Cater to your customers' specific needs, by investing in market research via product and satisfaction surveys and evaluations. Make questionnaires on the quality of your photographs and service delivery during photo shoots. This helps improve services and the quality of photographs to the satisfaction of customers.
Reduce your expenditures. Compare prices before making any purchase and choose the most affordable. Look for shops that offer after sales services like delivery and installation of photography equipment. Research and learn about market rates for your products and services. Create pricing packages with consideration for services like make-up before a shoot, printing of photographs and framing and home delivery to provide clients with more options.
Separate your personal from your business finances. Know the amount you spend on make-up, photo printing, power and staff salaries; this information will help to minimize costs where possible. Learn bookkeeping skills--you can take online tutorials or evening classes--to improve finance management.
Invest in photography resources. There are range of programs that help to effectively manage your business. They include Genbook, an online appointment program that allows clients to make bookings. Another program, Your Images Forever, helps with storage of digital files. Other helpful software programs include Studio Assistant and customer resource management (CRM) software to assist in scheduling and tracking customer orders.
Advertise your business online via social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Create a website where to showcase your photographs, products and other services. Print fliers with your photographs and distribute them locally.
Create a client follow-up plan. Write your clients thank you notes and post them or text them. Personalize the note to include some of your photographs the client loved or has not seen. Keep your client contacts to inform them of new photography packages in the future.
Diversify your business to cater to a wide range of clients. Create packages for event photography, individual or group shoots, and include printing and framing if the client requires it. This helps to increase your customer base.