Breakthroughs for Photographers: Part V

by Skip Cohen

It's Marketing Monday and we're past the halfway point of the slow season. It's the perfect time to share ideas on expanding your target audience and finding new opportunities for the year ahead. 

Business Breakthroughs, is a series to help make your message as a small business owner and artist stand out. I want to help you breakthrough and crush the chaos that gets in the way of the messages you send to your target audience.​

There are too many of you who thought just by opening your business and hanging a sign; customers would flock to your door. Well, it doesn't work that way. Think about how much noise is in our lives. You've got to find ways to get through that noise and utilize your very best marketing tool - relationship building.

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door!
Milton Berle

Whether you've recently just started or you're a seasoned pro trying to jump-start an established business, you've got to look for new opportunities.  No matter what line of work you're in, every business has the same challenge: finding customers and keeping them. You've got to find that sweet spot that makes you different from what everybody else is doing.

Own your zip code: When was the last time you got out and literally knocked on doors to introduce yourself to every business in the community?

When I was a kid, I remember moving to a new neighborhood. A woman from "Welcome Wagon" came by the house to introduce us to the community's vendors. She left a basket of goodies, coupons, and information. You need to do the same thing, with or without a goodie basket.

Plus, we're coming into Spring seasonality with Mother's Day, proms, graduations, and Father's Day. This is the perfect time of year to meet every business owner in your community. You don't have to sell them anything; just wish them a terrific upcoming Spring! Remind them you're a photographer and artist and there to help with any imaging needs they may have.

All of your past clients: Everybody is so busy looking for new clients that they forget about building relationships with their existing base. These are people who already know you and have other photographic needs or friends who do, but you've got to stay in touch. Holiday and birthday cards, emails, phone calls, and even a personal visit here and there are all perfect ways to keep in touch. Remember, a great business is built on a foundation of relationship building!

Buy a List: These days, you can buy a list based on virtually anything and sort it right down to specific zip codes and even email addresses. For example, parents who send their kids to summer camp are a great target for family photographers. If you're a maternity/newborn photographer, the target audience is obvious - new parents. And don't forget the older crowd - what does grandma miss the most? Her grandchildren and it's a common complaint that they want more photographs. It's the perfect gift idea to plant the seed for a new family portrait.

Partnerships: I've written so much about not flying solo! Other businesses, including photographers, are the perfect partners to create excitement in the community. New alliances can be just what you need to "build some new doors."  It can be as simple as sharing the cost of a mailing to actual cross-promotions of each other's products/services. Again, Spring is almost here, and you're going to be meeting so many different people at community events as everyone comes out of "hibernation." Think about those people you meet who might be terrific partners in the future.

Social Media: Each day, you have an opportunity many of you miss to expand your presence on social media. For photographers, those new doors are through a well-done blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and whatever new platforms are opening to reach new potential clients. Don't forget LinkedIn, which has a growing community and an interest in imaging. However, you've got to pay attention to your presentation, the quality of your images, and being helpful in what you're sharing.

Pet Photography: In the hierarchy of why people hire a photographer in the portrait/social categories, the top three reasons are brides, babies, and pets. It's also the perfect specialty to open a whole new category of other businesses to partner with, like vets, groomers, daycare centers, boarding, dog parks, etc.

Teach a Class: Most of you are qualified to teach at least an introductory imaging class. Help your target audience become better artists, regardless of what they use to photograph. Lighting, composition, posing, etc., are all skills you use every day. Now is the time to get the word out in your community for a "clean up" campaign. Have some fun with the concept, and clean up all the bad photographs!

Community Involvement: There's no such thing as being too involved in your community. Now is the time to build new relationships and grow brand awareness for your expertise as an artist. And your involvement doesn't have to include a camera in your hands - even helping in the refreshment stand at a high school basketball game will increase your exposure to members of the community.

Host an Open House: Again, it's a topic I've written a lot about in the past. You don't have to have a studio to host an event like this. Find a place with the space you need, bring in a partner or two, and then host an event to celebrate Spring. Working with partners, you have other databases to draw from as well. And don't forget to make sure the various community influencers are invited. Check out this past post featuring an open house Chamira Young did many years ago when she first moved to a new area.
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You know how to focus your camera, but what about your business? Opportunities are everywhere, but you're the one who has to can find them!

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