Flash Forward Branding & Marketing

An Introduction to�Branding and Marketing�

for Commercial Photographers �

Maria Luci & Sean Stone

Wonderful Machine

Background

Promotion = Branding + Marketing

Branding creating a memorable identity

for your photography

introducing that identity to appropriate clients

Marketing

Branding � � �

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Graphic identity (consistent use of logo, type, color, design)

Photographic identity (what kind of pictures do you make?)�

Stationery - business cards, letterhead, envelopes, labels

Print portfolio

E-mailers, Printed Mailers, Leave-Behinds

Web site, blog, social networking sites

Specialties

Style, point of view Audience

How do I choose my�photographic identity?

Photographic Identity

Websites

• Your website is not for you,

it’s for your clients!

Websites •  Large Images

•  Keep gallery small, images numbered — no more than 30 images per gallery

•  Static and intuitive navigation —make it clear which gallery you’re on

•  Clear branding

•  Coherent and logical portfolios/categories

•  Easy to find contact info — including your location

•  Clear and concise URL —preferably yourname.com or yournamephotos.com

•  Email address that is connected to your website —ex. maria@marialuciphotos.com - no info@ or contact@

Websites •  Easily updateable (update every 3-6 months)

•  Triple check for spelling and grammar

•  Link to your blog and social media

•  If images can be dragged off your site, label metadata with name, copyright and contact info

•  No music, No flashy intro, No splash page

•  Full window images are good, but don’t have site takeover screens

•  Make sure site’s copyright notice is current

Print Portfolios •  Update once a year

•  Should be visually consistent with site, but not a printed version of web portfolio

• Will be a conversation piece for face to face meetings, so if you can afford something impressive, do it.

•  Pick production materials that suit your style and brand

•  Huge number of options, prices, and levels of flexibility

Case Study�Leo Gong’s Portfolio

Case Study�Roger Snider’s Portfolio

Leave Behinds

Most get thrown away, so do anything you can to stand out…

•  Large, striking image

•  A small book, maybe a mini portfolio

•  Accordions are also cool

Terry Vine�

Lifestyle, Travel�Houston

Ways to market yourself: • Web site

•  Source books

•  Editorial Credits

•  Contests

•  Print Ads

•  Picture Agencies

•  Social Networking

• Mass Emails

•  Press Releases

•  Bulk Print Mailers

•  Reps

•  Individual Emails

•  Blogging

•  Targeted Print Mailers

•  Phone Calls

•  Portfolio Meetings

Mailing

Mass Print Mailers

•  Send out every 3-4 months

•  Target, target, target!

•  Hire a designer

• Maintain your brand identity

•  Keep it fresh! Don’t send out the same mailer twice

Mailing Mass Emailers

•  Send out every 1-2 months

•  Target your list!

•  Hire a designer

•  Make updateable and consistent with your branding

•  Use an email broadcasting service (to track results)

•  Keep it fresh – don’t send the same emailer out twice

Mailing Individual Emails • Send out whenever you have time

• Don’t send to the same person more than once a month

• Personalize each email in some way

• Try to create relationships

• Use catchy and relevant subject lines

Photographer�Directories�

Reps �

Picture Agencies �

Contests

List�Services �

•  ADBASE, Agency Access, Fresh Lists, Bikini Lists

•  Combine with your existing client list

•  Use to find and target the right clients for you

Email�Broadcasting�

Services�

Contact�Database�

Portfolio Meetings�

SEO�Can search engines find you?

Get connected.

Quick SEO Tips Minimize use of Flash (search engines can’t read it!)

Make sure context-appropriate and keyword-rich content is written on your site (needs to be able to be highlighted, copied by humans, and read by web crawlers)

Add ALT tags to EVERY photo on your site Ex: Keyword, Location, Name of Photographer or Business:

Conceptual Photography New York, NY Maria Luci Photography

Aerial Photographer San Francisco, CA Sean Stone Photography

Links, links, links!

Blog your heart out — about appropriate and interesting content

Most Important Marketing Tool:

Word of Mouth

Desired result of good branding & marketing

Desired result of good branding & marketing

For the client: build a level of comfort so that they’re willing to take a chance on you

Desired result of good branding & marketing

For the client: build a level of comfort so that they’re willing to take a chance on you

For the photographer: work with clients who are right for you

Judging the effectiveness of your branding/marketing.�

Judging the effectiveness of your branding/marketing.�

What’s working? What isn’t?�

Judging the effectiveness of your branding/marketing.�

What’s working? What isn’t?�

Where is your web traffic coming from? �

Judging the effectiveness of your branding/marketing.�

What’s working? What isn’t?�

Where is your web traffic coming from? �

Where are your assignments coming from?�

Judging the effectiveness of your branding/marketing.�

What’s working? What isn’t?�

Where is your web traffic coming from? �

Where are your assignments coming from?�

Are you attracting the right clients?�

Get out there! •  In the end… the most important thing is to get out

there and show your work

•  Don’t let unfinished branding be an excuse

•  If you’re book is 90% done, start showing it!

•  Send the emails, make the follow ups

•  Your dedication to marketing directly relates to your success as a photographer!

Copy of Presentation

Visit www.wonderfulmachine.com/blog

Email maria@wonderfulmachine.com