Establishing a solid base of clients is every photographer’s dream. Having a steady stream of clients you can rely on gives you the artistic freedom to shoot the type of photography you enjoy.
If you are searching for new ways to acquire them, there are several things you can do. Take a look at these 6 ways to get more photography clients, below.
1. Recognize Your Ideal Client
The more you define who your ideal client is and what projects you would like to work on, the easier it will be to get hired by the appropriate people.
You can understand who is your desired client, by thinking about the following questions:
- What type of business do they run?
- What is their aesthetic?
- Who is the audience they are communicating to?
While these questions are just a starting point, they can help you develop a more effective client persona and marketing strategy.
2. Create a Website That Brings in Inquiries
While many photographers take it for granted, a photography website is still one of the most helpful marketing tools to help attract potential clients.
It is important to see your photography website as a digital store where people will receive their first impression of you and your work.
To ensure that as many visitors as possible hire you for the job, it is important that you deliberately plan how your website is structured. Try placing a great focus on showing your portfolio and including a contact page. This way, interested clients know how to reach out to you.
Get inspired by these 25 most beautiful photographer websites.
3. Understand How Clients Make Decisions
If you are struggling to understand how clients are making their decisions on who to work with, you may want to learn how clients choose a photographer. If you know this, you can adjust your marketing message to provide them with the information they need to make the right choice.
Things that influence the decision-making process of clients include:
- The quality of your work
- Your budget
- Your shooting style and post-production techniques
- The atmosphere you are able to capture and create on set
- Where you are based
- Whether the portfolio you provide lines up with the assignment at hand
If these factors align with the desired requirements of the client, then chances are high that you will be selected for the job.
4. Go The Extra Mile to Get People Talking
If someone has never hired a photographer before, the experience can be overwhelming. It can be hard to know where to start or look for people. So, many rely on the recommendations of their families, friends, or co-workers.
As negative experiences travel fast, it is important that you as a photographer place a great effort into creating a positive and memorable experience for your client.
Not only will this help that client relying on your for future projects and campaigns, but they will be happy to recommend you to anyone who is looking for a great photographer.
5. Grow Your Network
Capturing outstanding images sadly isn’t enough to keep your clients coming back for more. In order to maintain and grow your network, it is important that you try to leverage word-of-mouth.
This step can, however, be limited if you are just getting started, as not that many clients can talk about the experience they had with you.
If you are still growing your client base, take a look at these ways that can help more people hear about you:
1. Improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to search results. As many people search for photographers by looking them up in search engines, it is beneficial to understand how the listings work.
2. Focus on the relationship. If you build a good relationship with businesses, you will be the photographer they will give great reviews to and recommend.
3. Grow your social media channels. If used right, social media platforms can help grow your online presence. Instagram can be a successful way to distribute your work. Learn how to find photographer clients on Instagram, here.
4. Invest in paid advertising. If used successfully, paid advertising can help you grow your platform and appeal to potential clients.
6. Showcase Your Work on Cherrydeck
While social media platforms can be a great place to get discovered by potential clients, they are currently not the easiest way to get noticed.
Cherrydeck is a platform built to help connect photographers and brands on the look for outstanding talent.
By creating an account on Cherrydeck you can overcome the competitive digital market and list your portfolio on the platform. With a Cherrydeck profile, you can showcase your work to relevant people in the industry, as well as apply to jobs and opportunities that seem relevant to you.
In addition, Cherrydeck delivers you a bunch of client leads every week you can pitch to. Signup to our Brand Radar email and get weekly notifications on which brands have been actively searching for creatives on the platform.
Not only is Cherrydeck a great option for discovering new clients, but it also offers marketing tools especially built to help you find new clientele.
Signup to create a portfolio on Cherrydeck today and start growing your network. Discover more about what Cherrydeck can offer you, here.
6 ways to get more photography clients reviewed:
- Recognize Your Ideal Client
- Create a Website That Brings in Inquiries
- Understand How Clients Make Decisions
- Go The Extra Mile to Get People Talking
- Grow Your Network
- Showcase Your Work on Cherrydeck
