The Most Underused FREE Marketing Tool For Photographers
Did you know that the main way that I find my contact information for brand pitches is all done via a free tool?
I know!
*drum roll* .... it‘s LINKEDIN!
I didn‘t realise how useful LinkedIn was until a couple of years ago. I‘d had an account for a long time, but it pretty much just sat there, unused. My profile was nothing but my CV (which probably included all the babysitting jobs I‘d done while still a teenager), and it didn‘t say much about what I do, or how I can help businesses with my services.
Then one day, I decided to check it out. I‘d probably listened to a podcast about someone who uses it heavily, or read a blog post, and I began to dig around. I joined some groups, followed a few brands I liked... and then I realised that I could see who worked for my favourite brands.
That‘s when the lightbulb went off in my head.
LinkedIn is literally a MASSIVE directory of everyone you‘ve ever wanted to contact. It‘s a goldmine!
If you don‘t have a LinkedIn account and you‘re a fashion photographer, get on it. Make an account, and add your friends and colleagues. The way LinkedIn works is quite special, in that the more people you‘re connected to, the more people you‘ll be able to see within the network.
Make your profile research friendly, and make it about what you do and how you help the brands that you work for (or could work for in future).
Take time to follow the brands that you want to work for, and begin to search through who works for them. I keep a database of names and contact details for people I find on LinkedIn, which helps me so much when it comes time to sending a pitch to someone.
Want to learn more about linkedin? Here are some resources that I‘ve found that might help you get to grips with it, and how it can benefit you further:
How To Get More Engagement On LinkedIn by Janet Murray: https://www.janetmurray.co.uk/198-how-to-get-more-engagement-on-linkedin/
How To Use LinkedIn for Beginners: https://youtu.be/_kwqqtpprrE
