Marketing tips for wedding photographers who want to book ideal clients.
There is a lot of talk about “authenticity” and “ideal clients” in marketing. But, what exactly does that mean? Because, when you are building a wedding photography business, it can be hard to just figure out the best ways to put your talent in front of couples—let alone get really sophisticated with your messaging. But there is one way to market your business that stands out to me (and I think will be impactful for you). And, that is to meet your clients “where they are.” Keep reading if you’re interested in learning more and incorporating this into your marketing plan!
You have to understand your ideal clients first
When you’re just starting out as a wedding photographer and trying to book your first clients, it’s common to take any couple you can get. But, over time, you start to learn more about what you’re best at, what you enjoy the most as well as who the couples are that you click with. When you find yourself at this intersection, it’s time to really understand who your ideal clients are.
The reason this is so important is because you can’t “meet them where they are” if you don’t fully understand them as people. That means you have to understand how they live their lives and what they envision for their wedding—but you also have to know what challenges they are facing and the solutions they are seeking. Getting to a place where you can anticipate their needs and attract them as clients takes time, but it starts by asking the right questions and listening to their answers. And I don’t mean high level listening—you need to let your couples speak more than you do because it’s a problem if you’re always dominating the conversation.
Once you start to better understand who your ideal clients are as people, document the details in a “customer map” so you can reference them and let them guide your marketing decisions. Here is what goes into a basic customer map to get you started:
- A description of who they are as a person (i.e. their demographics)
- Notes about their personality
- Information about what motivates them
- Your thoughts (or real data) about where they go for research and information
- Details about what their challenges are when it comes to wedding planning and/or finding a photographer
- Your thoughts (or real data) about which services are best for them and why they solve their problem
Create your marketing plan
Once you’ve excavated the details about your ideal couples, you can create a plan to “meet them where they are.” Which, in practice, means creating a marketing plan. Take some time to review your customer map and think about where you should actively put your business—knowing that the most effective way to book more clients is by being on and in the places they are. Are your ideal couples researching on Pinterest? Doing Google searches? Asking their friends and family for referrals? Saving reels or following accounts on Instagram? Ask yourself these questions and pick 1-3 places to regularly show up for them on.
Mind your messaging
Now that we’ve gotten this far, it’s time to talk about refinement. Because, just having a marketing plan isn’t enough—the most effective marketing happens when you are saying the right things, to the right people, at the right time. And, if you’ve worked with at least a few engaged couples, you know they have very specific needs and concerns. Your goal should be to speak directly to those needs and concerns because it helps you build trust. So focus your website copy, blog posts, social media captions, and short-form video content on saying the words they need to hear.
In the end, people want to feel seen and heard. And, if you accomplish that, you’ve successfully met them where they are. But remember, not all couples are the right fit, and you might not be the best wedding photographer for them—that’s fine. Just keep building your business around your ideal clients, and it will pay off in spades.
If you’re finding it to be a little too hard to put yourself in front of your ideal clients at the right time, let’s chat! We can explore your options and develop a plan that helps you overcome roadblocks—in a way that is holistic to everything you’re building. Learn more about my photography mentorship packages and let’s get you on a path forward.
