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The way you test the veracity of marketing advice is the same way you test the source of any material in general. Ask yourself: Does this sound like something someone has done for positive results, or does it sound like a wild guess or someone’s “great idea”?
In a room full of photographers, you can’t always tell the players apart. There is nothing that outwardly tells you which are thriving and which could be doing better. Nothing betrays which person lives with a camera in his hand and which one only just picked a camera up. Nothing, that is, until they open their mouths and talk about marketing.
From a high enough level, all marketing shares a lot in common. The objective is to sell your product or service to your target market.
Like just about everything else having to do with photography, it has its own marketing quirks. What seems like a great idea for any other product might have disastrous consequences.
Over the years, I’ve heard some real doozies offered as marketing advice for new photographers. The problem is that, being new, you’ll try just about anything. By the time you realize your mistake, the damage could be severe. At best, you will have wasted time and money. At worst, you will have lost sales or hurt your reputation.
I do not want that for you, so I have listed a few of these suggestions. I explain why it is bad advice, and hopefully you will avoid making these mistakes.
Doozie #1: Turning their event into your trade show
“Whenever you are working an event like a wedding or party, be sure to give out flyers or business cards.”
Every time I see this suggested, I hang my head.
It is a massive breach of professional etiquette to hand out unsolicited cards, flyers, or other sales information, or to otherwise solicit business while actively engaged in an assignment. The photographer is contracted for a specific set of duties and should be 100% focused and available for his or her client. You are at a wedding or event for one purpose only: to document that event in photos. Contract assignments are not trade shows.
Of course, if you are approached with an inquiry, the rules are slightly different. If you are able to discreetly pass a business card, fine. If it distracts you from doing your job and takes you away from the activities, offer to speak later. If someone really wants to contact you after the event, they can get your information from the host.
Doozie #2: The crowd funded photo gimmick
“Bring a spec print or canvas to the wedding and place it prominently with a donation box. Encourage guests to donate toward this ‘wedding gift’ for the happy couple.”
If the bride and groom want to use this fundraiser at their wedding, that is up to them. At no point should a photographer try to make a sale by encouraging the guests to donate.
This sends the message that the couple are unwilling or unable to pay for a desired level of service and are asking for help. While you might think that’s fine, the bride and groom might not. You can rationalize that people want to be generous on such happy occasions. The client might see it as what it is – an opportunity to turn their event into your retail outlet.
Doozie #3: The unclaimed (unreleased) portfolio
“Post unpurchased photos from the client’s gallery to social media and tag your clients. If you use photos that they didn’t select this will encourage them to share because they are a free bonus.”
Did it occur that there might be a reason the photos were not selected? Clients select the photos they feel to be the most flattering.
Any photo posted, regardless of whether the client selected the photo or not, should only be posted with permission. This should be in the form of a signed photo release (“model release”) from the client and other recognizable persons in the photo. Just because you took a photo, you do not have rights to publicly display another person’s likeness, even if you own the copyright to the photograph.
Doozie #4: Fame and fortune through stock photos
“Submit photos to stock photography sites that require downloads to credit you for use of your work. Get people to download your photos from sites that show download counts. Everyone will see your photos and how popular they are, and you’ll get tons of work!”
This is beneficial only if you are credited. For every attribution, there are countless uses that are not. Any photo distributed to a stock repository should be seen as your anonymous contribution to humanity.
If you approach stock repositories with this frame of mind – even retail outlets where work must be purchased – you will be a much happier person. The old joke that even a retail photo is purchased only once has a sad amount of truth. Anything that can be copied, will be.
Even sites that sell stock with watermarked preview versions can not guarantee a benefit. People might be unable to download an un-watermarked version of your image from the outlet, but nothing stops them from downloading a clear, full version found on another site. Ironically, that copy might also have been “borrowed” without a usage payment (license) as well.
Gaming the system with bad faith downloads is bad on so many levels. It’s probably against the terms of service, for a start. It’s also an ethically and morally dubious reflection on you. Any tactic that scratches that little voice in the back of your head telling you it’s wrong… is wrong. Arguing against your values and losing is a slippery slope to other things in your business.
Doozie #5: The inappropriate watermark
“Putting a watermark on your photos is a good way to not only protect copyright, but to advertise your photography when your client shows them off.”
Watermarks are a very touchy subject. People either love them or hate them. This isn’t so much a Doozie all by itself, but watermark overload can go too far. Suggesting the client’s final purchases should be watermarked certainly qualifies as a Doozie.
Never watermark delivered or printed copies. Watermarks should be reserved for “comp” versions (pre-sale, proofs, low resolution displays, etc). Final delivered product should be watermarked only with permission of the client, and in a tasteful, unobtrusive style and manner. Think “Olan Mills”. These are photographs for a client’s personal use. They are not a billboard to advertise your services.
Doozie #6: Requesting reviews for best price
“Ask clients to add comments about your price in their reviews. This helps people know they are getting value and you are affordable.”
Never ask clients to review or comment based on your price. The fact that you were hired is express approval of your price. On the off chance that buyer’s remorse or unmet expectations have come into play, you open the door to unnecessary and avoidable consequences.
Beginning photographers often fall into the trap of competing on price. This isn’t limited to beginners, however. Remember that price is a value. Photographers who use price as a decision factor often end up with nightmare customers. Your value should be in your product, which makes price fall in line.
Some photographers think that part of their mission is accommodating every budget so that anyone who wants quality photos can have them. There is a photographer for every budget and a budget for every photographer. Trying to make yourself the photographer for someone’s budget is backward. Do not fall into this trap. It’s okay that you aren’t their photographer – they aren’t your customer.
Doozie #7: The last minute discount
“Offer clients 50% off your current empty spots.”
If you get a reputation as a last-minute discount provider, all your bookings will become last-minute bookings, in expectation of a discount. Special pricing should be a strategy to frontload your calendar, not backload, whenever possible.
Nothing cries “desperate photographer” like fire sale pricing when there is no fire. Unless, of course, you’re telling people that your business is going up in smoke.
Your photography business is not an airline, discounting seats at the last minute because the plane is making the trip anyway. Even airlines increase their prices the closer to the date needed.
What about the clients who signed up at full or premium pricing? They might not be so happy to know that their diligence had a penalty.
Discounts on photography services should be earned. Treat this as a bonus to your customer, not a loss to your bottom line and reputation.
Doozies, duds, and doing it right
There is a theme to avoiding these dubious marketing tactics. They may be intended to increase your bottom line. Often, they end up decreasing your reputation instead. Just like your photos, your reputation has value. Everything that you do in your business works to build your reputation. If you fall into bad marketing habits, it’s as bad or worse than bad photography.
The way you test the veracity of marketing advice is the same way you test the source of any material in general. Ask yourself: Does this sound like something someone has done for positive results, or does it sound like a wild guess or someone’s “great idea”?
Or more precisely, rely on reputation.