Photography Business Marketing Help

[serendipity2]

Hi There
I have my own photography business and want some ideas of how to market it. I know I do a great job at a very reasonable price, but it's getting word out there. My target market is families, children and babies.
Any help would be appreciated.
Angie

[maclarencat]

Well thats you first free advert !!

[scotman]

Depends on what you offer. Do you have business premises? Do you do your own developing & printing?

[Answerprancer]

Set up a website, take a look at some others to get ideas, get an enhanced CRB disclosure.

[serendipity2]

I do not have business premises, I go to the client's home or we do the shoot on location. When I started this business, I decided I would not go down the route of making my money from selling prints. Instead, I have one price for the session plus cd. I know a lot of photographers frown upon this, but that is how I want to do it.

I have wondered about networking, by offering past clients a free or reduced session if they find me a certain number of new clients who actually make a booking with me.

[Oneeyedvic]

Firstly, I will say that I am the General Manager of a photographic business that has been going since 1921. I go in and talk to locla students, and one of my opening lines is: What do you say to a person with a qualification in photography - I'll have fries with that please.

There are a thousands of people who get some form of photographic qualification every year and there aren't enough jobs for them. There are also a lot of people who can buy themselves a semi decent digital SLR (second hand a couple of hundred quid of ebay) and call themselves a photographer. Unfortunately, these people do terrible damage to the industry. I see adverts on facebook and cringe with people purporting to be professionals offering a photo shoot at home with a variety of prints for £35! Frightening.

Anyway, best advice I can give you (if you are set on this) is to contact your local council and ask what companies do start up business help. There will be something like Business Link who will be able to point you in the right direction and can give you some great advice - all free of charge (or at the tax payer's expense depending on your view)

[redcrx]

how about contacting Bounty? the company that supply the leaflets and booklets in the mum to be and parent packs?
it may cost you a little bit but you could target your main customers that way

[redcrx]

http://www.bounty.com/

[Oneeyedvic]

Bounty don't sell the information direct - they sell it through companies - The Click Group or the MPA.

[szetank]

Familys - goto parks
Children - goto schools
Babies - goto hospitals