Get more photography clients with this simple message

Your potential clients have so much choice when it comes to selecting a photographer so it’s up to you to make it crystal clear why you're the best choice for them. Not only that, you need to do it as soon as they find you. In this video I’m going to show you how to craft a message that they’ll find irresistible.

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Positioning is vital if you want to be busy working with great clients

Positioning yourself as the photographer of choice for your dream client. Not the photographer of choice for just anyone.

A simple, effective way to position yourself in amongst the sea of local competition is with a brilliant positioning statement or brand message.

A message you can use anywhere and everywhere so that when your dream client stumbles across you and your business she literally can’t miss the fact that you’re a great fit for her needs.

So let’s get to work crafting this positioning message of yours, shall we?

Don’t worry as much about the structure of the message as the elements that are in it.

I recommend you include these four elements in your brand message:

1. A specific and flattering description of your dream client  
2. The main desire that you help them with   
3. What they gain from the experience   
4. The main concern that they don’t have to worry about if they choose you as their photographer

You’re going to begin by deciding on this specific, flattering description of your dream client. Something she’s going to want to be associated with. It needs to grab her so that she immediately says, ‘That’s me!’ or at least ‘I want that to me’.

So let’s say you’re a headshot or brand photographer.

Instead of saying you help ‘business owners’ you could use a better description than that. Something like ‘ambitious small business owners’ or ‘creative entrepreneurs’.

So let’s put that down and create a working example:

"I work with creative entrepreneurs."

Next up is to add in the main desire that you help them with

Again - specific is key. Describe the desire so that they say, ‘Hell yes! That’s what I want.”

So let’s think about that.

What’s one of the main desires a creative entrepreneur has when it comes to working with a photographer? A creative entrepreneur who really cares about the impression they make?

Most creative types care a lot about authenticity. They want their business to reflect who they are. The last thing they want is anything generic. But they also care very much about the quality of the creative work of others so I want to mention that too.

Let’s go with:

“I work with creative entrepreneurs to create exceptional and authentic brand images."

Next you want to add in what they gain from you delivering this desire

What happens as a result of working with you?

So for this, you want to go deeper into that desire of theirs. Why do they want these exceptional and authentic brand images? What will those images do for them?

A creative entrepreneur ultimately wants to grow their business - just like you do. They want to be the only choice for their dream client - just like you do.

So let’s go with:

“I work with creative entrepreneurs to create exceptional and authentic brand images that elevate their brand and boost sales."

And by the way - don’t doubt that that’s true. Great brand photography does result in higher conversions and sales. And show me a business owner who doesn’t want that?

Lastly, you’re going to add in the main concern they have about the experience.

When your dream client is considering hiring a photographer they have all sorts of concerns and anxiety about the situation. What are they? And which one is the biggie?

Creative entrepreneurs usually hate the thought of cringeworthy poses or cheesy setups. They want things to be natural and relaxed. So reassure them!

“I work with creative entrepreneurs to create exceptional and authentic brand images that elevate their brand and boost sales. This comes with a zero-cheese guarantee."

You can even put all of this into a formula...

I help/work with (specific, flattering description of dream client) to (main desire) that (what they gain from working with you) without (main concern).

This is a message that can basically go everywhere. It should be on your website, you should include it in your enquiry process, it should be clear across your marketing and you should certainly be using it when connecting with potential clients or partners in person.

The message you’ve crafted is a little too wordy for a tagline though. You know that large piece of text that really grabs you when you land on a website? But here’s what’s so cool. From this positioning message of yours - you’ll get a tag line too.

Now you can create a tagline from your positioning statement

Just condense it down even further and you’ll have a short, snappy piece of text to really grab your dream client and let her know she’s in the right place.

From my example above I could end up with a tagline like this:

'Exceptional and authentic brand imagery for creative entrepreneurs'

So now it’s your turn!

Use the formula to craft your photography brand message that helps you stand out from your competitors and show your dream client that you are the one to give her what she needs!

Want more tips like this to help you connect with GREAT clients? Sign up below and join me FREE for my Marketing Campaigns Class for Photographers!

And, I have another very helpful resource for you - if you don't already have a solid business plan in place, then this article is for you. It has a detailed walk-through of the nine steps you need to complete in order to create an actionable photography business plan.