 by Skip Cohen I first shared this concept in 2018, featuring my co-host from the Mind Your Own Business podcast, Chamira Young. We all talk about the recipe for success, whether it's our own or another photographer, we've witnessed. Chamira had her own recipe for success going back to her move to Port Huron, MI, many years ago. As a new photographer in the area, it was essential to meet the community and simultaneously have them get to know her. So, she found a location in a local business center to host her own open house, similar to a gallery introducing an artist. She sent out formal invitations and kicked off her business with a social event. Part of the event's success included a short video clip that she later turned into a promotional piece on her website. Check out her guest post below, and then think about your needs in the community. There's never been a better time for you to make sure your community knows who you are and the passion/expertise you have for imaging. And if you don't want to do it alone, bring in a partner or two - either other photographers or a company with the same target audience, like a florist. Remember, success in any business, especially photography, is about relationship building and establishing trust. Hosting an open house, even when you don't have a "house," is one ingredient, so many of you need to either kick off brand awareness in a new community or jumpstart an established business that needs to stand out more! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What's Chamira doing today? I wanted to share what Chamira's doing today, because it's such a great extension of her love for photography and art. While she still has a small number of local clients for photography, her focus is in the affordable fine art world. You'll find her overall fine art page on her Art by Chamira website. But in addition, she's got her greeting card line at Artists to Watch, wall murals at Murals Your Way and prints at Walmart. Click on any button below to see what she's doing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Chamira Young Little did I know the decision to throw an Open House would revolutionize my struggling photography business. It's a big part of how I built my client list from virtually nothing after moving to a new town and having to essentially start my business from scratch. Was an Open House outside of my comfort zone? Yes. But was it worth it? Absolutely. A classy Open House event is a great way to build credibility, momentum within your community, and a solid contact list for you to keep in touch with in the future. At my event, I not only had a handful of folks sign up for headshots beforehand (which required them to register with their email address, phone number, make payment, etc), but the people who stopped by just to check things out also had to sign in with their basic info. I was ecstatic over how many of these "freebie" folks later signed up for a full photo session once they met me and had a chance to see me working in action at the event. That's why it's so important to greet every single person at your Open House. They need to get to know you and it's the first step to establishing trust and building relationships. Below is a short video, just over a minute. I created it after the event, which served as a great marketing tool for social media, future events, and even on my About Page on my website. Don't forget, if you're doing any kind marketing video keep it short. I underestimated the impact this video would have on social media, especially with folks who were not able to attend but watched the video to get the "experience" of the Open House. Not only did I get comments ranging from "Amazing!" to "Congratulations!", I received emails and phone calls from folks who wanted to schedule a shoot because they got to see me work with clients through the video.
Another surprise came in the form of a steady stream of questions from fellow photographers asking how I put it all together, which led me to create a podcast episode going into detail about it. While it takes some time and effort to throw an Open House together, it's definitely worth it!
1 Comment
2/1/2023 10:57:01 am
Truly inspired tip to allow people to see you actually at work. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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