Photo Marketing Mentor

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If you’re familiar with social networking then you’ve most likely heard of Facebook. Facebook is arguably one of the most popular social networking tools available for photographers and creative service providers on the Internet.

As a creative marketing consultant I spend quite a bit of time exploring various fan pages that I am invited too by creative professionals. Unfortunately on many I find the a very vital key of client attraction missing from their pages and that’s the topic of today’s article, how to create a client attractive Facebook Fan page.

1. Target carefully and with intention - For example, the bulk of my clients are pro and aspiring pro photographers, and in my work one of the first things we examine is their social networking outlets. Typically the first thing I notice is photographers “following and friending” solely other photographers. In a typical conversation I’ll ask the question, “If you are a photographer who specialize in the portraiture of women –  and so for the sake of this illustration let’s say you photograph expectant mothers. Why then are majority of your followers other photographers? The point being in order for this photographer to find more clients he or she must start inviting people that fit their target profile.

As you build your base of fans and followers you need to ask yourself: “Does this person fit my client profile?” If not, you can make the decision whether or not to include them on your fan page, but for best results you should focus your efforts on inviting people that fit your ideal client profile.

2. Be informative - As your list of “targeted” fans grows make sure you provide useful content by sharing your knowledge and demonstrating your expertise. One way to do this is to post content that will educate and inspire your target audience. There are many opportunities to demonstrate your expertise via short articles, tip sheets, MP3 audio recordings, and video slide show presentations, behind the scenes videos or still shots with “diary” style entries.

If you do this properly much of the pre-selling will be done for you to the point that when your prospect decides to contact you they are 80 -90% ready to work with you.

Often content creation is where many photographers become stumped because they “think” that the only content they can offer is their photography. The bottom line, make sure that your content is engaging, solves a problem or answers a question for your client. This takes us to the next step.

3. Close with a strong call to action – Again clients hire you to solve problems and in order to do that you have to know what it is. All that’s left is to communicate that you are “the photographer” who can solve it. One of the easiest ways to do this is craft what I call a “call to action statement” or mission statement, emphasis on “call to action”. For example, I’ll share mine with you,

Call to Action Statement

“Are you photographer or creative professional who suffers with “marketing reluctance, but who understands that marketing is vital to client attraction?” If this sounds like you then you are in luck because I specialize in Client Attraction for Creative Professionals. As a matter of fact I have helped photographers and other creative professions develop systems that makes client attraction a snap!

If you would like to learn how you can attract more clients and grow your photography business I’d like to invite you to check out my program designed especially for solo entrepreneurs who specialize in the arts and it’s called the “Client Attraction Starter Kit” and it’s available for FREE on my website at photo-marketing-mentor (dot) com. Visit my website today to CLAIM your copy! -end-

Can you see how the above statement would be enticing to anyone who fits my ideal client profile rather than just a listing my name and contact information?

So to take this a step further, once you craft your “call to action mission statement” you can now use it on all of the content that you produce. For example, you can verbalize it at the end your audios, display it at the end of your videos and articles. Post it throughout your fan pages, website and blog.

This is how you make your Facebook fan page more client attractive. Let’s recap.

1) First, define your target audience and invite them into your space
2) Second, once you connect inform with content that inspires, educates and entertains them, and…
3) Finally, lead your fans into taking action by crafting a “take action” mission statement that will ensure they do just that, take action.

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Do you make decisions from where you are and what you’re currently experiencing -or- from where you want to be?

That was the question that was posed to me by one of my business mentors and I’ll tell you, when I first heard it, I didn’t fully understand it.  As he continued I began to grasp the questions deeper meaning and how it affected the future choices I’d make for my life as well as my business.

For example, every time an opportunity presented itself that could help me grow my business be it signing for a workshop, investing in a particular course or hiring a coach, even just getting out of the house to attend a free networking event my decisions always seemed to boil down to what something was going to “cost me”.

In other words, I was focusing on the payment instead of the payoff.

This had become such a problem that I often miss the very opportunity I sought. As a result not only did my business suffer but I did personally as well.

I don’t know if you read my recent article “Are You Playing A Bigger Game?” , but in that article I wrote about how I wanted 2010 to be year where I stepped up and played a bigger in my business and my life. In order for that to happen it was going to require me to make some new choices.

In 2009 I definitely went through my series of challenges and while I made it though the year it ended pretty much the same way it began, excited about my business but still somewhat confused. That confusion pretty much colored every decision that I made including decisions that could have provided me with a great deal more clarity, focus and success.

So allow me to ask you a couple of questions. The first, what goals did you make for yourself at the beginning of 2009 that didn’t come to fruition? It could have been anything from having an exhibition of your work, to landing your ideal dream client, to even taking that photography workshop in France.

Second, what decision or decisions did you make regarding those goals that created the results you received?

For example, let’s say you had an income goal and for the purpose of this exercise let’s say you wanted to increase your income by 25%. So to achieve this you decide that you need to attract 3 additional clients. Now that you have a concrete framework to work with what would have to do attract these 3 new clients?

Perhaps you need to make 10 to 25 additional cold calls each week, totaling 40 to 100 prospects calls per month, and with a closing ratio of 3%, thereby securing your 3 new clients.

Okay, so now that you’ve made the decision to increase your income by 25% and to achieve this you decide you need three new clients and you know what you have to do achieve this goal. You’re all set, it easy, right? Well not so fast! Let’s say you don’t like making cold calls and you’re not sure how to find new prospects to cold call anyway so you’re right back to square one, right? Again, not necessarily!

Let’s say that you’ve been presented with an opportunity to work with a sales training coach who can help you get over your dread of cold calling. So now you’ve found someone with a proven track record of working with creative people who need sales training, but you hesitate contacting them.

Even though you know this coach has worked with other people in your niche and you’re fairly certain they can help you achieve your goal with just a few sessions but, you decide against hiring them because, “your afraid” or, “you don’t have the money” or, “you’re unclear or unfocused”.

You’ve determined they can help you, you need their help, but you make the decision to not hire them from the place  of (fill in the blank) rather than from where you want to be which is getting the skills to close 25% more business! Do you see how this works?

The bottom line is this. We are the total sum of our choices. If you choose things that don’t serve you, that don’t empower you, that don’t stretch you, you will continue to live an unfulfilled and unsatisfying life.

I ‘d like to take this opportunity to give a little homework, nothing too complicated I promise and there’s a gift for you for playing along at the end.

First write down at least three things that you want to accomplish in your business this year. It could be anything.

Second, after each item on your list, jot down three actions you can take that can move you forward in accomplishing this goal.

Finally, and here is where this exercise gets really interesting, write down as much as you can about what has stopped you in the past from achieving this goal.

You see, often it’s not that we don’t know what we want, or that we don’t know what steps we have to take to achieve it, no, when we aren’t achieving our goals especially goals we’ve desired for a long time it typically boils down to something bigger than practicality.

Now, here is my gift to you, take each goal that you wrote down earlier and ask yourself, “If I already achieved this (goal) what decision(s) did I have to make that made this goal a reality?”

When you come up with the answer that is the decision you have to make now, prior to your goals achievement.

I’d like to invite you to make 2010 the year that you make decisions that propel you towards your greatest desire. And remember, change is going to happen anyway, so why not make decisions from the place of where you want to be. Nothing will improve the quality of your life faster.

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Recently I held a teleseminar where I told my participants that if they want to succeed not only in their photography career but in life they need to step and play a bigger game. What do I mean by “play a bigger game?”

What I mean is that anytime in life where you want to have an impact you have to step up, you must show up regardless of whether you have the training, all the tools, all the knowledge, all the contacts, whether or not you’re in the physical shape you want to be in or driving the car you want to drive etc, etc.

The first step to playing a bigger game is to first “get in the game”. So many times we think that we’re in the game just because we “show up”. And that’s true to an extent but it’s the same as playing full out. Showing up is the first step, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. No, what I’m referring to is taking the time to see what areas, what causes, what actions you could take and commit to that would put you out there in a big way. Let me give you an example.

Recently I had the honor of participating in an a global event called Help-Portrait. Help Portrait is an organization where photographers around the world for one day offers free professional grade portraits to people in need. The one day event was promoted to churches, local community centers and out reach groups in each of the cites where the event was hosted.

As a result people came out many of whom have never had a professional portrait made of the themselves. The energy created by this event was nothing short of extraordinary and everyone could feel it.

I especially felt it because I realized that at the same time we were here in Los Angeles changing lives I knew that my fellow artists were doing the same in cites Paris, Sydney, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, Nashville and other cites around the planet. I have to tell you the experience filled my heart with such pride and joy that I and many of the other photographers in attendance can’t wait until the next event.

This is a prime example of playing a bigger game. Getting outside of your comfort zone, doing something that transcends your temporary needs, to be in service to someone else and using your gifts to me epitomizes what I mean by playing a bigger game.

So I ask you, what are you doing right here, where you are? How are you going beyond mere showing up? Whose lives are you touching by your gift and your passion for photography? How many transformations are you witnessing because you stepped up and out?

Think about it for a moment as we conclude 2009. Regardless if this past year was one of your best -or- one of the most challenging, think about whose lives you touched with your work?

Who looked at your images or listened to the words you shared and was inspired? Who re-discovered a renewed since of themselves, thought bigger and better of themselves because of the gifts you shared. That was the thought that came to me.

The joy that came from this event was a mutual exchange of giving both for the photographer and the recipient. The receiver of the portrait had to step up in order to allow themselves the experience of letting someone look at them in new way.

And the photographers had the opportunity to get out their heads for a while, put aside their worries and concerns and “hold space” for the people who showed up. Many of whom were obviously uncomfortable, uncertain and perhaps a little leery of the experience in the beginning.

At the end the day everyone left feeling better about themselves. The receiver now has a memento they could share with family and friends many of whom they had long since lost contact with. They felt special and left feeling like superstars. I’m sure after seeing their portraits for the first time many felt like they too could play a bigger game.

The bottom line if you commit to using your gifts to help someone become better in their lives, you do the same for yourself. It’s karmic and everybody wins.

I’ll leave you this, as we enter 2010 as you create your goals for the next year commit to doing the thing or things that you we’re most afraid of this year. Write them down, tell someone (so there is accountability) and then do them. It’s the quickest way to play a bigger game.

If you need help, support or just an accountability buddy I’m here, feel free to contact me.

Let’s make 2010 rock!

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Recently I had a conversation with a photographer friend and colleague who was complaining about how frustrated he was about the lack of success he was experienced this year in his career.

I offered my usual pep talk, discussing various marketing techniques that he could try, like developing his platform, editing his book to represent the kind of work he wanted to attract, establishing his own unique voice, putting together a blog, networking more with the centers of influence etc, etc.

I found during our conversation that everything I suggested was being responded too with a “yes, but!” reply. I listened as he lamented about how he doesn’t have time blog, he’s too shy to call galleries, he doesn’t have time to market himself. And he wonders why 2009 was less than stellar.

Knowing him and work style I responded with, “well if you have to time update your Facebook profile three or four times a day, you can do a blog post, pick up the phone and call some galleries, research contests you could enter”, I replied.

Then there was a moment a silence (I could tell he was thinking about what I suggesting) but in the words that followed the “yes buts” started up again. I have to admit I was becoming quite frustrated with all of this because it’s always the same conversation.

My friend truly is an amazing photographer but he’s so caught up in “fairy tales” about what it’s going to require to market himself and his work that’s he’s shutting down all possibilities.

So I allowed him another few moments of endless excuses and fairy tales one of which included (just going out and finding an agent) to do the marketing that I had had enough so I immediately responded by asking him a question. I asked, “Joe, what do you want?” And, what do you believe that a magical agent is going to do that you haven’t done?

His response, “Get my work into galleries”. I said, “Okay, well if you want to get into the gallery arena what have you done on your own to get yourself started in that direction?” To which his reply was sending out blind emails to galleries with links to his website.

Thereby hoping and relying on the gallery owner to read his email, go to his website, decide if they love his work enough to then call him to come in and discuss representation. Do you see what I mean by “fairy tales”?

I know that anything is possible but the chances of success with this formula is slim to nil. As a matter of fact my friend has sent this email to about fifteen galleries and he’s gotten fifteen “sorry, we’re not interested”. Do see how unrealistic this form of “marketing” is?

So I asked him if he had made any attempts to talk to gallery owners in person, calling to schedule appointments, perhaps offering a coffee or lunch date to actually get his physical work in front of decision makers. His response was of course, no.

I asked why not, he replied “I don’t like rejection”. Now we’re at the core of what is going on. Listen, it is no surprise that as artists we hate rejection, no one likes being rejected, being told no, I’m not interested hurts, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s not devastating. Let me repeat that, when an agent, gallery owner, client or anyone who you perceive can help advance your career doesn’t respond to your work for whatever reason it can hurt, but it is not devastating.

If you believe in yourself and in your work no amount of no’s is going to stop you, why? Because you will have a purpose about what you’re doing. You know your visual value, you know what you have to offer and you won’t waste time telling yourself stories about what is your truth. You will put yourself out there and tell your truth regardless of what anybody says. And when you’re rejected, and notice I didn’t say “if” you’re rejected you will come from that rejection back quicker and stronger.

It’s like a muscle, the more the exercise it, the stronger it becomes.

I want to give you an exercise, take a pad of paper and a pen, get away from the computer and spend sometime getting clear about what you really want. Write it down. Do you want more commercial clients, what kind of clients? Do you want to be represented by galleries, how do you want to book to look? What lifestyle do you want? As a matter of fact I would ask this question first and match the opportunities that come your way to the lifestyle you desire.

Write out your ideal day. If you can have anything what would your ideal day look like, where would you live, where would you work, what would you shoot, who would you work with? You get the idea. And I’ll tell you something this is an exercise you should do at least once a year if not a couple of times a year.

The ideal day exercise will help you to get clear quicker than anything. Once you’re clear then you’ll be able to attract opportunities that match your deepest desire. So for example my friend realizing that he wanted to be in galleries, that’s his ideal.

Now with my help I was able to guide him into developing a game plan and his first steps towards making his dream a reality. He no longer has to hold on to the fairy tale about the elusive agent holding the key to his success because an agent may not the best choice for him right now.

He needs face time, he needs feedback from real live people (not just email) in addition he needs to strengthen his rejection muscle so he move forward without fear consistently, without telling himself stories.

I’ll close this article with a saying that another close personal friend shared with me and I love it because it will help to neutralize rejection and it’s stinging effects, the saying goes, “Some will, Some won’t, Who cares? Someone’s waiting!”

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“Eye On Marketing Audio Article”

there  is a quote by Goethe that I’d like you to ponder as you listen to this weeks audio article.

Quote begins - “Until one is committed
There is hesitancy, the chance to draw back
Always ineffectiveness.