How do you get yourself noticed among millions of photographers -- self-proclaimed, hobbyists, and professionals alike, and be the star entrepreneur you really are?
Freelancing is a business, and as a starter in the industry, you must be looking for surefire ways to boost your career.
Read on, newbie photographers and budding entrepreneurs. Here are the eight clear cut steps to launch your freelance photography business:
1. Identify your product or specialization.
What kind of photography are you specializing in? Events? Portraiture? Commercial? Documentary? Or are you an all-around photographer? This is probably the step that’s easily identified at the onset.
2. Set up your Freelancer.com profile.
If you haven’t already signed up on Freelancer, you’re missing out on the opportunity for your talent to be discovered globally. On the other hand, Freelancer Local gives you the opportunity to be hired in your locality. You can be hired for local gigs, or you can bid on jobs in your area.
3. Come up with a pricing plan.
How much do you want to get paid for your services? Do you prefer being paid by the hour or per project, or both, at the customer’s discretion? Don’t forget to count in your expertise as well as the creative flair that makes you stand out from the competition. If you need help on pricing your services, check out this brief how-to.
4. Develop your brand identity.
Building a brand sounds like a tedious job, but it naturally comes with starting your freelance business. Aspects you need to consider include your logo and brand voice. These are important in making sure your business has an identity that customers recognize whether by seeing your logo or reading your ad copy. Here are tips on finding the perfect logo for your business.
5. Launch your website.
Launching your career means having an amazing website to show off why you’re THE person to hire for the job. The purpose of your website is to showcase your skills, and of course, feature your portfolio. Make sure your website has all the aspects you’re looking for, with the help of a professional web developer.
6. Update your social media pages.
On top of your website, you will need a Facebook and Twitter page, and an Instagram account. Potential customers will look for you on these channels, so you have to be there. You will also need to update these pages with organic or business-related content, or both. And because you’re a photographer, it makes perfect sense that your social media pages are packed with amazing photos.
7. Constantly grow your portfolio.
This doesn’t only mean packing your portfolio with all the photos you took on your gigs, but more so, organic content. Photographs you took spontaneously on your travels or on a trip with friends makes for a good showcase of your creativity, not merely for business purposes but for the whims of everyday life. There’s something beautiful that happens everyday, and if you capture that moment, it could bring out something inspiring that customers would love to see.
8. Get marketing material ready.
Think long-term. If ads and videos would be helpful to promote your business, then put them in your to-do list. You can create ads on Facebook for your business to get more leads, or put a video animation on your website to engage your customers.
If you think you have everything ready and you can now offer your services, start bidding on photography jobs today.
