What is Personal Brand Photography?

Personal brand photography is a type of photography where the images are used for branding, specifically branding the person as an entrepreneur, coach or influencer.

Personal Brand Photography: How to get photography clients

In our increasingly digital world, personal branding photography is more important than ever before. People want to know who exactly they’re engaging with, who they’re supporting, who they’re buying products from.

That’s where personal brand photography comes in. When done right, it helps content creators and businesses communicate their story and personality, helping them form a real connection to their audience. 

So, there’s definitely a clear market out there for amazing, engaging personal brand photographers just like you. But how can you start landing personal brand photography clients?  Here are some tried and true tips that’ll get you working with influencers and entrepreneurs in no time.  (And if you're looking for a marketing template to help you book more personal brand clients click here. )

1.  Choose Your Ideal Client for Your Personal Brand Photography Business

You might be thinking if you're a personal brand photographer then your ideal client is someone who needs personal brand photos. Yes and no. There are all different types of potential photography clients for the personal brand photography niche.  Take some time to identify your ideal client. Are you hoping to work with small businesses? Influencers? Entrepreneurs? Do you love photographing products? Is your style fun and colorful, or more moody and artistic? What age group will you target? Will you target men or women? Will you focus on a particular industry? The more specific you can get about your dream client, the better.

Knowing a lot about your target client will help you know how to find them and where you should focus your marketing efforts. For example, if you’re targeting business professionals, maybe you’ll be able to find them on LinkedIn or Alignable. If you’re targeting bloggers, look for them on Pinterest. If you’re targeting influencers, look to Instagram to connect with them.

2.  Personal Brand Photography: Build Your Photography Portfolio

No matter who your ideal client is, they’ll definitely want to see some examples of your work before committing to you! You'll want to build your photography portfolio and make sure it includes your the type of client you're trying to attract before marketing your photography. This might mean creating a styled personal brand photoshoot just to build your portfolio. 

If you know someone who is similar to your ideal client, reach out to them and ask if you can take some brand photos for them. Consider offering them a session at a discounted rate as a portfolio investment. (But resist the urge to offer it to them for free — they won’t be as committed or invested in the shoot as they will be if they do pay for it.)

If you can’t find someone to help build your personal branding portfolio, consider hiring a model or someone who is similar to your ideal client and set up a styled shoot. Create an image of your ideal client using props that your ideal client would use. Don’t skimp on the details!

3.  Personal Brand Photography: Market Your Personal Brand Photoshoots

Once you’ve got a portfolio that’s ready to show off, start marketing your personal brand photography sessions. Create useful content to show your potential clients, such as a personal branding welcome guide.  You could include a checklist of what they should look for in a personal brand photographer or tips on how to plan the perfect personal brand photography shoot. If you need some pre-written content for personal brand photographers you can find it here. Promote that content on the social media platforms where your ideal client spends the most time. Invite them to sign up for your email list. Start a conversation with them that can lead to securing an in-person consultation and then booking them.

4. Personal Brand Photography: Make an Offer They Can’t Refuse

When you do meet with a potential client, help them see exactly what they need and then offer it to them.

Get to know your client well enough to know what sort of photography package would help them most to reach their goals.  Offer multiple packages and session styles catered to different needs. For example, if you’re targeting a blogger or instagram influencer, they likely need a large volume of updated photos on a regular basis. Consider creating a subscription offer if they sign up for quarterly sessions and give them a customized rate. This is a great way to get reliable income from your photography business. 

5. Personal Brand Photography: Blog with Social Sharing in Mind

Blogging is a great way to get FREE traffic to your website. Be sure to use keywords relevant to the type of personal branding clients you would like to book. Include your local keywords and make sure the images you use in your posts are named properly so they can be found in the search engines.  Once you have your blog posts you can easily share them to your social media accounts. Want even more exposure to your blog? Send an e-mail out to your subscribers whenever you publish a new post inviting them to read it. Ask them to comment on it too. 

Once you identify your ideal client as specifically as possible, build a strong portfolio, devote ample time to marketing, and get to know each potential client’s needs, you’ll  be well on your way to landing personal branding clients and helping them tell their unique story. After all, there are plenty of businesses, entrepreneurs, and influencers out there looking for exactly what you can provide them. You just need to search for them, and be ready to provide them amazing work when you find them!

Here are some more resources:

• Why Brand Photography is Important

(Photo above courtesy Shelby Rae Photos)