You’ve found your target audience, got your pitch nailed, and are ready to start booking engagements. But how? There are many photographers out there, and they all seem to be after the same small pool of clients. How do you stand out from the crowd? The wedding photography business is competitive but doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s not just about who can come up with the best angles or find the most photogenic couples. You can set yourself apart by thinking like a marketer. You need to understand what drives your potential customers into buying – their emotions, anxieties, aspirations, and concerns – and cater your services accordingly. Here are some ways how to get more wedding photography clients without breaking a sweat:

 

Communicate value upfront

 

The cash-strapped millennials are a tough bunch to crack. They’re frugal, they’re choosy, and they’re very skeptical of marketing claims. You have to communicate value upfront, or else you risk losing them at the very beginning. There are a few ways to go about this. First, you have to position yourself as an expert. You don’t have to come off as pompous or arrogant, but you need to exude the confidence that you know what you’re doing. Second, you have to create an aspirational value proposition. What kind of couple do you want to attract? What kind of wedding do you want to shoot? A wedding photographer’s job isn’t just about clicking the shutter. It’s about creating memorable moments. To the millennials, that means creating moments that are genuine that are real.

 

Network like crazy

 

You’re not going to get all your wedding photography clients from your online presence, no matter how great it is. You’re not going to get them from your website, your social media presence, or your blog posts. Yes, these are great places to attract ideal clients, but these are all one-way conversations. You’re talking to your potential clients, but they’re not talking back. Those who are ready to buy are going to be talking to you in person. Yes, you have to network like crazy. Attend as many bridal expos as you can. Join wedding-related clubs, associations, and groups. Hit up your alma mater’s alumni association and find out if there are any bridal associations on campus. Offer to shoot free engagement shoots and weddings for your friends, family members, and colleagues.

 

Be an authentic match for your audience

 

The key to booking more wedding photography clients is to find an audience that’s an exact match for you. You can do this by figuring out how you can cater to them even before they know they need your services. You can do this by finding out where they hang out, what they read, and what they talk about. Finding your target audience is less about what you’re offering and more about who you are. It’s not about what you have to say but what others are saying. You can find potential customers by reading forums, blogs, and online magazines that cater to your target audience. You can also find them using tools like Google Trends and Adwords Trends to find out what people are searching for on the internet.

 

Offer a risk-free trial

 

You want to turn your potential clients into paying customers, but you don’t want to scare them away by coming off too salesy. You want to turn them into raving fans, but you don’t want to pressure them into signing on the dotted line. How can you accommodate both sides? Offer a risk-free trial. This shows that you’re confident with your work and that you’re not interested in pressuring your potential clients into signing a contract they aren’t 100% sure about. A risk-free trial is a great way of lowering the barrier to entry and getting your services into the hands of more people. People are more likely to commit to a service if they’ve already experienced it, even if it’s just a free trial.

 

Be flexible with your services and packages

 

Customers aren’t interested in the nitty-gritty details. They don’t care if you shoot on digital or film. Use a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, or shoot with natural light or studio flash. These are details that matter to photographers, but they don’t matter to wedding clients. It’s like the old adage goes – people don’t buy items; they buy solutions to their problems. Therefore, you have to be flexible with your services and packages. You have to give your potential clients the option to customize their services according to their needs. By being flexible, you’re showing that you’re willing to adapt to your client’s needs and that you’re not just interested in making a quick buck.

 

Offer a Premium Service at a Good Price

 

Most wedding photographers will charge a premium price for their services. Still, the trick is to offer a premium service at a good price. You don’t have to be the cheapest wedding photographer in town. But you do have to prove why you charge what you charge. You have to ensure that you’re offering a service above and beyond most other wedding photographers. You have to prove that you’re worth the price. Most wedding photographers will offer a service where they’ll show up on the day of the wedding, take some shots of the bride, groom, and guests, and then leave. You can stand out from the crowd by offering a service where you take shots throughout the entire day. You can capture pre-wedding shots, shots at the ceremony, and any other shots during the day.

 

Ask for Test Shoots Before the Wedding Day

 

Another way to stand out from the crowd when offering your wedding photography services is to ask for a test shoot before the wedding day. Be careful here, though, as you don’t want to come off like you’re desperate for work. You can offer to shoot a friend or family member’s wedding and then ask if they could use you as a secondary photographer for their wedding. You can then use their wedding as a test shoot of your skills as a wedding photographer. You have to make sure that you don’t take away from the paid photographer during the test shoot. You should be taking photos of anything that they’re not. You can use the photos that you’ve taken at the test shoot to put on your wedding photography portfolio and website. This is a great way to build your portfolio and get more wedding photography clients.

 

Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate and up Your Rates

 

To stand out from the crowd, you must be prepared to negotiate with your clients. You also have to be prepared to up the rates you’re charging. You have to be prepared to negotiate with your clients when they come to you, asking for a lower rate. Some will offer you a low rate, expecting you to be happy with it. You can always negotiate and ask for a higher rate. If a client is offering you a low rate and thinks you’re worth more, then you have to negotiate a higher rate. If a client offers you a low rate and you’re not happy with it, then you can negotiate for a higher rate. Or if a client offers you a low rate and you aren’t happy with it, you can up your rates.

 

Conclusion

 

Getting more wedding photography clients doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s not just about who can come up with the best angles or find the most photogenic couples. You can set yourself apart by thinking like a marketer. You need to understand what drives your potential customers into buying – their emotions, anxieties, aspirations, and concerns – and cater your services accordingly. You can do this by finding out where they hang out, what they read, and what they talk about. It’s not about what you’re offering but what others are saying.