Marketing Yourself in a New Area with No Contacts

[rexbobcat]

So I'm just getting pretty damn hungry. As in literally. I just moved to Los Angeles, and although I am staying with my sig. other we're struggling a bit as I try to flounder for a job. Apparently even minimum wage places are like "lol gtfo of here."

So I'm trying to figure out how I can put my photo skills to work in a place where everyone is a photographer or knows a photographer.

It's been pretty rough, especially considering that I have little to no connections here, and even back home I didn't reeeaaaalllllyyyy have to market myself since I worked for the college and was pretty well-known (at least within the college), so I always got referrals from friends of friends of friends.

So yup, I don't have any friends here, and I don't have any cash for marketing materials. How would one even go about getting their name out there as a total big city noob, especially when the market is ultra-mega-saturated even more so than other areas of the country.

 

[jonsalty]

I'd take pictures of spiderman and sell it to the Daily Bugal.

 

[JoeW]

So I'm just getting pretty damn hungry. As in literally. I just moved to Los Angeles, and although I am staying with my sig. other we're struggling a bit as I try to flounder for a job. Apparently even minimum wage places are like "lol gtfo of here."

So I'm trying to figure out how I can put my photo skills to work in a place where everyone is a photographer or knows a photographer.

It's been pretty rough, especially considering that I have little to no connections here, and even back home I didn't reeeaaaalllllyyyy have to market myself since I worked for the college and was pretty well-known (at least within the college), so I always got referrals from friends of friends of friends.

So yup, I don't have any friends here, and I don't have any cash for marketing materials. How would one even go about getting their name out there as a total big city noob, especially when the market is ultra-mega-saturated even more so than other areas of the country.

I don't know your skill set, experience, job expectations or even what type of photography you want to pursue. So my recommendations are going to be a bit on the general side.

1. Start by taping the network you do have. Yep, you're new to LaLa Land. Reach out to people you know to see who THEY know in LA. Remind them you're still alive and kicking on this planet. See if any of them know anyone (6 degrees of Kevin Bacon and all that).

2. Look at expanding your circle. It can happen that you just meet one new person and they go "hey, you seem like a fine fellow. I've got this job I can't fill--could you help me out and take it?" Yeah, that could happen. But probably not. Instead, you're talking about a process. And before anyone is going to offer you a job (unless you apply for one to a stranger) you're going to have to make connections, get people to be aware of your experience, job interests, etc. Are you on FB or Instagram or Pinterest? See you who can reach out to. Look at alternatives to social media (meet up groups). Look at professional societies in your career of interest and get active. VOLUNTEER in some of them (that's a really great way to create IOUs and impress leaders and decision-makers in your profession. I guarantee you that when I had hiring decisions, the first people I looked at were those doing a lot of volunteer work in the professional groups relevant to that job. I figured I couldn't trust a degree or a resume but if I had a sense of someone's personality and character, I'd seen their performance when no money was on the line, they'd performed well, and we'd had good interaction...that was all good enough to put them at the front of the line. I also felt that I had an obligation to help out my volunteers so when I found out about paying gigs that I couldn't do, I'd refer them to my volunteers). Anything you can write (no, I don't mean a book...if you want work as a photographer is there someone with a blog or website who could use some occasional content?). If you're a photographer, do you have a portfolio online somewhere to show off your work?

3. Help someone else get work. Right now, you say you've got no contacts. If you want to get work, it helps to have friends who are working in areas and fields where you want to work. So join job seeker groups. As you search for work, if a job isn't what you're interested in or it's not a good fit for you then refer it to someone else in the group. This does several things. First, everyone will think highly of you (which increases the number of folks who will refer you). Second, you get friends who are working. Third, you create IOUs and people who will want to help you out.

Everything I've written is true whether you're looking for a full-time paying job employed by someone or whether you're looking at contracting/temporary gigs like shooting a wedding.

 

[MichaelHenson]

Zack Arias has a really great response to this question on his 1,500 questions Tumblr blog. (I have the book version...) I can't find it here at work because Tumblr is blocked but maybe take a few minutes to hunt that down...The gist is basically figure out what you want to shoot (music, portraits, headshots, corporate, etc.), find the influencers in that community (basically who your ideal clients would be within that photographic "genre"), take them for a cup of coffee and ask what they are looking for in their photographs/photographer and then offer to provide services pro bono for a specific period of time to build your "porfolio" or whatever. During that time, network like a madman with anyone and everyone you shoot, provide over the top service, and fight to get your name and business into that community...

He does a better job describing it but that's the "nutshell" version.

 

[photoguy99]

Ugh. I have no suggestions but you have my sympathy.

What on earth are you doing in LA?

 

[waday]

So I'm just getting pretty damn hungry. As in literally. I just moved to Los Angeles, and although I am staying with my sig. other we're struggling a bit as I try to flounder for a job. Apparently even minimum wage places are like "lol gtfo of here."

So I'm trying to figure out how I can put my photo skills to work in a place where everyone is a photographer or knows a photographer.

It's been pretty rough, especially considering that I have little to no connections here, and even back home I didn't reeeaaaalllllyyyy have to market myself since I worked for the college and was pretty well-known (at least within the college), so I always got referrals from friends of friends of friends.

So yup, I don't have any friends here, and I don't have any cash for marketing materials. How would one even go about getting their name out there as a total big city noob, especially when the market is ultra-mega-saturated even more so than other areas of the country.

I don't know your skill set, experience, job expectations or even what type of photography you want to pursue. So my recommendations are going to be a bit on the general side.

1. Start by taping the network you do have. Yep, you're new to LaLa Land. Reach out to people you know to see who THEY know in LA. Remind them you're still alive and kicking on this planet. See if any of them know anyone (6 degrees of Kevin Bacon and all that).

2. Look at expanding your circle. It can happen that you just meet one new person and they go "hey, you seem like a fine fellow. I've got this job I can't fill--could you help me out and take it?" Yeah, that could happen. But probably not. Instead, you're talking about a process. And before anyone is going to offer you a job (unless you apply for one to a stranger) you're going to have to make connections, get people to be aware of your experience, job interests, etc. Are you on FB or Instagram or Pinterest? See you who can reach out to. Look at alternatives to social media (meet up groups). Look at professional societies in your career of interest and get active. VOLUNTEER in some of them (that's a really great way to create IOUs and impress leaders and decision-makers in your profession. I guarantee you that when I had hiring decisions, the first people I looked at were those doing a lot of volunteer work in the professional groups relevant to that job. I figured I couldn't trust a degree or a resume but if I had a sense of someone's personality and character, I'd seen their performance when no money was on the line, they'd performed well, and we'd had good interaction...that was all good enough to put them at the front of the line. I also felt that I had an obligation to help out my volunteers so when I found out about paying gigs that I couldn't do, I'd refer them to my volunteers). Anything you can write (no, I don't mean a book...if you want work as a photographer is there someone with a blog or website who could use some occasional content?). If you're a photographer, do you have a portfolio online somewhere to show off your work?

3. Help someone else get work. Right now, you say you've got no contacts. If you want to get work, it helps to have friends who are working in areas and fields where you want to work. So join job seeker groups. As you search for work, if a job isn't what you're interested in or it's not a good fit for you then refer it to someone else in the group. This does several things. First, everyone will think highly of you (which increases the number of folks who will refer you). Second, you get friends who are working. Third, you create IOUs and people who will want to help you out.

Everything I've written is true whether you're looking for a full-time paying job employed by someone or whether you're looking at contracting/temporary gigs like shooting a wedding.

This is good advice.

I especially like the 'volunteer' advice. I've known several people get full-time (non-photography) jobs after volunteering. It helped get their resume directly in the hands of those hiring, rather than the roundabout way through HR.

 

[KmH]

What part of LA?

 

[photoguy99]

Actually I do have specific advice which may well be worthless, or at any rate worthless to you.

In your shoes, and further assuming I could afford to not get paid for a few more months, I would write a note to Daniel Milnor (him specifically because there's a chance he would recognize my name and because his philosophy runs somewhat parallel to mine). I would say:

The world is full of interns who don't want to sweep floors and clean toilets. Me? I am fine sweeping floors and cleaning toilets. Do you know of anyone who could use an intern like that for a couple months?

I have a couple months in LA on my hands, and I want to intern for someone doing something that matters, because I believe in people who are doing things that matter and because, maybe, sweeping the floor of someone doing work that matters will rub a little something good off on me.

 

[rexbobcat]

What part of LA?

I'm up north in the valley.

 

[runnah]

Well problem is that you are in an area where there are as many photographers as there are failed actors. I suggest moving 1,000 miles north.

 

[rexbobcat]

Actually I do have specific advice which may well be worthless, or at any rate worthless to you.

In your shoes, and further assuming I could afford to not get paid for a few more months, I would write a note to Daniel Milnor (him specifically because there's a chance he would recognize my name and because his philosophy runs somewhat parallel to mine). I would say:

The world is full of interns who don't want to sweep floors and clean toilets. Me? I am fine sweeping floors and cleaning toilets. Do you know of anyone who could use an intern like that for a couple months?

I have a couple months in LA on my hands, and I want to intern for someone doing something that matters, because I believe in people who are doing things that matter and because, maybe, sweeping the floor of someone doing work that matters will rub a little something good off on me.

Oooooh, he's the guy who writes in the Smogranch blog. Cool! A friend of mine built his website. I didn't know he's location in L.A. But what's your name though, so I can show him the referral heh.

 

[vintagesnaps]

You went to college, did you graduate and get a degree? Did you talk with someone at your university about future job possibilities in your field?

I don't see photography as a viable fulltime job/career option for too many people, or at least it could take probably a good bit of time to build up your reputation as a photographer.

What were you expecting to do for work once you relocated? I don't even really know you and I'm concerned for your situation; you might be flipping burgers til you could get a photography career off the ground.

In my area there are community colleges that offer workshops or speakers in the community as well as adult continuing ed. classes on job/career placement etc. geared for people entering the workforce or changing jobs. I'd suggest you see what you can find like that to help you figure out what some opportunities might be for you with the skills and experience you currently have.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

Everything JoeW said is spot on.

My only suggestion on top of listening to him is to download a little app called meetup and go to as many photography related meetups as you can. Make connections and build your rep that way and you'll be finding gigs in no time.