How you attract buisness

Mac Swenson

Ok, so like many others, I've decided to de-lurk myself out of necessity. I have been an avid photographer for many years, and just recently, i have found the burden of handeling all the printing and selling to parents to become to much for me. Thats why I'm here at SM. What I'm having the most troubble with right now, is how to get my SM site out there. I suppose i could have some buisness cards printed, get a local kid, buy him a few sodas and some candy(sounds pretty shady already) and have him pass out the cards at an event. What i have also though about doing, but havent decided, is to create a gallery of say 100 of my best shots, put it on my laptop, and have it running on a table at the same events. I do sports photography almost exclusivly, and thats what generates my sales, so what do peopel in my situation do? Any tips help. Most of the stuff is at the local high school. I have feild access, as well as access to be on the base line, etc... I usualy coordinate with some of the teams that i shoot often, but thats only 2 or 3. the rest that i only have a chance to shoot 5 or 6 of their games are usualy the ones that sell the least, or not at all.

Thanks a lot, Mac

JDub

Welcome to the wonderful world of having your own photography business. I will keep this one short, but here are some tips:

- market yourself as much as possible
- keyword every photo on SM with good keywords
- get a simple website, if possible and use it for contact info, prices, etc
- shoot often, and build your portfolio as much as you can
- have a SM gallery public and use that as your portfolio (watermark images)
- hand out business cards every time you can
- try to go to a hair salon and tell them your story. Most will work with you (I speak from experience)

There are obviously countless other tips, but these should get ya started! Dont forget to have fun though!!

urbanaries

JDub wrote:

- try to go to a hair salon and tell them your story. Most will work with you (I speak from experience)

These are great tips....could you elaborate on the hair salon suggestion? I'm not quite sure what you're getting at.

JDub

Sure, most hair salons have to do hair for proms, senior pics, etc, if you are in good with them, they can plug you while doing the hair.

Scott_Quier

JDub wrote:

Sure, most hair salons have to do hair for proms, senior pics, etc, if you are in good with them, they can plug you while doing the hair.

I've got a business relationship with the place my wife and I get our hair done. I'm booked to shoot all the stylists in the shop and provide 8x10 prints for their wall of fame. When I consult with my wedding clients, I ask if they have someone to do the formal hair up-do for them for the big day. If not, I can safely recommend this place (I've sat in a number of their chairs, so I know) and I give them one of their business cards. From there, it's on the client to make the call.

In return for all this, each of the 8x10s will have a small watermark in the lower corner (my name and business name). The framing will include a business card between the glass and matting. The stylists are all on-board to help talk me up to their clients. In many cases, the hair stylists will know before the groom that wedding plans are in the works!

The moral of the story - no deal is a good deal unless it benefits both sides.

Mac Swenson

Thats a super 'Win-Win' situation. Granted I don't do weddings, and I'm not sure I will every venture into that realm because I just don't think I could handle the pressure of missing the 'First Kiss' shot, or something else of similar importance. But a similar buisness relationship for portraits and the like may be very nice to have.