Running a business is hard, right?! In the early stages, it can feel like your efforts are going unrewarded. You spend countless amounts of time trying to get your marketing right, and often what you get in return just doesn’t seem fair. At some point (hopefully not too long into your new venture!) you begin to get a good footing. Referrals start coming in, you’ve found your marketing groove, and you are in a happy place. Yay! Fast forward a few months, or a few years, and you find yourself relocating. How do you deal with moving your stable photography business to a new town, where no one knows you from Adam?

This week, on Ask Kim, Stacey asks:

 “I am a military wife and we moved to a new base about a year ago and is just can’t seem to book anything. I don’t know where to go from here. It’s been super frustrating.”

Sweet Stacey,

I can’t even imagine having to pack up my business and re-open in a new location. The mere thought of it makes me choke on my butterbeer latte.

Before we go any further, I want to sincerely thank your family for your service to our country. I always believe that aside from the obvious bravery of the men and women fighting for our country, the ones who love them are just as brave, and deserve our support, too! Thank you for everything you do, I know it can’t possibly be easy.

Now, I’m no military wife (though my fiance is a Marine veteran) but I do have a couple of ideas that I think would help, and I went on a mission to compile some great resources for you to look at. 

• One thing that really helped my business was getting a 5×7 marketing card into the welcome folders given to new tenants at a nearby apartment complex. I offered two free prints with a session if it was booked within 30 days of their move, and it got me a lot of new clients! It is a quick, easy way to get your business out there to people you may never otherwise meet. I’m not sure if military bases have some sort of packet like that for new families, but I would suggest talking to someone about being featured in whatever literature they give out!

• Another idea is to start focusing heavily on military homecomings and retirements. I think that would be a great way to get involved in the community, and there is a little psychology behind it. We tend to connect quickly and deeply with people that go through a highly emotional experience with us. When we allow others to hear our stories or joy and pain, and see us in a raw, vulnerable state, we bond faster than we do on a typical Tuesday, having superficial conversation and doing nothing more than exchanging pleasantries. By bonding with these families during such an emotional time (and sharing stories since you know just how they feel) you will create a special connection that quite possibly will blossom into a repeat customer!

• Network your butt off! Get out there and be active. The more activities you throw yourself into, the better. This doesn’t mean killing yourself trying to run in groups you aren’t interested in, but find things that are important to you and get involved. I pride myself on being a very active participant in my daughter’s life. I am on the PTA, I revel in being a room mom, and I volunteer at school events as much as possible. I do it for my daughter, in fact, that is why I started my own business, so I would have the flexibility to work while being there for my child as much as possible. Being so active allows me to make connections with a lot of families around school, and builds my client list. It is important to me to be active within my church, which happens to bring me business as well. Volunteering is something my family is big on, and I’ve gotten at least one new client from nearly every volunteering experience. By putting your heart into things that are important to you, you naturally network, and can organically grow your business, quickly. Bonus: these clients are often the most loyal, as they know you on a personal level!

• Go above and beyond for your clients with small details that most photographers don’t bother with. Send thank you notes with a few business cards when a new client books a session, and bring along a care package for military families (here is a link for ideas on what to give non-military clients).Off the top of my head, here is what I might include: a small packet of Kleenex (“to dry your tears”), a mini mason jar filled with Hershey Kisses (“when that next kiss seems so far away”), a $20 gift card to a local book store (“when you need a break from reality”), a package of cute cards and a pen (“so you can send your sweetie some love”). So often, the smallest of gestures make the biggest impression!

This is one of my favorite stationary companies, they have such cute cards!

Here are a few posts I found that I think you will find helpful:

How to Restart a Photography Business

Can You Make it as a Military Spouse Photographer?

Tips for Relocating Your Photography Business

Professionalism Beyond the Image: Service Consistency (because your reputation will take you far in your new home!)

If you aren’t in our members group on Facebook, PC Insiders, click here to join! There are many other military spouses there that you can connect with!

Our favorite Photoshop Fanatic, Morgan, just kissed her husband goodbye a few days ago (he will be gone for five months to train for a new military job) and I asked her to offer a few ideas on how to boost your business at your new base. Check out this adorable shot from Kalyn Brown Photography, taken when Morgan’s family reunited after his last deployment!

Hey, Stacey, Morgan here!

My best advice for you to build your clientele at your new base would be to advertise, any way you can, especially using free methods! If you photograph families, contact the Housing Office at the base to see if they allow advertising in their monthly fliers or welcome packets for new families. If you photograph newborns or births, contact local OB/GYN facilities and ask if you can leave business cards or welcome packets for new mamas. If you photograph high school seniors, reach out to local schools and let them know you’re new to the area and would like to get the word out by doing good in the community. Ask if they would be interested in sponsoring an entry-based event where teachers could recommend an awesome student to be entered to win a free session. Some schools even have a newspaper you could advertise in. Leave business cards at prom dress stores, children boutiques, or wherever your target market would normally frequent!

Another idea is to join Model Mayhem. There, you can connect with local models and setup free sessions with girls looking for photos, and by tagging the girls in your final shots on social media their friends and family will see the images, which would bring paying clients your way. You can also try paying for Facebook ad’s to gain new fans in your area.

You can do it! Don’t give up and you’ll go far

-Morgan

There you have it, we can’t wait to hear how your business grows over the next few months! Keep in touch, would ya?