Last week, we gave you a rundown of Branding 101 and how important branding is to running a successful photography business.
(If you didn't get a chance to check it out, go back and do a little reading! It's super important!)
Remember your brand is who you are and it is what sets you apart from other businesses. Good branding allows people to get to know you! We gave you a list of tips last week to help you get started in creating your brand, but we have one more tip for you! This isn't so much about who you are... but it's about who you want to work with!
Ask yourself: Who is your ideal client? Sit down. Brainstorm. Write it all down. What does your ideal client look like? Where does she live? Where does she work? Does she have kids? What interests her? What are her hobbies? Yeah, you might feel kind of crazy writing about this make believe person, but the more you dream about her, envision her, the closer you are to knowing your target market.
Once you have a good idea of who you want to work with, you can create a marketing strategy that will draw that client to your business! The more you know about this ideal client, the more you know about your brand. Is your ideal client young, fun, and stylish? Maybe those three words also describe your brand!
The best part about having branding that accurately represents you and your business, is that it helps weed out the clients that don't exactly mesh well with you and your vision. (Face it, not every photographer is a good fit for every client.)
Occasionally, we hear of photographers receiving inquiries only to be reprimanded for having outrageous prices. Well, unless you've way overpriced your work, we don't think your pricing is the problem. Instead of worrying that your prices are too high, maybe ask yourself if you are just attracting the wrong clientele.
Ever wonder how some photographers can charge $15,000 for a wedding package and stay completely booked year-round? They've found their target market and they have the brand to match.
Think about your ideal client, market yourself accordingly and don't worry if certain inquiries don't pan out. Once your branding makes sense and it connects to the people you want it to connect to, those potential clients will start contacting you.
Xoxo!
Golden Girls
If you have an idea for a business related topic you would like to see discussed on Talk Shop Thursday, please send an email to hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com!