Most all of my copywriting clients these past few years have been photographers. You guys, if you could have seen me sweating out my nerves on these discovery calls! I was SO intimidated at first!
I used to take photos when I worked as a magazine editor but ONLY if no one else was available to do it. I’d have everyone stand in the shade and look toward the sun, put my camera on Auto, and pray…..hard. Praying was the part that worked, I think. 🤣
So why me? Why would a photographer choose me as her copywriter if I can’t walk her walk?
I think it’s because what you as a photographer want your business and sales copy to feel like is EXACTLY the high standard I think all copy should be too.
And it’s different from other industries and the typical things you read.
Photographers care deeply about their clients and how they feel. You are providing someone an experience that they will always take with them, building their confidence and literally shaping how they see themselves in a positive light.
You just can’t pair that with flashing countdown timers that rush someone into booking a session and words that dig into your client’s fears and pain points and bold ACT NOW, HURRY HURRY HURRY statements.
It’s not you. It feels weird when you try to write this way because it’s not how you’d talk to your clients in real life, and it doesn’t align with how you want to run your business either.
But your work also serves and supports YOU, and you do that by making sales. So, where’s the line? How can you have impactful sales copy that sounds like you, is effective, and welcomes your next client with open arms?
Well, so happy you asked! I can’t take a decent back-to-school photo of my kids to save my life, but I CAN give you a few ideas for writing sales copy your clients will love to read.
1 Imagine your most favorite client you’ve ever gotten to work with. Seriously. Close your eyes and just picture her, sitting in front of your as you share a coffee together. How would you talk to her? What would you say? How would you answer her questions? Write that.
2 Read your copy out loud. Anytime you write something, go back and read it out loud. Does it sound like you? Is this how you would speak to your clients if you were on a Zoom? Sometimes when we sit down to write, we put on our “writing voice” hat and take off our “real me” hat. Reading out loud helps you go back and put the YOU back into your writing (which is what people need to hear most).
3 Know that when you sit down to write it is so incredibly NORMAL for your first thoughts to be “I don’t know what to say.” “Does everything I say sound ridiculous?” “I suck at writing and can’t do this.” <— I am a professional writer and all of this comes up for me every time I write, too. It comes up for everyone. Sit with these feelings. Type them out even! But don’t quit writing. What you have to say is buried underneath all of that first stuff that comes up. You are a good writer and this is part of the process.
4 Take it further than sharing your photos. Tell your audience the story they’re seeing too. Was this couple super nervous to take their photos, but they turned out beautifully thanks to your guidance/pre-shoot planning session? Tell us more about that! Was this family worried to show up for their photo session with three young toddlers? Share some things you do to get genuine smiles from those littles. Every photo you take tells a story, and you have a part to play in that story too. Tell us!
5 Include a call to action. In your blogs, captions, emails – always let the reader know what to do next. You know that feeling of going to a dinner party and not being sure where you should go or what you should do next? Do we mingle in the kitchen? Head to the patio? Your audience wants to know their next move too, so simply tell them. Click here to learn more. Inquire about your session here, etc.!
That’s it! Were these tips helpful to you? Leave a comment and let me know!
Would you totally love to hand the content creation for your photography business over to someone else? So you can get back to doing the work you love AND know your next client is still being served via your blog posts, emails, and social media captions? Click here to learn more about my quarterly or monthly content packages for photographers + creative CEOs.
