Planting Seeds in Your Business

So many photographers make the mistake of believing posting to social media is all the marketing they need to do. The reality is, your marketing plan needs so much more.

This time of year has gardens on the brain for me, and I couldn't help but make the analogy that marketing is not too different from planting a garden.

There are short cuts in both. We can plant annuals. They'll come up quickly, and bloom the first year we plant them, but next year? Next year they're nowhere to be found. Think of sales, discounts, and short term fixes to get the next job. These might be a bandaid solution, but they can't be your entire garden (marketing plan).

Then consider planting perennial seeds. These take a lot more patience and faith in the process. You're not going to see much from these plants the first year. Sometimes you don't see a single bloom until the third year. But when they take root, you better believe they will be back each year. And the beauty of perennials is, once they get established, you can count on them year after year, needing very little maintenance from you.

So while many marketing plans include "annuals", they should not be something you rely heavily on year round. I would say, those promotions, sales, special offers, and deep discounts, need to be used sparingly. If you are willing to put in the time, making face to face connections with potential clients, network with businesses who share your target demographic, and nurture your current following, you will find that over time, you've built a brand in which your clients have deeper trust, and more loyalty to, than if you are running your business from one promotion to the next.

If you've made it this far, let me share two ways that I have personally done this recently in my own business.

1. A local children's book shop, who attracts the same demographic that normally hires me, was looking for volunteers to read at their weekly story time. I signed up, connected on a deeper level with the shop owner (who is also in my target demographic), and met a lot of new parents and their kids. They got to see first hand how I interracted with their children, and my personality. I even brought along a polaroid camera so their kids could take their own photos and bring them home. I had parents stop me as I was leaving to say they have been following me on instagram for years and were so happy to finally meet me. Other parents posted photos of their kids polaroid snaps and tagged me. While none of these people may book me this year, I would bet money some will eventually.

2. I recently began to expand the school photography side of my business and reached out to several local Montessori preschools. Again, I can just about guarantee that the parents of these kids fit my target. The first school that booked me was deceptively small. It turns out they only had 4 kids! Going in, I knew this job wouldn't be a cash cow, but still worth doing. I was right. I was able to deliver the school photos the same day (which thrilled parents and the director) and obliged when the school director asked if I could take some updated headshots of her while I was there. She was over the moon, bought a large digital package the same day, posted them to her instagram, tagged me, and that day I got about 10 new followers, former parents of her school mostly from what I could tell, so my target demo. Will any of these parents book me this year? Maybe, maybe not, but the director told me they had much higher enrollment numbers coming in for the fall, and she has already scheduled their next picture day.

   
   

So I hope you're able to get creative and find ways to plant seeds like these in your business this spring. I'd love to hear your plans! I have a list of 18 ideas that could help you get your garden beds all ready before busy season takes off! Download it here.