As a photographer in a shrinking market I use a variety of tools to get the message out, and that message is, as always, hire me. Since 2008 the pie has shrunk and a lot of other photographers have jumped on the email bandwagon. I was on a panel back then talking about email promos and I said the same thing then that I would say now, almost exactly. "People hate getting a lot of F-ing email." Granted, I only contact people who are in the position to buy or hire, I am Not pestering your parents at dinner time. Although, if they know somebody...
We have to consistently get our name, images, message out there just enough to be noticed but not too often as to be unsubscribed.
For a moment, just consider your own email account and how you deal with unsolicited email. Even that email that you have agreed to get or might be interested in. If you are having a particularly busy day or two, perhaps nothing gets opened and once it hits that second page, goodbye.
Some people want printed pieces only. Some people want emails only. Some buyers find you on FaceBook or Instagram or Pinterest or Twitter or Vine or Instagrams pretend version of Vine. Oh, and Google +, lol. I love you Google but you are the Yahoo of Facebook. I myself prefer the ol face to face meeting but those are harder and harder to get.
I try to send out a consistent message via email, printed mail, facebook and the like. It's tough because as technology grows not only are new things popping up here and there but fads last seconds now. I consider the fads and try to assimilate them into my type of image making.
Next time one of your friends or your mother's cousin wonders how much work being a photographer can be... Tell her you are not only a photographer but a marketing professional, sales manager, production coordinator, grip, human resources director, accountant, receptionist, and general jack of all trades.
So go on, get busy... there is a lot of work to be had and a lot more work to get it.
What follows below is a melange of email promos over the the past handful of years:
