bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Just wondering how it goes in other parts of the country.

This isn't scientific by any means, but more just my observation.

Tried www.thumbtack.com It cost money every time you submit a bid. I got about 3 weddings from it, but paid close to enough in "lost bids" that I could have done one wedding for free. Personally, not a fan. Several posts suspect (and I'm not sure that I don't agree) that they generate fake requests to keep the money coming in. I know of at least one past "employee" of mine, that bragged that he would post for quotes, just to make his competition pay to quote, and he would see what everyone was charging. I really am sorry that I ever worked with him.

Bridal shows. For us, we spent approximately $1000 for a show that lasted one day. Gave out several cards, did get a couple of weddings, but once again, or return for the buck wasn't that great. We got a spreadsheet from the show, showing that a very high % of women there were either not engaged yet, or were getting married in the next 3 years.... not a whole lot in our "sweet spot" of less than 1 year.

Google ads. Once again, got a couple, but it is very suspicious to me that google was charging me "per click" yet, my site statistics were below what google said they were getting "click throughs" I dropped the account. I can't prove they were dishonest, but it sure didn't give ME warm fuzzy feelings.

Website. I've had as many people find me at random through a google search, as have found me because of the ads.

Newspaper. Never got a wedding by advertising in the paper.

Facebook. 1 wedding, but I didn't do any FB advertising, it was a friend of a client that told them he found us on FB.

Partnering with other wedding professionals.
Free, and fairly successful. We have bakers, DJ's, Florists, a couple of wedding planners, and even a few pastors/officiates that will refer us, and we refer other people to them. Cost...Free. We usually give some free photos of their service (whether it be the cake, flowers, or even the pastor with the couple) to the person that refers us. We prefer not to expect payment for referrals, and we don't pay for referrals. Our "circle" all work that way.

Lastly, the best quality business cards you can come up with. Give them out like candy at a fat camp. I leave them with tips at restaurants, put them on public bulletin boards, and mostly, have stacks of them with me when shooting weddings/events. I would say that I get 90% of our business during another event, by handing out cards. People getting married, are usually friends with other people who are "marrying age." Events, there are always parents there. The more they see us, and our logos, and get to experience our professionalism, the more jobs we get.

Now, what is your experience?

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

I do a free engagment shoot. Only requirment is they look at my wedding plans. I would like to learn more about using facebook. See if an old dog could learn anew trick. - Dave

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

You have a very logical method for expanding and gaining business. Like your methodology...you've covered many bases with your tactics.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Dave, where do you get people for your free engagement shoots?
Thanks

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Thanks. I keep trying. Sometimes, we try too hard, and have to turn away business, or do a subcontract deal with another photographer. Seems to be that unlike most advertising, the least expensive way still works best for us.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

LAF

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Most of the time word of mouth. _ Dave

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

First of all, your idea of partnering with other professionals is brilliant; FWIW, building personal relationships has been the "secret" of many of the top professionals in the business today.

But your discussion about business cards is what caught my attention. Joe Girard is recognized by many authorities as the world's greatest salesman. He has many ways in which he accomplished this feat, but, in his biography, I was most impressed about his attitude toward business cards. He gave them away by the thousands, even scattering half a box from the upper deck at baseball games (don't try this today; at the very least, you'll get ejected and barred from games, and you might get arrested or sued). A clown here in town hires high school kids to stand on the corners in Old Sacramento on weekends and give out cards to everyone, especially families with children (we have had to bar them, for safety reasons, from approaching our excursion trains while in the station). A huge expense? I hear this guy is booked every week end and holiday for years in advance. Take a look at this article about Joe Girard:

http://www.earlytorise.com/how-a-funeral-turned-joe-girard-into-the-worlds-greatest-salesperson/#

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Good article. I'm far from even being a "good" salesperson, but learned from an insurance salesman about 25 years ago, that handing out cards was his number one way of getting business, and I've pretty much found the same.

redhogbill Loc: antelope, calif

I have seen wedding shows at wineries / fair ground's/ community centers, people show up , have booths, selling everything wedding!!
I went to one once, on an accident, but was real informative!!

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Wedding photography as a business is hard to tap at first. Start with advertising* then word of mouth.

Advertising goes only so far. Do not enter a 'price war'**.

Networking (for a small finder fee) with other businesses like catering, churches, video guys, country clubs... Bridal shops are a must.

If you are targeting a mid range clientele it does not hurt participating in local trade shows, even if these can be onerous at first. Just select the most important one (where you are located in a show is important) - You need to return every year to see an effect. This is a long run effort, not a drive-by shooting for B&Gs. Being there a couples of years shows your stability. Remember that a wedding has folks who may be getting married in there and this where your interest lies, not in the immediate profit. The future B&Gs are watching you. Folks that go to a show have no clue and neither have their friends.

Free stuff was mentioned above works but be aware that some will take the free stuff and not select you. Simply free does not work (for me) but then again, engagement pictures of not so long ago were studio shots, not on location. What we did at the time was to give the 'shoot' for free but prints were to be paid or heavily discounted (cost) if the couple signed with us. There was no obligation of purchase from the initial shoot.

Something else to consider is a contract that specifies who pays if the couple does not stay together long enough!!! (We had a few couples that separated during their honeymoon! Quite a few more had their marriage last no more than a few weeks)

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* Leave your business card(s) with other businesses, pin them on church boards and the like. Replace them as needed meaning you need to check on regular basis as your competition will have no qualms removing your 'droppings' on their turf.
** Low priced weddings attract folks that will fight for pennies and are a serious headache. Better do a few wedding less than enter a 'game' where there are no winner. (read the 'horror stories' on UHH)

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Ron has given some excellent advice. I wonder about the concept of "low-balling" for one reason only. If you are doing wedding shows or building a portfolio, it is nice to be able to add new material (serious lookers who are getting married in two or three years WILL notice the changes. If it says nothing else, it says, "This photographer has different material which means he/she/they is/are getting some work; let's take a closer look." BUT, if a photographer is going to enter that kind of battle, he/she/they need to be VERY good.

There are two nitches that are relatively untouched if you have the interest and the personality to go after the business. The first is the marriage in which at least one of the celebrants is physically disabled (particularly in a wheelchair or an amputee); some people shy away from this kind of work. The second is inter-racial marriages. When my niece married a man of a different race twenty years ago, no local wedding photographer would touch the job, so I did some and the groom's brother did the difficult family shots. The technical issues were not as hard as the social issues, but things have come a long way in twenty years. However, how many portfolios or websites will put little emphasis on such weddings. As far as inter-racial weddings are concerned, especially formal weddings, we are still in the dark ages.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

There are a few more to mention. Many black couples worry about getting someone who knows how to expose for varying degrees of their skin tones. Yes, it can be a challenge. We have gotten to be pretty well known in the black community.

There are also same sex couples. It is up to you if you choose to be offended or not, but these couples are in love and want someone to capture their memories. If you are in a community that is very against same sex marriages, they may find it difficult to find a good photographer. We've shot exactly 2, and I wouldn't shy away from doing more. It is something to consider if you are looking to find a new niche.

Neither my business partner, nor I are offended by the same sex weddings, (his son is Gay) But, we do live in a very conservative area, so we don't make a big deal out of the fact that we did shoot them. We wouldn't deny it, but don't make it part of our advertising, just in case some people refuse to do business with someone who does business with "those people" Trust me, it happens.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Ron is right about the "price war" We are very middle of the road in our area. We have very low average income, but it is balanced out by low cost of living. Just yesterday, I had a lady telling me that she could find someone to shoot her wedding for $200. I didn't insult the photographer like some would. I suggested that if she liked their portfolio, that she go with that photographer.

As Ron stated. If you get into those deals, just to get the job, they will continue to nickel and dime you to death. Our people come to us with a full understanding of the package, but 7 out of 10 times, they end up adding on enough to be approximately double the "standard" package. We don't high pressure sell, but we sure do show albums, large prints compared to the 11x14 that is included in the package (and just how small that looks) Our "standard package" is to get our foot in the door.

If they come to us, and try to start negotiating down, we just kind of let the meeting fizzle, and move on to the next client. Both of us have done this for a long time, and know exactly what we are getting into, within minutes of meeting the bride and groom (and/or parents). We don't even attempt to get the business if it feels "icky"

ExTech2

In nearly 50 years off serving the public, NOTHING, NOTHING beats satisfied customers.