It’s time to have a huge mindset shift. Why? Because your thriving business depends on it. Think about your website right now. Does it look like a portfolio? If you’re a portrait, wedding, or small business videographer or photographer, here are 3 crucial reasons why you need to change your photography or videography website.
1. Your business is no longer just word of mouth.
Before customers started looking for businesses on the Internet, they met with photographers in person to look at his or her portfolio, get a vibe for the photographer, and get any of their questions answered. When photographers started their websites, they put their portfolio online, so they could refer to it, and their potential clients could look at it.
How do people find photographers now? They get referrals, see tagged and branded photos from their friends on Facebook, do searches to compare 15 different photographers in the area, and so forth. People are finding your portfolio without you. They are no longer going through you to your portfolio. Does it really make sense for someone to just look at your portfolio? Simply posting your portfolio online doesn’t replace meeting with you. But your website can and should replace you.
2. Your website is your salesperson.
Before anyone contacts you through your contact form, email address, or phone number, 60% of the slas process is already done without you. How well is your website taking them through the sales process? What is it doing right now? Your website is your salesperson.
Most photography websites are acting like a photographer who hands an interested client her portfolio and business card while running away whispering, “Contact me.” What do you expect from a salesperson? You expect them sit down with the client with the intention of getting a sale and, in doing so, guides the potential client through the sales process. The salesperson would get to know them, show them what they are interested in, explain your value, show your credibility, answer any of their questions, give them a vibe for who you are, and finally ask them when they want to schedule their session. Your website can and should do this.
3. 98% of visitors will never come back to your website.
This is kind of a sad number. You want people to come back to you because you are great! But they won’t. You have once chance for a person to go to your website and take the next step in your sales process. Your website needs to guide them forward, so they move forward with you. Your website can and should do this.
Unfortunately, a portfolio doesn’t do any of these things.
If you’re ready to turn your website into your salesperson, this free guide will help you get started – 7 Steps to a Homepage that Sells.
For more marketing tips and training, check out our business coaching class.