Blog | Inspired by This Blog

In an industry that capitalizes on the importance of the little details, it can be challenging to take a step back and see the bigger picture. What are your goals for your business? Are you getting any closer to bringing them to fruition? Allow me to offer some helpful tips in regards to what I get the most inquiries about: getting Press. This will not be a step by step explanation about how to submit your work and to whom, what I would like to share today is how to quickly not be considered for online and print press.

Magazines and high traffic wedding blogs want to feature new and fresh content. They do not want their readers opening their magazines or going to their blogs/websites only to find images they have already seen and notice articles they have already read. Most savvy, popular bloggers know what their peers are featuring and most of the editors I work with are always looking at blogs for content and new vendor inspirations too. Recently I called the editor-in-chief of a well known national publication to ask her if she knew that a recent wedding they had featured had been all over the wedding blogs about 6 months prior. The reaction: pure shock!We agreed that it made it near impossible to provide a unique product and service that makes them the best at what they do if they are using content vendors are submitting that has already been seen. If you want your work featured in a magazine, do not even think about blogging it or giving the images out. I write this from the perspective of how its going to affect YOU- the photographer and YOU the planner/designer who worked so hard on this. I have had national magazines drop consideration for my clients’ work because the photographer gave them to an online outlet and they saw it before I could do damage control! Maybe you think that if you do not have a high traffic site, it will be ok. Nope, wrong again. What has a tendency to happen is one of those blogs with a strong following, may blog the photos you release on your personal blog or website and then the magazine staff who scours all the blogs will see your images and will no longer consider your work for a spread. May I add as well…more power to those bloggers who grab the content from their favorite vendor websites and blogs- they are wise and know where to find the amazing content that makes them so unique. They know what they are doing and they do it well- now its your turn to have your wits about you and make your marketing and media choices wisely.

You may be dying to show everyone what a cool shoot you just wrapped, or your last amazing wedding but if you want media outlets to even consider you, hold your horses! This doesn’t just limit you in blogging. Do not twitpic or tweet the specifics of what you are putting together either. I have seriously gotten frantic calls from editors about tweeted images that are slated to soon appear in their magazines AND please don’t put them on your personal website until the images have been released online or in print. Remember patience is a virtue, and in the case of sharing magazine and online bound work, a necessity! Image from the fabulous Paloma’s Nest…I am obsessed. can you tell? only used her images 3 weeks in a row!

May you be inspired,

Leila

I would like to have a little chat about whether or not you should have one. So I realize I may be swimming in dangerous waters here but in today’s tip, we tackle the blog…duh duh Duh! The big question I would like to pose in true Shakespearean style is: To blog or not to Blog? Since I reserve the right to ask a question and then immediately answer it, I’ll go right ahead. The answer is if its going to be a great blog that completely reflects your style and position in the market it can be a helpful tool, but on the other hand if you will are doing a mediocre version, it can be a great detriment to your business. If you are shaking in your boots wondering where your blog falls I will give you a few simple tests to apply to your blog and asses how much it is hurting or helping you.

1. Are you using your blog in lieu as a website? I hope you are shaking your head no over there! (unless you are a photographer and have opted for a blog-site)
2. Do you think it is enticing more business or driving people away?
3. Are you blogging only sporadically with days, weeks or months in between posts?

If your answer was yes to any of the above, you need to quickly make some changes so as to not turn away potential clients. Unless you are a blogger by trade, there is no excuse for you to only have a blog. Having a good looking website will instantly give you more credibility, which increases your perceived value. If you are only blogging occasionally bride’s may not trust you as much as someone who is blogging everyday, but what’s the big deal you may ask? Sharing their new insights, event photos or just showing they are alive, well and still working makes a bride or reader feel like they (the blogger/vendor) isn’t going anywhere. So if you are going to have a blog make sure it adheres to the above standards, or else it could just be a time consuming mistake.

Photo by Stephanie Williams

May you be inspired,

Leila