How long did it take to build your clientele?

katiemaye22

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Hi everyone,
I am starting a photography business, and I was wondering how long it takes to build your clientele? I am having a few clients, but the competition in my town are literally booked solid! I would appreciate some stories of other photographers tips on building their clientele and how everyone first started out, etc.. Thanks!
 
First, you posted in the Product & Equipment section...I'll bet a nice Mod will move it for you soon.

Have you built your portfolio?
 
You can't really answer a question like that; you start building your clientele the moment you hang out your shingle and you don't stop until you retire. How are you advertising? You always hear the stories of, "I never advertised, word of mouth was all I ever needed". I'm sure that's true for the occasional case, but for 99.9% of us, we need to advertise. Social media is huge, circulars in newspapers... depending on where you are and what the local tastes are, will dictate in part, where your best advertising dollars are spent.
 
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Hi everyone,
I am starting a photography business, and I was wondering how long it takes to build your clientele? I am having a few clients, but the competition in my town are literally booked solid! I would appreciate some stories of other photographers tips on building their clientele and how everyone first started out, etc.. Thanks!

From your other thread:
Hi everyone, I recently started photography, and I would like to set up a studio in my home. I just wanted to get a backdrop stand, and a couple back drops, but I'm stuck on whether or not to get a softbox, or umbrella. I want something that can hook up to my Nikon d3100 so when the flash goes off, it will go to the softbox or umbrella. I'm at a loss here, and and info will b great, thanks!

If you "recently started" with a $300 camera, why on earth do you think you need to "start a photography business"?
 
Edited to correct Monday-morning, pre-coffee post: If you've only just purchased your camera, and are not yet sure of such things as the basics of different light modifiers, then you might be putting the cart before the horse. Just as you wouldn't buy a mixing bowl and an oven and assume that could just open up a bakery because someone once said you made good cupcakes, trying to start a photography business without a knowlege of the basics is equally unreasonable. There is a LOT more to taking a good photograph then simply owning a camera, and a LOT more to a photography business than just photography.

My suggestion would be: Haul down the shingle and spend at least a year learning. Join a local camera club, read books, watch YouTube videos, etc. There are some great resouces such as Creative Live, The Strobist Blog, and Cambridge in Colour. While I fully understand that this does NOT answer your question about building clientele, there are some steps you need to take before you get to the point of worrying about paying clients.
 
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Hi everyone,
I am starting a photography business, and I was wondering how long it takes to build your clientele? I am having a few clients, but the competition in my town are literally booked solid! I would appreciate some stories of other photographers tips on building their clientele and how everyone first started out, etc.. Thanks!

From your other thread:
Hi everyone, I recently started photography, and I would like to set up a studio in my home. I just wanted to get a backdrop stand, and a couple back drops, but I'm stuck on whether or not to get a softbox, or umbrella. I want something that can hook up to my Nikon d3100 so when the flash goes off, it will go to the softbox or umbrella. I'm at a loss here, and and info will b great, thanks!

If you "recently started" with a $300 camera, why on earth do you think you need to "start a photography business"?

while it may be relevant to the business side of photography, the comment is NOT relevant to the OPs question.
the OP asked about building clientele, NOT about adequate business equipment.
 
Hi everyone,
I am starting a photography business, and I was wondering how long it takes to build your clientele? I am having a few clients, but the competition in my town are literally booked solid! I would appreciate some stories of other photographers tips on building their clientele and how everyone first started out, etc.. Thanks!

From your other thread:
Hi everyone, I recently started photography, and I would like to set up a studio in my home. I just wanted to get a backdrop stand, and a couple back drops, but I'm stuck on whether or not to get a softbox, or umbrella. I want something that can hook up to my Nikon d3100 so when the flash goes off, it will go to the softbox or umbrella. I'm at a loss here, and and info will b great, thanks!

If you "recently started" with a $300 camera, why on earth do you think you need to "start a photography business"?

while it may be relevant to the business side of photography, the comment is NOT relevant to the OPs question.
the OP asked about building clientele, NOT about adequate business equipment.

Let me rephrase to accommodate your request.

In response to "how long it takes to build your clientele", you will find it will take you longer to build your clientele with no experience and inadequate equipment, then if you were experienced and had some equipment that was suitable for allowing you to provide consistent, professional results.

All aspects of the business are applicable to this (and many other) questions. "How much should I charge", "Why isn't my advertising working", "My clients don't show up", etc. can all be answered sometimes, by answers like "Your composition isn't very good", "Your equipment is inadequate", "Facebook doesn't make you a photographer", even though the answer doesn't use the words that were in the question.
 
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From your other thread:


If you "recently started" with a $300 camera, why on earth do you think you need to "start a photography business"?

while it may be relevant to the business side of photography, the comment is NOT relevant to the OPs question.
the OP asked about building clientele, NOT about adequate business equipment.

Let me rephrase to accommodate your forum sensibilities.

In response to "how long it takes to build your clientele", you will find it will take you longer to build your clientele with no experience and inadequate equipment, then if you were experienced and had some equipment that was suitable for allowing you to provide consistent, professional results.

much better.
relevant to the OP, and doesn't come off sounding like an insult. Well versed. :thumbup:
 

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