| Want To Improve your Photo Sales? Here Are | | | | |
| Seven Marketing Mistakes To Avoid."Why Do I | | | | Most entry level stock photographers fail |
| See Others Photos Published -- | | | | because they go after the "photos that sell", |
| | | | not necessarily the ones they love |
| Yet Mine Are Better?"My cousin in Texas told | | | | photographing.SPECIALIZE |
| me she wanted to get into stock photography | | | | |
| and hoped to start selling to magazine and | | | | When you try to be all things to all people |
| book publishers. When I visited her a couple | | | | in the publishing world, the photobuyer's |
| of years ago, she brought out an album of her | | | | reaction is: "No one can be that good!" |
| outdoor and travel photography. "People have | | | | Discover your photographic strength areas, |
| told me these pictures are as good as the | | | | and go for them. Most entry-level stock |
| ones they see published in magazines and | | | | photographers go have the whole pie rather |
| books. What do you think ?""Before I look at | | | | than the piece of the pie. |
| the pictures, let me see your marketing | | | | |
| methods," I said."My what?"If you are | | | | Become a specialist. don't photograph |
| interested in seeing your credit line in | | | | everything you see. you'll burn out. Stay |
| national magazines and books, and you can | | | | within a "segment" and become an expert in |
| produce excellent images, the following will | | | | your area(s) of interest. Learn to speak the |
| be helpful to you.We all know that trying to | | | | language of your interest areas. You'll |
| sell excellent umbrellas on a dry day is | | | | become a valuable resource to a certain group |
| difficult. Even the inferior ones will sell | | | | of photobuyers out there. If wild horses |
| during a downpour.The engine that drives the | | | | can't pull you away from your goals, you'll |
| selling process for stock photographers is | | | | succeed. You'll fail or get bored if you aim |
| fueled by effective marketing methods.Over | | | | for only those markets that 'pay well'.FOR |
| the years, I've looked at dozens of | | | | SOUL NOT FOR SALE |
| collections of superb photos gathering dust | | | | |
| in a shoe box. One important element stood | | | | Writer's rarely publish their poetry and |
| between those pictures being published and | | | | even rarer is getting paid for it. In the |
| remaining in the shoe box: skillful marketing | | | | stock photography field, don't expect your |
| techniques.I've noticed that the | | | | 'artsy' pictures to sell. Consider them your |
| photographers who succeed at selling to the | | | | poetry. Ask yourself next time you're taking |
| book and magazine industry are those that | | | | (making) a picture, "Is this for sale or is |
| have developed a strategy for selling, which | | | | it for soul?" |
| today we call, marketing.We've heard of the | | | | |
| photographer who hit the jackpot with the | | | | Spend Sundays to take pictures that feed |
| sale of one photo for use on a billboard or | | | | your soul, take the marketable pictures |
| an advertising campaign. This is rare. Your | | | | during the week to feed the family.PASSING |
| best bet to break into the stock photo field | | | | THROUGH |
| is the book and magazine industry.The | | | | |
| photography budget for a medium-size | | | | Give the appearance that you are a |
| publishing house is between $20,000 and | | | | 'permanent' resident. Most creative people |
| $40,000 monthly. For a major publisher, it's | | | | have a tendency to change their address once |
| twice that amount. Stock photographers who | | | | every five or six years. Photobuyers have a |
| are consistent at selling their photos have | | | | tendency to shy away from the vagabond, the |
| learned to identify certain markets that | | | | wanderers, no matter how talented they might |
| match their own areas of interest. Once they | | | | be. Buying photos is a business and they |
| become a "regular" at the publishing house, | | | | want you to be businesslike in their dealings |
| they receive a steady stream of photo | | | | with you, and that means being 'reachable' |
| requests and assignments.Want to improve your | | | | five days before deadline. Get an e-mail |
| marketing methods? Here are seven marketing | | | | address and stick with it.LOOKING LIKE A |
| mistakes to avoid.CREATE FIRST THEN FIND A | | | | BEGINNER |
| MARKET | | | | |
| | | | If you appear to be 'just starting out' |
| Number one is probably the most oft-repeated | | | | photobuyers will pass you on by. They don't |
| marketing mistake. Creative people tend to | | | | have the time to hold your hand or "train" |
| produce their product first and then attempt | | | | you. They'd rather spend their time with |
| to find a market for it. This is a recipe | | | | someone who is "hassle-free". You should |
| for disaster. The Boulevard of Broken Dreams | | | | give the appearance of looking like a pro. |
| is strewn with bodies of creative people who | | | | Build a quality website. Correspond on |
| never learned: "Find the market first, and | | | | quality stationery, labels, and envelopes. |
| then create for that market." | | | | |