This Will Help You Book More Photography Clients

Booking clients is easy once you understand how you can be their solution. If a potential client made it from a search engine to your "About Me" page, they've somehow pre-qualified themselves as a client.

The same goes for clients who found you on Instagram and then made it to your website. Think of all the barriers to entry. Those platform moves mean a lot and should be recognized. By the time they reach your "About Me" page, they're invested in your work and need something that will push them over to inquiring about your services. Now they want to know who you are. Here's a method that will show them, not tell them.

Why Do People Hire Photographers?

  1. People hire for you, not your gear. They want to know who'll be taking them through the process of a photo shoot. Be kind and genuine, but most of all, be you. Anyone can get the camera you have, but they will never be able to duplicate you. Someone will inevitably make a cloning joke here.
     
  2. Can you lead a set? Can you talk to everyone on set, manage the personalities, stay creative and on schedule?
     
  3. Do you deliver on time and under budget? This matters, and it allows the person hiring you to look like a hero. They want you to make them a hero, and if you can do that, they'll be back for more jobs.
     
  4. Your reputation matters, and it matters more than you think. Recently, I was on set, and someone spoke ill of another peer not present in the room. Within seconds, three others in the room objected and said: "You know, I've worked with _________ and he's always been amazing." That is a stellar reputation, and it defends the person even when they're not in the room! Reputations travel and for the less-than-professional ones, they travel at light speed! 
     
  5. The work matters. Trends will come and go, but quality work will always stay relevant. Practice your craft and deliver work that matters.

What Is Our Solution?

OK, then it seems that people really want someone who is kind, easy to work with, has a good reputation and has solid work. That should be easy, right? Marketing does not have to be difficult once you understand what your customer needs. Here is a solution to booking more photography clients.

Let them know who you are by showing them who you are in video! The video on this page goes into greater detail on how you can accomplish this. Video shows your personality more, and frankly, people hardly read as much. They do watch videos, and if you can help them book you more quickly, help them!

Cover The 5 W's

  • Who: Make a list of all the "who" questions you can answer, and tell them who you are!
  • What: Make a list of what you shoot and any other "what" questions they might have.
  • When: When can they call you or when are you available? Tell them.
  • Where: Where are you located or where do you travel to? 
  • Why: Why are you the best choice for the job?

Imagine ending up on someone's About Us page and reading a very long paragraph. It's fluffy writing, often written in the third person. It will rave about who they are and their creative genius, just like all the other photographers. To the client, you will blend in and get lost. What is special about it?

Now, imagine them landing on a page with a video of you talking casually to the camera. How much more will they appreciate that? It tells them who you are, lets them hear you talk and see you engage.

If they call you after the video, the odds of getting the job are far greater than simply reading a long paragraph about you. They saw you talk for a few minutes and they call you. They already love you!

Watch the video to go further in detail about how you can apply this simple tactic to boost your clients.

Walid Azami's picture

Walid Azami is a Photographer/Director and creative consultant from Los Angeles. He got his start working with Madonna + Co by contributing to her many projects. It was then he realized his place in the creative world & began teaching himself photography. He has since shot Kanye, Mariah Carey, Usher, Bernie Sanders, JLO, amongst others

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10 Comments

After 2 minutes I stopped the video. Going to watch Sean Tucker or a VisualPolitik video :-)

Thanks for the watch time. Also, I googled your work online and I feel this video might be something you can benefit from. That way you could spend less time being a troll and more learning how to light. Check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL_TxRjcvwU

ps... Sean Tucker is rad! LOVE his channel.

Cheers!

You can't fault them for finding your video lacking. Being snarky and taking the time to find their work just to comment back rudely, well, where's that 'kindness' you claim is essential? It's not trolling when you are being frank about what is being presented as a great way to book more clients.The burden of producing great content is on you and you have to either accept or let go criticism and grow from it. The quality of the video was poor, I'm sorry, not a troll - just being honest. The lighting, noise and pace were major factors that deterred from learning from you.

Thank you Deleted User , you said it right. I should have explained the same way, my bad. Yes, the video is bad and not enticing at all.

Thank you for visiting my site!
I will be the first to admit I have lots to learn. Hopefully, it will always be this way, it means I am growing.

However, not every video is worthy of my time. I should have given some constructive opinion in my comment but judging by your reaction, you probably would have dismissed it anyway.

However, since you offered constructive criticism to me, I feel I owe you that. It took over 2:00 minutes from the start of the video for you to finally say the first point, Actually, exactly 2:11. By that time I was already annoyed by the noise, movement, and overall presentation. If you mention it before the two minutes, I did not hear it (again, noise). By then I left.

It would have been so much better if you just stayed put in a quiet room. That's my opinion anyway.

Cheers, and a great weekend.

Wow! Petty much?

WARNING: Take Dramamine before watching

Hi, and thanks for sharing!
This was the first time I visited your YouTube channel and I also watched some of the other videos you have made. But there are a few things I want to tell you about how a big YouTube consumer experiences your channel when he visit it for the first time.
What I first noticed is that you have very good thumb nails. The headlines are also very inviting. For this reason, I also have high expectations for the content you represent in your videos. Unfortunately, I do not feel that the content meets my expectations. 2019 the quality of the audio must be good. This cannot be underestimated and the technology exists to make a excellent audio. If I watch a video full of wind noise, I turn it off.
It also pays to prepare and plan the content better and present it with an image quality that is inviting. This is not so easy to do, I know it from experience. But since your thumb nails give the impression that you are professional, you also have to live up to this expectation.
Since you have posted your video here on Fstoppers I recommend you to watch their videos and analyze how they are made. Then you will succeed much better with your content.
I am writing this to help you and once you have fixed the things that I think should be improved in your videos, I promise I will subscribe to your channel as well. I wish you all the best with the work of upgrading your videos to the next level! You have so much to tell to us!
Kind regards from me here in Finland.
Carl

I wanted to stop the video after 2 minutes as well... and go on with my life. It wasn't the quality, it was "I will tell you,but i will talk about something else before..."
I am glad I didn't - it was actually a very good advice, that I intent to execute. Thanks!