If you are listening to most photographers now, you’re probably hearing about how the photography business is not doing very well. Between the cheap competition everywhere, the recession, and inexpensive digital cameras available everywhere to everyone, you’re probably worried about the future.
But the facts are completely different than what “most” photographers are saying and feeling.
Here’s what you can do right now, regarding your photography marketing and selling, to build the photography business of your dreams right now:
1. Pay very close attendtion to who you listen to. Remember, the majority is not usually wrong, the majority is ALWAYS wrong. So when the majority is saying one thing, the actual truth is something totally different. So don’t allow the negative, “dangerous people” in our industry to scare you. The photography business is a wonderful business to be in – but – and this is a big “but” – but you’re going to have to distance yourself from the majority, and NOT listen to them. Instead, keep your dream alive. Feed your love and enthusiasm for photography. Realize that if you want to be successful in photography, you must learn and do the things that the failures don’t want to learn or do.
2. Your photography marketing needs careful attention right now. I realize you don’t like marketing as much as you like photography – but if you want to grow and prosper in your photography business, you’re going to have to put way more time and effort into your marketing, and less into your photography itself. Why? Because it’s the marketing that is the “oxygen” of your business. You MUST get the right people to contact you, and do it now. And to accomplish this, you need to put time and effort into it. Sorry, I know you don’t want to hear this, but it’s the truth.
3. Frankly, you need to be a better photography sales person. This is a key to your photography success. You must reallize that no matter how “good” you are, your photography will NOT SELL ITSELF. You need to know how to be persuasive – how to influence people’s decisions and get them to trust you and do what you recommend. Now, I’m not talking about presure, trickery or manipulation here – I’m talking about honest, truthful sales techniques that are very effective. You must put more time, money and effort into this if you want to grow and prosper in your photography business now.
So, put one third of your time and effort into your marketing skills. Find someone who is where you want to be, and model what he or she is doing to get good, qualified clients into the business right now.
And put another third of your time and effort into your selling skills. Again, model someone in the photography profession who is where you want to be right now. Learn from him or her. Listen to every word, and then take ACTION on what he or she recommends.
Then, yes, put the other third of your time and efforts into keeping your photography the very best it can be.
Hope this was helpful. Click on the various categories over on the right side of the page, to read many more detailed posts about photography marketing and selling.
All the best,
Chuck Lewis
