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Headshot photography requires a good eye for composition and a strong understanding of light and color, as well as the ability to work with and guide subjects to get the best possible results.
There are many factors to consider when taking headshots, including the purpose of the photo, the subject's appearance and personality, the location and lighting, and the desired mood and style. A good headshot photographer will be able to help their clients choose the right elements to create a headshot that reflects their unique qualities and meets their specific needs. Whether for business or personal use, a great headshot can make a big difference in how a person is perceived and can help them stand out in a crowded field.
Professional headshot photography is a must for adults, professionals and even students. For example, my daughter is applying for scholarships for college and often they will require headshot photos to be submitted with the application.
Capture that audience through the proper marketing channels and you can increase your bottom line in your photography business.
If you are a headshot photographer looking to advertise your corporate headshots, then these headshot photography marketing tips are for you!
The Headshot Photography Welcome Guide Template is designed to be the most effective way to market headshot photography in print collateral. It’s a custom portfolio that is small enough to give away and for potential clients to take with them. Show your entire range of headshots. Each type of business will have a different feel for what type of headshots they are looking for.
Healthcare professionals will most likely wear formal business attire, while creative agencies may choose outdoor shots that showcase each individuals personality. Magazines and photographer welcome guides are a great way to show your range of photography skills. Maybe you only do formal headshots or you prefer only to work with creative agencies. Let your headshot welcome guide brand your business and the point you in the direction of your ideal clients.
Everything from the colors and fonts to the words on the page will help you land your ideal client. Keep them in mind when you choose the photos to feature in your headshot photography welcome guide and when you write headlines.
One of the major benefits of marketing headshot photography with magazines and photography welcome guides is that they are small enough to mail without losing any of the quality. One way to capture new business is to send out your headshot magazine to businesses and agencies in your area. Target them by type. Remember, if your work is less formal and more creative, stick to companies that are similar to you.
Examples of places to send your headshots magazine are:
It is also a great photography marketing template for marketing for corporate headshots.
When starting a headshot photography business, take a look at your Linked In connections. Have you noticed how old or inappropriate those headshots are for almost 90% of your connections? Take your magazine and create it as a PDF. Send an email to all of your connections offering a special rate. I’m sure if you show them what they could look like – they would be instantly excited about the offer. Everyone wants to look good, especially in front of colleagues.
Open your studio every Friday for an hour or two to let people drop in for headshots. Call it Facebook Friday. Promote it on…Facebook. Give each person who comes in a few options to choose from and email them a low-res version of their favorite photo to use on social media.
Facebook Friday headshot events can be a great way to generate business and connect with potential clients in your community. Or with the recent name change to Meta you could call them Meta Mondays. Here are a few tips for hosting a successful Facebook Friday/Meta Monday headshot photography event:
Choose a convenient location: If you don't have a photography studio, you will need to search for a location for your event. Consider factors such as parking, accessibility, and the overall look and feel of the space. A professional-looking space can help set the tone for your event and make your clients feel comfortable.
Promote your event: Use Facebook and other social media platforms to promote your event and attract potential headshot photography clients. Be sure to include all necessary information, such as the date, time, location, and details about the event.
Offer a variety of packages: To appeal to a wider range of clients, consider offering different packages for your Facebook Friday headshot event. You could offer mini sessions during the event and special pricing for those who book a full session while at the event.
Have a clear pricing structure: Make sure to clearly outline your pricing structure in advance of the event to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings. Consider offering special deals or discounts to encourage clients to book their sessions in advance.
Set up a smooth workflow: To ensure that your event runs smoothly, have a clear plan in place for how you will handle scheduling, payment, and any other logistical details. Consider using a scheduling tool or software to help streamline the process.
Each year should bring new headshots. Ask each person if you can have their email address and set up a reminder for the following year to encourage repeat business. The best part is – you can set it and forget it!
Here are some additional headshot photography resources:
It is important to consider several factors when determining how much to charge for headshots. Some things to consider include:
Your level of experience and training: If you are just starting out as a photographer, you may want to charge less than a more experienced photographer.
The market rate: Research what other photographers in your area are charging for headshots to get an idea of what is typical. You don't want to charge too much or too little compared to your competition.
Your costs: Consider the costs associated with doing a headshot session, such as the cost of equipment and props, and factor these into your pricing.
The value you provide: Think about the value that your headshots will provide to your clients. If you offer high-quality images and a great experience, you may be able to charge more.
It's important to educate your clients on everything related to their photography session. "What should I wear to my photo session?" is one of the questions I would get asked most as a photographer.
You can add any of these Headshot Photography What to Wear resources into your marketing mix to educate your clients and up-level your photography business.
Remember, for a lot of your clients, these headshots are going to be the first impression that employers have of your clients, so it's important that you help ensure they look their best by helping them choose the right clothing.
Here are a few tips to help guide them on what to wear:
Lawyers and attorneys can be excellent sources for clients for headshot photographers because they often need high-quality professional photos for their websites and marketing materials. Plus, they also usually have a high budget for photography services.
In order to market to this niche you'll need to understand their specific needs so you can customize your services, prices and marketing materials. For example, in addition to headshot photos, they might need photos of their office, staff members or additional images for their blog or website.
You can market to this niche by attending legal conferences or events, networking with local legal conferences and events, or simply reaching out to them in person.
Use these pre-written headshot blog posts to market headshot photography to lawyers and attorneys.
What better local business for a headshot photographer to cross promote with than a salon, especially higher end salons and boutiques.
Co-working spaces have become very popular, especially in the past few years since Zoom has made it popular for people to work remotely. There's also been a rise in online business and e-commerce businesses, and people have a need to be around others, so they rent out office spaces.
Imagine if you rented out a space simply to go do your editing once a week. Depending on the specific location and how it is set up, you could display your marketing materials out in the open to attract attention of other entrepreneurs that may be renting inside the space.
You could also have an event once a month where you set up a Headshot Mini Session event and market not only to other co-workers but to businesses in the area. Depending on how big the city is where you live, it's possible you could show up at a different co-working space each day of the week. You could advertise the dates and locations when you will be set up for headshots.
Hopefully these ideas have been helpful for you! If you've tried any of these please let me know in the comments or post here in the Facebook group.
Need some done-for-you resources to save time and help your clients know what to wear? Click here for Headshot What to Wear Photoshop Template Collection. Or if you are a Canva user, click here for the Headshot What to Wear Canva Template Collection.
Thank you to Nicki Metcalf Photography for her beautiful headshot photography featured in this post!
Will try your ideals and let you know how I did.
very much appreciate the information! Thank you
so helpful
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Elina Brooks
March 05, 2023
I’m launching a website for my law firm where we have our lawyers’ pictures up on the site to help with marketing, so we need to get their headshots for it soon. It’s good that you reminded us to dress professionally for the headshots since the clothing helps reflect one’s professionalism, so it’s better to look polished and put-together. I’ll keep this in mind while I look for a headshot photography service to book soon. https://www.jacksondavisphotography.com/