my photography business

[photoworks]

hello,

Just started my photography business two month ago, and after a promising start, it has slowed up to a stop (got threee clients and then it dried up).

i have been looking to promote my business through social networking and so far it has not paid off.


i followed some business gateway seminar about promoting my business (i optimized my website following a seminar about website optimization) but the only options that i have paid advertising which i cannot afford at the moment.

I am unelligible to grants so there is no way business gateway can help my business to take off.

Would any of you guys have any advice or contacts to agencies that could help or give me sound advice.

 

[kmbookkeeping]

There are ways to promote yourself without costing the earth.

Have you tried networking. 4Networking is very relaxed and it doesn't cost the earth. It's £10 every time you go, but that includes breakfast.

I had some sunscreens printed for the back windows of my car and some friends put them in theirs too. They only cost about £4 each to get printed.

Have you thought about doing a press release to your local paper. Give them something interesting and a picture or two and you may get some free advertising there.

Posters in local shops are also cheap and easy.

I'll add some others when I get back in.

Kris

 

[ribbonprinter]

This is just a thought:

I drive myself nuts trying to take decent product shots when potential customers want to see a visual of our work. last year a recent photographer graduate came knocking on the door looking for business. She did various little jobs for me and made a good job of them. She left the area because she could not get enough work in this very rural place.

There must be a market for this in the small business community.

I thought of doing a search for websites in a particular postcode, and looking to see who has rubbish photography on the site and offer a service.

Eddie

 

[kmbookkeeping]

One thing I did notice about your website is that you have only a mobile number. I personally find that a landline number and an address make a business appear more trustworthy. This is just personal preference, but maybe something to think about.

Kris

 

[photoworks]

i have modified my website : pwks.net

i have also my blog, not sure it that would help more coverage for my business : fashionbug.org.uk/newsbug.

I receive some inquiry from time to time, but they do not turn out as a sale. i am not sure what i do wrong.

What do you guys think ? Not sure what to do to turn things over.

 

[photoworks]

I got a facebook page, a twitter account and an linkedit account, however i am not convinced it is helping much either.

 

[Linda Mellor]

Hi Serge,

I'm a professional photographer of 10 years +

I have had a quick look at your website. My frank advice is, you need to use a spell checker. If there are spelling mistakes and bad grammar it doesn't give a website visitor much confidence.

I also wouldn't rely on FB, Twitter etc., they're good for people being able to find you but they won't necessarily win you business. If you use these tools to network and meet people face to face you may find they will use you or recommend you.

If you don't have any sales and marketing experience go out to your local library to get a few books on the subject. You need to be able to put your USP (Unique selling point) across and keep your message clear.

Look out for some local charity events, contact them to offer your photography services for free. They will welcome your support and you'll get good exposure to bigger numbers of people. Your local newspapers may be interested in one or two of your images from these events, they will pay to use them unless they had their staff photographer at the event. I can't say how much they'll pay as local newspapers vary.

You have some nice images on your site but without the right marketing people can't find you.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Linda

 

[Aillum]

Hi Serge,

Just thought I'd put in my 2 cents.

I agree with comments above about social media. From my experience, to many people jumpy straight in and sign up to everything with no objective. They then spend most of their time updating profiles rather than trying to get busines. I would argue though that a business FB page could be of some benefit to you if used properly. It would provide an areas for loading photos, a social way to interact and you can also setup mailing lists / feedback loops through it. I spent most of yesterday doing exactly that for a client. Apart from them double checking everything, it took 1 day to complete everything and then it's theirs to manage.

When it comes to the Internet, my single biggest recommendation would be to know the data. Analyse the traffic stats beyond just visits and pageviews to really get to know how people are finding you and what they are doing when they get there. This will give you a better understanding of what is working and why, and should provide opportunity that you can take advantage of.

For instance, social might not appear to be working because it's had no direct sales, but it could be doing things to have an indirect impact (causing people to bookmark site, encouraging visits through to blog and so on).

From a data analysis point of view, I could also recommend a few changes to your site that would benefit.

Also, as the others have said above, be creative with your sales techniques. Don't just expect people to pay the packages you have ... rather, come up with ways to encourage them to try your service or encourage indirect ways for them to find you and so on.

 

[Aillum]

Sorry, also meant to add to that ... have a go of the 4Networking.biz networking service. I started using a few weeks ago and it's been one of my better choices as a new business.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Photoworks,

You've mentioned social networking, business gateways, seminars, website optimisation, grants, blogs, newsbug, Facebook, Twitter, LinkEdit, ....

Can I suggest that you are focusing on gimmiks and gadgets, rather than the fundamentals.

Those things you mentioned might or might not be of some use. But they are not going to solve your basic problem.

You say your business had a promising start, but dried up after three clients. And that you've received enquiries, but they didn't turn into sales. That suggests you need to take a hard look at the service you are offering.

Are you sure there is a market for a photography business in your area? Are you providing the quality or range of services that your customers expect, at a price they are willing to pay? Are your competitors offering something that you are not?

I am not deprecating your abilities as a photographer. I know nothing about you or your skills. But if your business hasn't taken off, I would first look at your basic offering. It there's something wrong with that, all the Facebooks and blogs and business gateways in the world won't help.

Mike

 

[photoworks]

I fundamentally changed my website design, also it is still in progress and i am in the process of adding some information like my prices.
i have also expanded my portfolio to include product photography shots.

What do you guys think of this new design approach highlighting my photography work and getting rid of the remaining clutter.

Greenock portrait and commercial photographer Serge Chabert - Glasgow, Paisley, Gourock fashion, product and commercial photography

 

[Brian McIntosh]

Serge, did you take Stu up on his offer of a website?