How to Get More Photography Clients for Free!

If you aren’t spending your time on marketing then you are either fully booked for the next two years or you’re in denial and hoping that clients will magically appear out of thin air. Now, I know how overwhelming marketing can make us feel as photographers… I get it! Knowing where to spend your time and how is tough! I spent the first 5-6 years of my business learning how to get more photography clients through trial and error!

The amount of time I’ve spent on things that DIDN’T ACTUALLY BRING IN CLIENTS is kind of depressing (*cough* Pinterest *cough). However, I learned so much from these failures! And now i’m here to share all that i’ve learned with you! So here it is… my tips for getting more photography clients TOTALLY FREE!

to get more photography clients, you must have this…

If you do not have a marketing plan you won’t know what results to look for and how to measure them. In my More than Marketing course, opening again this April, I teach my photographers the exact marketing plan that works specifically for photographers. Not just based on my own 7 years of experience but also based on my certifications in inbound marketing and social media marketing!

So if you’re looking for some clarity on what role Social Media, Blogging, email marketing, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and bridal shows play when it comes to marketing your photography business. Make sure you check this course (+ 6 months of free coaching with me) out!

free AND worthwhile ways to market your business and get more photography clients:

While each of these types of marketing has it’s own section in my course where it is talked about in depth, i’m going to give you a few pointers here.

social media

Make sure you’re using this platform properly. This platform (whether it’s Instagram or Facebook) is supposed to be a first, second, third, fourth date with your client, NOT a proposal. Do not sell on this platform. Show them who you are and what you’re about and why you do what you do. Begin establishing yourself as an expert and focus on creating content that connects with them… things they would WANT to share.

website

Having a website raises your clients perception of the worth of your business by A LOT. Not just that, your website is a critical step in filtering your leads. We don’t want to waste time on people who aren’t actually interested and your website is great way to “pre-qualify” the people who are inquiring with you so that they are more likely to book. Make sure you define your ideal client (snag this free ideal client worksheet) and then make sure your website, both the copy AND your portfolio, speaks to them and only them.

Email marketing

Should photographer’s email market? Yes. Yes you should. Only 3-6% of your followers will see your posts on social media so you NEED to make sure you are showing up for them frequently somewhere else too. I have my email list divided into two categories: Current/Past Clients and Potential Clients. I nurture each of them differently. Learn more about how all this works in my course.

Connectworking

This is my take on “networking.” Networking sounds so cold and selfish. Like, “here’s my business card, let me have your’s, now let’s pretend we will send people to each other.” In my course I teach photographers how to build connections with all the right people in their life to get them more clients.

AND THIS ISN’T JUST FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Connectworking can be done for any type of photography. All you have to do is find someone who has the same ideal client as you but isn’t a direct competitor.

blogging

This platform isn’t just important for SEO, it’s vital to the photographer-client relationship. Read more on that HERE.

Referrals

People trust their close friends far more than they trust a social media page or a website! One of the best ways to get referrals is to ask for them. When sending their gallery, let them know how much you appreciate them and how important referrals are for you. I’ve found that people are willing, they just never realized how big of a deal it is to us. When someone sends you a referral, thank them publicly on social media. Send them a thank you gift (Click here to see my very faves) or card in the mail.

Reviews

You know what’s better than posting a sneak peek with some inspirational quote? Posting a sneak peek with a personal review from the people IN THAT PICTURE. Even if they haven’t received their gallery, I ask my clients for feedback from based on their session experience. Then, I use that for content! You can implement a feedback form into your workflow. Or, you can request reviews from past clients and give them the links to review you on Google or Facebook. You can even offer them a free gift (8×10 print) in return.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization. This is the behind-the-scenes stuff we do to our blog and website to make google like us and show us to more of the right people. I have an entire section on this in my course AND in my ultimate blog guide.

Experience

Your client experience doesn’t start at the session. Your client experience starts from the very first moment that a potential client connects with your brand. So whether they find you on google, follow you on social media, or discover you through a blog post that a mutual friend shared… make sure that your client experience from top to tail is PERFECTION! Make sure it offers your clients something more than just photos. Again, more on this in my More than Marketing Course.

Publications

Ahhh publications… getting featured on blog posts and in magazines. How do we do it? Well, first, do you have more time or do you have more money? If you have a more money and a little less time, I recommend looking into tools like Two Bright Lights ! However, if you have more time than money at the moment, visit different blogs that feature photographers and start submitting. Most of them have a place on their website for you to do this. Yes this takes time and yes you need to make sure your pitch is good. But adding these “badges” to your website instantly elevates your worth in the eyes of your ideal client.

Not sure where to start? Make sure you follow me on Instagram! Every week I feature a photographer on a live video with me! We chat about your business and then I answer any questions you have about marketing! WIN-WIN! Plus you even get a badge for your website! Woot, Woot! DM me on IG if you’re interested.

All in all, if you want to get more photography clients, you have to have a plan to do so. Sitting back and wishing them into existence isn’t going to work.

• Spend your time in the right places AND in the right ways.
• Know who you’re talking to and how you’re different from all the other photographers out there.
• Be able to communicate why you do what you do and know how to communicate that in 30 seconds or less in a way that doesn’t convince your ideal client to hire you but INSPIRE’S them to hire you!