8 Powerful Photography Marketing Secrets For Online And Off Line

Here's 8 Photo Marketing Secrets That Will Make You #1 In Your Area!

Here's 8 Photo Marketing Secrets That Will Make You #1 In Your Area!

On the subject of photography marketing, here are 8 secrets I have found to be very powerful and effective for both Online marketing such as websites, email marketing, etc. and off line marketing such as sales letters, advertisements, etc.:

1. The more you tell, the more you sell.  Longer copy, if well written and interesting, almost always outsells shorter copy.

The key here is to be INTERESTING in all your marketing, to your “Target Market.” The absolute killer is to be BORING. So for me, my target market consists of what I call “Female Warm Fuzzies” – women who love their family and value photography and all the things sensitive photography can capture.

Most people think (and they are wrong) that folks won’t read long copy.  The fact is that “warm Fuzzy” people who are actually interested – who are really LOOKING for a photographer right now – will read every word if it’s interesting, emotional & not boring!

So you want to always talk in terms of warm, sensitive, emotional terms that she will really find wonderfully interesting.

2. Always have a double readership path. Some people are “readers,”  others are “skimmers.”  Write for both types. Use lots of bolded “subheads” which contain the main BENEFITS of your message.

Really what this means is you’re going to have other “headlines” scattered throughout the webpage or sales letter or ad. These smaller headlines are known as “subheads” – and they are usually in slightly smaller type than the main headline at the top of the page, but still larger than the regular “body type” used on the page.

3. The headline is the most important part of your marketing message .  Without a doubt, the headline must stop your target market dead in her tracks.  That’s its job.  It must contain a clear benefit.  It must get her to read the first sentence of the message (and then continue on from there, of course.)

So work hard on that headline, it’s very important. And NEVER write anything that doesn’t have a headline. It’s the “ad” for your ad, webpage or sales letter.

To see a short, 4 minute video on headlines, with an example of a great headline, click here.

4. Talk in terms of benefits – always benefits.  What’s in it for her?  Why should she contact you now?  What will she miss out on if she does not contact you right now?

Is there some special reason for her to take action right now, such as a discounted special price for example. Just keep asking yourself, as you’re writing the webpage, or the sales letter, “What’s in it for her?”

5. Stories sell, facts only tell. Always include a few emotional stories (since people invest in photography for emotional reasons.)

Women who are “Warm Fuzzies” usually like stories – emotional stories – that they can relate to and empathize with.  Think about previous clients you have worked with, as well as your family & friends, and I’m sure you’ll find some great stories that you can use to make various points in your selling.

If you’re an Inner Circle member, and want to discover all the secrets to using stories & emotions to book and sell your photography, click here.

6. Always play up the guarantee – it’s very important.  The easiest way to get someone to respond to you is to give them an iron clad guarantee which removes all the risk from them, and places it firmly on you.

I have done this for my entire career – if my clients don’t LOVE their photographs, if they aren’t THRILLED, I will either do whatever is necessary to see to it they are thrilled, or I will give them all their money back.   And there will be no hard feelings or hassles, either.

You will be shocked and amazed at how just talking about your guarantee in ALL your marketing will dramatically increase your number of clients and profits!

If you’re an Inner Circle member of mine, and would like to see a video where I give you all the specifics about guarantees, how to use them and how they can improve your bottom line, click here.

7. The most important thing in marketing your photography is to be persuasive, not just pretty.  Photographers miss this all the time.  We like pretty.  We’re “artists.”  But in marketing, pretty isn’t nearly as important as persuasive.

So don’t just make your web pages and ads pretty – but use everything I’ve talked about here to make them PERSUASIVE. Use lots of emotional words. Not just attractive photographs. The days where just making an ad or a sales letter pretty – and having it work well, are long gone.

8.  Use testimonials from your thrilled clients! What you or I say about our photography really means little. The reader knows we wrote it, so we can say anything we want.  But what your clients say about you and your photography is hundreds of times more persuasive!

I always recommend that for every photograph you use, you put a testimonial from that person or family directly under the photograph, with their FULL NAME, CITY AND STATE.  And always be honest. Never make up a testimonial. Get the testimonial from the client, and get her permission to use it, with her photograph.

Use these 8 powerful marketing secrets as a checklist for everything you do that has anything to do with marketing your photography services. They have served me extremely well, and they will do the same for you.

All the best,

Charles J. Lewis, M. Photog., Cr.

PS. If you’re not an Inner Circle Member yet, click here for more information on how becoming a member will help you grow & prosper with your photography business, fast!

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2 Responses to 8 Powerful Photography Marketing Secrets For Online And Off Line

  1. December 21, 2009 at 1:03 am

    Thanks for sharing that.

  2. May 13, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    Awesome as always! And came at the PERFECT time as I’m getting ready to do a promotion with lift-off cards and was wondering how to write the copy! Thank you so much!

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