What Goes Around, Comes Around

April 14th, 2008 Dave Scott

Do you shoot every type of photography under the sun? I don’t, and chances are, you don’t either. Since we don’t cover all types of photography, we will be asked quite often about jobs that we don’t desire to take on.

I like to keep all interaction with my clients and potential clients positive. Even if I cannot provide the service(s) that is asked of me, I don’t let anyone go away wondering. I make it easy on them. They leave our conversation ready to move forward with their desires.

The way I accomplish this is by always having a list of a few photographers that shoot subject matter that I don’t. By passing the name on of a different photographer is shows that I am confident enough in myself to refer someone elsewhere. I’m also being helpful and bringing a positive ending to having to tell someone “No.” Face it, none of us like to be told “no.”

Get your list together and keep it handy at your desk and in the planner that you keep on your person. You’ll be surprised at how many referrals you’ll get back. Referrals given out bring referrals in. Don’t forget to get together every four to six months with the photographers that you trade referrals with.

I don’t shoot fashion shows. The image at the top is from a fashion show and was produced by my friend and colleague, Sheba Wheeler. Check out Sheba’s website here and her blog here.

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Using Postcards In Your Marketing Campaign

April 1st, 2008 Dave Scott

Are you using postcards to market yourself? I’m not a marketing expert but I will share with you, the system that works for me.

I get up every day at 5:00 A.M. I spend that time getting the family off to school and work. That includes making breakfast for myself, my wife and two teenage sons as well as preparing our lunches. Once they are all out the door I am wide awake and ready to work. It is still a bit too early for most shoots so I spend 30 to 60 minutes on my postcard marketing. I do this EVERY DAY!

I shoot a lot of business portraits, corporate portraits, and executive portraits so I mine the local business journals for bad business portraits. Most business journals are published weekly or every two weeks. You’ll find a steady flow of people needing good portraits in the “On The Move” section. Different publications will have different names for this section but it is basically the section that passes on the PR info from area companies. I also shoot interiors for interior designers and builders. I am always on the lookout for new designers, builders, etc. that I can begin getting in touch with. I like to send out between 5 and 10 postcards per day. I have different postcards for each type of target client that I want to attract.

Now, the way I do this may be different than what a marketing professional recommends but it does work for me. Sometimes I’ll get a response after the first mailing but this is not the norn. 45 days after the first postcard was sent, I send a second. Within a couple business days of the second card being sent, I make a follow up phone call to see if they’ve received my cards, to say hello and see if they have any photographic needs we can provide for them. I never try to make a sale during the phone call. The majority of companies that contact me, do so from 4 to 7 months after they receive my first postcard. Remember, they are busy with their regular tasks and most need time to coordinate a shoot.

I’ve heard many people complain about the cost of using direct mail to market. One thing many folks forget is that you will be targeting who you seek as a client AS WELL AS following up with a phone call. This greatly increases your success rate over a huge spray and pray method. Also, when I consider my return on investment, I include the income from referrals made by the clients I landed with my direct mail campaign.

One last item. When business is good keep up your marketing. There will be a lag time between first contact and actual gig. Stop marketing now and you’ll be hurting sales in the future. If your services become so In-Demand that you have to turn away work it will be time to raise your fees.

The image above is one of the postcards I use for business portrait clients (sans the copyright notice).

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