Photography Business Marketing Objectives

Every professional photographer has slightly different business goals. Some might simply wish to get more customers, while others hope to be featured in magazines with a large circulation. Even though each photographer is different, there are some general objectives most photographers have in mind when they undertake a new marketing strategy.

Advertising can help you increase your client base. This includes not only the people who use your services, but the people to whom they recommend you and who might use your services in the future. Even attracting a few new customers can help you grow your business. If these clients love your work, they're more likely to tell their friends, and photographers often get business via word of mouth. Most people look at a photographer's portfolio to see if they like the style of work, so it's particularly important for advertising for photography to be visual. Marketing also encompasses your interactions with clients' friends at events such as weddings and baby showers. If you work in an unobtrusive and professional manner, your client base can expand to people you've met through other clients.

Developing a brand identity is an important part of growing your business. For example, you might be the wedding photographer who creates vintage-style photos, or the hyper-realist portrait photographer. A solid identity will help you attract customers who appreciate your style, and appropriate marketing can help you craft this identity.

If you increase your client base, you'll likely increase your income, particularly if you have more time to work. Marketing can also help you increase the amount you charge. As demand increases, prices can go up, and if you fill up your schedule with eager clients, you'll often be able to charge more by pointing out that your services are in high demand. Photographers tend to structure their rates based upon experience and training. More customers will mean more experience, a wider variety of styles you're competent to do, and a larger and more attractive portolio. All of these factors enable you to increase your rates.

If people like your photos, they might share your social networking page, and post links to your portfolio on public forums or on their blogs. This increases your profile as a photographer and can help to build your reputation in the artistic community. Many photographers want to be viewed not just as professionals, but also as artists. With competent marketing you can gain the exposure that will cause people to admire the artistry in your work, and might attract the attention of art and photography magazines, educational institutions, and museums.

While some photographers want to focus on a niche market or hone a particular photography skill, others are interested in getting a wide variety of opportunities. As your business grows, your opportunities to do high-profile photography sessions might increase, and a general increase in exposure is often a prerequisite to getting high-value assignments. Celebrity clients, nonprofit organizations and the news media are frequently attracted to photographers with a large business, so marketing can help you move up to these higher-end clients.