It all starts with a little experimentation. Even though we are all in the same wedding photography field, not all lead generation tips will work for each of our unique businesses. That’s why you have to try out different avenues through a little trial and error. No matter which lead generation tactics you discover work for you–just run with it! Here are my top five tips to generate business leads that will enable you to book your ideal client! 

Tips to Generate Business Leads: Where to Begin

We all have to start somewhere. The very first lead generation ideas I used were pulled from watching someone else. I started by observing other businesses and watching their follower base grow. After doing some research, I started experimenting and didn’t let perfectionism get in the way! To generate business leads, you have to put yourself out there. That includes posting your work online even when you don’t feel like the shot, edit, or caption is just right.

To generate business leads, you have to put yourself out there.

I used to try to make my Instagram feed look perfect until I realized it mattered more to regularly get my work in front of a new audience! It should take less than 20 minutes to create a post so you don’t overthink it! If you initially liked the photos, just publish it or use automations like scheduling which also saves so much time!

How to Generate Business Leads that Book Ideal Clients

#1 Vendor Connections

No one understands the importance of referrals like another wedding vendor. Treating your fellow vendors well and making connections as you work together can often be the best way to generate business leads!

Making genuine relationships and offering your services (sometimes for free) to form a new relationship can go a long way! These vendors will remember the good experience they had in working together and will want to do so again. Wedding planners/coordinators, wedding venues, and florists tend to make for great connectors that will refer you! This is key to both when initially getting inside of the wedding industry and in building your authority over time.

#2 Social Media

Since photography is such a visual medium, it’s to our benefit as wedding photographers that social media platforms like Instagram promote photos first! Potential clients will often see our Instagram feed before they look at a website. It’s crucial that we leave an amazing first impression with our photos in order to generate leads on social media.

Consistency is always key in creating an online presence. It doesn’t matter how often you are posting as long as you are consistent. Start small, use scheduling tools, and increase the number and kind of posts you do after you become consistent with the basics. Instagram rewards those who use all of their features so adding in stories and reels will also help increase your reach.

As soon as I finish editing a wedding or couples shoot I quickly schedule an Instagram post. I pull the top 10 images from the session and write a caption while it’s fresh on my mind. If you have a lot of sessions scheduled, then writing these as you go and scheduling them ahead will cover your content in advance.

#3 Collect Reviews

Start by asking prior couples for a testimonial (if you haven’t already) that you recall loved working with you. Make it simple with either a quick questionnaire or a direct link to your Google Reviews page. For Google Reviews, provide prompts that make it easier to share their experience and the transformation from working with you! You can even add an incentive like a gift card for those who fill it out!

To generate business leads through future clients, prepare a standard questionnaire with a link to your Google Review page as part of your offboarding process. You can also offer a referral reward for past clients who connect you with a future client that books!

#4 Share Reviews and Social Proof

As soon as you get feedback, take less than one minute and post it on social media! You could make a carousel post, or post it on your Instagram Story and then save these in your highlights! If a client messages you with how much they loved a session or the photos following gallery delivery–save that message. Ask for their permission to share it anonymously as a way to show off the great experience of working with you.

These screenshots of messages and reviews can also be incorporated into the testimonials section of your website. It’s as simple as that!

#5 Generate Business Leads Through Cold Pitches

If you run across any potential ideal clients through your research or existing connections then reach out to them! Because they fit into your ideal client category, they should have a shared interest that connects to your art as a photographer. Use this to your advantage to generate business leads!

For example, you have vintage-styled photography business branding and several of your brides have engagement rings from the same vintage ring company. You might make a connection with the owner of the ring company and look at their followers. You could ask to do a collaborative giveaway, photograph their rings in a styled shoot, or some other connection point in order to reach your target audience!

Start with these five ways to generate business leads and then get creative with other avenues to find leads that you will be excited to book!

I love coaching photographers through any phase of their business! Let’s connect and talk through how to find more ideal clients and answer any other questions you may have!