4 Tips for Making a Lasting Impression with Photo Clients

December 1, 2014

By Zenfolio

Sponsored by Zenfolio

Whether it’s on your website or in a directory listing, how you present your photography business online is crucial when it comes to booking a new client. Minnesota-based photographer Shelley Paulson has been shooting professionally for eleven years, and she showcases her warm, Midwestern-influenced style of wedding and portrait photography on Photographer Central to help grow her business. Follow her four tips to make sure you’re wowing your prospective clients and making a memorable connection.

1. Boost Your SEO
Clients won’t remember you if they can’t even find you. Optimize every online channel you have for SEO so that you’re showing up in search results. Most web-hosting providers have this feature built into their product so you never actually have to worry about getting your pages indexed yourself. There are also directories like Photographer Central that do all of the SEO work for you. After completing the easy set-up process, the Photographer Central team works on driving traffic to the site and getting more exposure for your photography business.

2. Showcase Multiple Shoots
When sharing your portfolio online, demonstrate your wide range of skills and artistic abilities by sharing images from more than one shoot. If prospective clients only view images of the same subject against the same background all with similar lighting, your breadth of experience will hardly come through. A wide range of variety lets a client know that their photo shoot isn’t going to be an exact replica of someone else’s and will assure them that the results of their shoot will be unique, personalized, and special. Sharing shots from multiple jobs also conveys that you’ve had more than one client. Show your experience to clients so they’re sure their pictures will come out just as amazing.

3. Limit Your Genres
You might be adept at shooting in seven different categories, but someone looking through incredibly different portfolios in one place might become overwhelmed. If you specialize in boudoir sessions and high school senior portraits, don’t combine the two because it lessens the impact of your portfolio as a whole by confusing the overall aesthetic. Consider separating each genre out into separate sections or pages so that clients can choose to only look at the ones they’re most interested in. On Photographer Central, you have the ability to publish up to five separate listings in a single account. Use each one to display a unique portfolio.

4. Don’t Skimp on Styles
Whether you shoot in photojournalistic, black and white, with natural light, or more, clients benefit from seeing examples of your entire range. For clients who aren’t aware of the differences, doing this can actually help them realize their style preferences, and better communicate that when it’s time for a consultation. Photographer Central listings allow you to select which styles you shoot so clients easily sort according to their own preferences, allowing you to connect with clients who are looking for your exact set of skills.

As a professional photographer, marketing and advertising your business can turn into its own full-time gig. Make sure you have the time and energy to focus on your art by taking advantage of the resources out there that can alleviate some of your burden. Photographer Central is the directory that lets you utilize all of these tips and make a great impression on your next client.

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*Promotional code expires on December 31, 2014.