The Right Way to Photo Sales

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