Marketing

Q:

I have a question regarding media kits. I’m a photographer who wants to make pictures rather than focus on getting followers (or being an influencer). The last brand I worked for shared the images and got so many likes, but when I post the same thing, crickets. What should I put in a media kit to turn this around and spin other benefits like hiring a creative team who can think bigger?

A:

Most will not like my answer, but it is all about back-and-forth ENGAGEMENT. Client connection is the name of the game for creative freelancers. It’s what every rep is doing, and most photographers don’t invest the time researching, contacting, and engaging in communication targeting potential clients. Whether you hire someone to do this for you or do it yourself – the answer is simple, but it takes time and focus.

As visual business owners, our approach is all about the quick-read impact of reaching overworked and overstimulated clients. I look to trigger all senses to be absorbed and stick to their memory. We have an assorted potential toolkit with our IG, dm’s, emails, and promos to get noticed. Consider your client’s busy eyes and how to set the incoming pace for them to pause and absorb what we are selling.

As business owners, it is important to consider how clients receive our message. One approach could be to use all the senses to help the message sink in. For example, using words on reels with images can enhance the visual experience, while using dashes or capitals in emails can make the message more impactful. Leaving space between lines can also make the message easier to read and understand. Ultimately, it is important to remember that we are in a visual business, especially in fields such as photography.

OUR MARKETING PLAN should not be defined solely by what we know from last year. We must stay ahead of the evolving ebbs and flows, depending on the concept that what worked last year gets old quickly in our business. If we rely on what worked before as our one course of action, we will lose out on all the potential nuances of our progressive industry.

The biggest mistake in marketing planning is to stick rigidly to a set plan. Marketing involves going with the flow and being open to trying new things. If engagement is received on social media, it’s important to follow up and see who else at the company might be interested. Staying up to date with new technologies and algorithms is also important, and being open-minded and flexible in approach can lead to natural progression and success.

Q:

Is Behance still an effective resourceful platform to have our work seen by clients?

A:

I have received bid requests for my photographers found on Behance. The difference with Behance is how creatives use it for their work, similar to Instagram and LinkedIn. Going where the art directors, creative directors, and designers spend their time is a tried and true way to go.

Q:

I tagged a client on my IG image, and it worked; they want to use it for their socials. I don’t want to just hand over the image. How can I approach asking for compensation of some sort, and better yet, how can I translate this into an actual booking in the future?

A:

Tagging clients on IG is one strategic door-opening marketing tool,  but it is more of a way in vs. a way to sell that image. How?

• Usually, the social media manager will not have a budget to purchase image usage for IG.

• You’ve created the rare opportunity of having their attention for one response.

• Use this door-opener to get the “photography hiring” contact information. 

• If your image is shared, get your name tagged to use this for your benefit.

• Take this experience as a conversation starter on LinkedIn, where you will talk to the correct potential clients. 

Marketing Outreach:

15-20% of our time and budget should be spent reaching out to BRING IN clients. Have a point, giving your outreach a purpose. The outreach cornerstone is about having something to say to make it work. New images/website/feed, new ideas, or recent experience brings a relatable interest point to reaching out.

Marketing outreach should account for 15 to 20 percent of our time and budget. This effort should be directed at both current clients, with whom we have a relationship and need to stay in touch, and potential clients we don’t yet know.

How do we do this effectively? I bet every rep out there would agree that we need to have a clear point, a relevant question, or a meaningful statement tailored to their work, their location, or their industry. Whether we’re commenting on Instagram, engaging on LinkedIn, emailing, or inviting someone to lunch, we should always have a clear objective.

Think about what you’re up to—how you’re growing your business, any new equipment you have, what you’re learning, or your recent experiences. Have something substantial to say and make sure to convey it to the person you’re reaching out to.

Success in the photo business does not happen by sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. 

Step 1: Research ‘Marketing Strategy Planner’ options. (asksternrep.com/downloads)

Step 2: Construct your personalized skillset kit. 

Step 3: Put it into action with no holds barred.

Step 4: Rejection implies it’s time to maneuver your particular way in. 

Conclusion: not one required way to do this; find your way. 

Tenacity is important when it comes to achieving success. There is no rulebook or guidebook to follow, and the only guidebook that exists is what each individual has to offer. Each photographer should do things their own way and find their own paths to success. We provide a marketing strategy planner on www.asksternrep.com, but we emphasize that individuals should find their own ways and not be discouraged by closed doors or rejection.

– Tenacity is important for success in the photography industry

– There is no concrete rulebook or guidebook to follow

– Each individual must find their own path to success

– Don’t be discouraged by closed doors or rejection

Q:

I was a wedding photographer and then got into commercial photography. The challenge was having a wedding-forward website in the commercial world. I worked with a rep company for the website edit, which looked beautiful, but I was told to switch to a standard industry website for easier navigation. Since then, I’ve lost massive business, and my traffic and SEO rankings have dropped severely. Because of this, I want to put headshots and wedding work back on my site and listen to myself instead of someone else.

A:

I get it. Feedback for photographers is not easy to come by. We seek out what is available to us, hoping for directional cues. We are running our businesses, which entails a long-term goal awareness guiding the ship. Every decision we make should have our future business plan in mind, which is the part of ourselves we need to listen to. Our direction needs to be clear as we are in a situation to grab all the paid opportunities as they come in, often becoming our future showpiece.

Don’t be too busy to focus on your long-term career intentions. Our freelance industry is distracting and zooms by quickly; we could wake up and feel shocked that we let time get away from us. Spend at least one-third of daily busyness aiming at the desired career path. 

Don’t be too busy for your career, especially for those in the freelancing industry. Freelancers may feel that they have the luxury of not working on days when they are not on set or in the office, but this is not true. Freelancers must be accountable and keep themselves on track by setting goals, scheduling their time, and mapping out how they will achieve their goals. They must make the most of their time, working towards their office goals every day, whether they are working or not. Be disciplined and stick to a schedule in order to succeed in this fast-paced industry.

Q:

How should I spend my marketing budget this year?

I have two options:

1) I have a listing agent who reaches out to specific clients.

2) I can do online or in-person portfolio reviews.

Neither one is cheap, but I can commit to doing at least one of them this year, and would like to, as I’m trying to land at least one more corporate or ad client this year. I’m also hoping to expand my reach, and not always be hired locally/regionally.

A:

SternRep’s Marketing Budget Formula is the overall breakdown of the available imagery placed in all potential places attracting the attention of potential clients.

We call this combo- InReach and OutReach; working in tandem. Our marketing budget covers our time and hiring help in all areas, used to gain insightful feedback on what works.

InReach:

Step one – updating quick + easy landing spots (website, IG + BeHance) for clients to see/find the work.

Step two – consistent content creation show-pieces for LinkedIn posts, promos, portfolio pdf, IG Reels, articles/blogs for SEO, etc., all drawing traffic to landing spots.

OutReach:

Step one – personal and mass engaging on all platforms generated by the timely content we have to show.

Step two – setting up reviews/meetings/showings/calls taking the connection a step further.

Step three – follow-up across all mediums on a well-scheduled system.