“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” —Marianne Williamson

One-on-one contact is more important than ever for a creative professional to find and keep clients, especially for photographers. Due to the intimate nature of the photo assignment process, clients really need to get to know and trust you. In my workshops, photographers still tell me they have so much reluctance to put themselves forward. This is, of course, exactly what is needed to promote business. Maybe you are good at managing your business, handy at social networking and even doing brilliant photography—but are you still hiding your light under a bushel?

Many negative connotations typically come to mind when thinking about self-promotion, all of which unfortunately keep most photographers from feeling comfortable and confident about it. Photographers need to push past any discomfort, make a good first impression and plan for one-on-one contact with clients.

We asked a variety of professionals with different backgrounds and years of experience for some advice: photographer Andy Batt and producer Therese Gietler of Andy Batt Studio; photographer Rick Becker; consultant Mary Virginia Swanson; and photographer Jeffrey Thayer.

CA: How do you push yourself to promote even when it does not feel comfortable?

Jeffrey Thayer: I tell myself that no one is going to hire me if they don't know I exist. I remember that I need to run promotions when I am busy or I won’t be soon. I know that just because I sent an e-mail campaign, or postcard, or whatever it may be out, it does not mean I am ever done.

I need to continue to do it on a regular schedule. The people I want to work with need to see that I am working on new images and staying on top of my game.

Andy Batt: When we promote, we see results six to twelve months later. When we don’t promote, we see the (lack of) results in six to twelve months. It’s very rare the promotion directly turns something around; it’s almost always indirect and on a much longer timeline than you would think (or want). It’s a discipline to promote; if we’re busy, it’s easy to ignore, and if we’re slow, it’s easy to put it off.

We’ve also recently been able to make some trade-ups. When we first started out, we had more time than money, so we did it all in-house. Now we work with a designer and a list maker (with one caveat: We still verify our lists ourselves, as machine lists have errors). So now we work with designer Jen Kilcoyne, copywriter Geoff Rogers, Modern Postcard’s fulfillment service, ADBASE Emailer, AtEdge Print, AtEdge Online, CA's PhotoCards and Creative Hotlist, Workbook Print and Workbook Online.

This gives us back our time—which we have less of now—and empowers us to stay on schedule by making the steps much easier, and especially when we are busy. It also allows us to know the overhead and plan for it when things slow down.

Therese Gietler: Recently a photo teacher asked for our promo material to show her second-year students. I gave her everything Andy mentioned above. I asked her if she was getting anything from other photographers, and she explained that many she asked told her that mailing postcards is dead, a waste of time and money, and that clients get way too much crap in the mail, so it is impossible to stand out. I found that interesting because I remember saying those exact things when we couldn't afford to send them.

Now I can’t point to my expenditures and say “I spent that, and I got this.” But then we go to group portfolio reviews, and people have heard of us. Important people, important clients. They say things like, “I've been following you guys for awhile; it is so great to get to meet you!” We just look at each other and shrug our shoulders and say, “OK, maybe it is working after all!”

Mary Virginia Swanson: I’d encourage artists to try to isolate what part of this activity does not feel comfortable, and why. Is the artwork you are presenting less than extraordinary? Is the design not clearly communicating your goals? Is the promotional method not contemporary? Then, tackle the weak spot(s), improve your methodology overall and move forward with confidence toward your targeted audience.

Also, the more you know about the space—physical and online—where your client really lives then the more effectively and comfortably you can communicate. Look at their Web sites, their language, blogs they visit, sites they join. Is this person an office-and-paper type of client or a Facebook and e-mail type?

CA: What do you recommend to make the best “first impression” with photo clients?

Batt: The best first impression is always a personal recommendation from someone. After that, it’s a composite thing. So we try to present ourselves in multiple venues, with a consistent branding (logo, type, information, images, message). Our first impression to someone is made up of a mailed postcard, an e-blast, exposure from a portal (Workbook Online, Creative Hotlist, AtEdge Online), our Web site and from Google.

Google is the first thing I use to learn about someone. So I assume if I send a postcard that catches their eye, they will punch me into Google, before doing anything else. I do a lot of SEO work to make sure I’m findable on Google (and Yahoo, etc.). Our Web site is also designed to be streamlined in its presentation. We’ve taken the unusual step of having a one-page site. There is a ton of depth to that page, but effectively the landing page is the only page.