How to Know and Attract Your Ideal Photography Clients

Once upon a time, a coaching client told me something that a past mentor told her: “You don’t need an ideal client as a boudoir photographer.” I was SHOCKED. This mentor was all about using Facebook ads as the only marketing strategy [link to Facebook Ads Strategy episode when live]… which still relies on knowing your ideal client! 

The truth is: You absolutely need to know your ideal photography client in order to attract and book the right people for you. Because if you’re speaking to — and marketing to — everyone, then you’re really speaking to no one.

So, let’s dig into why your ideal client is so important, and help you figure out your ideal photography client. This way, you can attract more of that person!

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Join the Six-Figures Simplified community!
• Episode 015: Learning to Balance a Busy Life with Gillian Hughes: Business Owner, Model, Mom
• Build a solid marketing strategy with Forever Booked Out!

Ideal Client Tip #1: Think about your favorite clients.

Who are your favorite clients you’ve ever worked with? I’ll give you a second to think about it.

Okay! Now that you have them in mind, I want you to consider why you liked them so much and what made them different from your other clients:

• Was she easy to work with?
• Did she spend the most?
• Was your session just fun and enjoyable?

You might be surprised to find out that your ideal client doesn’t belong to just one age group. It may be someone with a certain personality or in a certain stage of her life, or someone who will pay more for your services because they know you’re worth it!

Ideal Client Tip #2: Outline all the details of your ideal client.

Now that you’ve thought about your favorite past clients and started to see the similarities let’s map out your actual ideal client. 

I want you to list all the details you can, like:

• Age range
• Career
• Relationship status (Are they married? Engaged? Single?)
• Gender (Most ideal clients identify as women, but that’s not a strict rule!)
• Interests and hobbies (Does she like to work out? Does she love designer brands? Is she into skincare, hair, and so on?)

Write all of this info down and keep it handy!

Ideal Client Tip #3: Know who your client is doing business with.

When I first moved to St. Louis, I knew my ideal client was a woman, aged 25 to 35, either getting married or is already married and wanting a boudoir session as a gift for her spouse.

Then, I dug a little deeper and learned that most of my clients were getting Botox, fillers, or breast augmentations. I dug even deeper and figured out that most of them were working with one specific personal trainer in the area or wanted to work with her.

(She was on this podcast before, way back in Episode 15. Hi, Gillian!)

With the information I learned, I started building relationships with the businesses my ideal client was already visiting or supporting. Those businesses started sending me more of my favorite clients!

You can do the same. Take note of where your clients get their hair and nails done, what yoga studio they go to, where they get their coffee. Connect with the owners of those businesses. It’s free marketing and you’re supporting another entrepreneur in your community.

Ideal Client Tip #4: Find out what your ideal client is searching for online.

If your ideal client Googled “boudoir photographer” and your city, would you pop up in the search results? What if she used different keywords and key phrases like “boudoir photography near me” or “boudoir session prices” and your area? 

You have to know what your ideal photography clients are searching for online so you can do two things:

1. Be found in their searches (and then get booked)
2. Give them the information they need

It’s not just important to rank well so your business can be found. Think about what your ideal client is Googling to prepare for her session. 

Two blog posts of mine that get the most clicked are “curvy boudoir outfits” and “heels for a boudoir session!” Not what you might expect, but those two bring in a ton of traffic. Because how many other boudoir photographers are sharing that information on their blog, podcast, or YouTube channel? Not that many. And that’s how you can make your business stand out.

Ideal Client Tip #5: Understand why your client wants a boudoir session.

What are your clients actually getting out of their session? A lot of my coaching clients tell me something along the lines of “she wants to love herself as she is right now and wants to feel empowered.” While that’s true (and a very common reason), it’s too abstract.

If you’re good at your job, you’re going to make all your clients feel confident about themselves, no matter what. That’s what boudoir is for! But for marketing purposes, you have to know what your clients literally want out of their boudoir session.

Is it a gift for their husband-to-be on their wedding day? An anniversary gift? A gift for themselves to remember how hot they were, 30 years from now? You need to know this because it will change how you market your sessions and how you find your ideal client.

Ideal Client Tip #5: Be everywhere your ideal client is.

One of the best compliments I’ve ever gotten was when a client told me she didn’t realize there were other boudoir photographers in St. Louis…because I was everywhere she turned. Of course, there are lots of other photographers in this city! I just seemed like the only one because I know my ideal client so well. And I put myself in front of her.

So, get to know your ideal client. What she likes, what businesses she supports, what she wants in a session, and where she is in life. Once you know all these details about your ideal client, you can figure out how to get her eyes on your photography business — and then get booked.

Need help attracting your ideal client? Join Forever Booked Out, my signature marketing program! In this program, you’ll learn how to build a solid foundation for your marketing strategy, which will help you attract and keep your dream clients. Join the program now!