Seeking Out New Clients: A How-To Guide

1. Acquisition time frame

   In the new Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter seasons, institutions will have a new register for the semester, so early on at the start of the semester is a great time to contact them to arrange a shoot date for new clients. However, ultimately, there is no "wrong time of the year" to reach out to new institutions when canvassing for potential future clients.
   

   Use every opportunity: New clients can be found through various means. Some of these are word-of-mouth via parents, PTA boards, and other institutions such as sports clubs and dance studios. Check the parent info portals on the institution's website to find a calendar to see if there’s a photo day already booked to know if you’re dealing with a school that has a photographer already booked.

   If a photographer has already been booked for that year, do some research. Ask the school if there’s anything they are looking for that they currently do not get with their current service, any issues they may have had... then move in to make your pitch. Follow up with a phone call at the end of the year to close with the prospective client; It's always good to "assume the sale" and try to book a date with them.

2. Create and maintain a contact list

   A well-maintained contact list is the best basis for any kind of acquisition: On the one hand, you always have an overview of who you have already contacted and who you haven't. On the other hand, you can record important information about the respective institution for future reference and at what stage you’re at in closing a shoot date with a potential client.

   UK Customers: Since the addresses, contact numbers, and names of the institution managers are a matter of public record, this contact list will not breach GDPR. However, it is recommended any communication between yourself and the institution is kept in line with GDPR.

Please note that the addresses of the institution may not always match up with the address that you’ll be photographing in, many are administrative offices off-campus. It’s always best to check that the address you have is also that of the institution’s campus. 

You can find many names and addresses of schools and nurseries from a simple Google search in the area where you operate. The local council in your area will have a complete list of contact details for all of the schools and preschools/nurseries under their jurisdiction, so this is also a good place to start.

Schools and nurseries understandably get a lot of messages, calls, and emails on a daily basis, so it’s all the more important to get straight to the point and make yourself stand out from the crowd!

The best way to acquire business is to create a brand, a unique selling point (USP) that grabs people's attention and makes you an interesting point of contact for the institution. The best way is to visit the institution, but it’s not the only way.

Whether you’ve emailed, sent a prospect, or visited the institution personally, it’s always good to follow up with a phone call. Or if a call/visit was your first contact, try following up with an email. It’s important to utilize the many different avenues of communication at your disposal. 

It's not uncommon for preschools/nurseries to act as "door openers" for schools. When their children start school, parents may remember the nursery photographer and suggest them to the new school as well. It’s also worthwhile to keep in mind that schools and nurseries are often in contact with each other, so you could see a domino effect in new client acquisition when you make the right impression.

1. Personal Visit

   This is the best way to acquire new business, as you can ask directly to speak to the decision-maker. Oftentimes you won’t even need an appointment. In addition, you are there and able to handle any objects and answer questions immediately, leading to a high potential close then and there. You don’t need a perfect word-for-word pitch, often concentrating on this makes you come across as unnatural and robotic. 

   If the institution already has a photographer, think of some questions to ask whilst continuing with your pitch (e.g., Who are you currently using? What could be done better? What would you like to have?)

   The best time to visit would be before children begin arriving in the morning. Alternatively, the school business manager may have some time in the afternoon when the students are going home. 

2. Telephone Call
   This way is especially suitable to establish a first contact if you cannot visit in person. A great advantage of telephone canvassing is that a large number of schools and nurseries can be contacted in a short amount of time. 
   It is important that you ask to speak to the manager or business manager, as they are ultimately the decision makers (and not the secretary answering your call).
   It’s important to ask open-ended questions that don’t just generate a "no" answer. If you’ve previously visited or sent an email, you can refer to this in the call as a conversation starter and possibility to rehash what was previously communicated and use it to pitch the person on the other end of the line. 
   You can use this call to springboard you to another method of acquisition if needed by offering a personal visit and asking what date/time is best for them.
3. Email
   Sending an email is great when you want to follow up on a personal visit or a phone call. It’s an opportunity to provide further information, secure confirmation dates in writing, as well as give the institution a quick means of contacting you. If you’re calling or visiting personally and have previously sent an email, you can use it to refer to in your meeting as a chance to elaborate on your pitch. Consider using a mailing list service to help you out when sending many emails.
4. Mail
   Communicating by mail is still another great way of getting your message across using flyers and info packs/example photos. Physical media garners more attention than digital communication and can make a lasting impression. The downside of this method is that it’s one-sided. Passive communication can more easily be put to the side and forgotten about. 
5. Posters/Flyers
   Handing out posters and flyers, as well as business cards and other literature, is a great way to supplement the above methods of communication but not replace them.
6. Website, Online Marketing/SEO

   This goes back to brand and having your USP! Having a good and informative website and social media pages is critical when institutions want to find out more about you, or if other schools or preschools have heard about you by word-of-mouth and want to be able to find you. 

   Social media may not be as effective as face-to-face or postal canvassing, but it's still important. One reason for this is that more and more PTAs are being given the responsibility of selecting a photographer. To a large extent, these are young parents who are on social media a lot and can be easily reached there. Thus, social media also has enormous marketing potential.

The following tips can help you win over the institution and parents:

• Build trust: Show your contacts that you are good with children. For example, do you have children of your own? Or have you led a youth group in the past or something similar? Bring that into the conversation.
  
• Honest compliments: For example, does the nursery have a nice playground? Does the school have great facilities? Don't be afraid to mention these positive observations.
  
• Local color: Some institutions appreciate a local connection. If you're from the region, that can be another plus.
  
• Efficiency: Teachers and management do not have spare time. If you introduce yourself without an appointment or on the phone, it is possible that the person you are talking to does not have time at that particular moment. Try to pin down an appointment.

It is important to be well prepared for the first contact with the institution, and especially for the appointment with the school or nursery management.

Make sure to also:

• Set up an order in your online shop with sample photos.
  
• Have good arguments ready and be prepared for objections and questions, especially if the institution is used to selling with offline proofing.
  
• Prepare acquisition materials such as flyers, business cards, and price lists.
  
• Convince with your unique style and creativity — Your USP!

1. Advantages of Online Sales with GotPhoto
   The school or nursery may be used to offline sales in the form of proof cards and cash handling. Here you have the opportunity to ‘sell’ online ordering as a better solution!
   
   

   Advantages for Institutions	Advantages for Parents
   Cashless business No sales admin (institution does not need to make a record of sales) No payment followup — institutions don’t need to send payment reminders For UK Customers: Great GDPR protection and DPA between you and the institution	More photos and more poses to choose from Larger choice of products. From prints to canvasses, mugs, keyrings, digital downloads, and more… A unique and secure personal access code to their child's photos

2. Objections and Responses

Be prepared for possible counter-arguments. In fact, objections are a good sign because they signal interest and willingness to negotiate. Simply turn objections into positive arguments. Here are a few examples:

The institution or parents expect contact sheets (proof cards):No problem! Try to get them over to using QR cards as ultimately, curiosity about the photos is what brings customers to your shop. However, if that does not work, we have a solution in the admin area.

What about privacy? Online sales are more secure in the online shop behind an access code than with contact sheets (where the children's photos are usually visible to multiple people). In the online gallery, only the parents of the respective child have access to the photos. 

If there are any objections that you can't answer the first time, make a note of them. This way you can prepare an answer afterwards and be well-prepared for the next time.

The right communication materials also have a significant impact on the success of your acquisition. It shows what you can do, what makes you stand out, and explains the process from photo day through the ordering process. 

1. Reference photos
   Don't have any reference photos yet? Offer a free photo shoot via Facebook, or ask family, friends, or work colleagues with children if they would be interested in a photo shoot. If you have a little more financial leeway, you can also hire a child model through an agency. 
   Always show shots that reflect your type of photography and style, especially if you specialize in outdoor or indoor photography. If you photograph both, you should also show both.
   In any case, you must be able to prove that the parents have given their consent for the publication of their child's photos. Make sure to get a Model Release Form signed.
2. Your Website 
   Your homepage must also be convincing at first glance. Many institutions and parents are now actively searching the web for suitable photographers. No matter who ends up on your website, the visitor must see and understand at a glance what you have to offer and why they should choose you. 

This relates back to your Unique Selling Point (USP). Creativity can manifest in various forms, from using props to experimenting with unique eye-catching poses and compositions. It's important to create your own commercially-viable visual language in your work. 

Think of parent requirements: With one pose, the parent will decide if they want to buy the photo or not. With three poses, the parent decides which they like best. 

Changing your backgrounds every few years, alternating types of poses, and even switching up the format, mixing landscape with portrait. Keep it interesting, and try to mix it up a little each time.

At the beginning of your career in school photography, you will often have to invest more time in acquisition, but from year to year you will gain new institutions as regular customers. The work you do now will pay off big time in the future.

Keep these things in mind:

• Preparation: Compile contact lists of addresses and phone numbers, and note the name of the business manager, prepare canvassing materials to take to the institution or to send by email or post. Make it clear why the school or nursery should choose you.
• Communication: If you are successful in your pitch and have convinced the decision maker, pin down a date and remember to follow up with another communication method to keep the contact "warm."
• Speed: Timing is important when it comes to acquisition, and this is important all year round. Even if you miss the peak acquisition period, you can make a positive impression in advance, and perhaps secure the job for next year.
• Quality: High-quality photos are the cornerstone of a successful acquisition. As a photographer, your portfolio must be of a high professional standard.
• Individuality: In order to stay in the minds of the teachers (and more importantly, parents), it is important to stand out from the crowd. Find your own style and USP — from the way you photograph, to the sets and props you use or the unique way in which you make the kids smile in front of the camera, down to the way you edit the images, it’s all part of the mix to make a lasting impression!