For the last few months, I have worked with Lauren Lear – a food photographer and stylist based in Portland, Maine. She approached us to help her improve her marketing strategy in general and connect with clients in particular. I was really impressed with her talent as a stylist and photographer and was excited to work with her on our Marketing Mentor service.
Prior to becoming a creative and marketing consultant at Wonderful Machine, I worked for National Geographic for 21 years where I represented their photographers in editorial sales worldwide. My passion is photography and supporting and mentoring photographers. In the last 20+ years, I have seen this industry change drastically and it is becoming more challenging to make a living as a working photographer. I believe in mentoring and coaching photographers to give them the resources to be successful. And my philosophy is that if I provide them with the tools and get them a meeting with a well-known photo editor, it is then the photographer’s responsibility to kick the door open and close the deal.
The first step I usually begin with is reviewing the photographer’s website. Luckily, Lauren’s website was in great shape. There was very little editing required or information that needed to be added. Separate from looking at each portfolio page on a photographer’s website, I always make sure that their About/Contact page includes a photo of the photographer, copy & paste email and phone number, where they are based, and if they speak a second language. Photographers need to make it as easy as possible to contact them and having that information readily available is key.
I also thought it would be useful to set Lauren some goals outside of her usual assignments. This way we could create content to build her portfolio as both a photographer and stylist. The styling part of her skill set is something that sets her apart from other photographers, so it was a great opportunity to see her put this into action. Also, having her own studio and collection of props made this an easy lift and further elevated her as a photographer.
Lauren and I then discussed what clients she was currently working with, how they became clients, and what she does to maintain their working relationship. From there, we refined her list of dream clients over several calls and brainstormed different food/drink magazines, brands, and agencies that she could connect with. Next, I went to work researching companies for her list and I was able to provide her with names and email addresses so she could reach out to those prospects directly.
The main challenge for Lauren and most photographers I know and have worked with is taking the time to market themselves. You can have a list of dream clients and contacts, but if you don’t carve out time to send marketing emails, you’re missing an opportunity. I had to remind Lauren that if she reaches out to a potential client and they don’t respond immediately, that does not mean that the door is closed. It takes more than one email to connect with a client and sometimes it comes down to timing. We set up a calendar system to remind her to send follow-up emails. We also worked on connecting her to clients through LinkedIn by following the company and the specific contact we identified.
Not only is Lauren a talented photographer, but she is smart in how she wants to run her business. She has opened a studio for photoshoots and styling and she works with a business coach to review her business plan, marketing emails, etc. I love how she takes advantage of these types of opportunities to reach prospective clients. In addition, she participates in monthly photo contests to get her work and name out there. Lauren had this to say about our time working together:
Gina has been such a great person to work with! I felt a strong connection with her from the start and looked forward to each time we met virtually. It was helpful to have a sounding board for my photography and discussing the business side as well. She was also an invaluable resource for finding the right contacts for the connections I want to make in the industry.
Further Reading
Expert Advice: Email Marketing Services for Photographers
Expert Advice: Email Marketing for Photographers
Expert Advice: LinkedIn for Photographers