Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

After many many years of working in graphic/web design companies, I`ve returned to my roots and am pursuing photography. At first I was getting some good photo shoots along with some contract work in design. However, the last couple of months have been less than stellar.

My business plan was to find small to medium sized companies ($100,000 to $750,000 in sales) with needs in staff photos, product photography, locations to shoot  - building, etc. However, I`ve not been getting the work. While most people I`ve talked to agree that those companies need the photography I do, very few business people seem to value good photography. I created a couple of cards demonstrating the difference between standard (or snapshot) photography that anyone with a camera can do, and what I do. You can see them here . Most people looking at the cards would say "wow, you really can see a difference."

And, I`ve gotten great comments from my recent customers about my photography; they are very happy. And even though some have been evangelizing for me (great feeling), I haven`t gotten the clients.

My current marketing has included; SEO (I`m pretty well rated on google for my specific key words), a couple of networking groups where I meet people who should be in my target market, Chamber of Commerce meetings, and post cards to past clients and many new clients.

I did a trade show recently where several people were very interested in my work - and I`ve done follow up for both that event and with people whom I`ve met through other functions. My follow up so far has been an email saying "hi" and a quick reminder of my services. If there was something specific I`d talked to them about regarding their company or other events, I`d personalize the email with that as well.

So, would you think my business plan flawed? Should I go after big corporate accounts where there is money (and a lot more competition - there`s a ton of photographers in this town.)

Sould I go after ad agencies? (I`ve done that in the past and local design agencies seem to be cliquish - I didn`t go to their school. This is a comment I`ve heard from other photographers as well. However, agencies from out of town who hire me to shoot local facilities/staff/products have been very happy.)

If I continue going after smaller companies, is there somewhere I haven`t looked they would be hanging out in? Is there an approach I should take to make them aware of the value of better photography?

If you own a small business, what makes you decide to either hire a photographer, or not to hire a photographer?

I pretty much have no money for marketing any more. So, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

If you want to see my photography, check out SpeersPhoto.com


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NeilSpeers. com - Acoutstic blues / electric folk - independent music. Speersphoto.com - Commercial, industrial, corporate, & editorial photography based in Calgary, Alberta. Neil Speers 403 230 4042

What makes me decide if I should hire a photographer is the anticipated return on my investment (marketing expenses v. potential future sales).  Before I contract services out, I look at the value it will offer my clients and the growth of my business.  I then try to determine if it would promote a quicker sale, give a competitive advantage, establish or reinforce name identification, etc. 

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Nicole Champagne
Email: influencialexpectations@gmail.com
Cell: (734) 262-3730
Soar With Influencial Expectations!

CP, 

As far as whether you should go after the big fish  my question is for you, since you arent getting the work  instead of waiting for some to come , market to every possible client  in your non billing hours.  After you start receiving more work that you can handle  then start picking and choosing..

Im not saying you shouldnt pick a specific target market but if the work isnt there  go for the other untill you get what you want.

Iknow it sounds stupidly simple  by I ask why not??

MIke

Hi Nicole and Mike, thanks for the comments.

Nicole, would it be fair to say your decision is based on whether good photos would significantly increase the "perceived value" of either your service or the property your selling? That`s a term I`ve started to use when describing why people need my photography.

Mike, I`ve been going after the smaller business end of the market for about six months now, and not seeing the size of return I would like. Do you know of a particular area that might be the best for the next effort?


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NeilSpeers. com - Acoutstic blues / electric folk - independent music. Speersphoto.com - Commercial, industrial, corporate, & editorial photography based in Calgary, Alberta. Neil Speers 403 230 4042

CalgaryPix,

I`ve developed some long-term relationships with photographers over the years - mostly from my years running a marketing services firm doing a lot of print work, etc. for clients. Still have many friends and associates that are in the biz. Most have become very specialized - they target very specific and niche markets. In ATL, we are overrun with photographers - so to compete, they all have found their niche. Maybe you are trying to be too much to too many clients. Maybe you can find a niche and exploit it. Make a name for yourself in fewer markets.

There is still a lot of product photography needed - either for print or web. There are shops in ATL that stay quite busy doing nothing but product shoots. More of a factory than a studio. Cans and bottles and shirts and pants and other products don`t talk like models - much easier to work with - if you know what I mean.

I have one friend who specializes in nothing but pet and animal photography and makes a darn good living at it. With the pet industry booming and people spending more and more on their pets, this might be a niche for you to look into to.

Another friend does nothing but architectural photography and does well. too. He has made a name for himself in this arena.

Another is strictly portrait and people. He made a killing by getting the school and kids sports work. Shoots the class photos, the annual photos, etc. Plus, is the main photographer for all the kids sports leagues. But it is a lot of paper work - not something I believe can be done as a 1-man shop.

Just some ideas but I would think niche markets. Hope this helped.

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

In response to: "Nicole, would it be fair to say your decision is based on whether good photos would significantly increase the "perceived value" of either your service or the property your selling?"  the answer is no.  The reason being before I consult with my clients on the best price for their home or property I have already done my homework.  I know what the market conditions are and what the comparable sales have been within the past 12 months, 6 months, 3 months and within the past 30 days.  Therefore the "value" to which I mention isn`t monetary or "perceived value" but rather it is marketing the properties existing features and amenities in a way which showcases the property to stand out above similiar properties.  Thus the value to my client would be items like: increasing the property`s market exposure; increased showings of the property; a quicker sale which would decrease the number of days the property is on the market; and in best case scenario to be able to present multiple offers from serious, qualified buyers despite it being a "buyers market". 

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Nicole Champagne
Email: influencialexpectations@gmail.com
Cell: (734) 262-3730
Soar With Influencial Expectations!

two questions I need to ask,

1.   is six months long enough to extablish a successful business for any type of business?
2. how is the market in which you are trying to operate your business?  The amount of competition and other factors?

If I`m not to far off base many bussiness successes are based on referal business and if you haven`t had the original customers yet it would be very tough to get the referals.

althou I feel your real problem is related to the questions listed above, and Im going to go against richards advise above.  Reading your first post I didn`t get the impression that you were trying to be to much for to many people,  This is the direction that I`m suggesting, since you have extra time on your hands (assuming you do) because  you are marketing yourself and waiting for business to come in , I would take that down time and try to remarket yourself in a  differant niches.  As things develope and grow you will then have to option to choose in which direction you want to go and it will give you more options.  When you start having business come from all directions  you can take on more people and sell  that business to other firms and then start to specialize. Now if you are always busy  all of what I just said is a mute topic.

 

Additional Ideas and suggestions.

Give your services away to get estabished.  of very deep discounts,

Get other people involved in the marketing of your service by giving them incentives to do so.  you can never have to many people pushing your service, an area to many people don`t take advantage of...

MIke

As someone who hires photographers and has friends that are photographers and I have some thoughts.

Stock photography is getting to be good, and used alot by companies.  This doesn`t replace the need for a headshot, product or building shot, but it`s a factor in making the market a big smaller.

There is a perception amongst some clientele that quality photography can be done yourself with digital cameras... of course, we both know there is way more than that (I see the same issue on the video side of my business, on occaision).  If someone is heck-bent on doing it themselves, it`s not really worth your time to pursue them.

I think your website needs to show off that difference between you and others.  I think you need to put the comparison up there, you vs. do it yourself, etc., front and centre, and maybe give the site a more high-end, elegant feel to it (that doesn`t mean complex, I think the word is "refined," as design is very important when trying to sell a visual medium).  I also see no mention of that value proposition there either... tell me why you`re the best and why I should spend the money (I know, but others may not).

I think networking is important.. maybe do an event with lots of decision makers for free, and then give them the photos in a professional way.  People love to see themselves experiencing a service.

Always when talking to clients make sure to look at it from their perspective and how your photography is in turn going to make them money or benefit them.

Hope I am of service!


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"It`s not work, it`s network!"

Portage Media Solutions
http://www.portagemedia.com
My Blog: http://www.interactivemediatips.com

Thank you, everyone, for you insight and comments.

One of the things I do carry around is a couple of postcard sized card with "standard" (flash on camera) pictures, and "professional" pictures as a comparison between what most people who buy a camera and what I do. This consistantly gets a lot of "wow" response.

As well, over the last few months I`ve rebuilt my site to be more consistant with those of successful photographers I`ve come across.

I`ve also worked hard on re-branding my business for a more professional look. Ironic that I`ve been able to do that for so many clients in my previous work as a designer - but had a lot of trouble doing that for myself. I finally hired a marketing consultant to help me refocus what I was doing.

Still, work is coming in slower than I need.The networking groups I`ve been involved with tend to be more service companies such as financial advisers, realtors, mortgage agents and such. My main target clients are manufacturers, distributors and exporters. Any ideas on where to find them as a group for networking?


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NeilSpeers. com - Acoutstic blues / electric folk - independent music. Speersphoto.com - Commercial, industrial, corporate, & editorial photography based in Calgary, Alberta. Neil Speers 403 230 4042

Neil,

I am in the same situation as yourself.  I am in the process of defining my product and market. Although my focus is on larger companies where the profit margin is higher I am working odds and ends to keep money coming in.  Here are a few suggestions to get some money coming in the door while you establish yourself in your desired market.

1.  Think really local.  Go talk to small business owners. Visit their websites, newspaper adds, or in store displays and take notes of anything you think could be improved by your services and then put together a short proposal and list how these things could increase their business.

2.   Be a master of all niches (jack of all trades) for a while. Do some photography for special interest groups. Churchs, schools, little league programs.

3.   Advertise in Craigslist.  I have gotten about 95% of my business through www.craigslist.com   Also, you can get listed on some other freelance sites like www.guru.com .

4.   If the people that you meet with are mostly in Financial services, tweek your angle to fit their needs.  Real Estate agents need photos of their properties and better pictures means more leads on their listed properties.  You could charge a flat rate of  $75 to go out and photograph a house for them.  This would save them time, and increase the traffic to those homes. 

4.a Also, withing the real estate market you could focus on commercial properties, or high end properties and agents who deal exclusively with higher end properties. They would be more likely to pay a larger premium for you services.  $200 instead of $75?

That`s all I have for now, but if I think of anything else I will let you know.

Good Luck!