How do you advertise your services?

[SenorNikonMan]

I was just wondering how those of you who do freelance sports photography either as a living or as a sideline (no pun intended), get the word out about your services? I realize that you can take ads out in local newspapers and such, but what have you found to be the most effective?

Would wearing a shirt or a photo vest with your phone number or your website address printed on the back of it while you're shooting a sporting event work? I would think that that would be a very direct and inexpensive way to get the word out among the people who would be most likely to purchase the pictures in the first place.

How about taking out an ad in the school newspaper or game program? Do those work?

[JSPhoto]

Free advertising.... people see my work in the local paper all the time, and word of mouth helps too. When I go to a store now I always run into someone who knows me by my photos, the kids at school know me by name.

JS

[VinnyC01]

I am not a freelance photographer, but I work with many. We all met on our local newspaper's forum.

We all have the same practice of free advertising. We cover a game. Post the game we covered on the forum.

I get over 52% of my hits from this forum.

An example: http://www.nj.com/forums/hsfootball/

They also tell me that they a ton hits from it.

Other use google ads.

[SmartWombat]

the kids at school know me by name.

Long term marketing investment, when they get jobs and want a photographer ...

[JSPhoto]

Long term marketing investment, when they get jobs and want a photographer ...

It also helps at prom and graduation time....I already have a list for this years proms and graduation parties

JS

[masdog]

It depends on where you're at, Senor. If you're just starting out, the best thing to do is to get to know people. Talk to coaches, ADs, and parents. Nothing beats word of mouth, and as you get to know more people, the more inside tracks you'll get on work.

That's not a guarantee, though. You need to have good work in addition to good contacts.

By the way, I personally find the shirt with your name or website on the back kind of tacky. An embroidered golf shirt or jacket with your logo/name on the front left breast is much more professional looking.

[JSPhoto]

All advertising works, to a point. As MASDOG said, your name on a descent looking shirt helps, but I wouldn't go overboard, and I personally think people would want a real name, not a website, or maybe the website above your name. People want to associate with a real person, not an unknown website with no person to put with it.
When I started I was very lucky as I was already well known to the people who I was selling to as I had been going to that track 10 years and was a crew chief the year before I started taking photos there.
Within 6 months of going to the paper all the area schools knew who I was, even at the out of area schools.... word of mouth is the best advertising.


JS

[Old Timer]

I've been around for a while so most of the hometowners know me. But I have cards printed up with my printroom.com address on them and hand them out to parents and others that are interested in pictures. I have had a couple of high school girls handout card while I'm shooting that way I don't miss any shoots and still get the word out. I only do that like on Senior night when I have lot of parents in one spot and I can't get to all them. Word of mouth is still my best advertising though. I don't want a big business however so I have never tried to get aggressive with advertising.

[SenorNikonMan]

By the way, I personally find the shirt with your name or website on the back kind of tacky. An embroidered golf shirt or jacket with your logo/name on the front left breast is much more professional looking.

That did occur to me and is one of the reasons why I asked about doing something like that. Right now I'm just getting into it so I appreciate all the feedback I am getting on this subject. I'm really working towards getting the groundwork done this school year with hopes of being ready to start offering my services next school year. Hopefully by then there will be some word of mouth about my work which will make it easier for me to make it work.

I do realize that all the advertising in the world won't do any good if the photos are not of a good enough quality for people to want to purchase them. That is another reason why I am not rushing into this. I want to get some more practice in before I put the word out about my services.