Every photographer knows that taking professional pictures isn’t enough—you also need to establish a brand and get your name out there. And to do that, you need to get people talking about you.

Word-of-mouth advertising is hands-down the most effective form of marketing for professional photographers—or for any small business owner. Through this timeless advertising strategy, you’ll build trust and strengthen your reputation. People are most likely to trust your professional abilities when they’ve heard about you from their friends or family. Moreover, when they see the family photos or stunning engagement pictures you’ve done for a friend, they’ll know the quality of your work.

In this article, we’ll share some ideas for photographers seeking to expand their informal channels of advertising. Use these tactics to jump-start word-of-mouth advertising about your photography business. In time, it will take on a life of its own.

Create a Referral Program

Ramp up word-of-mouth advertising through a referral program for clients—one of the best photography marketing tools out there. You can offer a discount, gift card, or bonus gift in exchange for sending friends your way. This will also incentivize current clients to keep coming back!

Go the Extra Mile

When you go above and beyond to make clients happy, they’ll rave about you to friends and family. After pet portrait sessions, give them a little gift bag of treats for their pup, for example. And ask questions that help you get to know them and their dog—what’s their favorite activity, or favorite park? They’ll think about the session long after it’s over, and it will come up in conversation again and again! 

Cultivate Brand Ambassadors

Take stock of the local influencers whose voice matters most in the community. Network with them at events and by sharing or commenting on their online content. As you build these relationships, they’ll be likely to speak positively of you to others, becoming brand ambassadors.

Start a Hashtag

Social media expands the reach of word-of-mouth advertising. Take advantage of this by maintaining a strong presence on platforms like Instagram. Create a hashtag and ask clients to tag their photos with it when they share them. For example, “#YourtownFamilyFun” could be a great summer hashtag (replacing “Yourtown” with your actual town name, of course).

Build enthusiasm by raffling off a prize, like a free session, for those who post a photo and tag themselves with your hashtag.

Blog about Your Sessions

With clients’ permission, blog about your sessions. Share what you loved about the client, and what was most memorable. Satisfied clients will be delighted to reshare the post. It will make sharing their experience easy, and they can add their own highlights! This will also give potential clients a behind-the scenes glimpse of the session.

You can share photography education in your blogs, too, explaining how to prepare for a session or how you achieved an amazing picture. 

Feature Reviews and Testimonials

Reviews and testimonials are a more formal type of word-of-mouth advertising. After a session, prompt a satisfied client to leave a review or send you a quote about their experience. (Make sure you’re using platforms like Yelp that share local business reviews.) Feature testimonials on your website and social platforms.

Get on Preferred Vendor Lists

Build relationships with other professionals who work with your clientele. If they maintain a list of preferred vendors, they can share your info with clients. For instance, a dog groomer or boarding facility could recommend clients to your pet photography business. And schools could recommend you for graduation photos.

Donate a Session

In general, we don’t encourage you to work for free. But by donating a session now and then to a cause you believe in, you can build visibility in your community. If a local school or nonprofit is holding a silent auction, consider contributing, sharing work samples that they can feature. Hundreds of new potential clients might see your work as well as your positive impact.

These reputation-building ideas for photographers will give you a strong presence in your community. In addition, use PPA’s See the Difference portfolio of resources to brush up on business foundations, establish your brand as a professional photographer, and convey the value you deliver. From customizable brochures to a primer on using Pinterest, these photography marketing templates and guides will help you position yourself as a leader in your area.

PPA membership benefits include access to all of the above marketing resources for photographers. Join today to take the next steps in your journey as a professional photographer!