If you’re a wedding photographer wondering how much leverage you’re getting from Instagram and if it’s really worth it, here are three ways you can book clients from using Instagram.
It might seem you should have Instagram nailed, right? After all, you have great photos and you just need to say how lovely everyone looked; how hard can it really be? And why don’t you have the bookings and followings you expect?
Here are three ways that you can use Instagram to get yourself more leads and bookings from Instagram.
LEVERAGE OTHER WEDDING SUPPLIERS ON INSTAGRAM
One of the tricky things about wedding photography marketing is that you tend not to get repeat bookings from the same clients – or at least not that often! So you need a constant stream of new potential clients.
On your side, however, you have great photos – a necessity for Instagram. Why not help out fellow suppliers such as venues, florists, makeup artists and wedding planners by making sure that you get great photos they can use?
You could even start the relationship before the wedding, finding out the suppliers before the wedding and touching base with them. You might ask if there are any particular photos they would like that would be useful for their marketing and talk about turnaround times. Note their Instagram handle so that you can mention them on your Instagram feed and let them know how you would like to be credited for the photo in their caption.
Photographers sometimes complain how other suppliers seem to expect or demand photos as if it is a right. Calling other suppliers before the day allows you and them time to get to know each other a little beforehand without the stress and rush of a wedding day. You can step in and be the hero, offering first. Does that feel better?
Once the wedding is over, mention them and comment and engage on the photos of the other suppliers, as well as follow them. Now you’re showing up in their feed, leveraging their followers and other supplier relationships, in a good light rather than as an uninvited guest. And you’re top of mind if someone asks them about wedding photographers.
RAISE THE STAKES: BEYOND INSTAGRAM
Once you’re building your relationships with other suppliers, how could you help even more? Is it time to suggest coffee? Perhaps there are challenges you both face that the two of you could work on together or set up a styled shoot? Or maybe you just like each other!
This is an especially useful strategy if you’re starting out or in a new location and finding it hard to join the established eco-system of existing suppliers already in close working relationships. You could find some less established suppliers and build your tribe from those, all the time thinking about how you can help them.
The stronger your relationships outside Instagram, the more likely those people are to stay engaging with your Instagram content
Keep in mind there are at least two bonuses with building supplier relationships: one is that you’re future-proofing platform changes, such as something else replacing Instagram. Your relationships will move past that.
And you’re going to be staying in touch with wedding industry news and trends that are relevant to you.
BUILD AN INSTAGRAM SALES FUNNEL FOR YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS
A funnel is simply a way of mapping the journey from a potential client who has no clue who you are to booking you for their wedding. Instagram can perform the role of bringing you to the attention of people who have no idea who you are AND allow them to get to know you as they look through your Instagram feed.
To move them towards being a potential client, you need to have a strategy in place. This is often a call to action in your bio with a link to something of value for them, like a guide to wedding photography, for which they submit their email address.
From there, you might have further contact with them either in emails (sometimes automated) or phone calls, so that you can learn more about each other. If there is a good fit and you’re available, ideally you have a new client!
So there you have three major ways of using Instagram for your wedding photography business. I do hope they’re useful and easy for you to put into action.