How photographers can make the most of the Autumn/Winter seasons.

October is on the horizon and a critical month for those in the photographic industry. The last of that wonderful, glorious summer light is about to disappear and before we know it, November will be here and Christmas will dominate the high street but fear not, I have some fantastic ideas up my sleeve for you to make the most of this autumn and all that it has to offer.

Take a look at your business and how you currently sell your range of photographic services to your clients. Imagine you are running a high street store for a moment and consider the marketing approaches that you would use to attract the attention of the consumer from merchandising to promotion. I am not suggesting that we can employ exactly the same strategies nor that we have equivalent budgets but we are creative and this is not to be underestimated where marketing is concerned.

Firstly, examine your website from the consumer’s point of view. Are your images representative of shoots throughout the entire year or simply of the summer months? Then look at the wording. Perhaps now is the time to design some text specific to summer shoots and some specific to autumn/winter? If you look at your website and see ‘summer’ so will the consumer. Promote the beauty that can come with a backdrop of autumnal colours and the magic of winter. Make it clear that yours is not a seasonal product, that the seasons actually add variety to your offering not limit it.

You need to start showing your winter images now. Photo by Annabel Williams.

The consumer buys what they see so we need to show them how much fun an autumn/winter shoot can be. If you don’t already have images of this nature, shoot them now. Annabel and I recently worked on our range of winter images in the middle of August, woolly hats, winter coats, etc. It is always possible to have what you need at your fingertips so you have to make it happen. If you do not have a studio to shoot in look for alternative locations, from the client’s home through to farms, old barns, rural outlets, anywhere with interesting background.

Now think back to your shop window, be it virtual or actual and what you could do in relation to my advice above to inspire the consumer to have a photographic shoot this autumn/winter? From the website selling a more concise message through to images on business cards, product samples in your studio, in your portfolio and on slideshows on your laptop selling the idea we have many marketing avenues open to us to encourage the consumer to have autumn/winter portrait shoots. Adapt your shop window to attract clients this winter and once you have done so research marketing avenues available to you in order to bring your photographic services to the forefront in the upcoming months. School fairs and country living shows are an excellent platform for this as are connections with children’s boutiques or shoe shops. Form a mutual campaign with retail outlets such as this. You need to travel to the consumer rather than expecting the consumer to travel to you.

Good luck!