In my last blog I talked about some guidelines I follow when at a client’s space shooting for their social media feeds. I also covered some of the expectations the client may have that may be a bit different than shoots you’ve worked in the past. If you’re interested in picking up social stock clients, I suggest you first read my post about how to shoot for them, here.
With the explosion of social media and it’s strong ties to marketing, it’s no surprise that companies of all sizes are looking to stand out online against their competitors. A well-considered image is likely to steal more than a moment’s glance from feeds cluttered with bland mobile phone snapshots, but it’s getting your camera in the door that can prove a bit more difficult. Continue reading for tips on connecting with businesses and how to shoot for their social feeds.
Carefully Curate at Least One of Your Social Channels
If you’d like to be considered for this type of work, you’ll benefit from presenting at least one of your feeds with the type of quality images that you’d like to create for a future client. I’m not suggesting a carbon copy of your portfolio but a space for a more refined selection of your work that feels a bit less casual than a personal Facebook page. I like to use my Instagram feed for this and I think it’s the obvious choice given it’s image-centric design. I recommend adding location info and relevant hashtags to your shots, especially if they showcase any interesting aspect of a business or product. Don’t be afraid to have diversity in your feed. It’s fine to mix genres, just be sure that the images you post are shots representative of your skill and the type of work you’re seeking.
Be an Advocate
If you’ve identified a business that you have a particular interest in working with, you might consider sharing a photo related to that business and mentioning them in a positive light. Use location tagging like I mentioned above and tag the account. Write a line or two about what makes the business stand apart from competition. This is an opportunity to not only show off your photographic skill but to also show your interest in the prospect’s success.
Network
It’s not uncommon for business owners to be friendly with other business owners in their area. Your relationship with the management of the business should dictate whether or not you ask for referrals directly. Another way to reach related businesses is by studying the social feeds that your customers follow and comment on. When out pitching your services, your time will be better spent if you can reference work you’ve done for clients that you know your prospects are familiar with. Furthermore, it gives you and your prospect something to talk about other than the “sale.”
Shoot a Test Session
My last tip is something I’d recommend for shooters who are new to creating social media stock and lack a set of images to use as examples. When breaking in to this type of work it may be necessary to offer a short test shoot. Consider offering an edited image or two for the prospect to post to their social media accounts. In my experience a quality image tends to garner more likes and comments than typical mobile phone snapshots. Clients crave that type of engagement from their followers, so if your test shot becomes their most “liked” post, a session in the future should be a no-brainer.
While no two businesses are exactly alike, it’s safe to say that all businesses are interested in their performance on social media. I hope that this blog helps you on your path to land clients and shoot a genre of photography that I find to be both challenging and a lot of fun.
Read Andy’s past posts here.
