Real advertisement:
I specialize in newborns, babies, children, families, senior photos, maternity, family gatherings, birthday parties and engagement sessions.
Wouldn’t it have just been easier to say “I do everything but weddings.” ?
This probably seems nit-picky. But really, all the things I’m telling you on Wootness! are the little details of advice that collectively differentiate the amateur from the professional. You can go ahead and ignore this advice and do what you want, but wouldn’t you rather ship-shape the place up and give off the eau de profesionalism? I thought so. Continuing on…
Please don’t try to be a jack of all trades. If your “I specialize in” list looks like the above, please revamp it. Objectively look at your work, what do you do the BEST? What type of sessions bring you the most JOY? What type of clients seem the HAPPIEST?
Have you heard the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none. ” ? Think about that. When you advertise like the above, the perception will be that you’re really not that good at any particular type of photography, but you’re passable in all areas.
I don’t want to be “passable,” do you?
I specialize in actor headshots and theatrical production photography. So much so, that I don’t even put that on my website. I get a lot of word of mouth advertising in these areas. Generally, I say I photograph portraits, weddings and events.
Pick 1 – 3 “specialities.” If you don’t really have any yet and your list looks like the above, try “general portraiture” or “family & children portraits” or “family groups & events.”
Take a look at the impression you give about the things you say about yourself and your work. Sometimes your words can achieve the opposite effect of what you intended.
Are you SURE my website isn’t your inspiration??? (don’t go look at it! Its in the process of getting a MAJOR face-lift! Thank you, Wootness!) What I’m trying to figure out is what I should specialize in. I enjoy them all. I LOVE photographing children, but I also LOVE engagements and bridals. I’m scared that if I limit myself I’ll get bored (because I do this with almost everything else) and I enjoy the different routes I can make my brain take for the different types of photography. Hmmmm…certainly something to think about. I have this amazing group of about 8 girlfriends that I’m sure would love to sit down with me and hash it out 😉 Still loving my Wootness! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi Melissa – No, I’m not looking at your website, silly chic! I’m not saying to limit yourself, I’m saying to only advertise that you specialize in certain things. You can say “I do all types of photography, but I specialize in tiny tots (children) and love story (engagement & bridal) portraiture.” See? If you say you specialize in 20 different things – well that’s just unbelievable and your potential clients will be saying “yeah, right.” YKWIM?
Beautimous!
No. Wootness!
I’m slightly guilty of this. Just waiting for my stock of business cards to dwindle a bit so I can get rid of them without feeling like I’m wasting them!
I really only do families, children and seniors and that’s by choice and necessity. I’d also like to move into corporate head shots, as well. My back can’t handle weddings and events. But it is so hard to explain to people because they tend to think all photogs do weddings.
Oh Twila – just ditch those cards and change things up. I regularly throw away partial boxes of cards. Do you really want to pass out a bunch of cards that advertise you in a way you no longer wish to be advertised? At most you will be throwing away $10. Go for it and skip the mocha latte tomorrow and you’ll be square. 😉