Client List Build: Amy Mikler Hunts for Hotel Contacts

Austin, Texas-based Amy Mikler is a hospitality photographer with such a wide range of skills she couldn’t simply label herself as a specialist in portrait, travel, landscape, or interiors. When she came to us for a Client List Build, Amy was seeking to expand beyond Texan hotels, hoping that a relationship with a larger chain could lead to ongoing projects.

For the Client List Build service, we focus on the photographer’s goals and what the list will accomplish. We target client by type (publications, agencies, brands) as well as by their size, location, and style. Then we compile a list of 60-70 companies that fit the criteria and ask the photographer for feedback on each company. After exchanging emails to fine-tune the search, we move on to locating good contacts for each client. Once a good contact is established, and an email address is verified, all the contact information is forwarded to the photographer as their final list. 

Amy has previously worked with Wonderful Machine on a Client List Build and knew what to expect from the process. During our meeting, she expressed joy in taking lifestyle photos and has a special appreciation for working alongside children and seniors in their golden years. We kept this in mind when considering her goals and determined that we would target hospitality companies that need photos of people and locations. As a final consideration, Amy sought out clients who were from larger hotel chains that could possibly lead to multiple shoots across the US.

When I began building Amy’s list, I didn’t necessarily have any specific companies pop into my head, but I knew I wanted to run a search in our database that targeted the hospitality industry. I also conducted a search to determine the largest hotel chains in America: Wyndham, Marriot, and Hilton. After considering locations, I targeted the entire U.S. but excluded most of California. Amy felt that LA, in particular, had plenty of local hospitality photographers to choose from that would not require travel reimbursement.

I initially had a number of companies on my preliminary list that showcased more landscape or hotel interior shots, however, Amy clarified that she preferred companies that highlight more lifestyle photographs and we adjusted the list to reflect that. It’s clear from her imagery that she connects well with her subjects, no matter the age, and I felt confident in her ability to appeal to projects of that nature.

During this project, I learned a lot about the structure of hotel chains. Reaching out to a specific hotel location wouldn’t do us any good in this situation because all photographic needs and decisions are made at the corporate level. We determined the best course of action was to adjust our normal job title standards. Normally, we target a person at the creative director level or title, however, with these larger hotels I had to look a little higher to find someone in the position (or equivalent to) corporate marketing or global marketing. These slight changes in job title could be the difference between someone passing up an email that isn’t relevant to them or someone reading through it and saving the photographer’s information for a future shoot or even reaching out right away.

The final list contained 50 client contacts around the U.S., from large hotel chains and condominiums to retirement communities. While Amy and I had to tweak the companies to better meet her desire to shoot lifestyle imagery, having those essential meetings during the process ensured that we were on the same page. I feel that Amy’s future prospects are fantastic, she has a stunning portfolio and is excited to reach out to the contacts on her list. 

Further Reading

Wonderful Machine: Expert Advice: Client Job Titles
Wonderful Machine: Expert Advice: Email Marketing For Photographers
Wonderful Machine: Expert Advice: Client Types: Brands

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