When I first started my business, I didn’t know who my ideal client was. I operated from the mindset of, “the more clients the better, right? ‘Cause that’s more money…?” ⁣⁣

NOPE. ??‍♀️⁣

 

Your ideal clients are so very important, in fact: they’re the lifeblood of your business, and it’s vital that you not only know who they are – but know what to do to attract them.⁣⁣

 

And I don’t just mean by what you say. Yes, speaking to them through your copy is important – but there are tons of ways you can “speak” to them, without even having to write or talk. 

By simply doing my job well, I make some bomb friends in real life. ?⁣

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Storytime.

Let’s take a look at exactly how important it is to market to your ideal clients. Welcome to the stage, Morgan. ?⁣

⁣Morgan reached out because she wanted a non-maternity, maternity session. Meaning, she didn’t want a cheesy one… she wanted an adventurous couples session, where she just happened to be pregnant. ?

⁣In her contact form, she mentioned she’d been following me for months and loved everything that I put out, that my work stood out like crazy to her, and that she felt like we’d really connect well.⁣

Both her and her man, Andrew, were travelers at heart too. So much so, they planned to road trip the U.S. in a renovated school bus once they got back to the states. They, (like Clay and I,) also rented a campervan and road-tripped New Zealand.

⁣Seeing a theme here…? ⁣

 

I spend my time intentionally on social media and my website, sharing what my passions are, & all the things I love and enjoy spending my time doing.

All of which doesn’t “directly” relate to my work. BUT IT DOES – because it brings me people who really love and value the same things I do.⁣

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After us establishing we were bff’s, (like for real, we got lunch last week ?,) she even messaged me a few months after her session about being interested in becoming a photographer, (and to be more specific, a traveling one – just like I am!) ⁣⁣

These kinds of things don’t just happen. It’s the fruit of years of intentional, hard work that I’ve put into my brand: such as establishing my brand voice and tone, my overall messaging, my website, my marketing strategy, the list goes on and on. ⁣

Now, isn’t that so much better than just working with a bunch of random people that you never see again after you work together? Don’t you want to work with the clients you have THAT level of connection with? Ones you can build a true relationship with? ⁣

Then let’s getcha on the path to a calendar full of your dream clients, shall we? 

 

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HOW TO USE YOUR STYLE TO ATTRACT 

YOUR IDEAL PHOTOGRAPHY CLIENTS:

 

1. Be mindful that you get what you put out.

Also known as, “your vibe attracts your tribe.” It’s so true when it comes to marketing, and I’ve seen it play out time and time again in my own marketing strategy. 

I choose to make it known across all my platforms (instagram, pinterest, my website, my blog, etc.) that I’m all about a bold, adventurous, glamorous, travelin’ lifestyle. 

In return, those are the type of clients I end up working with, and the same things they value. Coincidence? Nope, that’s intentional marketing, friend. 😉

Start incorporating your personal style and things you love into your own marketing strategy. For example, here are some things I’m intentional about sharing that help build my brand:

 

• My faith in Jesus

• My husband, Clay (& other marriage things)

• My love for traveling

• My intense taco & queso addiction

• My love for all things South-western 

• My husky pups, koda & keira

• Why I’m a photographer & my purpose behind it

 

Ask yourself what type of topics would help you further target your ideal/dream clients, and spend a few minutes jotting them down. Then, when you’re creating content for your blog or instagram, create content centered around those topics, and watch your peeps start to join in on the conversation! 

Pro tip: Create a collection on IG called “Ideal Clients,” and save some posts of the people who responded to or commented on your content. This will help you get a bigger picture of the type of clients you should be targeting!

 

2. Use your personal style/aesthetic to draw in potential clients.

 

Notice how I’m dressed in the image below? What words come to mind when you look at it?

 

 

Bold? Western? Casual? Fabulous? Edgy? Glamorous? Colorful? 

I’m doubting any of these came to mind: dainty, ethereal, airy, soft, bespoke, etc…

And that’s totally intentional. Because nothing about my brand should be those things! I want to really drive the point home that I’m about the former rather than the latter. So, I make sure to dress in a way that resembles my brand style. 

Your personal style + your brand style = the perfect concoction to draw in your ideal client.

For a big-picture idea of my brand and how I use my personal style in it, check out this pinterest board that encompasses all things JVP!

 

3. Use your editing style to your advantage. 

 

Just like my personal style can attract my ideal client, my editing style helps to do so too! 

My editing style technically straddles the fence between the two popular terms “dark & moody” and “light & airy.” In fact, I’d be safe to call it, bright & vibrant. 

I don’t want it to be so light & airy that it loses all of its depth and contrast; washing out the color in the image, and I don’t want it so dark that my subjects get lost in the image and their skin tones are muddy and unflattering. So, I straddle the fence and found my perfect spot in the midst of it.

If you’re struggling to establish your editing style with consistency, I highly recommend utilizing Lightroom presets. They really help you to find a style you love and then be able to easily replicate it on all of your images! That’s actually how I found my style, through purchasing a billion different presets and then tweaking them to a place where I loved how they looked.

I have a masterclass that includes 6 mobile & desktop presets called the “Mina Marlena Preset Masterclass”, though it’s more-so geared towards fashion photographers & bloggers, but super verstatile for other things as well. If you’re interested in that, hop on over here and check it out! 

I also have a blog post on how to edit with lightroom presets like a pro, so definitely check that out if you want more info on using them, and how they can optimize your editing workflow! 

How to use your style to attract your ideal photography clients:

 

• 1. Be mindful that you get what you put out.
• 2. Use your personal style/aesthetic to draw in potential clients.
• 3. Use your editing style to your advantage.

 

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Have questions about developing your own style to attract your ideal clients? Book a free call with me and I’ll help you figure it out!

 

 

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Want more helpful tips? Feel free to binge on these blog posts, or pin ’em on Pinterest for later! ??

If you’re short on time, follow me on Pinterest – and you’ll get these kinda tips delivered straight to your feed! You know… when you’re scrollin’ through Pinterest with coffee in hand, ready to take on the day… or, procrastinate.

Whatevs. Pinterest biz sesh, anybody!? ??