5 min read

You have all the boxes ticked – a brilliant eye, a standout portfolio and an extensive understanding of photography! So, why is it hard to win new customers? Being a professional photographer is no easy task – it is demanding and stressful!

Many photographers are primarily focused on mastering their artistry. Practically speaking though, systems have to be constructed to capture leads that celebrate your creativity. Have you considered lead generation? Through the right methods, you build productive relationships and gain prospective clients. Have a go at these methods to stay ahead of the competition.

1. Provide a Specialised Service

Pick one area that you can provide the best service in. Hone in on that area and aim to become the best. This can help you identify your ideal customer. Being specialised (or niche) provides you credibility. You can tailor your services to a particular customer. Moreover, you can fine tune your marketing to appeal to your target audience. You can capture your audience’s attention by posting content that is relevant and useful to their unique needs. Remember a specialist photographer can provide an informative and value driven service than a general photographer.

2. Word of Mouth

Yes, the obvious one. Nonetheless, it is an important one! Find as many opportunities to be sociable. Find any excuse to meet family, old friends and acquaintances and tell them about your photography business. You might be surprised by the opportunities that come through this. Take a look at Craig Finlay’s example. He approached a group of people that got married around the same time. His popularity then shot up. His success lay on the magic of referrals. Try it! Another option is to shoot engagement parties for free. Remember, people that get engaged then get married! These weddings could generate the income you need. Also, approach new mothers and offer a group discount for Mother’s Day photographs. You are bound to then shoot major life events (like birthdays). Moreover, ask permission to share photos of clients, friends or family on your Facebook feed. Overlay your brand mark or website URL and then tag people in these photos. Popularity in a feed is a brilliant method to create visibility and credibility.

4. Mobile Responsive Design

As a photographer, your site is sure to lure the eye. Nonetheless, make sure it can easily be screened on mobile. Your site has to be “device responsive”, meaning the site can adapt to mobile dimensions. The experience should not be an inconvenience; it should be easy to scroll through, pinch areas and expand text. A majority of users now look for a product or service on their mobile. On April 21st 2015, “Google began rewarding sites that were built responsively for multi-device support”, so this is now an important ranking consideration.

5. Construct a Clever Lead Magnet!

The secret to constant leads is to have an exchange of mutual benefits. Tie a freebie to a hook and hold it out to your audience. In exchange, they provide their contact details. This is called a lead magnet. There are many advantages of a lead magnet. They portray you as an authority, enable trust and initiates relationships. Various lead magnets are utilised at each stage of the “purchasing funnel”. At the “top of funnel” you could provide a free e-book or quiz. During the “middle of the funnel”, classify people into a shortlist. Think about extending tickets to a live event (or workshop), case studies or mailed brochures. At the “bottom of the funnel” you should be aiming to convert leads into customers. At this stage, offer a free consultation, or special offer. You can learn more about creating lead magnets in our free eBook : 30 Greatest Lead Generation Tips, Tricks & Ideas .

6. Create a Facebook Business Page

Facebook speaks to a person’s senses. It is a highly visual medium and complements the promotion of a photography business. One of the best methods to increase your online visibility is to create a Facebook page. Make sure it gives a good impression of the brand and delivers valuable information. Showcase images from recent shoots, so that your audience can see your work and get to know your style. Use this platform to share raving testimonials, hold competitions and promote your blog articles. Keep your business top of mind with the right audience, so that when they are ready to purchase, they naturally think of you.

7. Retargeting

Have you looked for a product or service, and then found it randomly being promoted within your Facebook feed? This is a brilliant conversion technique for people that are interested but need an extra push to make a purchase. Retargeting is a cookie based technology that uses a JavaScript code to track your audience around the internet. By, placing a small piece of code (called a pixel) on your website. When a visitor enters your website the code drops an anonymous browser cookie, leaving a trail behind the user. When the visitor uses the internet, the cookie informs the retargeting provider to serve ads. Your ads are only visible to a qualified audience of people that have previously visited your website. Retargeting reminds the prospective customer of your brand, product or service offering.

8. Local SEO

If you are local business, use local SEO strategies to generate leads. You need a visible presence. To do this, build and market yourself through web directories. They push traffic and rank well in search engines. Another trick is to optimize content through local keyword data. Make your location an important part of your page headings and your search engine will take note. Do not overload your website with too many keywords; instead, create a natural and organic flow. Create a Google My Business Listing. Reviews on your Google My Business Listing have the added bonus of improving your local search results. Another option is to generate positive reviews. 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as peer recommendations. So remember to provide high quality service and ask for reviews. The better the reviews the higher quantity of leads you get.

9. Instagram Marketing

If millenials are your target audience, Instagram is the best platform to reach them. As Newscred claims “Instagram is capturing the most sought after audience on the planet – millennials who are 18-24-years-old and earn $50,000 to $74,000.” There are a multitude of reasons to use Instagram. The most obvious one is that it is a visual stage. Like your photographs, Instagram runs on a visual basis. Instagram and photography are a match made in heaven. Think about it as a custom made app to demonstrate your talent, potential and vision. Moreover, consolidate a visual identity. Create mood boards and visuals that portray your brand message. Visuals are memorable and clients are bound to make mental connections in their daily lives. As Newscred has observed “images get 94 percent more views than content without. We create stronger emotional connections with what we can see rather than what we read”. Finally, portray your brand achievements and evolution through Instagram. You can chart successes, goals and future plans through the app.

Lead other users to your Instagram page and build your your audience by staying active on this platform. Look up relevant hashtags ie #engaged #pregnant and comment on peoples posts. Do this daily to increase your following with amongst your target market.

Devana Senanayake
Content Contributor

Author Bio: Devana has an eclectic mix of passions, including: journalism, content creation and broadcasting. She runs a radio program called “Intersections” and advocates for race-related issues. She focuses on feminism, race, cross cultural identity and food. Through media, she hopes to expose the diverse voices, experiences and projects run by people of colour.

Snap Up Those Leads – A Photographers Guide to Lead Generation