One of the biggest road bumps in creating a photography business is getting your first clients. In this Episode of Business with Brittany, I am giving you action steps that you can take in your business to start your business and gain clients.
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6 ACTION STEPS TO GET CLIENTS
1. Be Confident in Your Gear
Before you attempt to get clients, make sure to learn your equipment first. You can do this by reading up on the internet, practicing on family members, tuning into webinars that photographers host, hiring a mentor photographer, or even attending beginning photography workshops.
Once you feel comfortable with your equipment you are going to “build your portfolio” by offering Free Sessions.
2. Offer Free Sessions through Private Messages
Here’s the catch though, I recommend giving Free sessions, but not advertising for Free sessions.
Ask your friends, family members, cousins, the girl you work with, or even someone you follow on social media to give them a free photoshoot through a private messaging system.
Advertising free work is not a great decision in any year of business unless you have a specific purpose behind it. Direct messaging to offer means that only you and that person know it’s free which is creating a demand for your business. Advertising free sessions to everyone in a public space is degrading your confidence in yourself before you even begin.
3. Create Social Media Pages & Name your Business
After you photograph 3-4 Free sessions, you can create a facebook and instagram page. Make sure your name is unique to any other photographers around your area. Most people use their name & that is perfectly okay, but just make sure there is not another photographer with that name 30 minutes away.
Start posting your work on these pages. Don’t share all of the images at first because you will want to alternate sessions to create the feeling that your business is hot off the press and in demand.
4. Create FOMO
Write words with each image that you post and outline the AMAZING experience that your clients had, or something funny about the session to make people have FOMO or fear of missing out. Make it sound like each session was so much fun that everyone needs a session just like that.
At the end of each post you can put a phrase like “Family sessions start at $100 message me today” and have the message button on the post to make it easy on potential clients to book a paid session with you.
The people you photographed for free will share the content on your social media with their friends and you will start getting reach.
After you create the facebook page, invite all of your friends to like the page. It’s a super easy process that facebook will walk you through.
5. Gain Followers on Instagram
On instagram to get followers you can follow the people on your personal account, or even go to your city’s tag on instagram and follow your ideal clients. If you are only interested in shooting children, I wouldn’t follow people who don’t have kids. If you are interested in seniors, don't follow parents etc.
Also, Make sure to interact with your followers, like and comment on their post. The more interaction with potential clients the more instagram will show them your post. This process should start getting you clients.
6. The Referral System
Remember that photography is around 80 % word of mouth. Make sure you know what you are doing and creating unforgettable experiences so that your clients refer you to friends and family. If you do a great job the domino effect will take place. One friend refers you to two people and then each of them will refer you to two people.. Soon you will have a whole list of clients that you love and can fill the calendar with.
Helpful Tips
If you are interested in becoming a wedding photographer, I highly recommend you find a photographer in your area to second shoot for and learn the ropes before taking on your own wedding.
In the state of Louisiana if you are bringing in income you will need to pay taxes and possibly set up a business. Make sure once you start accepting money to talk to your CPA about what you should do.
Tune in Next Week
I hope this episode helps you to take the next steps to starting your photography business. I am happy to answer any questions in the comments section below or by email.
Thanks for joining in today’s video and I will see ya’ll next week where I will talk about growing your business through instagram.
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