Know when you need a pro

No photographer can understand how to market their work by themselves. Almost all of us who have successfully navigated the path to making our passion a career, has done so with the help of a photography marketing consultant. 

Back in the late 80's, Deanne Delbridge helped me compose my first professional-looking marketing materials. I needed promos that looked like I had a clue, and I had to learn how to prospect for leads and find potential clients. I couldn't have launched a professional photography career without her.

Every few years since I have made it a priority to check in with a pro. Over the years I've worked with Maria Piscopo, Elyse Weisberg, Bobbi Wendt and Susan Baraz. They've all been essential in their own way. Today I met with Louisa Curtis, who hosted the APA art buyers panel last night. Photographer websites were the subject of the evening―what works, what doesn't. By the end of the evening I concluded that I had a website that doesn't. 

Five years ago, when I launched it, it probably did work. But five years is like a geologic epoch in this business, and it's time to move on. Louisa was useful to help me frame the next step. She said that the imagery wasn't a problem, and that I'm a better editor of my own work than most. But presentation and organization are significant barriers to getting noticed by people whom I want to notice me. 

I've concluded it's time to join the Livebooks cohort. They seem the smartest outfit out there for photography websites, and they have a lot of credibility among art buyers. They have just started a monthly $39 program, a big savings over their $2,000 custom package, and if I decide I can stand their standard templates, it might be the way I'll go. 

Comments

[Tommy Williams]

I'm curious about the self-editing bit: do you think your discipline of making pictures every day has played a part in that? I know it's always said that the worst editor a photographer can have is himself.

[rachel rausch johnson]

can't wait to see how it looks! $39? i like the price!

[Doug Plummer]

I wouldn't say I'm the best editor, but I'm adequate. I'm not afraid to kill my own babies. What I liked about Louisa is that she didn't have her ego involved to where she needed to remake me in her own image, and was fine leaving my work largely alone. That is not always true with consultants, and is something to watch for.