Photography Marketing Ideas for Photographers:10 Low Cost Ideas

Marketing your photography studio does not have to be expensive. I've used hundreds of low cost marketing strategies over the last twenty five years and managed to build my photography studio to the point where I am one the busiest and most successful studios in my city. Here's a few tips for you:

1. Create a photo display. A photography display can be as simple as displaying a few small portraits at a store and offering some free information about your studio or more elaborate set ups with framed wall samples. You can even create large temporary displays in malls or at events such as trade shows. The important thing is how 1960 Fleer baseball cards looks. You Monster Old Maid attract a lot of attention with some great images, especially from woman, Mystic Skull happen to be your target market. Displays will help you create a lot of business if you play your cards right. Have a great selection of images, be presentable yet never pushy, have a system for collecting names and address's from those wanting more information by simply asking or offering a draw prize, and keep in touch with all those prospects. It's the beginning of a potential long term and lucrative relationship.

2. Have a free giveaway. Offer a time limited in studio session and small reprint. Tell them there is no obligation for further purchase, and mean it. You will make some sales anyways and you will acquire many long term clients if you do a good job for them. Some will only grab the freebie, but the odds are very good that you will upsell without being sneaky or pushy. Especially if you are professional and create some great images. Do this at mall displays, banks, schools or offer it to a list of clients from a non-competitive business in your town or city. Freebies are the best way to get your studio busy, start making sales and most of all for getting tons of exposure.

3. Reward referrals. Make a policy to reward anyone who brings you referrals. When a Battlestar Galactica brings in a propective client, give them a gift of appreciation, such as a coupon worth reprints dollars at your studio, frames, or to a local spa or restaurant. As an added incentive, give a small gift to the new client as well.

4. Create a tie-in with another business. Contact a local business and offer to exchange coupons. For example, your client receives coupons from a local restaurant, hair salon, spa, or wherever your typical prospect would shop. A great place to start is with clients of yours who already own their own businesses.

5. Make your reception or waiting room prospect and sales friendly. Whenever you create a family portrait or are shooting a wedding there are often people waiting in your reception area. Offer them snacks or something to drink. Make sure your place looks great and smells nice. Make it comfortable. Use this time to increase your upcoming sales presentation by explaining some of the items such as wall portraits and other packages and services. Answer objections that you know will be coming up later during the sale presentation with a consultive approach and people will not only trust you more but will likely make the sale easier for you and even buy more. This is also a great time to collect names. These people are somehow associated with you and at this point make excellent prospects.

6. Make copies of news articles about yourself and your studio. Hang them on the walls or pass them out. Past publicity is better than any advertising or promotional literature you can create. Give copies of positive articles to everyone who comes in for information.

7. Raise money for charity. Not only do you help a good cause, you get plenty of free, positive publicity and exposure. Hold a contest, offer some photography classes, give out free booklets- that you can easily write yourself and print for pennies by having them photocopied- think up your own exciting charity event.

8. Submit press releases to the local newspapers about a noteworthy event at your studio or a human interest story. Did you win a photography contest? Is there and article on photography that relates to local sites in your area or has to do with the seasons? Make your release interesting to the readers, never self-serving and you will get press coverage.

9. Give a free photography seminar or presentation at your studio. Invite members of the public and clients family members to be a part. A seminar gives them the chance to see your studio and your work. Offer something timely to do with how to create great photographs with digital cameras or offer a slide show from some of your more exotic travels. You could create an exhibition highlighting your work. Dont forget to invite the local newspaper.

10. Leave your business cards everywhere. Whenever you are at a restaurant, leave a nice tip and your card. Drop a stack off at the local jewellry store. Make sure card is loaded with your best samples and print on both sides to maximize the space for your sales message.

Robert Provencher has been a professional portrait and wedding photographer for over 25 years. He has trained hundreds of professional photographers throughout North America in live workshops and through his online forum. Robert has authored several manuals on digital photography and photogaphy marketing. href="nobsphotosuccess.com">nobsphotosuccess.com

Win More Sales by Thinking Like a NFL Team

Yes, winning in sales and in sports obviously have a lot in common. However, a recent statistic may provide even greater insight in that you may need automobile donation start thinking like a NFL team.

The other day while radio surfing in between driving to some sales coaching appointments I heard an ESPN sports announcer cite a National Football League statistic. This statistic indicated that those teams who scored first and obviously early in the game won 75% of all games. (I attempted to verify this through Google, but was not successful.)

Regardless if this Friendship 7 true or false. Just imagine, for a moment, if your sales conversion rate was 75%. What would that do for your piggy bank?

What this says for sales professionals is that your sales actions must win points early in the game if you truly want to earn the sale. This statistic makes sense given some of the sales statistics within the marketplace suggest one half of leads are never followed up to most earned sales happen between the 5th and 12th contact. (Source: National Sales Executives Association)

So what would happen if you thought of your sales process as a game in which you have only 7 plays? Then upon successful execution of each play, you award yourself a score.

Your first play is attracting the attention of that qualified potential customers (a.k.a. prospect). Sales Coaching Tip: Replace prospect with the phrase qualified potential customer. Now you begin to think of that individual as a real person and not just a means to an end to realize your goal to increase sales.

Give yourself one point for that early effort. Next, you must build the relationship. When this is play is completed, awarded yourself 2 points.

Your next action is fact finding by discovering those known and unknown needs or issues. Upon successful execution of this play, you earn 3 points.

Now is the time for presenting the case play. You must demonstrate the value of your planet robot to your potential qualified customer. Execute this play well and add another 4 points to your total score.

Your fifth play is gaining commitment. If you have executed all previous plays flawlessly, then this play is completed fairly quickly. Whether the outcome is a hand shake, a signed contract or a verbal commitment to proceed forward, give yourself 5 points.

The sale is earned, but now you must deliver. Since the buyer has placed her or his faith in you, you are the sales professional are responsible for the successful delivery of the sale. Done well, give yourself another 6 points.

Finally, the seventh play is at hand. You must follow-up and ask for 3 referrals. This play is not well executed by many sales professionals. However, by adopting this marketing activity since the sale is completed, you can begin a new with those 3 referrals and give yourself 7 points in the process.

Yes, sales and thinking like a NFL team have a lot in common. Your challenge is to score first, score often and to deliver a quality engagement if you truly wish to increase sales.

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Call 219.759.5601 to schedule a free business coaching training or leadership coaching strategy session with Leanne Hoagland Smith provided you are willing to be uncomfortable

P.S. This tools helps with improving your href="processspecialist.com/innermetrix-performance-appraisal.htm">sales skills by focusing on your strengths. Remember, winning teams win because of their strengths and not their weaknesses