Photography Business If your images are a very good standard and you are making a few quid from a few jobs on the side, maybe its time to consider taking the plunge of entering the world of the professional. Before you start you need to take a look at what is involved in running your own business and learn how to promote it properly.
If no one knows about you no one will give you work as a photographer and no one will buy your images. The following article is a guide to setting up a photography business and the promotion that will be needed to succeed.
For any individual or group setting up a photography business the first and most important area to cover is promotion and marketing. This is the key to success and the more marketing you do the higher the chance that you will succeed.
Once you have set up a business with your accountant, the first thing needed is to create business cards and promotional material. This material should have all your photography details and the services that you offer. Place as much promotional material as possible in local businesses.
Local businesses will nearly always help if you are not competing with them. This is a great form of free advertisement. Many supermarkets have notice boards and allow local businesses to use them. Libraries will always let you put up some type of advertisement. And, of course the web is an escalating place for self-promotion.
Most businesses have a website and your business will look more professional with one. Your website does not have to be too large, five or six pages may be large enough but do have the following pages: contact page, services page, and a portfolio page.
Depending on the type of photography you do, I would advise that you hold regular galleries if you sell prints. This will lead to sales and may also give you free advertisement in your local press.
Many new businesses today advertise in their local newspaper. My advice to you is that if you are using this medium be careful, as it is a costly means of marketing and you could spend a lot with very little in return.
It is very important to keep records of every thing you do. Try to find out from clients where they heard about you. This will help you to understand what type of marketing work best.
Don?t ever take on a job that you cannot do. This will give you a bad name and harm your business. Word of mouth will help your business and in some cases this could be the best means of getting work.
Every business needs to make a profit. One of the most important items to work out with a new photography business are the rates that you are going to charge. If you are too expensive you won?t get work. If you are too cheap your business may struggle. Before you do a job you must take everything into account, and make sure that you are charging enough to cover costs, have a wage, and make some profit.
