I recently shared the Facebook Live below on my business page, and a few hours later my friend Tara called me. She said how much she loved the video, and then asked if she could be on my podcast episode to talk about the experience of visiting photographer’s websites as a client.
Tara is not a photographer. Matter of fact, she works in commercial construction. What she has to say is FULL of rich insights.
I jumped at the chance. I mean, how could I resist that? Who doesn’t want to hear what clients think of our websites? I ran and grabbed my headphones, set up the TapeACall app to record, and this is the conversation we had.
The Video That Started the Conversation
I share on this initial video how everyone owns a camera. A nice camera. Everyone, thanks to our mobile devices, has the ability to take really good photographs. Matter of fact, when asked in a Facebook community of professional photographers what camera people take on their vacation, roughly 80% said that they take their mobile devices with them. These are people that own full sets of professional level gear, and they take their phones!
Everyone is a photographer, we all have a camera in our hands at all times thanks to the digital age.
It is easier than ever to start a photography business, and many of us are in super saturated markets. In my own neighborhood, I probably have 7-8 professional photographers within walking distance from my house.
So what do you do to stand out? How do you help people understand why they should hire you?
You Need a Blog
Isn’t blogging dead? NO. NOT AT ALL. You need to use it to share about who YOU are. We are asking people to hire us for what is truly a vulnerable situation, and yet we are refusing to be vulnerable ourselves.
Why Would Someone Book YOU?
Tara shares with us the things that stood out to her that made her consider hiring me twice over the years. Much of it comes down to the fact that through my blog, I shared a lot of insight to who I am as a person, not just as a photographer.
I’ve shared my understanding that people don’t like to be photographed. After all, that is one of my favorite things about being behind the camera! I understand that when people look at the photographs afterwards, they are judging themselves. It is hard to be ok with having your photographs posted online as a client.
Many people take beautiful photographs. Tara pointed out that I share the insights in to how the photographs made ME feel as the photographer, how I learned about myself and grew as a person by taking photographs. I have shared my struggles with self-acceptance and knowing that I am enough.
Sharing these things made me more than someone that took a pretty picture. They were an opportunity to build trust through my blog before I even meet my clients.
Reading my site helped Tara know that I would take care of her, I would respect her. That I would take her photo and see the beauty within her. I would share that with the world.
What are you sharing on your website?
Every photographer has something in them that is driving them to make photographs. Sharing it can completely change how people view your photographs. You can’t fake it, though. People will know.
It is a line to dance when you’re sharing and being vulnerable along with being professional.
We don’t talk about our client’s vulnerability as photographers. People come to us and they are scared. They are nervous. They are vulnerable. This is where your web presence can hold so much power because you can share things.
You can share just one photograph that you take from a wedding or a session and talk about why it matters TO YOU.
Your potential clients get to know you and understand you on a completely different level.
“I don’t buy something from people just because they have a great product… I buy from people that I connect with!”
Be sure to listen to the full episode to get more great tips on things that you can improve on your website to help connect with your ideal clients!
Thank you again to Tara for hopping on the phone to discuss this with me!
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One reply on “Episode 16 – Photographer’s Websites from a Client’s Perspective with Tara Hacker”
Christine has the superpower to make people feel beautiful and the ability to shape photographers social media so that their clients feel confident enough to hire them.