Are you looking for something to jump-start your marketing? Something you can do NOW? Something inexpensive but which can have the best payoff of any marketing tool in your BatBelt?
Call your targets and try to get meetings.
Meeting face-to-face with your targets is the shortest route to getting work. You’re not going to walk out of meeting with work all the time, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how often you do or how fast afterwards the phone rings. A meeting puts you top-of-mind and it gives you the chance to become a whole person in your targets’ minds. You’re no longer just some photographer… you’re the one who told the great joke or wore the cool shoes or who had the coolest bag or, had an amazing image with an iguana, or well, pretty much anything.
And the best way to get meetings is still to get on the phone. Emails, texts, etc., do not work as well. Again, it’s about being a real person, and the voice imparts that better than any other (not in-person) contact form.
So, make a list, check it twice, and start calling already.
And remember that personal brand is so very important these days.
“You’re no longer just some photographer… you’re the one who told the great joke or wore the cool shoes or who had the coolest bag or, had an amazing image with an iguana,…”
So very true. Standing out, being ‘real’, leading, being remembered. It is part of the deal these days. Ignore it at your own peril… there are too many who are totally aware of how this works.
There is much wisdom contained in this small post.
Great advice!
I’ve been having much better results with my marketing since I started to make phone calls and set up face to face meetings. Once I’m in a room with a potential client its much easier for me to relate with them one on one, and it work from their end too. Face to face metings have become the most important part of my marketing plan.
@ Donald, thats a great point about personal branding. One that I have adopted as well over the past year, and its been a big help. The article that really got me to start understanding that I’m selling myself in addition to my work, is this one by Nubby Twiglet, The Designer who does my branding for me,
http://nubbytwiglet.com/2008/09/25/the-power-of-personal-branding/
The simplest steps are usually the most effective. It’s mustering up the courage.
As Nike says “just do it”.
Thank you for this motivation.
Truly appreciated.