Branding and Marketing for Photographers

An Introduction toBRANDINGand MARKETINGfor Commercial Photographers Bill Cramer/CEO

Promotion equals…BRANDING Creating a memorable identity for your photography business +MARKETING Introducing that identity to appropriate clients

BRANDING

BrandingPHOTOGRAPHIC IDENTITY GRAPHIC IDENTITY Choose the right pictures Design marketing materials to show to support those pictures▹  Who you are, what you do, how you do it ▹  Consistent/intelligent use of graphics,type, color, design and materials▹  Specialties, style, audience build familiarity and communicate your▹  These are the kinds of pictures you can level of professionalism expect to get from me ▹  This is what it’s going to be like to work▹  Not just about your “favorite” pictures with me

BrandingPHOTOGRAPHICIDENTITY

How do I determinemy photographic identity?

What youlike to do.

What you What youlike to do. are good at doing.

What you What youlike to do. are good at doing. What the market wants from you.

PHOTOGRAPHIC What you like to do. What you are good at doing. IDENTITY What the market wants from you.

BrandingGRAPHIC IDENTITY

Marketing Website Blog / Social MediaMaterials Print Portfolio Mailers / Leave Behinds Stationery

WEBSITE▹  Large images, concise galleries < 30 images▹  Clear and consistent branding – have your work mark/logo show up on every page▹  Intuitive navigation—show what gallery you are on, where you are in that gallery and make it easy to move from picture to picture▹  Coherent and logical sections with meaningful names▹  Contact page with contact info and location, About page with bio and picture

WEBSITE▹  Match your URL to your company name— yourname.com or yournamephotography.com▹  Link to blog and social media▹  If images can be dragged off your site, label metadata with name, copyright, and contact info▹  No music, no flashy intros, no splash page, no water marks, no “recent work” section▹  Check spelling, punctuation, grammar▹  Update regularly, make sure copyright notice is current

BLOG/SOCIAL MEDIA▹  Coordinate (but not duplicate) the look with your main website

PRINT PORTFOLIO▹  No longer essential, but it makes a great conversation piece for face to face meetings▹  Make it visually consistent with your website, but not a printed version of it▹  Include your logo/word mark, contact information▹  Pick materials that suit your style and audience▹  Update it regularly

MAILERS/LEAVE BEHINDS Most get thrown away, so do anything you can to stand out…▹  E-Mailer▹  Post card▹  Accordion▹  Booklet

MAILERS/LEAVE BEHINDS Most get thrown away, so do anything you can to stand out…▹  E-Mailer▹  Post card▹  Accordion▹  Booklet▹  Cupcakes

STATIONERY▹  Business Card▹  Letterhead▹  #10 Envelope▹  Crack-N-Peel Label▹  Same look as your other marketing materials▹  Design is important, but function comes first

BrandingTHE LITTLE THINGS

THE LITTLE THINGS▹  What is your email address ? Should match your url▹  What do your emails look like? Normal sized text, black or dark gray▹  Do you have a proper email signature?▹  What do your estimates look like? treatments when appropriate▹  How do you answer the phone?▹  How do you dress?▹  Are you responsive to emails and phone calls?▹  Are you nice? Are you easy to get along with?▹  Do you send thank you notes to your clients after a big job?

Case studyTerry VineLifestyle, Travel, Houston

MARKETING

Promotion equals…BRANDING Creating a memorable identity for your photography. +MARKETING Introducing that identity to appropriate clients.

MarketingPASSIVE MARKETING ACTIVE MARKETING Seek out clients who are Allows clients to ﬁnd you most appropriate for you▹  You never know who might relate to your ▹  Take charge of your career work ▹  Get where you want to go▹  There are a lot of obscure clients out there

MarketingPASSIVEMARKETING

Passive Website / Blog Social MediaMarketing Online Photographer Directories Printed Source Books Ads Picture Agencies Reps Editorial Credits Contests New Releases SEO SMO

WEBSITE▹  The only absolutely essential marketing tool▹  Centerpiece of every photographer’s promotional efforts▹  Your other marketing tools should drive viewers hereBLOG▹  Recommended▹  Opportunity to talk about your projects▹  Helps bring out your personality, allows clients to feel like the know you

SOCIAL MEDIA

ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHER DIRECTORIES

PRINTED SOURCE BOOKS

PICTURE AGENCIES

EDITORIAL CREDITS

CONTESTS

NEWS RELEASES

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO TIPS▹  Avoid flash (unless you have an HTML ghost site behind it)▹  Don’t let your photos speak for themselves, tag all of them ▹  Example: Animal Photographer Philadelphia, PA Maria Luci Photography▹  Link to other relevant sites and have relevant sites link to you▹  A blog is a great opportunity to include lots of relevant text

SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

MarketingACTIVEMARKETING

Active Research Content Management SystemsMarketing Prospect Contact Lists Email Broadcasting Services Mass E-mailers and Print Mailers Individual Emails and Print Mailers Phone Calls Portfolio Meetings Industry Events

RESEARCH▹  Ad Agencies ▹  Record Companies▹  Magazines ▹  Cosmetics Companies▹  Corporations ▹  Fashion Companies▹  Graphic Design Firms ▹  Media Companies▹  Non-Profits ▹  Architects▹  Book Publishers ▹  Department Stores

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP"MANAGEMENT (CRM)

PROSPECT CONTACT LISTS▹  Agency Access (now owns ADBASE and Bikini Lists), Creative Access▹  Find and target the right clients for you▹  Build a list, then refine it over time

EMAIL BROADCASTING SERVICES

MASS E-MAILERS/PRINT MAILERS▹  Hire a designer to create a template▹  Limit your list to relevant prospects▹  Use catchy and relevant subject lines

INDIVIDUAL EMAILS/PRINT MAILERS▹  Personalize each email by drawing a connection between what you’re offering and the needs of that particular client▹  Much more time consuming, but can be more effective too

PHONE CALLS▹  Have a purpose ▹  Get a meeting ▹  Pitch a project▹  Send email first▹  Create a script▹  Research the client before you call

PORTFOLIO MEETINGS▹  Meet with clients who are most important to you▹  Clients are generally interested in meeting with photographers who are relevant to their needs

INDUSTRY EVENTS▹  Speed-Dating style portfolio reviews▹  Art Directors Club and other associations are an opportunities to meet clients

MarketingWORD OF MOUTH /NETWORKING /CHANCE MEETINGS

You can’t do it all.

RESULTS

ResultsWHAT’S ALL THISTRYING TOACCOMPLISH?

For the photographer: work with clients who are right for you.

For the client: build a level ofcomfort so that they’re willing to take a chance on you.

More ResourcesGo to our blog and navigate to How We Help Photographers > Resources Expert Advice Articles Go to our blog and type in “Expert Advice:” into the search ﬁeld Print & iPad Portfolios Go to our blog and scroll down to YouTube Videos

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Branding and Marketing for Photographers

by wonderfulmachine on Mar 22, 2012

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