5 Ways to Market Styled Photography Sessions
Topic: Marketing
Time Investment: 5 Minutes
Suggested Product: Styled Shoot Contract Bundle
Planning and marketing a styled session can prove to be exhausting and gratifying all at the same time. They have proven to be an investment in my photography business, and I hope as you consider doing a styled session, it will pay off for yours as well.
Styled sessions take time and lots of resources to make it successful. Often times, you need to involve other vendors as clients are seeking something a bit different than what other photographers in your area are offering. Let’s face it, we all like different! For this reason, I try and offer styled sessions 3-5 times a year to keep things fresh! It keeps clients stalking social media, your website and your blog in anticipation of the big announcement.
Here are a few things that have helped as I planned and marketed a styled session. As you put a styled session together, you too will develop what works and what doesn’t.
Market early, market often, and identify your target market!
You are investing a lot of time, talent and money in to a styled session. Be sure and sell it out! Tell your family and friends, post an announcement in your neighborhood newsletter, mass email your previous clients, advertise on local Facebook forums, etc. If you offered a previous styled session, generate the buzz by announcing another styled session on Facebook! Nothing or nowhere is off limits! Target your market! Your market may include a specific age group or social status, or both. Spend your efforts trying to reel in those prospective clients.
Plan early and prepare your vision!
This takes time so give your self plenty of time to plan a successful styled session. If you are an outdoor photographer, seek out the perfect location and visit that location at a time you would like to offer your session. This session is on your terms; get your light, right! When you shoot your style of photography, it will show in your images! Have a Plan B. Have both an alternative location in case the original location falls through as well as an alternate date in case of inclement weather.
Contact vendors!
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Barter if it works for YOU! The absolute worst thing you can hear is the word NO and haven’t we all heard that before?! Contact vendors and tell them specifically what you need and give them a deadline on when you need their product. Likewise, let them know what they can expect from you if you are bartering goods for service. Having all your “ducks in a row” and timelines met will cut down on chaos as the session date gets closer.
Price for profitability!
Not only will you want to keep receipts on goods you’ve purchased, but factor in the TIME it has taken to actually put a styled session together and what kind of time it will take to deliver a finished product to your client. No one wants to put a styled session together and just break even. Make your efforts count! The more you do, the better you get at pricing them, so practice!
Tag those photos on Facebook and blogs!
I have gained more clients because they noticed one of my photographs on a friend’s wall. If they’ve missed this styled session, you can bet you’ve gained a “like” on your Facebook page, and they are looking to see when the next one might be coming up! AND, don’t forget to credit your vendors! Vendors love seeing their products in the form of beautiful images; share them and ask your vendors to do the same. Networking together will only bring you both business!
Lastly, you are more likely to invest your time and talent into planning a styled session that’s actually FUN to plan!
So, let your hair down and go for it and step out of your comfort zone and do something fun and different! You’ll attract new clients and your business will continue to grow!
Thanks to Angie from Timeless Treasure Photography for today’s guest blog post! Check out her page here.
Vendors in this post
The Tom Kat Studio
www.thetomkatstudio.com -for all your party supply needs. Great customer service and fantastic products. Supplies used in this shoot were mason jar lids, rock candy, paper decorations and pink pom poms.
Trippn’ Out Creations
https://www.facebook.com/TrippnOutCreations – for all your sewing needs. Kim designed and supplied all of the dresses for the shoot! She provided the dresses prior to the shoot so that I could post images on both my Facebook wall as well as hers which generated excitement and brought 2 more clients to fill the remaining time slots. SCORE!
Sweet N Sassy Gifts
Bonnie supplied and cut vinyl for the word “Lemonade” -she’s fantastic designing great gift ideas!
Fruition Gifts
http://www.fruitiongifts.com/ -a company I found on the internet that provided lemons for the shoot and provided fantastic customer service!
Big Box Vendors
Target, Lowes, Michaels and Hobby Lobby- other goodies purchased from these vendors included: lemonade towels, baskets, decorative scrapbook paper, wood, etc.
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