Frustrated - What do you think? What are your experiences?

I am curious, how many of you tried to do photography as a business but decided you were happier with it as a hobby?

Almost a year ago I decided to try doing photography as a business. I applied for my business license, purchased insurance, ordered business cards, set up my website, etc. To this day, I have only had 1 paying client, and that client was an old high school buddy of mine.

I have spent time trying to "get my name out there", but feel as if nothing has worked. I have done 4 free portrait sessions to have some images to display on my site. I have volunteered my services three times to three different organizations for their events (this gave me a chance to give out business cards and meet people). I have posted on Craigslist. I have posted on Facebook, asked friends to "share" my posts. I have posted in local groups. I have had hardly anything come back from any of this.

I started out asking $150. The price was to include an hour shooting and 10 edited images as a download. I then lowered my price to $125, then 100, and now $85.

All this time with no responses, but yet, I am seeing other "photographers" with lots of "likes" on Facebook and lots of business. What baffles me is the pictures that they produce. Many of them seem to be shoot and burn, which includes many images without the correct white balance or exposure, blurred pictures, and out-of-focus pictures. Some of them are shooting in auto mode with pop-up flash (just to help give you an idea).

Maybe you guys can help me out. Any advice will be appreciated.

I think you may need a bigger portfolio. I think, also, your photos don't show enough variety of the services you provide.

Sometimes the problem lies in your presentation; how do you market yourself? How do you attend to clients?

Post an example of your marketing ad or something from craigslist.

OK, just found some of your problem.

You're from Sedro-Woolley, which is pretty much nowhere. But you are skeptical of the city. What you're not realizing is that your potential market of customers exist in largely populated areas like Seattle. I'm from Seattle - I work on CL constantly to push other business endeavors and more than anything, I've made good business of it, and learning to do business with people I've never met (obviously).

However, you do live quite far, and driving to most shoots in Seattle wouldn't be worth it unless you got big gigs like weddings...

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me!

Here is a Craigslist ad of mine. http://skagit.craigsli​st.org/crs/4247462288.​html
And below is what I have been posting in local Facebook groups.

Kanye wrote in post #16590154
OK, just found some of your problem.


You're from Sedro-Woolley, which is pretty much nowhere. But you are skeptical of the city. What you're not realizing is that your potential market of customers exist in largely populated areas like Seattle. I'm from Seattle - I work on CL constantly to push other business endeavors and more than anything, I've made good business of it, and learning to do business with people I've never met (obviously).

However, you do live quite far, and driving to most shoots in Seattle wouldn't be worth it unless you got big gigs like weddings...

So you think a lot of it has to do with the area I am in? I am going to move to Tacoma later in the year, so maybe I will see if things are different then.

I understand I do not have a very big portfolio, but from what you see, would you say what I am trying to charge is reasonable?

Have you tried down-playing yourself a bit? Tried wording your ads in multiple ways and creating multiple listings?

Sometimes what people want to hire is a guy who does photography on the side -- and who doesn't treat it like a formal business. For $85 a session, which is already very cheap, I think you should try advertising yourself differently.

Also, since CL can format your ads, I would suggesting learning a bit of html and making your ads more creative. Photography is art, after all, so embed some of your best images on the ad themselves...

Photography isn't my niche; business is. I do tree service and get most of my good leads from CL. I have 10-15 ads running from time to time and get + results for the most part.

So I'd try to be more aggressive in CL if that's what you're primarily working with.

Also: I created a photography business ad as an experiment and already one person is interested in me shooting their wedding. How the fuk did that happen?

I made my ads simple and tasteful.

Kanye wrote in post #16590166
Have you tried down-playing yourself a bit? Tried wording your ads in multiple ways and creating multiple listings?

Sometimes what people want to hire is a guy who does photography on the side -- and who doesn't treat it like a formal business. For $85 a session, which is already very cheap, I think you should try advertising yourself differently.

Also, since CL can format your ads, I would suggesting learning a bit of html and making your ads more creative. Photography is art, after all, so embed some of your best images on the ad themselves...

Photography isn't my niche; business is. I do tree service and get most of my good leads from CL. I have 10-15 ads running from time to time and get + results for the most part.

So I'd try to be more aggressive in CL if that's what you're primarily working with.

Also: I created a photography business ad as an experiment and already one person is interested in me shooting their wedding. How the fuk did that happen?

I made my ads simple and tasteful.

Okay, I will create some new ads and try to sound more relaxed/easy going in them. I will word it as if it is not a business, but I am just wanting to take photos for a little bit of cash .

My only question, how do you run multiple ads? I thought Craigslist keeps you from doing that?

Ratjack wrote in post #16590183
Okay, I will create some new ads and try to sound more relaxed/easy going in them. I will word it as if it is not a business, but I am just wanting to take photos for a little bit of cash .

My only question, how do you run multiple ads? I thought Craigslist keeps you from doing that?

It lets me do it.

Sometimes you can list under different categories.

For example you can run an ad on "Creative gigs" "small businesses" or "skilled trades."

It's all about aggressive marketing to see what leads you get and to experiment with ideas and words.

If you need some ideas to bounce from, look at how other people on the Sea-Tac Cl advertise their services in photography (the ones you think would get hired...)

Kanye wrote in post #16590198
It lets me do it.

Sometimes you can list under different categories.

For example you can run an ad on "Creative gigs" "small businesses" or "skilled trades."

It's all about aggressive marketing to see what leads you get and to experiment with ideas and words.

If you need some ideas to bounce from, look at how other people on the Sea-Tac Cl advertise their services in photography (the ones you think would get hired...)

Okay, I will give this a try . Thank you VERY much for your help! I really appreciate it!

Here's an advert of mine that got a lead.

No need to include unnecessary information about myself; just relevant work.

You want to close sales! Business is about closing sales and creating/keeping customer-relations.

Kanye wrote in post #16590208
Here's an advert of mine that got a lead.

No need to include unnecessary information about myself; just relevant work.

You want to close sales! Business is about closing sales and creating/keeping customer-relations.

Do you still include a link to your site and everything? Did you have anything else in your ad, or was that it? Seems like it will be much easier than trying to make everything sound extremely official with lots of details.

I would stay away from this wording

Shouldn't offer people their money back right away because photography is a service-based industry. You put up your time, which isn't refundable.

It is implied, by virtue of doing business, that you should be confident (if your'e already willing to take their money).

I think you should offer reshoots only in the case of a truly unhappy customer. But never a full refund.

Trust me on this.

Ratjack wrote in post #16590215
Do you still include a link to your site and everything? Did you have anything else in your ad, or was that it? Seems like it will be much easier than trying to make everything sound extremely official with lots of details.

That's just an example. And that was all I included; and some photos I like here and there.

My actual business is also a service-based industry (like photography) and I employ the same tactics. Of course, with my official business website in the link as well.

And a contact (reliable) phone number.

Kanye wrote in post #16590216
I would stay away from this wording

Shouldn't offer people their money back right away because photography is a service-based industry. You put up your time, which isn't refundable.

It is implied, by virtue of doing business, that you should be confident (if your'e already willing to take their money).

I think you should offer reshoots only in the case of a truly unhappy customer. But never a full refund.

Trust me on this.

I only added the refund after many attempts. I thought maybe people were just afraid of trusting me.

Don't mention refunds. IMHO it makes you look amateur and not confident in your work.
Keep it short and sweet and only mention positives.

Also your rate may be too low which makes you look like an amateur. Have you scouted out your local competition? Do you know who and how many there are? Do you know what they charge?

Find a place near the SW city center that you can advertise. Pin boards at the coffee shop? Business association? Wedding locations? Churches?

Bellingham? Anacortes?

Anything happening along the Skagit? At the lake/reservoir?

Get creative. One paid gig in a year means to me that you are not working nearly hard enough. Good luck!