Marketing Mojo: Marketing in a Web 2.0 World

There was a time when a handsome, well-edited hand-held portfolio was the epitome of presentation, the premier tool for a professional photographer pursuing a plum assignment. Today, presentation options abound, from designer hand-held portfolios and sophisticated online portfolios to photobooks to informal iPod-style slide shows, podcasts, iTunes apps, even e-books. The list of possibilities grows all the time.

Deciding which options best suit your needs and personal style, and which showcase your work most effectively, are critical marketing concerns. I recently edited an e-book for San Antonio, TX-based photographer Rolando Gomez (www.rolandogomez.com), who specializes in glamour, fashion, beauty, fine-art nudes, photographic therapy and commercial work. His grasp of marketing and the urgency of embracing new presentation options make him a valuable resource for marketing in our Web 2.0 world.

“It all starts with portfolios, the primary representations of a photographer’s talent,” says Rolando. “Investing in a great portfolio, online or printed, showcases your abilities and shows clients, art directors, model bookers, artist reps and photo editors your photographic style and ability to handle a specific assignment. From there it evolves into staying current with developments in your photo specialty, schooling yourself on technological developments such as e-books and podcasts, getting yourself out there by writing books and teaching workshops and developing and connecting with your fan base through blogs, photo meetup groups and social media networks.”

Some tips to follow online and offline:
Showcase your specialty and versatility. In print and online, present your expertise in a specific genre and convey your ability to be adaptable and flexible. “In a printed portfolio, your photographic style should be consistent throughout, while also demonstrating your ability to adapt to different situations and people,” says Rolando. “On a website, you can have more multiple portfolios. My professional website, www.rolando
gomez.com, includes my glamour, ‘flamour’ (fashion and glamour style), sports and fine-art nude work. Online portfolios are centralized into one website, which conveys to a potential client my range of abilities, not just one photo specialty.”

Photo editing and design are essential. A portfolio is only as strong as its weakest image. Whether you are a jewelry photographer or fashion shooter, the portfolio’s front-page image should be your strongest, most iconic image—the one that brands you. Says Rolando, “Editing for image quality and content is critical for any portfolio. A printed portfolio has to be designed to read like a book, with the first image either staring at you or facing to the right. If the image faced the gutter, it would say ‘close the book.’ You have to treat it like a magazine. Left-hand pages will look to the gutter or at you; right-hand pages will face you or the gutter. Design is also key online. Most Web users want to find what they’re looking for in three clicks or fewer, so build in easy navigation right off that front page, or splash page. My liveBooks site includes pages that link to my portfolios, books, workshops, blog and videos. At a minimum, have pages for your portfolio(s), contact info and biography or about information.”

Keep hand-held portfolios simple. A portfolio is about quality, not quantity. “The contents of your book conveys your level of professionalism, as well as your abilities, limitations, style and business savvy,” says Rolando. “Some photographers include tearsheets within pockets located in their traditional, binder portfolios. Others include promo cards and business cards. Often you find a resume or client list in a pocket. Keep the book up-to-date and clean in appearance, and use the back pocket exclusively for one or two business cards, a promo card, one-page biography, and possibly a tearsheet. Nothing more.”

Let professionals create your website. “While many photographers build their own printed portfolios with advice from business or design consultants, creating an online presence is best left to professionals. When researching companies that offer websites for photographers find out who runs the company, what their history is, who their clients are and if they will be around tomorrow. I can’t risk my website being gone the next day, so I chose liveBooks.com, a fiscally sound company that understands creativity and my technical requirements to showcase my talents to my clients.”

Stay current with technological changes. As the saying goes, “Technology changes every Monday when the board of the directors meet.” Adds Rolando, “Pressing the shutter is only part of the equation. We must be able to do video, understand postproduction and use the Internet to our advantage. Study what’s popular on the Web and what works best on this platform. My liveBooks pro website is targeted to high-bandwidth users. Google users may not have that connectivity, but my target audience of art directors, photo editors, etc., certainly will. My blog, which exists to build my fan base, is a different story. I have smaller portfolios with smaller files and lots of text. Building a fan base also takes an e-newsletter, writing articles or books, and teaching workshops—which are showcased on my blog and Facebook site. Also consider an “i-folio” in your smart phone, because you never know where or when a marketing or promotion opportunity might arise. Developing podcasts and applications for iTunes are other emerging options.”

Get out there. It is no longer feasible to rely on Yellow Pages ads, business cards and promo cards to develop your client base. “A website is essential,” says Rolando. “If you want to go to the next level, think about writing, teaching, shooting videos. You have to get out there and let people know who you are. That’s what I hope to accomplish with my new e-book, Photographic Therapy: The Power of Photography to Help Build or Rebuild Self-Esteem. I am giving the e-book away because I want to spread the gospel of photography, give something back, build my fan base and show credibility to my sponsors. Viral marketing can be a valuable Internet tool.

“You need to think creatively and have determination to get through the tough times,” says Rolando. “You can’t afford to quit. If you don’t have faith in yourself, no one else will either. Get out there and show a confident face, learn to accept rejection and just keep on keeping on. If you’re scared, don’t show it. Wear a poker face. Just take it day by day and you’ll figure out how to make it better.”

Alice B. Miller is the owner of Plum Communications Inc. (www.plumcomm.com), the Long Island, NY, editorial services and marketing communications company that supports the photo industry. Previously the editor of Studio Photography magazine, Alice has a growing clientele that includes photographers, manufacturers, publications and associations. She is director of public relations for the International Photographic Council and an advisory board member of NyghtFalcon wedding, commercial and fine art studios.