Business Breakthroughs for Photographers: Part III

by Skip Cohen​

It's Marketing Monday, and I'm continuing with Business Breakthroughs, a series of tips to help make your message as a small business owner and artist stand out. I want to help you crush the chaos that gets in the way of your messages to your target audience.​

Whether you're blogging or simply sharing on social media like Facebook, for example, so many of you have trouble coming up with topics to write about. ​

"But Skip, there's nothing to write about!"

As a photographer, you do things every day you take for granted. Let's help your readers become better artists. They're not going to open up down the street and compete with you. So, whether they use a real camera or a cell phone - let's help them raise the bar on their images. 

Remember, your website is about what you sell, but your blog or social media posts should be about what's in your heart! It's important to simply be helpful. And think about the demographics of your target audience, which for most of you is "Mom."
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1. ​Composition: Teach them the rule of thirds, leading lines, and subject placement. You do it automatically, but they don't think before clicking the shutter.
2. Posing: Help them with group shots, and let's get rid of those firing squad poses. For example, teach them how to position subjects with triangle placement.
3. Lighting: Spend some time talking about lighting and when to use the flash. Backlighting is always an issue, and they don't understand, especially in winter when their images outside are too dark, even though it was a bright, snowy day.
4. Have fun with in-camera special effects: Teach them to drag the shutter and panning.
5. Storytelling: You're already an expert at storytelling and using detail shots to tell the story. Help them think through their vision before clicking the shutter.
6. Conversion from color to black and white - everyone can do it, but it's up to you to help them understand how an image can have more impact.
7. Cropping: Roberto Valenzuela used to do an exercise in his classes where he took one image at a wedding and showed how many other shots there were in that same photograph. This is about you helping them see their pictures differently.
8. Things to do with their images: From sharing on social media to printing, give them ideas of things to do with their pictures. Most professional labs have little interest in working with consumers, so you might have to resort to Shutterfly for some examples. However, this is also where you can plant the seed of why you're a professional with ideas about framing and presentations.
9. Subject matter: Back in my Polaroid days, we reminded consumers when they looked through the viewfinder, "What you see is what you get!" Remind them to move in close on those people shots.
10. Post-production: Share tips on using products like Luminar. I love its user-friendly ease of use.
11. Website display: Help your readers build their own galleries. This is where you can be so helpful in the storytelling theme of their work. Years ago, the legendary Ernst Wildi at Hasselblad taught me the difference between a consumer and a professional—"Consumers show you all of their shots!"
12. Challenges through today's issues: A few years ago, this would have been about dealing with the pandemic. Today, it's the economy, bird flu, the fight with Mother Nature, and everything in between. Don't be afraid to share some of your own frustrations and how you're getting through them. But stay away from politics!
13. Pets of the community: In the hierarchy of why people hire a photographer, pets are in the top three. Share photographs of pets around the neighborhood while at the same time demonstrating your expertise as a photographer. You could easily share one pet portrait each week, showing your skills and, at the same time, having fun in the community while still being physically distant.
14. How to hire a photographer: Share tips on what to look for when hiring a professional photographer. Obviously, make sure you score high on every tip.
15. Community Calendar: Build a calendar of community events and then keep it updated. This puts you in a role of support for each event and the groups/associations hosting them.
16. Community events after they've taken place: Be there live or online to capture the event. Share those images with your readers, but don't forget to tag the key people who were responsible for the event as well.
17. Community-relevant topics: For example, years ago, my good buddy Jared Burns ran a series about henna tattoos. He was interested in making the Indian community aware of his skills as an artist.
18. Tips on presentations: framing, canvas wraps, slide shows—Call your lab and ask, "What's new?" New products are an excellent way to do more than just share ideas—they're a way to talk about new things you're offering.
19. Gift ideas using photography
20. Building a Legacy Program: Don't forget the renewed sense of family developed since the pandemic. Share ideas on the importance of generational portraits. Grandparents especially missed one thing the most - their family! So, give your readers ideas on projects that get grandma participating. For example, when did you last look at some of those old photographs with a senior family member? The stories that come out of their memories are priceless - and once the senior members of your family are gone, so are the memories.
21. Places to photograph around the community
22. Technology updates: Become a resource for your readers on new products involving imaging.
23. Important camera gear and accessories
24. Profile your favorite charity in the community
25. Profiles of people/businesses in the community: Do an environmental portrait of people in the community. There's an almost unlimited supply of subjects, from your pharmacist to the chef at your favorite restaurant to a helpful manager at the local market. And with each profile post, you're pulling in the subject to be one of your ambassadors and demonstrating your skills.
26. Photo projects for kids: From coloring book pages made from family portraits and events to keeping a photo journal, helping Mom and Dad with ideas to keep the kids busy during the pandemic is one more way to be helpful.
27. Throwback Thursday: Sharing old images can remind clients that it's time for a new family portrait.
28. Community photo contests: Invite your readers to participate with their images. You pick the topic, and they share their pictures.
29. Using photographs with stationery and holiday cards
30. How to show your best side with online video 
31. Zoom and Skype: The pandemic launched us all into cyberspace meetings and staying connected socially with friends and family. Today, we're all involved with platforms like Facetime, Zoom, and Skype. Give your readers tips on better lighting and ways to upgrade their online presence!
32. Cross-promotions with other vendors: Look for partners in your community with other vendors.
33. Guest Posts: You don't have to be the author of everything you share on your blog. Plus, guest posts from other vendors/photographers gives you a little respite from generating content. For example, a wedding photographer might exchange content pieces with a florist.
34. Growing your skillset: Share new things you're doing in your business as a result of workshops (on or offline) you've attended.
35. Attending workshops and events: Here's a perfect example. If you were just at IUSA last week, share images from the convention and things you're working on. Are you headed to WPPI in a few weeks? You could easily do a live mini-broadcast from the floor in your lab's booth, showing a new style of print you're going to be offering, for example.​

And to take it a step further, some of you have the skills and ability to hold physical classes and photo walks to help your audience capture better memories. As their skills grow and you become more established as the expert in your community, you're opening the door for more advanced techniques. And at the same time, you're developing top-of-mind awareness when they need a professional photographer.

This might be the time of year labeled as the slow season in imaging - but it doesn't have to be slow when it comes to building your business!