HOW TO CHARGE MORE AND BE IN DEMAND
There are photographers around the world who are always in high demand, often booked up months in advance and these guys are not cheap, far from it.
So how do you do it? How do you turn your photography business into a money-making machine?
One of the key elements I teach at Focus on Marketing is developing a Niche Brand. You just can’t simply be the “Go to Photographer” for everyone. When you try to cater for the masses you end up doing so by price, when you sell on price alone you are going down a route to overwork, burnout, long hours and low profit.
The other huge disadvantage is that the mid to bottom end of the market is flooded with photographers. That’s why so many photographers fail and go out of business, the competition is just unreal.
To really succeed you need to develop your niche. Don’t be a photographer who does weddings, pet portraits and commercial all under one roof - become a specialist.
Yes, you can do all these types of photography but not all from the same website and social media platforms. Each line of photography has a different market, different clients and a different image or message so each should be branded differently with separate websites and social media pages.
When you become a specialist, you must focus on just one type of client or one industry or market and serve these people better than they could ever imagine. Blow them away with awesome literature that really sells the benefits of your services to them. Don’t give them what you think they should have, give them what they really want and they’ll pay a premium for it in return.
We’ve worked with clients around the world who have been convinced their work just isn’t good enough to charge a premium but that’s all down to self confidence and as photographers we are very self-critical. However, once you develop a brand based around your clients needs and have a message that totally appeals to them and them alone then the money just starts to roll in. People will pay a premium for service or items that they really want and that suits their needs exactly.
For example, a bride doesn’t buy photographs she buys the emotional connection. She’s buys the idea that not only will her photographs look amazing, her day will be fun, relaxed and all the emotion and romance will be capture without hassle or interference. She’s buying into the fun, the laughter and the unobtrusive way that the photographs are taken.
A hotel doesn’t just buy photographs - in order to really connect and sell your services you don’t want to be selling your images to the hotel you need to sell the benefit and outcome of those images. Guests who book online will 99% of the time book because the hotel’s images appeal to them. Well lit, beautifully created images that portray the ambience and feel of the hotel will ALWAYS result in more bookings. Simple as that, you are selling the hotel to increase bookings not photographs. Get your wording right, get your brand niched and you’ll soon find yourself in high demand.
Want to know more about what I can do for you and your business? Drop me a message today.
Check out my You Tube Video below for even more top tips and don't forget to subscribe to my channel for regular free marketing hacks and advice.