Andrew here from Photobizx. This is from the Podcast that featured Photography Business Coach Bernie Griffiths tell us how to do a simple Facebook Boosted Post that has brought in hundreds of photography sessions, and put hundreds of thousands of dollars into his photography clients bank accounts.
Ok, let’s get stuck into this Facebook (FB) ad tactic that saw me book 23 shoots in a week!
BTW, this isn’t my strategy, it’s straight from Bernie Griffith’s play book.
Bernie’s a photography business coach – he teaches his clients how to stay booked, charge for their work, be accountable and generally have a profitable photography business. I interviewed him in episode 136 and it was pure gold!
That’s the episode I linked to in the last email:
[PBX136: Bernie Griffiths – A Challenge for You to Book More Portrait Photography Sessions]
Here’s the gist of what he taught in that episode.
You gotta try this yourself!
First up, you need to have a target market for your ad – I chose kids with their pet dog but it can be anything; couples, newborns, toddlers with their fluffy toy, pure bred cats… whatever and wherever your passion lays.
With that in mind, create a headline for your FB post – which you’ll turn into an ad later – I’ll show you how.
Your headline must be specific – you’re aiming to scare off as many people outside your small target as possible – think laser focused.
Side note – this is one reason why Amanda has been so successful – laser focuses on her target market.
Seriously. Don’t be scared to push people away with your headline.
It works better that way.
I know, it’s difficult for us photographers to push people away.
Try it just and test it, just once.
Here’s my ad headline:
WANTED: Kids aged 4-8 yrs with their pet Dog
Specific. Clear. Simple.
I should have tweaked my headline and added another word which I plan to test. I reckon it would have doubled my post engagement. I’ll let you know once I try it.
Now for the body text – your REASON for wanting to photograph whoever you’re appealing to.
This can be anything but you need a reason.
You also want to include your HOOK to generate interest.
Can you guess what the hook is?
If you said free shoot and print, go you! Correcta mondo!
Some examples for a reason: new studio display, promotional material, a personal project, trying something new, taking your business in a new direction, new branding, new website images, portfolio building…
Got the idea?
This is what I used for my ad:
We’re looking to update our studio samples and will be offering a free photography session and a “thank you” print to the right families.
If you or someone you know has a child or children between the ages of 4 and 8 with a pet dog (the cuter the better), please get in touch.
Change the wording to suit your offer but make sure your hook is obvious.
BTW – kids and dogs aren’t my specialty, this was purely a test for me. It also made it glaringly obvious, I really can photograph whatever the hell I want and make money doing it.
I don’t have to photograph what’s “expected” OR what I normally do…
NEWS FLASH – neither do you!
No matter where you’re at with your business, what you currently shoot or your style… you can shoot whatever and however you like and make money doing it by running an ad like the one described here.
I don’t normally photograph kids with dogs yet I booked 23 sessions with one Facebook ad!
How easy to start shooting what ever it is you want to with this style of ad.
Or… to attract more clients like the ones you already have.
If you want to book more shoots, change direction or re-brand, shoot more B&W, shoot film or whatever… use this as a tool to get where you want with paying clients.
Yeah, yeah, the shoots are free and you’re giving away a print but wait… There’s more. I’ll get to the sales part in a sec.
I want to share a success story about a photographer who went through a re-brand. She was scared shitless but it paid off big time. I’ll save that one for a future email because there’s a bit to it and I want to share the full story.
Back to your ad…
Don’t mess with something that works when testing the waters.
A bunch of listeners did and they bombed… BIG TIME.
They tried to get fancy, add their spin and flopped.
And there’s nothing more depressing than a disheartened and discouraged photographer.
I’m right aren’t I!?
This idea works for wedding photographers too – for booking weddings – well, more for meeting engaged couples and photographing them.
Raymond is a premium member of the podcast and went full time with his wedding photography business recently.
It was a big move!
He jumped at the FB ad idea and gave it a go.
If you’re a wedding photographer, click here and I’ll share a copy of Ray’s ad and his results.
Ray had to take his ad down, there were that many enquiries… Yep, that many!
Taking the ad down was a mistake. Live and learn though.
To save this getting too complicated, let’s cover what to do with your leads (the people who engage with your FB ad) in a future email. Just know to leave your ad running for at least a week, don’t take it down no matter how well it’s going.
Back to you and your ad – let’s finish putting it together.
The end of your ad needs to have a way viewers can contact you.
No need to get fancy with landing pages and contact forms (although they work well, especially if you’re after weddings and I’ll cover that for the wedding photographers), stick to something like this to start with:
You can message me via Facebook or email: (insert your email address) for more information and to book a session.
So here’s my complete ad – plus I included a cute, close up photo of a big dog licking a little kids face.
WANTED: Kids aged 4-8yrs with their pet Dog
We’re looking to update our studio samples and will be offering a free photography session and a “thank you” print to the right families.
If you or someone you know has a child or children between the ages of 4 and 8 with a pet dog (the cuter the better), please get in touch.
You can message me via Facebook or email: tenneille@impact-images.com.au for more information and to book a session.
This ad ran for 7 days, cost $30AUD and generated 23 shoots plus a heap of leads (email addresses) for future marketing.
Try it!
Jared and Amanda have both used this strategy – and it worked for both. Although Jared totally messed up his ad targeting inside the Ads Manager.
He’d never photographed an African American family in the past and couldn’t understand why the only enquires coming in from his ad were African American mothers?
I checked his FB ad settings and sure enough…
He was ONLY targeting African American mothers who lived close by and were between the ages of 24 and 45 years.
Not a bad thing if they are your target demographic.
And what proof that Facebook targeting really works!
Next email I share how to get the sales happening from a free shoot – it’s not difficult if you follow some simple steps.
Look out for Jared and Amanda’s ads and result in an upcoming email too.
Speak then
Andrew “the booking machine” Hellmich
P.S Once you create the post on your timeline, you need to make it into an ad, using the Facebook Ads manager.
I recorded a video to show you exactly how to do that.
And how to get your targeting right, not like Jared.
Here’s the link: [Creating an Ad from your timeline post – how to video]
P.P.S If you shoot weddings, click here so I can send you a better way to use this style of FB Ad to attract engagement shoot bookings which should lead to weddings.