Posted by Brad Mangas on March 16, 2010 at 2:01 PM
I would like to ask if anyone has experience in direct marketing of your photography business. Or more appropriately what have your experiences been. The pros, cons, successes, mistakes.
I realize the information I am asking for is truly valuable and could only be collected through your own hard work, time and expense. So I truly would like to thank you for any information you would care to share.
This would include but not limited to:
-Developing brochures for direct mail to potential clients. Determining a target market for mailings.
-Emailing potential clients and providing information.
-Calling potential clients, introducing yourself and asking if they would be interested in further information.
-Possibly other forms of media.
These are the approaches that seem most evident to me at this time. Fell free to expand on any you may wish to include. Brainstorming is a great way to develop ideas don't hesitate to through anything into the mix.
Marketing and advertising always seems iffy, one never has the monies for marketing but then one never has the monies because they don't market well or at all.
Here is a promotional piece another photographer recently came up with:
http://blog.caseytempleton.com/
It may not necessarily be applicable in some ways to nature photographers, but it was a great concept that was executed extremely well. Seems to have generated positive feedback too. Just goes to show that outside of some of the more standard marketing practices many of us use there's room for new ideas as well.
Max
Posted by Brad Mangas on March 17, 2010 at 1:23 AM
Now that's a marketing piece. Very cool Max. I might have to cut back just a bit on the cost of something like that. Maybe a black & mild instead of a Cuban!
We get direct market email all the time. We don't even open it, we list it with our spam filter, and all the best intentions of the sender are wasted.
In our experience, direct personal contact is the best starting place, from which follow-on solicitations may have more impact. Without that personal contact, your odds of connecting plummet.
Posted by Brad Mangas on March 20, 2010 at 1:35 AM
I believe your right with the direct personal contact Hank, seems very logical in this day and age. I appreciate you sharing your experience on the subject.
Thought more folks would be willing to share "something". I appreciate your time as always.
I will throw in my two cents here after 27 years of doing this. Your first question is the most important: who is the client? Establishing that guides your next step. If you are selling prints then that weeds out other buyers like magazines and calendars and ad agencies and so on.
Target marketing to a list of buyers who would buy your prints is really challenging. Who are they and where do you find them? You can try galleries for representation but many rep only big names. Direct mail is an option but where do you get the list to mail to? And this is costly.
I think for selling prints your best bet is a website and spend that money on SEO, but also hook up with art sites like Etsy.
For stock image sales its much easier to find the names. All your favorite magazines are one as well as calendar publishers, graphic designers, and ad agencies. You can even buy mail lists with these names.
This direct mail shotgun approach is costly and poorly targeted but is one option and can be effective.
Cold calling is without a doubt the best and most effective, but not any easier than the rest. I have done this many times and these days maybe 10% answer thier phone. You're forced to leave a message which is rarely answered when it is an introduction call.
We photographers are a dime-a-dozen and you really have to work on branding and work that stands out. Produce superior work and build name recognition.
Use the social networks, do some targeted direct mail marketing, and in my opinion forget email as a method for first time contact. It's okay with existing clients but new ones....
Most photo editors are swamped with photographer contacting them with various methods so again, your work must be stunning as well as how you promote it.
Best,
Charlie Borland
www.pronaturephotographer.com
Posted by Brad Mangas on March 26, 2010 at 12:43 AM
Thank you Charlie for the advice, it all seems very sound. Very targeted information is what I have in mind to specific people in charge of interior design of a specific industry. My list will be built one contact at a time. Most with an initial phone call, introduction and request to send additional information, (about my work, how it can benefit them and why me instead of just any photographer.) I have spent time putting a plan together and developing material specifically for this industry. Time consuming I know, but information in the hand of 1 correct person is worth more than 100 in the trash I figure. Your comments do reaffirm what I initially thought.
Thanks again Charlie your time and experience is greatly appreciated. Hey by the way, great job with "Pro Nature Photographer", it's in my rss feeds and I have really enjoyed it. Keep up the great work.
Discussion
6 repliesI realize the information I am asking for is truly valuable and could only be collected through your own hard work, time and expense. So I truly would like to thank you for any information you would care to share.
This would include but not limited to:
-Developing brochures for direct mail to potential clients. Determining a target market for mailings.
-Emailing potential clients and providing information.
-Calling potential clients, introducing yourself and asking if they would be interested in further information.
-Possibly other forms of media.
These are the approaches that seem most evident to me at this time. Fell free to expand on any you may wish to include. Brainstorming is a great way to develop ideas don't hesitate to through anything into the mix.
Marketing and advertising always seems iffy, one never has the monies for marketing but then one never has the monies because they don't market well or at all.
Thank you again,
Brad
http://blog.caseytempleton.com/
It may not necessarily be applicable in some ways to nature photographers, but it was a great concept that was executed extremely well. Seems to have generated positive feedback too. Just goes to show that outside of some of the more standard marketing practices many of us use there's room for new ideas as well.
Max
In our experience, direct personal contact is the best starting place, from which follow-on solicitations may have more impact. Without that personal contact, your odds of connecting plummet.
Thought more folks would be willing to share "something". I appreciate your time as always.
I will throw in my two cents here after 27 years of doing this. Your first question is the most important: who is the client? Establishing that guides your next step. If you are selling prints then that weeds out other buyers like magazines and calendars and ad agencies and so on.
Target marketing to a list of buyers who would buy your prints is really challenging. Who are they and where do you find them? You can try galleries for representation but many rep only big names. Direct mail is an option but where do you get the list to mail to? And this is costly.
I think for selling prints your best bet is a website and spend that money on SEO, but also hook up with art sites like Etsy.
For stock image sales its much easier to find the names. All your favorite magazines are one as well as calendar publishers, graphic designers, and ad agencies. You can even buy mail lists with these names.
This direct mail shotgun approach is costly and poorly targeted but is one option and can be effective.
Cold calling is without a doubt the best and most effective, but not any easier than the rest. I have done this many times and these days maybe 10% answer thier phone. You're forced to leave a message which is rarely answered when it is an introduction call.
We photographers are a dime-a-dozen and you really have to work on branding and work that stands out. Produce superior work and build name recognition.
Use the social networks, do some targeted direct mail marketing, and in my opinion forget email as a method for first time contact. It's okay with existing clients but new ones....
Most photo editors are swamped with photographer contacting them with various methods so again, your work must be stunning as well as how you promote it.
Best,
Charlie Borland
www.pronaturephotographer.com
Thanks again Charlie your time and experience is greatly appreciated. Hey by the way, great job with "Pro Nature Photographer", it's in my rss feeds and I have really enjoyed it. Keep up the great work.
Brad