What are some simple ways to get people interested in my photography business

[topazsol]

So far, I really haven't advertised at all. Should I get some flyers made? I live in a small town and no one here really knows who I am. I've only had one paid shoot so far and even though she was very happy and told all her friends about me, that is just one person.

So my question is, what are some things I can do to get myself out there? I know word of mouth is best, especially in a small town but I really don't know anyone here. Should I put an ad in the newspaper? I have a facebook page with all my photos, I've made ads on facebook but that's a limited audience since not everyone uses facebook.

[Ads]

[tirediron]

You have to advertise, at least initially. Flyers, news-paper inserts, signs on your vehicle, radio ads, newspaper ads, cold-calling... There's no simple one-way. Try different methods, see what works.

[vtf]

You need to convince the average person that your photos are better than their fancy cell phones. Now sell me on you photography!

[KmH]

Do you have a legal business? Business liability insurance? A state sales tax account?

If you don't have a well researched, written business/marketing plan, in all honesty it's unlikely you will ever have a viable retail photography business.

If you fail to plan, plan to fail

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Do you have a referral program?

Take your camera with you every where you go.

I usually didn't go out in public without a DSLR on a Black Rapid strap, and wearing a shirt that had my business name embroidered/silk screened on it - T-shirts, polo shirts, dress shirts. My winter coat had my business name embroidered on it, front and back.

How many business cards do you hand out monthly?

How many local business person groups do you belong to?

Are you a local Chamber of Commerce member?

How many new people do you meet weekly?

In short, you have to network extensively within your community. What is the population of your town? What is the population of the county your town is in?

To have a viable retail photography business, without a studio, you need to shoot about 375 sessions a year, and have an average sale of right about $400 per shoot.

If you have a studio, make that 425 sessions a year and an average sale of $470 per shoot.

New clients are way harder to develope, than getting former clients to use your service again.

You should be finalizing the plans and ads for your Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays marketing/promo in the next week or 2, and be about 1/2 way done with the planning for your Valentines Day 2013 marketing/promotion.

[orljustin]

So far, I really haven't advertised at all. Should I get some flyers made? I live in a small town and no one here really knows who I am. I've only had one paid shoot so far and even though she was very happy and told all her friends about me, that is just one person.

So my question is, what are some things I can do to get myself out there? I know word of mouth is best, especially in a small town but I really don't know anyone here. Should I put an ad in the newspaper? I have a facebook page with all my photos, I've made ads on facebook but that's a limited audience since not everyone uses facebook.

I thought you were going to haul your costume trailer to horse events or something.

[topazsol]

So far, I really haven't advertised at all. Should I get some flyers made? I live in a small town and no one here really knows who I am. I've only had one paid shoot so far and even though she was very happy and told all her friends about me, that is just one person.

So my question is, what are some things I can do to get myself out there? I know word of mouth is best, especially in a small town but I really don't know anyone here. Should I put an ad in the newspaper? I have a facebook page with all my photos, I've made ads on facebook but that's a limited audience since not everyone uses facebook.

I thought you were going to haul your costume trailer to horse events or something.

Turns out the lady I was buying the business from is bat**** crazy. She refused to let me use any of the equipment she was going to sell me without controlling every aspect of what I did and how I used it, using her reputation as a business as an excuse. To me a business deal is a business deal and should be treated as such. I should be able to torch it all in a field after I buy it and she should not have a say. But she is unreasonable and really moody and a plain mean person so I decided to shine her on. No way am giving my money to a psycho like her. Turns out my husband's boss is letting me use the whole upper floor to his work to take photos for free. I just have to pack up all my things when I leave so it won't be used as a studio but I can book appts. The place already has 3 beautifully painted walls I can use as backdrops along with my backdrops I will have with me. I can use the money I was going to spend on this supposed turnkey business that turned into a nightmare on starting my own business. I am actually really excited, the day I decided to ditch the crazy is the day I found out about this oppurtunity, one door closes and another opens.