Relocating to Los Angeles in 2 weeks from Baltimore. Any tips for hitting the ground running? I have an existing client there and some connections, but nervous about income and how long it might take to re-establish myself.
A:
Relocating locations from a smaller area to a larger city may require shifting your marketing strategy from being a solid all-around photographer to becoming the master of one strong style. The competition in the larger cities tends to focus on being the best of a definitive market. Be prepared to hit the ground running with an established look ready to compete within a more fine-tuned selection of clients.
What is your sales tool component that stands out to separate you from your competition?
Is it your personality, a production capability, or your skillset?
What do you offer that helps your marketing/sales approach push you to be 1st choice for projects?
This specific something about you can shape your entire direction.
Follow it, know it, explore it and grow from this specialty to keep yourself on top of the pack.
Think about the sales of what you do. You need to be competitive with many others, so how do you make the numbers work in your favor? Rely on something very specific to you that limits your competition. Your approach can focus on this unique skill set, something you’ve done in the past, your reputation, your history, or your interests.
For example, I represent a duo with a very specific niche. They should leverage that uniqueness every time we bid on a job. They should highlight it in their treatment and discuss it during the call. It should be a major focus because it sets them apart.
Use what you have and rely on it. If you’re unsure what that unique aspect is, take the time to discover it. This can become your best marketing tool, sales approach, focus, and direction for your website, images, or testing. Think about it, use it, and remember it can evolve over time, but make sure to use it effectively.
Navigating the Unknown is a Q&A series in collaboration with APA-LA where we speak to different members of the photo community about all aspects of the commercial photography business. https://la.apanational.org
Navigating the Unknown is a Q&A series in collaboration with APA-LA where we speak to different members of the photo community about all aspects of the commercial photography business. https://la.apanational.org
Any advice on sending an unsolicited email when reaching out to a client that I want to work with? I just finished a project that I would love to share with them, yet I don’t know what are the right steps to take. I would love any thoughts or suggestions on how to approach this. Thanks!
A:
The question is, how do we make our marketing less UnSolicited and more Solicited because an unfamiliar name has higher odds of being deleted.
Here is a list of the top 5 steps to having your work seen vs. deleted:
Emails need to be short, quick and to the point. Having a referral or something personably relatable will always help. IF you want a response, ask a question giving them a purpose to keep the conversation going.
Find the right person in the position who looks for photographers.
Make sure you send your work to a client with relatable imagery versus sending food images to Nike.
Invest in the consistent long-term process of marketing vs. a one-off promo now and then.
Engagement is readily available these days and can happen in many ways, so try them all and see what works. Engage, engage, and keep engaging!
How do we market to our personality strengths & EQ (emotional intelligence) vs. our actual craft? How to market the soft skills I have in conjunction with the artistry skills.
A:
Soft skills, as you call them, are how you build your marketing plan. These skills are what will get you in the door, invited back, and truthful feedback. How you shape selling your photography talents is by being yourself. Clients are humans who want to connect and know who you are. Clients may see the work of 50-100 photographers per day, so how do we stick in their minds? Show who you are in your marketing because that is half the story of what you are selling.
Background to my Question: I have a client, they just won best social media in their industry in Canada, and they recently started using my images across their social media platforms coming into this new year. I want to reach out to more clients in this industry and I’d like to use this client as a case study in my deck… specifically I want to strengthen the case with their social media analytics (assuming the analytics are favourable).
Question: Is it couth to ask a client for their social media analytics in relation to the posts using my imagery in order to beef up my marketing decks?
A:
The analytic results of your images proving the compelling quality of your photo skills are a respectable request. As much as it’s OK to ask, I don’t know many companies that would have that information handy or be allowed to give it out. The way to combat this dependence on the client is to research their social media followers, amount of engagement, and the success of their business before and after. You can include this data in your treatments as you’d be speaking your potential new client’s language.
Quick sales tip that you may not have thought of is to wait and spread out your communication with a client. If it’s not a pressing production matter, use your response/question/personal note as a way of staying on their mind for a longer period of time.
Here’s a sales and marketing tip you might not have considered: I often don’t respond to clients immediately. While sometimes prompt responses are necessary, if it’s a personal matter or if you have a question for them and you’ve just been in touch, try to delay your response as long as possible. The goal is to stay on their mind and remain visible. Use your email communication strategically to keep yourself in their thoughts for a longer period.
In the directing world, spec work is a way to break in. In photography, would you recommend photographing specific brands on spec to build your portfolio, or using no brands whatsoever?
A:
In the photo world, clients want to see your overall style match their brand. Build your portfolio to show the look and feel your favorite clients cater to, and use this “spec” concept to incorporate the products your ideal clients will need to see. If you want to get beer campaigns, put in some cans or bottles and show off how your shiny condensation skills fit your cohesive vibe. Displaying the type of product is more important than the specific brand of the product.
Hi Andrea, great Insta feed. Your tips are really helping me. Am I free to ask you for some advice? I’m convinced my portfolio is good and I have a lot of experience (15y). But I’m not where I want to be. And I really have no clue how to approach new clients like magazines or advertising agencies. What do I write in my email pitch? What’s the key to get the clients I want? I know it’s not about the portfolio, so how do I convince them to do a shoot with me? Thanks 🙂
A:
The answer usually comes down to your portfolio of images. All the other parts of our business need to be in place, but it comes down to your portfolio being the right fit for what a client is looking to bring to their project.
Research to know that you are contacting the appropriate people and have your “elevator pitch” ready to go with keywords they can search for when they are looking.
Write a quick and concise email as if you were receiving it. Don’t sound like a sales pitch; sound like a human connecting to another human, and then stay on their radar with your marketing plan. You wrote this question in a very thoughtful and sincere way, so stick to that and be yourself!
