A Proactive Approach to Marketing Your Stock Photography Online By Michael A. Mariant
When I meet photographers who are happy and successful in their work I like to ask them what tip they would pass along to other photographers if they had the chance. Last month I met Michael Mariant, a freelance photojournalist. In this Focus Your BIZ, Michael tells you how to use various services available on the Internet, like the Personal Archive on PhotoShelter, to build your own mini specialty stock agency. Then he describes how he markets his specialized collection to his clients.
When Michael talks about creating Target Market Email Groups remember that fotoBiz builds these groups for you by letting you keyword your clients in several ways; by geographical location, industry, job title, or just by keywords that you enter yourself. FotoBiz also keeps track of all the mailings you have sent to each client.
Cradoc
Photographers need to take proactive steps in making sure their online stock imagery is marketed to potential buyers. Sitting back in the office chair, content that your images are uploaded and available on a stock site is not going to rake in the big bucks.
Start by creating specific "Target Market Email Groups" from your mailing list that correspond to the different demographics and content of your imagery. (i.e. global news, entertainment, social justice, national news, travel, environmental.) Instead of 'blanket emails' to your entire mailing list, these targeted groups will be essential in making sure your imagery gets to the right buyers. More importantly, you won't keep sending someone image samples that aren't related to their needs. You want them to remember your images, not that you annoy them with unnecessary and irrelevant emails.
Throughout your daily routine, be it perusing the news online or watching TV or reading a magazine in the doctor's office, take note of current events, trends or situations that are connected to your stock imagery, whether in a broad scope such as an uprising in a foreign country or an upswing in tourism to a particular region or destination. This is where there's a growing or pressing demand and where the tangible and financial value of your imagery has increased. Then, utilizing your online stock site, create a separate Web page or gallery exclusive to these related images. Most importantly, increase the licensing fee that will reflect the increased value of the photos due to the immediate need.
For example, say I read on Yahoo News that wolves might be removed from the U.S. endangered species list, a decision to be made within the month. I have about a dozen photos of wolves from a trip to Yellowstone National Park last summer stored on the PhotoShelter Personal Archive. Through this archive, I create a new gallery of just these collected images. I increase the pricing profile by a percentage I feel reflects both the uniqueness and exclusive value of these photos. (Remember, if you have the same images available in other locations or on other Web sites, such as the PhotoShelter Collection, you need to apply the increased pricing profile there as well or else you could potentially short-change yourself.)
I then write a quick email summarizing the story along with a link to the gallery, stating that the images are available for immediate review, licensing, purchase and download. For an added touch, I attach one of the photos of the wolves as a small thumbnail in the email to establish the caliber of the images. Then I send the email off to the Target Market Email Group(s) that would be interested in U.S. news or environmental stories.
Over time, as this set of images becomes less newsworthy I adjust the pricing profile back down to reflect the current market value of the images, but I leave the gallery online and available for potential sales from a buyer who might remember the email.
Regardless of where you make your stock images available online, regularly promoting a tightly edited body of relative work to your specific photo buyers not only greatly increases your potential for sales but also serves as a constant reminder to the buyers of the diversity and value of your stock archive. At the same time, recognizing and placing a value on the 'exclusive' or 'unique' nature of your imagery is important not only in generating sales that accurately reflect the value of your work, but also lets the buyers or editors know that you are in tune with market demands and conditions.
###
Michael A. Mariant is a freelance photojournalist based on California's Central Coast and a frequent lecturer on travel and visual thinking topics. To learn more about Michael and to view his work, visit his Web site at: www.mariantphotography.com