Are you spreading yourself too thinly?
Most of us when we start out in our photography go into it with the belief that you have to book as many clients as possible and you have to appeal to everyone. On top of this, we sometimes feel we have to photograph anything and everything that comes our way…because we need the money and because we also LOVE what we do!
However, this is not a good long-term business plan and can actually damage your photography business.
It can also quickly lead to you becoming exhausted, fed up, burnt out, working all the hours that are sent, and feeling like you are caught on a hamster wheel! This is not what you set out to do when you started your photography business is it? You started out probably like me, because you loved photography, it looked like it could be fun, and you wanted something that would give you flexibility around your family. You may have always loved taking photographs (who doesn’t) and thought you could give it a go. I know I did!
But trying to do too many things, covering too many genres, trying to appeal to everyone, is a recipe for disaster.
A much easier, more effective and efficient way to build your photography business is to specialise. To identify one area of photography that you love, that you are good at, and that you can make money from by serving your clients as an expert. Specialising it much easier to market too. You can get to know just one type of client, your ideal client, and then use all your time and talents marketing to just them.
For example…if you are a photographer who covers newborn babies, families, weddings, brand and events…also a bit of commercial on the side. Then you are trying to market to so many different types of client..the pregnant mum to be, the family, the engaged couple, the business owner, and the events planner…these clients may see you, but they will see you as a jack of all trades instead of an expert of one (one-two!) It’s also exhausting trying to come up with content for your social media that speaks to several different types of client. How do you keep up!
The easier and more enjoyable route…have a single Ideal Client and get to know them inside out. Then design your business, your brand, your marketing to appeal to just them.
People choose people, and yes your work needs to be good, but you as a person , as a brand and a business, need to get yourself out there and speak to your ideal client, attract them, get to know them and allow them to get to know you. Let’s face it when it comes to photography yes your work needs to be good and yes you need to have a defined style that is consistent BUT when we have to accept that our potential clients may not have the discerning eye that we do, and in actual fact, people genuinely do buy people over the product or service.
The answer…
Choose an area of photography and specialise
Define your ideal client
Know them inside out, their loves and hates, their challenges and pain points, their joys of life. Where they live, hang out, shop.
Communicate consistently that you are their person, speak to them about how you can help them, when you deliver what they need
Be consistent, persistent and patient in all your business and marketing activities, and focus them on this one person.
Not everyone will like you or choose you, and that’s ok.
You aren’t for everyone.
And there is enough work to go round so don’t fall into a scarcity mindset.
This is about finding your tribe, your raving fans. They will love you and choose you above all others.
Choosing your zone of genius, your area of expertise, and then defining who your ideal client is will be the key for every decision you make in your photography business. Knowing this person will inspire your work, they will tell you what they want and need from you, they will show you where to find them and to network effectively, they will define your social media audience and coverage.
You choose a niche, and then defining your ideal client will be the path to everything you need to grow and see the success and profit in your photography business.
Just be you. That’s exactly what I did. The most successful and profitable periods in my career as a professional photographer have been the times when I specialised.
Firstly I was a weddings photographer for several years and this is what I specialised in. Then I went through a time where I was trying to get all things to all people, my business nose dived, and I felt lost and tired. Then I took on a mentor and specialised in newborn photography. My confidence and my profits soared, I was an expert and my bookings went through the roof when I followed a comprehensive business and marketing strategy that allowed me to specialise in one area and speak directly to my one ideal client.
In more recent years, I have moved over to Brand Photography…..for a few months I did both newborns and brand but I found it disorientating, trying to wear the different hat and speak to the different people with my marketing. That didn’t last long, as I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again. I moved completely over to Brand Photography and once again, my business boomed!
Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some exceptions to this, and I am very very good friends with a couple of photographers who do operate in lots of different genres and still manage to do with without going mad, and without damage to their business. But in my experience, these are few and far between.
Most of the photographers I mentor specialise…and between them all they are rocking what they do. Regular £1000+ sales, regular £5k+ months, some even hitting regular £10k+ months!
So what are you waiting for? Choose your zone of genius and choose your ideal client.
Want to know more about the Rich Tog Academy mentoring programmes? Apply for a call with Gill here…