As a pro photographer, I’m insanely passionate about seeing my work hanging in my clients’ homes. We’re living in a digital age where it’s so easy to forget the origins of our profession and our ultimate goal — creating beautiful photographs to hang on the wall. That’s why I believe it’s more important than ever that we, as photographers and artists, offer our clients exceptional printed products so that they can proudly display their photographs.
So how do we stir up that desire for printed photos and wall art? I’ll tell you: It’s really about customer service and offering high-quality products from the best print lab so you can be confident in what you’re selling. When you get it right, it’s not only possible to sell prints, but totally rewarding as well. Here are four tips to get you started—
1. Create a desire for wall art by showing what’s possible.
One of the most successful ways I encourage clients to invest in wall art is to create the desire for it. By displaying photos of my printed products on my website, in my welcome guide and in my studio, I am showing off the gorgeous printed products I offer over and over again.
Think about this: How many times have you walked into Target for “just one thing,” and ended up seeing twenty other things that you just had to have? Maybe you walked past home decor, clothing, accessories — things you maybe didn’t even realize they sold — and now you want everything you see. Sound familiar? We need to think of our print products in the same way! Your clients can’t want what they don’t even know exists. But, once they see those beautiful, high-quality prints they have to have them! Showing what you want to sell is the best strategy when it comes to selling wall art to your clients.
2. Show your clients that your products are exclusive.
Create a demand and desire for printed art by choosing products that are unique and high quality. I have been using Miller’s Professional Imaging for years now. They are the best print lab I’ve found and their products speak for themselves. With Miller’s, I am able to provide my clients with wall art options they can’t get on their own. And, I know the products are exceptional quality that will last for years and years. This exclusivity is huge for selling printed products. My clients need to know that they are paying for a premium product they can’t buy anywhere else.
Here’s how Miller’s helps keep my business profitable:
Cost is a huge factor in choosing the best print lab for your photography business. When pricing my products, I always make sure to look at the actual cost from the lab, as well as the cost of my time. It’s so important to consider all the hours I spend working with my clients, including appointments, emailing, shooting, editing, ordering, packaging and delivering the final products. I put in a lot of hours with each of my clients to create a personal experience. With Miller’s I know that the print and wall art products are affordable enough for me as a photographer, but high-quality enough to demand the price I need to charge my clients to cover my time. As a business owner, this ability to make a profit on my sales is important. Plus, Miller’s has never sacrificed quality when it comes to making things also affordable, and I appreciate that.
3. Use in-person sales to increase your profits.
Beyond showing off canvases and metal prints (two of my most popular products!) on my studio walls, inviting my clients to view their images in person is a great way to sell products. Ask anyone who’s tried it, and I think most will tell you that in-person sales work!
We are in a visual business. Our clients can’t imagine what something would look like in their home simply by seeing a digital image online. It’s overwhelming and intimidating for them to make decisions about large wall art pieces without anyone to walk them through it. By assisting your clients in placing their orders, you can show them the quality of the products you offer — in person, where they can touch and feel each item and see why your wall art products are worth a premium price.
Pro Tip:
You can also use software to show just how things would look inside a client’s home.
4. Be confident in your printed products.
Confidence is huge when it comes to selling. If you do not believe in your products and services, your clients won’t either. For me, choosing a lab whose products are high-quality and can stand the test of time is a major must. This is why Miller’s is the best print lab for my business and for my own home photo decor.
I have canvases and prints from Miller’s that have been in my studio and home for years, and they look just the way they did the day they were delivered to my front door.
I make a point of telling my clients that I use the same print lab for my personal photos and my business products. The fact that I believe in Miller’s so much that I use them for my personal photos and display their products in my own home tells my clients how confident I am in the products I sell. This helps my clients trust me and feel confident in the products and art they are ordering for their walls.
Here’s how Miller’s saves me time:
Just like I work hard to make my clients’ lives easier, Miller’s works to make my life easier. It’s services like easy ordering in ROES, the option to drop ship directly to my client with boutique packaging, and (my favorite) the quickest turn around time I’ve found from any professional lab that makes me a loyal Miller’s client.
At the end of the day, I love knowing that my clients are able to see the photos of their loved ones on their walls everyday. For me, it makes all the work I put into my photography totally worth it.
All photos by Lauren Grayson
This is a sponsored post but the opinions are those of the author.Â
