Marketing for Pet portraits

What tips and advice do you have, where do you start and how do you go about getting yourself out there and getting your first client/s?

I've still much work to do myself, but getting to the pet stores and making friends with the staff and leaving biz cards is an excellent low cost means of marketing.

Referrals are a good thing.

if relations go well, ask to set up a mini-Christmas studio next November for 'their' customers and work out a deal that is good for both you and the store's boss.

I'm advertising in Kijiji which is free, but for $9 a wk you get the ad on the top of the page. Advertising in phone books is expensive but if you don't have much competition it could be an option.

I've been advertising a deal where I offer two free image files because I realized I needed to build a portfolio first, and get more experience. Dogs do not easily stay still and if you follow them, that means lighting changes too, ... so many things to account for - so offering a deal while gaining experience is likely a good deal for you and the client. The 'hope' with my deal mentioned above is - yes you are offering two free images - but make sure you take various different photos so that the client will end up buying additional prints from you. That is how you can make extra $. When my promotion deal is done - I charge an hourly rate which includes 2 'printed 8x10", but of course its hoped the client will like additional images and purchase more.

Good luck. I hope others chime in with their marketing ideas too.