"Get to Know Joe Blog" and Jane too...

Trying to build a network of solid devotees, fans, supporters, evangelists, clients and client wannabes can be daunting. It can also be incredibly powerful. Just doesn't happen overnight, and we expect that in our "have-it-now" world. It takes work, consistent effort and strenuous sticktoitiveness to keep the effort going strong.

One photographer I know targets 60 would-be clients. He researches their work, awards, clients, articles - whatever, to make sure his work is right for them. Then he goes ballistic. Emails, postcards, signed prints, article reprints... whatever it takes to get them to consider him for a gig... or a knee to the face. Whatever. He gets remembered... and he gets at least 2 of these "top-tier" folks into his client stable.

What he doesn't do is a 'targeted' email campaign to 3500 designers on a list he bought in Florida. He doesn't spend outrageous dollars on "source-book" advertising that is old before it gets printed. He also doesn't spend time on clients who don't "get" his style. Focus, focus, focus.

He is building credibility and awareness among a small group of people, and his outcome produces jobs he WANTED to shoot with clients he WANTED to have. Ya know?

Media Guerrilla: Marketers, Get to Know Joe Blog: "So, while Joe Blog on the C-list may lack the reach of his blogger brethren, he still has a degree of influence on those folks who read his stuff. Even if itÂ’s only 5 people, those 5 people follow Joe Blog because they either know him, like what he writes or they share a common interest. Regardless, thereÂ’s a level of trust in Joe. And influence is a very powerful byproduct of trust."