| A photobuyer is searching for a photo of a | | | | YOUR MARKETING APPROACHSince the Internet |
| jack oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis), taken in | | | | offers access to thousands of picture |
| late fall or early winter, before the leaves | | | | suppliers, with files totaling millions of |
| have fallen. People should be in the | | | | images, you might surmise your marketing |
| picture, including teenagers (13-19 years | | | | approach should be to take pictures of |
| old), animated and enjoying the outdoors.Get | | | | everything in sight, and enter them onto a |
| used to it.The old adage, "once you've seen a | | | | website of your own. Big mistake.Put yourself |
| tree, you've seen 'em all," doesn't work | | | | in the photobuyer's shoes. She will seek out |
| anymore. Photobuyers are no longer satisfied | | | | an Internet site(s) that provides strong |
| with catalog shots of trees. For their | | | | coverage of "trees" (there are 66 species of |
| project in progress, your image will have to | | | | oak trees alone).If you keep this in mind, |
| complement the message of the text. If you | | | | and specialize, the Internet is going to make |
| haven't traveled through Minnesota, | | | | you a valuable resource to photobuyers in the |
| Wisconsin, or the upper peninsula of | | | | coming decade. They will be able to easily |
| Michigan, you're not going to have this image | | | | contact you directly, but they'll contact you |
| in your file. Get used to it.PICKY-PICKY | | | | because they'll be seeking content-specific |
| PICSPhotobuyers in the 80's and 90's weren't | | | | pictures. Start now to begin building your |
| picky-picky. They were usually satisfied | | | | stock photo files in a few choice vertical |
| with "something nearly on-target," because | | | | categories that have attraction for you (fly |
| readers didn't expect on-target | | | | fishing, orangutans, the Chesapeake Bay, |
| illustrations. Besides, a decade ago the | | | | rodeos, gliders, oak trees) -- whatever |
| methods available to try to locate a | | | | subjects wild horses couldn't pull you away |
| highly-specific picture were labor-intensive | | | | from.As for those general-category pictures |
| and costly. Today, photobuyers are more | | | | in your files? If they are high quality, you |
| selective. They know they can tap easily | | | | can place them with one of the micro stock |
| into highly specialized collections of | | | | agencies and figure on receiving a check once |
| photos, thanks to the Internet. If you don't | | | | in a while.A good rule to remember when |
| have the exact picture they need, they'll | | | | marketing your pictures: Photobuyers buy |
| quickly find someone who does.The photobuyer | | | | pictures, not because they like them, but |
| looking for a picture of Quercus | | | | because they need them.Rohn Engh is director |
| ellipsoidalis, may need such a picture just | | | | of PhotoSource International and publisher of |
| once. But if the photobuyer can find you, as | | | | PhotoStockNotes. Pine Lake Farm, 1910 35th |
| a tree specialist, on the Internet, and you | | | | Road, Osceola, WI 54020 USA. Telephone: 1 |
| have the picture, you've captured that sale. | | | | 800 624 0266 Fax: 1 715 248 7394. |