Starting a Photography Business- The Secret to Getting Customers
When you’re starting a photography business, one of the key ways to ensure that you get a good return on your investment is to know how to attract as much customers as possible..
Starting a photography business is anything but easy. The industry is much too competitive and the market is unpredictable. And given the fact that the global economy has not fully recovered yet, your job in starting a photography business has just gotten tougher.
Of course, there are still some secrets in starting a photography business and make it successful. There are many traditional and modern techniques to attract more customers even if you are a newbie to the field.
Do Your Research
The first thing that you need to do when you’re starting a photography business is to do a little decision-making.
Now, to make this step work, I would have to assume that you already have the basics in starting a photography business- the company name, the pieces of equipment needed, advanced photography skills and most importantly, an indisputable passion for the craft.
If you’ve crossed everything out on that list, here’s my first tip to attract customers: know who they are!
No, I’m not asking you to list out their names and phone numbers. I’m talking about demographics. When you’re starting a photography business, you need to pick your niche. Sure, you can just say that your business is open to anybody and everybody. But that would make it more difficult because you have too much competition.
The more targeted your desired market is, the easier it would be for you to find these people and convert them into paying customers.
Create a Buzz
Another sure-fire way to get customers when you’re just starting a photography business is through the power of “word of mouth” – the easiest and most affordable form of advertising.
As always, you should start with the people you know. Gather up your friends and colleagues. Tell them about your plan and how you would appreciate it if they could pass around the information that you are starting a photography business.
Use Modern Technology
The Internet has come and stayed. And chances are: it will stay for a long, long time. And there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of technology when you’re starting your photography business.
The first thing that you have to do is to create a website for your business. This would mean that you register your own unique domain name and find a suitable web host. But since this would require that you shell out a little it would be okay too if you just register for a free blog since you’re just starting a photography business.
In that blog, you should put in as much information as you can about your qualifications, the services you offer and how they can reach you. Of course, don’t forget to pick out your best photos to put into your portfolio. It is also a good idea to put in some photography related articles or how-to guides.
When starting a photography business, you need to increase your visibility online to attract customers. I’ve mentioned this before but create a Facebook fan page and a Twitter account. These are very good sites to use when you’re starting a photography business.
Other ways to infuse technology into your business is to take a crash course on SEO, video marketing, article marketing and many more. You should also look into podcasting, pay per click advertising, RSS feeds and social bookmarking sites. This is my approach to getting customers all thrown in to one place where you can sign-up and learn more – that’s if you have an interest in attracting customers and keeping them.
…all the best,
Ray Baker
