related meanings so I would suggest you stick to your name, with the word “Photography” and make sure the website name is available too. I wouldn’t worry too much about the other photographers.

Q:

What are the best sourcebooks and websites for a photographer to spend their marketing dollars?

A:

Shooting tests is where you should spend your marketing budget, as that is the most direct path to getting jobs. Once your portfolio is where you want it to be, I would suggest the following US options in the commercial advertising world:

At-Edge, Found, Blvd, Wonderful Machine, Production Paradise, Workbook, Drip, LeBook, (new) Komyoon, Altpick, Lurzer Archive, PhotoServe, and Creative Hotlist.

Sometimes it’s best not to show your new work. I know we always want to show new new new work these days of heavy flowing content, but be careful as some work is not consistent, or not appropriate.

Our instinct is always to show new work and stay updated with fresh content. However, sometimes it’s best not to show certain work, whether it’s because it differs from your portfolio or it touches on sensitive topics like current news or political issues. Be cautious about what you publicly post or display on your website—avoid sharing anything that might be inappropriate given current events.

When I say ‘don’t show it,’ I specifically mean avoiding public posts or website updates. However, if you’re applying for a specific job and have written a treatment or need to send additional images, you can include those in a PDF tailored for that particular person or project, especially if the lighting, style, or technique matches their needs. In such cases, they might be more forgiving.

Q:

If someone is claiming to want to showcase you as an artist & you feel you are not ready, what is the best professional response to decline without ruining your chances for a future showcase?

A:

If someone wants to showcase your work, go for it! You would not usually be asked if you’re not ready. Worse case scenario: It will be a learning opportunity. You will discover what works and what doesn’t, and can make adjustments in the future.

The change in our marketing these days is massive. In the past we had a clear route with less options. 

The #1 mandatory way in now is to stay fresh and join the Instagram party. 

This is no longer an option.

I’ve noticed lately that Instagram feed posts aren’t getting as many likes or views as they used to. We know it’s because of Instagram Stories, which have become more prominent. However, as a rep, if I’m researching a client, photographer, or anyone, and I see that they haven’t posted on their feed in a few weeks, I lose a bit of respect and don’t take them as seriously. It gives the impression that they’re not as engaged or haven’t made time for it. So, I still think it’s really important to post regularly on your feed.

Instagram! Get your work out there in the world. More and more often producers are being tasked with finding undiscovered talent. You’ll see that some of the biggest brands are shooting campaigns with photographers that were discovered via Instagram, many of whom have never shot an ad campaign. 

Guest Post: Executive Producer, Rebecca O’Neill

This tells me so much about our market right now. It’s fresh and raw. We have to stay young thinking. Don’t think like an experienced photographer, think young, new thoughts and new ways. That’s what clients want right now. They want what’s hot, what’s new, what’s next. You don’t have to have a big client list to get jobs. That’s a great opportunity. Once again it’s Instagram.