Sales Hints

leightonoc

Hi, Where can I find some sales hints/tips to increase my sales on SM?

Thanks,
Leighton

Andy

http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Pros

chuckinsocal

What kind of subjects are you shooting and who do you want to sell them to?

leightonoc

chuckinsocal wrote:

What kind of subjects are you shooting and who do you want to sell them to?

Hi, I shoot sailboat races and I want to sell photos to the boat owners and crew.

Thanks,
Leighton

chuckinsocal

Well, for starters, if you have access to the owners and crew pass out lots of business cards with your URL and let them know the photos are available to them.

Are there programs or race schedules where you can purchase small ads?

Can you pass out flyers or tack them up somewhere for spectators to see?

Generally speaking, I think the key is becoming a fixture at these races and developing a reputation as doing quality work, honesty, integrity, customer service and all that good stuff. It may not come over night but when it does come it will come in abundance.

Just a few thoughts off the top of my head.

Edit: Well, after browsing your site, I see I may have addressed the issue at too basic a level. My apologies for that.

You've been at this for quite some time and you do some beautiful work. Aside from becoming a fixture and developing a reputation, which you may already have, networking with these people would be a powerful tool. Are there local boating/sailing/yachting publications where you can purchase ads? Can you invest in some large prints and display them around the venue somewhere? Maybe hire someone to man a small gallery of your work? Can you solicit some commissioned jobs to do a shoot of someones boat? Maybe follow them out in a speed boat and shoot from there plus some on board shots? Put together a book and sell it to the owner?

Again, just some thoughts off the top of my head and you may have already considered them, but I still think that becoming a well known, well liked, and trusted individual among the key players is the key to all this.

leightonoc

Just read this post. Thanks Chuck. Still not a big fan of Dgrin but SM is forcing me into it.

chuckinsocal wrote:

Well, for starters, if you have access to the owners and crew pass out lots of business cards with your URL and let them know the photos are available to them.

Are there programs or race schedules where you can purchase small ads?

Can you pass out flyers or tack them up somewhere for spectators to see?

Generally speaking, I think the key is becoming a fixture at these races and developing a reputation as doing quality work, honesty, integrity, customer service and all that good stuff. It may not come over night but when it does come it will come in abundance.

Just a few thoughts off the top of my head.

Edit: Well, after browsing your site, I see I may have addressed the issue at too basic a level. My apologies for that.

You've been at this for quite some time and you do some beautiful work. Aside from becoming a fixture and developing a reputation, which you may already have, networking with these people would be a powerful tool. Are there local boating/sailing/yachting publications where you can purchase ads? Can you invest in some large prints and display them around the venue somewhere? Maybe hire someone to man a small gallery of your work? Can you solicit some commissioned jobs to do a shoot of someones boat? Maybe follow them out in a speed boat and shoot from there plus some on board shots? Put together a book and sell it to the owner?

Again, just some thoughts off the top of my head and you may have already considered them, but I still think that becoming a well known, well liked, and trusted individual among the key players is the key to all this.