p.1 #1 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
I'm just striking out on my own, and I want to book some events for this summer. I have the classic craigslist post, my own website etc. How else do you get your name out?
p.1 #8 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
Public visibility. I started out shooting sports and events for area newspapers, and everyone saw me with a camera around my neck. People started asking me to do senior portrait sessions,followed by weddings. Five years later, I had enough business to buy a physical facility.
p.1 #9 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
did a few cheap weddings (i had 7 years portrait experience at that point before doing a wedding) to build portfolio and then blasted away with free online ads, local ads and lots of biz cards.
p.1 #11 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
liza wrote:
Public visibility. I started out shooting sports and events for area newspapers, and everyone saw me with a camera around my neck. People started asking me to do senior portrait sessions,followed by weddings. Five years later, I had enough business to buy a physical facility.
+1
I got started taking product shots for a small chemical manufacturer. People in the office saw me regularly with my equipment. If people see you taking "professional" pictures, they will assume that you are a "professional" quality photographer. There are lots of people out there getting married who can't pay going rates for photography. They are a great way to get recognition and portfolio/experience.
p.1 #13 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
The first year is the hardest.. You absolutely have to rely on your friends and family members to keep their ears open and recommend you when ever they hear of a wedding or event. In the beginning, your portfolio won't be able to compete with the established photogs in your area, so a recommendation from friends will go a long way towards helping convince a couple that you ate capable.
p.1 #15 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
Hahah at the moment I'm sure were marketing our businesses towards two separate tiers of clients if we are lucky. Are there a lot of Ohio people here on FM?
p.1 #16 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
Word of mouth. Take lots of great photos for friends and family. I hadn't decided I want to do a photography business when contacts through work, friends, friends of work, etc started requesting pricing information.
p.1 #17 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
I second... word of mouth.
We started by shooting weddings for a couple of friends within our church. They showed their pictures to their friends. With good timing, we started a summer special (basically a shoot and burn) for only $750. Those friends booked us and told their friends. Now, as our prices go up, so too does our client list.
A quick story on how important word of mouth really is: We recently booked a couple based on what they had seen from another client's wedding. They told us that they loved our style and received a good recommendation about us in general. About a week later, we received a call for another wedding. We go to the meeting, meet the mom and start discussing wedding details. It turns out, the bride we just met and booked, overheard this couple sitting at a ball game and discussing wedding plans. She immediately asked if they had found a photographer and when they said no...our name got put to the top of their list. We now are doing both weddings this October, one week right after the next.
A personal recommendation will outweigh any advertisement you can put together and any money you could ever spend. We have only advertised once and never received a single callback based on it.
p.1 #18 · How did you get your name out to start shooting?
When I was starting out, I did some cheap wedding fairs, talked to LOTS of vendors and handed out thousands of business cards!!! once the weddings started coming in i passed out a lot more cards and got in good with a lot of other vendors. the rest just fell into place!
