Tips and Tricks to Promote Your Photography Business

When you decide to venture into the world of commercial photography, not only will you find yourself struggling in an amazingly competitive market, but you will also realize that most times there is a certain something you are lacking in order to properly get your business off the ground.

How to Promote Photography Business

Today we will go through some quick tips and tricks from professionals in the marketing sector – advice that will assist you in promoting your photography business.

The Visual Comes First

Before you even think about selling anything, you have to think about the visual impact of your brand. If you are just starting in this business, don’t expect to become a well-known photographer overnight – building a reputation takes considerable time and patience… like an ant working tirelessly day in and day out.

Since everything we see in this world is likely to elicit a reaction from us in as little as 5-15 seconds, it is important that you follow up with these tips in order to enhance the visual capacity of your brand:

• Use images on your business cards, preferably your logo, but keep it subtle (don’t go “too flashy” as it may end up being “trashy”)
• Build your website as a sort of personal journal and portfolio – show your work and update it regularly.
• Have samples of any product you want to sell (this is especially applicable for things like presets, actions, etc.)

Enter an Online Competition

There is no better way to show off your skills than by being part of a photography competition! Several sites online offer a wide range of competitions designed for professional and amateur photographers. One well-known contest isthe Sony WPO annual contest, which, in addition to a huge price, offers media recognition of your work. It has been the starting point on the road to fame for many artists since its inception.

Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Don’t share your content only on Facebook and Twitter in order to expand the reach of your business, but cover other social media sites, such as Pinterest, Deviant Art, or Behance as well.

Learning about the proper way to share content on social media can guarantee 100% success in promoting your brand efficiently.

Social media networks like Behance, 500 px, Instagram, and Flickr allow photographers to maintain an up-to-date digital portfolio that can be seen worldwide (unless you set your privacy settings to allow access to friends only). You will likely find yourself getting interesting job offers within the very first weeks of achieving success on social media sites. In addition, going through other photographers’ profiles can be a helpful resource for those moments when you lack inspiration.

Testimonials, Reviews, or Whatever You Want to Call it

In short – people talking about your brand. Nothing gives more credibility than satisfied users sharing their experiences and impressions of working with you. Obviously, this will not really carry any weight if the person doing the review is closely related to you, for example your parents.

You need to find a good writer to provide critical insight and outline the pros and cons of your brand as well as promote your work. Even if it is a lot of hard work,the effort of finding appropriate sites, where they will let you write a guest post or review your brand, will be worth it.

Offer Gifts at Your Website

Several designer sites, have a section with free goodies they share with the public worldwide. The aim is not just to promote the brand you’re selling, but also to give something back to the photography community as a way of helping others. Usually these freebies are free Lightroom presets made by the company’s retouchers. This is a perfect way to attract potential clients.

Discover what kind of free items can help your business grow, and be ready to share them at your site. Include a “Free Download” section at your site for those items, and be sure to include a feedback section, where users can suggest which kind of items they are looking for.

Special occasions like your brand’s anniversary, Christmas, or New Year Eve are great opportunities to give your audience a quick little gift. Display a dialog window at your site on those important dates with a link for downloading exclusive content made for the occasion.

There is no question that the current potential of your photography business can be enhanced if you use all the above suggestions. Remember to be patient, since visitor traffic may not change overnight. It will take time and constant hard work on the part of yourself and your team. Good luck!