Ellie Vayo's Guide to Boudoir Photography

Women thinking about

booking a boudoir session

want an anonymous way

to see samples.

GETTING STARTED 9

Networking.I find many of my clients through networking. Several

years ago, I went into hair salons to photograph their clients. The salons

displayed a small “before” shot and a large wall portrait that represented

the “after” shot. At one point I had two salons, in different parts of town,

displaying my work. The salons were able to showcase their talents, and I

had additional locations to display my art and generate business.

At certain times in our lives, we all deal with difficulties and challenges.

This business, just like life, is all about turning those difficulties or chal-

lenges into opportunities. I was recently inspired to participate in the cre-

ation of a firefighter’s calendar that benefited the Susan G. Komen

Foundation. I agreed to donate my time for this foundation to show sup-

port for my mother’s personal battle against cancer. I photographed seven

different area firehouses and used those images to create a twelve-month

calendar. The entire process used up a great deal of my time and creative

energy, but the exposure my studio received in the local press made the

project worthwhile. During the project, I handed out coupons for discount

boudoir sessions to the firefighters’ wives and girlfriends. Now that the

project is complete, I’m booking sessions with women who purchased the

calendar. Charity is such an important and effective way to grow your busi-

ness. It’s so important that I’ve dedicated an entire chapter of this book to

discuss one event in particular.

Print Ads, Media Ads, and Web Sites.

The time and effort you’ve spent advertising and introducing yourself to

your market will bring customers to your studio. However, most of your

prospective customers still need more information before they book a ses-

sion. This is why you need a dynamic, interesting, and informative web site

that is easy to locate and navigate. Women thinking about booking a

boudoir session want an anonymous way to see samples and get more in-

formation about session styles. Remember, most studios do not even offer

this high-end service. I have used this style of photography and the exam-

ples on my web site to distinguish myself from the competition. Be sure

that the sample images you post online are tasteful and used with full per-

mission from your subjects. Also, I do not show pricing on my site. I want

women to get excited about the process, not discouraged by the cost. I’m

confident that once a woman sees her images, she’ll order as much as she

can possibly afford.

Direct Mail.If you create a direct mailer, use the following criteria:

• Impact—Your direct mail piece must grab the viewer’s attention. This
  can be accomplished in many different ways. Use creative design, strik-
  ing images, and a unique color scheme.