Please enter your email and website or LinkedIn to receive more information about our free and paid accounts.
Montreal-based photographer Philippe Nguyen recently came to us for help with a new Client List Build. We started, as usual, with a few questions about his current business model, areas of interest, and future goals. He described himself as a Fashion, Boudoir, and Events photographer. Almost immediately, I could tell he had a unique perspective on the fashion industry and youth culture that would be enticing for many big brands. His style straddles the line between glamourous luxury and the versatility young fashion emphasizes. His work branches out from this into the music world and, of course, product photography.
During our first conversation, I found him to be very friendly and easy-going. A young, optimistic photographer who is full of determination — someone who makes you feel as if you have known him for years.
It became apparent that Philippe was looking for a mix of well-known clients and new, inclusive, and progressive clients. He is very aware of the current shopping trends and was looking to focus more on product from an e-commerce point of view. He has a great fascination for fashion, but that is built upon a portrait and conceptual youth-culture perspective. He also wanted to continue working with more clothing brands that promote sport, casual, and streetwear.
Philippe’s main request was to achieve a strategic balance between brands, agencies, and publications.
Once I understood all of the aspects that Philippe was looking for in his roster, I began my research to select and build the client list. I started to think about which brands, agencies, and publications, might be best for Philippe. I needed to research the Canadian magazines that hire local photographers and agencies that were both international & local, big, and other more specialized gourmets. Of course, I needed to keep in mind that Philippe was looking to work in Canada, the USA and would even love to start working in London or other European cities.
I also wanted to include some music record labels. I felt that Philippe’s work for festivals and concerts was definitely an important aspect of his overall portfolio, and I knew he was looking to continue working on these types of events. Finally, I also wanted to include a couple of food clients. As a personal project, Philippe has photographed Asian dishes looking for an opportunity to explore that specialty further.
My final list included clients as follows: 50% brands, 40% agencies, and 10% publications. The most important thing about this list is that it gave Philippe a base and panorama of new possibilities. By taking this list as a starting point, he can continue to look for more clients to continue to expand his business as a commercial and editorial photographer.
Philippe was very satisfied with the selection:
The List Build was great. There are a lot of brands on it that I would love to get my hands on! I know me and my team will deliver! Thank you, Elo!
