How to Succeed in Commercial Photography : Insights From a Leading Consultant

MULTILEVEL MARKETING PLAN

Steve’s thoughts are correct. Photographers need to have a

multilevel plan that incorporates many direct and indirect

advertising options. Steve’s list of ad tools is long and designed

to give him maximum exposure.

“I have two Web sites, one for lifestyle and one for busi-

ness,” he offers. “The messages of each site are different, and in

time I may drop the business site. I want my ad clients to get a

singular message and not confuse me with my corporate past.”

He continues, “My Web presence is carried on multiple

portals. I realized early on how important a good Google rank-

ing was, so I worked incredibly hard to develop a Web presence

that has placed me on the first Google page when a client surfs

for lifestyle photography. Multiple links are an important key

for ranking, and Web portals help. In addition, they provide me

a much wider audience for my site.”

Sherman has not forgotten the importance of direct mail

contact with buyers.

We send out a large postcard run approximately

every six weeks. Visual e-mails with links to our site go

out four times a year. I will be increasing the frequency

of our e-mails, as they have been very effective in driv-

ing viewers to my site. I usually send out four to six

thousand e-mails at a time. After the last blast I sent,

I received five or six requests for removals and over

twenty people thanked me for sending the information.

My Web site had several hundred hits that very day.

Citing no response to recent sourcebook ads, Steve has

dropped this option, replacing that sales trail with portal buys

that directly link to his Web site: “For the money I spend on one

sourcebook page I can be on several portals. My exposure is not

limited to one publication and my audience reach is much

wider. When I was in NYC recently, 50 percent of the buyers told

me they never use print sourcebooks anymore.”

As Stephen progresses, his faith that he is on the right track

will need to sustain him. In addition to faith, feedback from

clients at this point is vital. Having books called in for bids,

PART5 / PERSISTENCE

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