What's been your best marketing move ever?

[Eoseni]

I'm at the cusp of beginning my wedding photography career, after my second wedding went quite well. But things are slow and I'm looking for solutions that will work. Don't need/want to reinvent the wheel. What's been the best marketing move you've made besides "word of mouth" referrals?

I've no studio. And in general, I'd rather not work for one.

Detailed answers welcome. Or are we wedding photographers really quite poor overall?

Those of you who are doing well... how are you doing it?

[picturecrazy]

Word of mouth *IS* the best way... sorry, I know you said solutions 'besides' that.
I've tried wedding fairs, magazine ads, promotions, etc.... all the results were quite poor.

for your next wedding, bring a laptop and process about 25-50 of the best photos so far. Run a slideshow during the reception. Put up a slideshow the next day. Wait for the phone to ring or the inbox to fill. It does.

Read up on the David Jay threads. I learned this all from him. It totally works.

[ve7clj]

From my experience I get many people searching on-line for wedding photography. I've got a nice simple website that people can look at my portfolio and get them to fill in a quote request on-line form. Nothing too fancy, but well designed. Ken burns styled slideshow and people just love it!! I get on average 10 leads every week.
For an $250 investment I already made over $10,000 in revenue.

[tim]

Raising my prices.

[Eoseni]

Thanks for all the replies thus far.

Do any of you reading this use GoogleAds? And most importantly, has it worked well for you? I'm looking to do that.

Picturecrazy, I was thinking about those avenues like fairs etc that you mentioned. Appreciate your comment since I get the same gut feeling about them, even though I haven't first hand experience.

[CyberPet]

Most my brides don't live in the region, about 60% is "outsiders" coming to their hometown to get married, but lives elsewhere. I have no ads, I don't want more than max 10 weddings a year and that's what I'm getting right now (7 booked so far). I haven't actually asked how brides have found me, but some seem to search for "wedding photo" in my region and my homepage comes up on the 1st page (somewhere in the middle if I'm not mistaken - haven't checked lately) but most importantly, word of mouth from happy brides.

[kiwinvan]

Do any of you reading this use GoogleAds? And most importantly, has it worked well for you? I'm looking to do that.


I have been using Google ads for awhile. It works really really well for the maternity/baby side of my business, but not really for weddings. There are more wedding photographers in Vancouver per capita than any other place in Canada, so competition is high. If you go the Google ad route, be sure to use highly specific targeting keywords and not just a bunch of random keywords - you want your ad to come up less often, but really high on the list, otherwise forget it.

Websites are the way to go - try to swap links with other vendors. Get your link out there - do a google search for "wedding photography" in your area and see what comes up. There may be "pay per click" sites or free advertising site where you can post.

Put a lot of time into your website - if you are not savvy, and can afford it, get someone to build it for you - it'll be worth the investment (web designer is very high on my wish list :p ).

[Banbert]

Short Answer = search engine optimsiation and google adwords

Long answer below.

Referals business is obviosuly the holy grail of most wedding photographers because its free (unless you want to give thankyou's out) and having a previous customer refer you to a friend or colleague is a great feeling to have and vindication of your work, but when your new and dont have any/many existing clients or when you have moved to a new area then thats not really possible is it.

Myself and my buddy decided we would start shooting weddings in the middle of last year so missed out on all the 2006 business so spent our time getting business for 2007 which we are calling our portfolio and client building year.

We came up with a very cheap package that we were happy to shoot at, made a website, worked a lot on search engine optimisation and then added adwords so that when people search in google (or quite a few other partners they provide adverts to) we have a double chance of a click through via either organic search results or paid ads via adwords.

Were upto a dozen bookings now for this year and have had 5 enquiries this week (is it always silly season for enquiries this time of year in the UK ?) and are well on the way to our target of 20 for this year.

SEO and Adwords have been far and away the best investments we have made.

[sblais]

I did SEO (search engine optimization) of my web site. I tried google adword, but ended up spending more money on it than it brought me clients. I don't recommend it.

[Eoseni]

I have been using Google ads for awhile. It works really really well for the maternity/baby side of my business, but not really for weddings. There are more wedding photographers in Vancouver per capita than any other place in Canada, so competition is high. If you go the Google ad route, be sure to use highly specific targeting keywords and not just a bunch of random keywords - you want your ad to come up less often, but really high on the list, otherwise forget it.

Websites are the way to go - try to swap links with other vendors. Get your link out there - do a google search for "wedding photography" in your area and see what comes up. There may be "pay per click" sites or free advertising site where you can post.

Put a lot of time into your website - if you are not savvy, and can afford it, get someone to build it for you - it'll be worth the investment (web designer is very high on my wish list :p ).


Thanks Kiwinvan. Will take your advice about targeting words for GoogleAds. I have a maternity section to my business too, and my website is almost ready. I agree about the website design. I'm using Photium.com, although my wife is a graphic designer!!! Go figure! She'll be helping me out later.

In your experience, is it more or less key words that work? Putting up keywords for misspellings can mount up quickly....

[Eoseni]

Short Answer = search engine optimsiation and google adwords

We came up with a very cheap package that we were happy to shoot at, made a website, worked a lot on search engine optimisation and then added adwords so that when people search in google (or quite a few other partners they provide adverts to) we have a double chance of a click through via either organic search results or paid ads via adwords.

SEO and Adwords have been far and away the best investments we have made.

Thanks Banbert. How do you "work on optimisation?" Do you mean using very precise keywords? Kindly give me the details... thanks very much.

[picturecrazy]

I suppose you've noticed now that much of the emphasis has been the WEBSITE.

I totally forgot about that part... LOL *smacks forehead*

Get a killer website that makes clients go WOW! I had about a group of 25 people (mostly girls) who I'd show my designs to over and over until just about all of them said it was really good. My website went through many LOUSY and pathetic revisions before it became something that was half decent. Since your wife is a graphic designer, I'm sure this will help out a lot. Either that or hire someone REALLY good to do it. Even if it costs you $10,000. It's not an expense but an investment. You may be losing brides with a mediocre site.

adwords and search engine optimization means nothing if your visitors aren't impressed when they get there.

[ve7clj]

Hi Tim Wee: Just sent you a message to your e-mail address...

[tim]

I get perhaps 50% of my weddings through google, I haven't broken down whether it's through the paid ads or standard listings. I come up as position 8 in google for the phrase I target (wellington wedding photographers), and position 1 for adwords usually. I recommend it.

I've had a run of calls in the past week or so, I think everyone's just getting on to it after xmas.

[Banbert]

I get perhaps 50% of my weddings through google, I haven't broken down whether it's through the paid ads or standard listings. I come up as position 8 in google for the phrase I target (wellington wedding photographers), and position 1 for adwords usually. I recommend it.

I've had a run of calls in the past week or so, I think everyone's just getting on to it after xmas.

Same, 5 fresh enquiries just this week

Ive looked at how many are from organic and how many are from click throughs from google ads and i reckon mine are about 50 50 split .... because we are new we have only picked up 2 that were referals so far but they are very nice to get and its something were working hard to get more of.

When I look at what we spend on google adwords to a few other advertising things weve tried its peanuts compared to the others and its actually worked wheras some of the others we have zip from. First go at a wedding fayre tomorrow, last minute jobbie and I dont feel like we have that much to show as of yet but its a small one so nice to learn when the crowds not too big :)

[Eoseni]

I feel encouraged about Google Ads from all your posts. Thank you. I've decided to go that route with selective keywords.

Any of you interested in commenting and critiquing my website? Please keep in mind it's in the making still and not out there yet. Look here and please write me:
http://eosenii.photium.com/

Don't worry about the pricing, they're fictional!!

[jessiper]

I've had a run of calls in the past week or so, I think everyone's just getting on to it after xmas.

Tim Wee-
I've had a ton of people contacting me after xmas as well.

A good idea is offering a free engagement session and 1 8x10, no disc (then charge for extra prints or a disc w/images). It only costs you a few $$, or even will make you $$, and it gets them excited about you, and you get referrals from them even before you've shot their wedding. I just got a referral from doing the very same thing. One of my brides, whose engagement session I shot, recommended me on theKnot.com and I just booked a wedding because of it.

[Eoseni]

Jessiper, thanks. I did the free engagement route my first wedding and it did work. Though I havne't got a referral per se, I did sell an album on just the engagement.

I'm putting up my GoogleAd on Monday and I'll report back here...

[islandphoto]

Ken burns styled slideshow and people just love it!! I get on average 10 leads every week. sorry if this is offtopic but how do you get this on your website? I love the effect when viewing a slideshow in iphoto but can't figure out how to make a whole slideshow out of it?

[mizuno]

sorry if this is offtopic but how do you get this on your website? I love the effect when viewing a slideshow in iphoto but can't figure out how to make a whole slideshow out of it?

Check out David Jay's www.showitfast.com (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/www.showitfast.com) system. I've been playing with the demo this weekend, and will definitely purchase it in the next week or so.

[Eoseni]

Lloyd, I viewed your site. I commend you on how your personality really comes through on it. That's the most striking part - even stronger than the photos - though this is not a criticism on them, they're good too.

One question: What are the benefits of having a blog on the site? Does it make a difference for you, and how? Does it take lots of time and prove worthwhile?

tim

I suppose you've noticed now that much of the emphasis has been the WEBSITE.

I totally forgot about that part... LOL *smacks forehead*

Get a killer website that makes clients go WOW! I had about a group of 25 people (mostly girls) who I'd show my designs to over and over until just about all of them said it was really good. My website went through many LOUSY and pathetic revisions before it became something that was half decent. Since your wife is a graphic designer, I'm sure this will help out a lot. Either that or hire someone REALLY good to do it. Even if it costs you $10,000. It's not an expense but an investment. You may be losing brides with a mediocre site.

adwords and search engine optimization means nothing if your visitors aren't impressed when they get there.

[picturecrazy]

Lloyd, I viewed your site. I commend you on how your personality really comes through on it. That's the most striking part - even stronger than the photos - though this is not a criticism on them, they're good too.

One question: What are the benefits of having a blog on the site? Does it make a difference for you, and how? Does it take lots of time and prove worthwhile?

tim

Yeah, DJ stressed how important your personality is in being successful. I spent 3 years in a tough sales position so I know very well that you are selling *yourself* more than you sell your product. If they feel they know you, they also feel like they can trust you and your product, even if you haven't met them yet!

And that is also one of the purposes of the blog. Aside from being a great place to put new content on your site, you can blather on about your own life in there, photography related or not. Again, people will feel like they can get to know you better. Oddly enough, people ARE interested in random, normal, average lives.

[islandphoto]

for your next wedding, bring a laptop and process about 25-50 of the best photos so far. Run a slideshow during the reception. Put up a slideshow the next day. Wait for the phone to ring or the inbox to fill. It does. GREAT IDEA!!! Do you provide the projector and screen and all that or how do you show it to them? I've also viewed David Jay's site and I liked what he says about that as well but I was wondering about the logistics of it. THANKS!

[picturecrazy]

GREAT IDEA!!! Do you provide the projector and screen and all that or how do you show it to them? I've also viewed David Jay's site and I liked what he says about that as well but I was wondering about the logistics of it. THANKS!


Just bring a laptop. Small and simple. Just set it up somewhere and people will saunter over at their own leisure throughout the night to view it. It really creates a buzz, provided they like your pictures.

[islandphoto]

WOuld you set it up when people are dancing after everything else?

Do you tell the bride and groom or just surprise them with it??

[Eoseni]

1. What program do you recommend to show the slideshow?
2. Lloyd, I've spent the afternoon reading DavidJay. Thanks. I want to put a slideshow up on my website but have no idea how. Any tips?

[coreypolis]

1. What program do you recommend to show the slideshow?
2. Lloyd, I've spent the afternoon reading DavidJay. Thanks. I want to put a slideshow up on my website but have no idea how. Any tips?
at the wedding, just a pc or mac basic slideshow. don't need any extra software

for the website, showit web


From yesterday

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/viperx27/IG3Q3674copy_filtered.jpg

[islandphoto]

What a great photo! I love that :) What pp did you do?

[Eoseni]

Thanks Corey, great photo. How did you light that? Wow!

[picturecrazy]

1. What program do you recommend to show the slideshow?
2. Lloyd, I've spent the afternoon reading DavidJay. Thanks. I want to put a slideshow up on my website but have no idea how. Any tips?


yup, as corey said, just showitweb. That's what I use. It's easy and fast to create a show. If you use one of the showit templates you can have a slideshow synced to music complete in about 1 minute... literally!

[Eoseni]

Gracias!

[Eoseni]

yup, as corey said, just showitweb. That's what I use. It's easy and fast to create a show. If you use one of the showit templates you can have a slideshow synced to music complete in about 1 minute... literally!


before I go ahead and google it, is showitweb downloadable? freeware or retail? thanks.

[mmahoney]

Yellow pages .. I'm not a wedding photographer but had a listing under "commercial photographers" and got a call a week asking if I did weddings.

Have a great website but don't overlook the phone book.
Mike

[Eoseni]

Huh. That does not seem to work for me. One call a week good enough? I guess if they book on a high percentage after speaking to you.

[mizuno]

before I go ahead and google it, is showitweb downloadable? freeware or retail? thanks.

You could have googled it and had the answers to those questions in the time it took to post. ;)

[Eoseni]

Yup, and I did. But it's just so nice to converse here....

[mizuno]

But it's just so nice to converse here....

I agree! :D

[picturecrazy]

Ok, I'll answer. Showitweb is not freeware. you purchase it from http://www.showitfast.com/

[LuisE]

Ok, I'll answer. Showitweb is not freeware. you purchase it from http://www.showitfast.com/

It is no freeware but you can download a trial. I already did it , liked and purchased it and last saturday I had a slideshow running in my laptop before the wedding was over. everybody loved it.

LuisE

[beaconlightboy]

Tim,

i checked out your site and prices, i noticed that you offer a coffee table album. At the price you have listed, how is it you make any money on them. where are you ordering them from?

[Eoseni]

Tim,

i checked out your site and prices, i noticed that you offer a coffee table album. At the price you have listed, how is it you make any money on them. where are you ordering them from?


I make them myself in my garage....:lol:

Oh, no, don't go by those. You missed it but I mentioned earlier that those prices are fictional since my site is not yet up! Anyways, I'd like your suggestion for prices if you made them. What do you charge? I might benefit from this!

I am just starting out. I really like Renaissance albums...but they will be pricey. As for coffee table books, I might use Asukabooks. I've used MyPublisher, and though the couple was very happy with it, I think they are more on the low end (the books, not the couple!). Decent perhaps for engagement pics, but I'd want to up my quality for the wedding ones. Look forward to your reply. I'll be looking for your site now and comparing prices...;)

[Eoseni]

Hey Beaconlightboy, you don't have a site?

[Eoseni]

Ok, I'll answer. Showitweb is not freeware. you purchase it from http://www.showitfast.com/

Hey Lloyd, thanks, I did find out after that "lazy" post I made.

Thanks Luis for the tip too.

[beaconlightboy]

I do this, however i don't put mine to music as the DJ is usually playing. I also don't do this for free. I setup a 20" screen near the dance floor (but not to close). I charge for it. Mainly because if i am at a job alone, i have to go thru all the pics and take out the ones i don't want to display. i don't know about you guys but i do take about 3 or 4 of each pose and i dont need to show them all. this takes time so i bring an assistant to help. I also offer a projection upgrade. they love this!!

[beaconlightboy]

tim my site is www.matthewmangold.com

it is currently being redone, the new site has much better gallery support and photocart is integrated into it.

[jasestu]

Raising my prices.

Brilliant.

Basic supply and demand says this won't increase sales, but for a 'prestigious' service like wedding photos increasing price can increase demand (to a point of course).

[coreypolis]

Thanks Corey, great photo. How did you light that? Wow!

thanks, it was just a quick snap, ambient lighting with a bit of reflected flash from a 580 on cam.

What a great photo! I love that :) What pp did you do?

just a quick run through midnight sepia, the ambient light was pretty dull and this really threw an emphesis to the faces.

[Eoseni]

Corey, what action packs do you use/recommend for these special effects? I don't have any yet.

[sapearl]

Tim, since you mentioned DJ there's been quite a lively discussion going on regarding marketting, client targets and business promotion in general in another post:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=255655

Thought you might me interested as he give's a bit more on his perspective as well as some excellent Q&A. - Stu

1. What program do you recommend to show the slideshow?
2. Lloyd, I've spent the afternoon reading DavidJay. Thanks. I want to put a slideshow up on my website but have no idea how. Any tips?

[sapearl]

Smartest thing I did recently was to pay a pro to assemble my website.

I tried to do it a few years back but didn't have the time, knowledge or energy at the end of the day from my regular job to assemble a CUSTOM site in the manner I wanted. I wrote all the copy, and submitted the tree structure and photos but she did all the coding. She lives out of state but would regularly email me mockups for approval and modification. We did this over a period of months and had a really good working relationship.

Now when clients call in response to referrals or a small ad I run in the local paper, I just point them to the site and chat with them on the phone for a while about it.

The other thing I did was to create an online proofing gallery which is linked to the website. I still give traditional 4x6 paper proofs in albums. but the online gallery adds a little excitement to the product but more importantly allows them to share the pix with out of town family and friends. There's also an order form on the site, so hopefully this will bump sales beyond the initial package price.

Initially I've gone with PBase like a lot of others here - just to get my feet wet and see how it works. You can't beat the price they charge.

[coreypolis]

Corey, what action packs do you use/recommend for these special effects? I don't have any yet.
showit effects (more for the program than the effects)
Kevin Kubota's stuff (art pack 2 and production pack 1 especially)
Some free stuff over at action central

[Eoseni]

Corey & Sapearl, thanks for all that info.

I plan to use photium.com for my website. and perhaps DJ's showitweb for my site slideshow. I'm almost there withthe design, but have to flesh out my packages/prices. I'll be looking at Corey's list of album makers to determine some pricing too.

[jessiper]

Kevin Kubota's stuff (art pack 2 and production pack 1 especially)Some free stuff over at action central

That's exactly what I'm going to buy.

[kiwinvan]

In your experience, is it more or less key words that work? Putting up keywords for misspellings can mount up quickly....

For maternity I basically get all hits from exact phrase searches where I come up number one or two eg "baby photographer vancouver". I'd suggest using a bunch of exact phrases that you think potential clients will use to search and then track them for a month and see which get hit and which don't. Ditch the ones that aren't working and get higher up on the ones that are.

For weddings.....I'm not sure. Aside from paying more, I don't know how to get higher up the list - will keep you updated on that.

Let us know how your ad works :)

[Eoseni]

Leann, thanks. I will update what i find here once my ad runs.

[Yella Fella]

for me its only purely word of mouth so far, as i have no real web site or anything printed to show. Just what people have seen elsewhere and via others.

[Eoseni]

All the best to you, Ed. Word of mouth is by far the best, as most here agree. But I see your site is coming soon. Good luck.