If you haven’t started using a marketing magazine for your business, you may want to consider getting it started!  So many photographers see the magazines, but don’t understand how to use them for their own businesses.  I want to show you why you absolutely should be using them and how!

Click here to view a sample magazine.

1.  Shows professionalism.  Anytime you have a marketing piece to share with customers (instead of just emails) it shows that you are a professional and not just a mom with a camera.  I could actually end this whole post with just this one main reason.  It is reason enough.  If you don’t have an actual brick and mortar store front, then all your clients know about you is what they find online.   You have to show you’re a real professional through your online presence and this helps take you there.

2.  It’s super impressive.  Your goal is to wow your clients. Which would you be more impressed with, an email answering all of your questions one at a time, or a gorgeous visual feast showcasing amazing photos and answering all of your questions and more?

3.  Sets you apart from your competition.  Especially if you are in a highly saturated market, this is one thing that will set you apart from all of the other photographers around you.  Sweet!

4.  Answers all their questions and more.  Does saving time sound good to you?  What a fantastic way to meet your clients needs. 

5.  Allows you to ask for higher prices.   Because it builds your professional credibility, you are going to have more value for the client.  Let’s compare a Macy’s department store to a street stand.  Both may sell the same product, but Macy’s offers an incredible experience to shopping when compared to the street stand.  You want to offer your clients an incredible experience too, and the better the experience, the easier it is for them to see your value and pay more.

There are 2 ways I recommend using the marketing magazines.  The first way is as a way to introduce yourself and share about your company, prices, and more.

Start by placing a link to the magazine on your website.  You should have much of the same information available on your site, but that’s not the point.  It’s such an impressive piece that when potential clients view it, they think - “Wow!  She’s amazing!”   How many friends do you know that have a magazine all about their business?

Then, once a client emails you to inquire about your services, this is the best time to send them a digital copy.  Your email can say something like this:  “Thanks so much for reaching out to me.  All of your answers and more can be found in the magazine found here, check out p. 8 specifically.  Let me know if you have any further questions or are ready to get on my calendar, I would love to work with you!”   And of course you are sending them a link to your magazine.

After they book an appointment with you and have paid a deposit, then you can consider them an official client and send them a physical copy of the magazine.  This is a fantastic way to build their excitement about the session (which gets them talking to their friends).  It also serves as a marketing piece for you.  Imagine your magazine on coffee tables in all the homes in your area!  What a great conversation piece and a fantastic way to build your brand!  It will be worth the few dollars it takes to print them.

Once you have this system down, you may also want to make a second magazine that showcases all of your products.  Include your price list on one page, an article about quality prints on another page, another article on how to display the images and maybe one on when to choose canvas or other types of products.  Then load the magazine with images of your pictures in some of client’s homes.   Include pictures of your products hung in nurseries, hallways, around a family image, and even as a gift print on Daddy’s desk.  When your client can see images of how other homes have displayed their images, it will be easier for them to visualize it in their own home.  The goal here is to have your client salivating, (tee hee)!  And what a great way to showcase the possibilities they have for their own order.  

Let me ask you this, if you were the client would you rather receive a price sheet with a list of packages or a full layout magazine as described above with numerous ideas on how to hang and display the pictures?  Which method do you think sells more?

You can use this sales magazine in your in-person sales appointments, or if you don’t meet with them one on one, simply send a copy to them after they see their finals.  It is a very strong tool to help them choose their order. Even if you only sell digital images, this magazine will help you build more print sales!

I recommend that you host the completed version of your magazine on flipsnack.

You can print your magazine with most labs including WHCC and even Kinko’s.  Just call ahead and make sure their price works with your needs.  The more you order, usually the lower your price is, so you may want to order 6-12 months worth at a time.