Have you ever done a Google search on the number of professional photographers in your local area?

I have. There are nearly a dozen professional photographers within just a three-mile radius of me. And that doesn’t even include the photographers that don’t show up in Google’s results.

Needless to say, we’re multiplying like rabbits. With the barriers to entry lower than ever for new folks to step into the photography game, you will have to put forth a conscious effort to distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd.

Fortunately, there are some very practical strategies you can use to help your business both stand out and attract the clients that are a perfect fit for you. We’ll cover those best practices in this post.

1. Let your personality shine in your online presence

If you remember nothing else, remember this: people are buying into you as much as your photography skills, so make it a point to let your personality shine in your online presence. Nowadays, people want to be able to identify with your character, your quirks, and your values. They want to be inspired by you. This is especially true if you are a portrait or wedding photographer, where buying is as much an emotional decision as it is a practical one.

So how do you do this?

Add fun details to your website. Particularly, your About Page is an area that must absolutely reflect who you are. Include some details about yourself that make you unique, even if it is not directly related to photography. For example, mention some of your personal values that drive you, along with some quirky hobbies you do for fun. Even feel free to briefly mention the type of beverage you like to consume in the morning. This will go a long way towards folks resonating with you as a real person. In their minds, you become more than just a “service provider” or “vendor.”

Also, offer behind-the-scenes peeks into your business. Social media is particularly useful for this. Post photos and short video outtakes, as well as in-process content that shows off the making of your photos. During a photo session, have your assistant take some Facebook Live footage to engage your audience (with your client’s permission, of course). You are essentially entertaining and educating your audience, as opposed to constantly trying to make a hard sell. 

2. Hone in on your photographic specialty

When you are first starting out, it is understandable to take any and every type of client that comes your way. We have bills to pay, after all. I’ve seen single photographers take everything from wedding photography, to family portraits, to pet portraits, to product photography, to architectural photography, along with a bit of wildlife photography thrown in for good measure. It’s not uncommon to see the equivalent of the words “I’ll do anything you can think of” as a banner on a photographer’s website.

However, this can be harmful to your business in the long run. In most cases, the more general a photographer is, the more they are seen as a replaceable commodity. On the flip side, more specialized a photographer is, the more they are respected and paid for their expertise.

So while you may have to initially take everything in the beginning in order to survive, my suggestion is this: after about a year of being in business, step back and analyze your portfolio and client list. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What type of work did you enjoy creating the most?
• Which types of clients did you most enjoy working with?
• Which clients had similar values to your own?
• Which clients were able (and happy to) pay you what you are worth?

The purpose of this exercise is to help you identify which type(s) of photography and clients you should focus on. You are beginning to identify your area of expertise.

I fully acknowledge how terrifying it can be to move away from the “jack-of-all-trades” model to one that focuses on only a core handful of specialties. However, knowing who your ideal clients are will help you refine your marketing message because you will be able to speak directly to them on your website and social media. Additionally, you can identify where they are in person and go to networking events or shows where you can interact with them.

Once you have done this exercise for yourself, take it a step further: add a link to your website menu called “specialties”, and publish a handful of quality case studies from your past favorite clients, along with testimonials from them. Also, publish these case studies on social media, with a link back to your website. It will help you attract future clients who are a great fit for you.

Keep in mind that this can be a gradual transition process. While you will most likely still get requests for various types of photography, you will be able to identify the specific gigs that will move your business forward. Focusing on the right type of clients can catapult your photography business to the next level.

Read about developing your photographic style on the Contrastly blog.

3. Use video to show off your talent

Video can be a powerful tool to help your audience get to know you. It’s also convenient because, being a photographer, you most likely already have suitable equipment for it. I firmly believe every photographer should be using video to market themselves.

Short, interesting videos are a great way to engage your audience. In many cases, viewers no longer require every video you publish to be overly-polished. Especially with the arrival of Facebook Live, viewers tend to equate non-polished video with raw authenticity. As I briefly mentioned earlier, it seriously helps to have an assistant record the video footage during your actual photo sessions. I’ve even handed my assistant my own cell phone and had her go Live on Facebook for me while I work with clients.  Read more about using Facebook Live in your photography business.

Once you have these digital assets, you can post them on your website, on your Facebook business page, Instagram, and wherever else you can think of. They will work for you over and over again with every view they receive.

Of course, if your footage is blurry, overly shaky, or just generally crappy to the point of distraction, it can discourage the viewer from watching, so keep that in mind.

Learn more about video marketing for photographers

4. Treat your clients like the rock stars they are

It’s a hard truth: if you simply meet the expectations of your clients, you will quickly become forgettable. Replaceable even. Being “good enough” is simply not enough these days. You have to go above and beyond. This applies to every aspect of your customer service practices.

After you have delivered their photos, let them know you haven’t forgotten about them. Send them a thank you card or small token of your appreciation as a thank you for being so awesome. A simple gift can go a long way. Clients will remember their entire experience with you, from the very first conversation on the phone to that thank you card afterward.

5. A long-term strategy: keep in touch with your past clients with an entertaining, personable newsletter

The very first time I sent out an email newsletter blast to my past business clients, my fingers were literally shaking as I hit the send button. Needless to say, it was a nerve-wracking experience. However, imagine my surprise when I immediately received a reply thanking me for sending out the entertaining updates. They had thoroughly enjoyed reading about the happenings within their local business community. Within that same day, I later received another email from another newsletter recipient enquiring about a future photo session. Slowly, the dots began to connect for me. People liked this stuff when it was done well.

Keeping in touch with your past clients is crucial, and newsletters are an easy way to do that. They have spent money on you, after all, and studies have shown that people who have spent money on you in the past are more likely to spend money on you again, as opposed to trying to recruit a cold lead. These past clients can also send you referrals, which any photographer will tell you makes up a huge part of their business.

By the way, your email list doesn’t have to be huge, and your newsletter doesn’t have to be long. Just make it relevant to your community, and make it fun. Tell inspiring stories. Highlight happy clients and local places. Write short educational pieces. And for the love of all that is tasteful and decent, do not try to make a hard sell in every newsletter. There’s no faster way to turn people off then trying to sell them something every time they hear from you.

As far as email newsletter services, there are a number of them out there to get you started. PhotographySpark recommends MailerLite which is free to for less than 1000 subscribers.  It has drag and drop tools to make it easy to put together a tasteful newsletter. Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Aweber are other popular choices.

Concluding Thoughts

As crowded as the photography industry seems to be today, there are still sensible, simple ways you can use to help your business stand out from the crowd.

By following these tips you will be well on your way to building a solid, strong business that will last for years to come.

And as an added bonus, you will have fun doing it!

For a bonus marketing tip, check out our blog post on hosting a portrait party as a way to grow your business attract potential clients 

It was early 2016, and I was attempting to jump-start my portrait photography business after moving to a brand new town. On top of that, I’d had the brilliant idea to switch from family photography to corporate photography, and consequently lacked a relevant portfolio to show prospective clients.

I quickly discovered that no one knew or trusted me enough to book a session, especially with all of the other photographers already in the area. It was the perfect recipe for large, round tumbleweeds in my bank account and long, sleepless nights.

After months of religiously attending networking events and handing out my business cards, I knew I had to do something different, and soon.

With a flash of inspiration, I decided to throw a portrait party…with pizzazz.

Spoiler alert: I’m going to tell you how this story ends right now. The decision to throw a portrait party was a game changer for my photography business.

It was instrumental in gaining momentum, clients, income, a strong portfolio, credibility, testimonials, reviews, referrals, and even a persistent buzz around town. It was all practically overnight.

That’s why I’m convinced a portrait party can be a wonderful tool to help you grow your photography business.

First thing’s first: What is a portrait party, and why should you care?

Let’s make sure we’re on the same page here.

First of all, what is a portrait party? The short answer is that it is a lively event where you gather a bunch of people together and take their portraits. It can range from simple business headshots to full body family portraits.

And why should you care? Glad you asked. Simply put, a strategic, well-planned portrait party can kickstart and transform your photography business.

Whether you are trying to get your new portrait business off the ground, or you’ve been in business for years and need to give your business a solid kick in the pants, it can be an extremely effective strategy when done well.

Now let’s go over the benefits, along with some practical tips.

The Benefits of a Portrait Party: Let Me Count the Ways

Let’s go over the specific ways a portrait party can help grow your business, along with some actionable tips to help you throw your own.

Benefit 1: A Strategic Portrait Party Can Bring You Immediate Clients

Let’s be frank. The immediate cash from your portrait party probably comes to mind first. You get to work with a fairly large amount of people at one event, and because you will essentially be doing a mini session with each person, you are able to offer their sitting fee at a promotional price.

This reduces the barrier to entry for the folks who would otherwise be on the fence about spending money on a photographer they have never worked with before, but it still adds up to a healthy profit for you at the end of the day.

In addition, working with a group of people at one event is great practice as you develop your craft. It can be a great confidence booster if you are still getting accustomed to interacting with clients.

You may be wondering how to get people to come to your party in the first place. A few tips including passing out flyers, spreading the word to family and friends, and creating a Facebook event.

If you really want to up your marketing game, seek to form a strategic alliance with your local Chamber of Commerce or related organization that shares your target audience.

If you are a member, there is a solid chance they will put your event in their email newsletter if you request it. This was very effective for me, as I was offering business headshots.

You can also partner up with a charity or organization of your choosing and offer to donate a portion of the event’s proceeds back to them. This will give them an incentive to help spread the word to their contacts.

Between handing out flyers, spreading the word on Facebook, and having the Chamber of Commerce helping me promote, we were able to reach my available 12 portrait slots quickly. As icing on the cake, we even had to put together a wait list for my next party!

Benefit 2. Your Party Can Bring You a List of Contacts to Market to in the Future

As wonderful as it is that you get a bunch of clients, it is just as important that you get their contact information. Furthermore, to really maximize the opportunity, I suggest you invite people to come even if they’re not getting a portrait.

Require them to register online, or sign in upon arrival. Even though these folks may not trust you enough to pay you for a portrait, they may still be curious enough to show up, and that’s half the battle. It’s a prime opportunity for them to come to check you out without the commitment of getting a portrait.

View your portrait party is an info-gathering event. Afterward, you have a list of clients and prospects that you can further build a relationship with through newsletters and phone calls. This list is an absolute asset to your business.

Benefit 3. It’s a Great Portfolio Builder

Another result of your party is that it helps you fill your portfolio. Having more work to show will go a long way towards helping you get clients in the future. Put the resulting images on your website and in future printed marketing material to get more clients. In the weeks following your event, drip the images out on social media.

If you want to go a step beyond simply posting images on your site, write short case studies on each of your portrait participants. When you have them register for the event, include a short survey about how they plan to use the photos.

Then, after your party, write a series of short blog posts about each client, using the info from their registration survey, along with the casual conversation you had with your subjects during their photo session.

Benefit 4. It’s a Prime Opportunity to Gather Testimonials, Reviews, and Referrals

Following up with your participants after the party is crucial. I suggest you schedule a series of automatic emails to go out afterward so that you don’t chicken out or get too busy. Ask for testimonials. Ask for reviews of their experience. Ask for referrals.

By the way, if you want the reviews and testimonials to be positive, make sure everyone has a great time. In particular, if your room layout is open (like mine was), be aware that the prospect of having other people around during their photo session may make some clients nervous.

You will have to put in extra effort to put them at ease. However, I also find that my clients get the “deer in headlights” look whether they are at a private session with just me, or at a portrait party with a small crowd watching, so it will be your job to make them feel comfortable either way.

Make sure you engage them in light conversation. Get them talking about themselves. Dare I say crack a corny joke or two. And remember to keep a warm smile on your face as much as you can, because it helps them reflect that warmth back to you. Use those ninja photographer skills!

Benefit 5. It Helps Create a Lasting Buzz About Your Business After the Event

It was this benefit that surprised me the most after my event. Throwing my portrait party changed the way people perceived me, and this new “street cred” followed me around for months.

Literally six months after my party, I had the CEO of a magazine invite me out for coffee. Almost as soon as we settled down with our steaming cups, he looked me right in the eye and began with the question, “So aren’t you that photographer that threw that portrait party networking event?” Apparently, that occurrence held weight in his mind.

So how do you create buzz? The key is to capture the essence of your party through thorough proper documentation. Have an assistant take photo and video footage at the party, and make sure YOU are also in the footage, interacting with people.

Afterward, you can turn it into a short, impactful marketing video to create a buzz in your local area. It doesn’t have to be long. Mine was all of about 76 seconds and was comprised of still photos, video, and music.

Post it on social media, and also on your website. This infinitely maximizes your exposure by allowing people to see how cool you are, even though they may not have been at your party.

It’s amazing the way a little video with music can change the way people view you as a photographer. I can’t stress enough how it helps you build credibility in your community.

A Pro Tip: Step Up Your Game and Give It Pizzazz

Ever get a flyer for a Tupperware, makeup, or (insert commodity here) party at someone’s house, and think to yourself, “Oh look, another one of these parties.”? Safe to say, you may have some preconceived notions about the countless product parties that seem to happen on a daily basis in people’s homes.

Holding your party in a home lumps your service with Tupperware. Do you really want that? (For the record, I do like Tupperware). Needless to say, I suggest not having it in a residential home.

Your portrait party needs to stand out. The power is in the planning. I suggest holding your party in a professional space, such as a hotel, conference center, or coworking space. If you have your own studio space, that works as well. This simple decision will be vital in differentiating your party from the fray.

In addition, set the stage and make it festive. Having fun, tasteful background music and simple refreshments will make it more of a classy affair. I also recommend setting up extra lighting equipment in addition to the lights you actually plan to use.

Think of them as strategic props. In an age where everyone seems to have an uncle or cousin with a DSLR that never seems to budge from the auto setting, your guests need to see how professional you are. Having command of external lighting helps communicate that you take yourself seriously…and, therefore, they should too.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, when done strategically, a well-planned portrait party can help de-commoditize your business from the rest of your local market and help you stand out as a local thought leader.

It can bring you clients in the short term, but also a list of contacts to build a relationship with for the long term. It can fill your portfolio with high quality, relevant images, and supply you with client testimonials and reviews.

With one event, it can take you from having virtually no client list, portfolio, or social proof, to be being viewed as that “cool” photographer with a healthy dose of buzz surrounding them.

Consider the possibilities for your own business.

Kickstart Your Own Party

Due to the number of requests from fellow photographers wanting guidance on the process of throwing their own portrait party, I created a kit that does exactly that. It’s called the Portrait Party Success Kit, and contains a detailed step-by-step guide, along with checklists, pre-designed flyers and forms, and even email scripts to get your portrait party on its way.  Affiliate link:  Learn more about the Portrait Party Success Kit at prophotographerjourney.com.