Do you feel like you’re stuck in “how do I find clients” limbo? Perhaps you’re posting like crazy on Facebook, attempting to blog all of the time, or putting up your business cards in every Starbucks and Panera you work from. Do you feel like you’re still stuck with finding clients? Perhaps there is a reason why. Let’s dive into it today…

Do you know your target client?

First, before you can understand your biggest problem in finding your clients, you need to know where to find them! What do you know about your true target client? I usually find that photographers are at two different places in their business, they either:

1. Know their target client clearly, and want to only focus on them to build their business
2. Don’t yet know their target client, and build their business through lots of types of clients until they find their target client

You may identify with one of these scenarios, and if you have a great understanding of your target client, then you will follow one game plan. If you identify with the second, you will follow the other. What are these game plans?

You know your target client

If you know your target client, you can talk all about them. You know what they wear, what they eat, where they travel, where they live, who they love to talk about, what they read, and what they do every day at their jobs. If this is you, and you are struggling to still connect with these clients, then I have a big question for you: Are you going where they are? If your ideal clients love to do yoga, are you in a yoga studio? If your ideal clients love their dogs, are you showing your face or work in dog boutiques? If your ideal clients love to shop, are you walking the malls?

I know, this may sound crazy, but you need to show your face or work consistently in the places where your ideal clients are located. This does not mean that you need to spend a ton of money if your ideal clients are doing it. It doesn’t mean that you need to pick up mountain biking or crossfit, if that’s where your ideal clients are located. Moral of the story? Be creative! Think creatively about how you can show your work in front of your ideal clients in a way that makes sense to you.

You’re unsure of your target client

If you fall under option #2, then you are still trying to figure out your ideal client, and that is an interesting and a great opportunistic place to be! You have lots of time in front of you to really understand the people that you love (and maybe don’t!) like to work with. Right now it’s time for you to simply find and kind of client. If this is you, you want to get your name out to all places, and it’s all about being top-of-mind to every one you know.

Here is what I think is another key point to being in this position: There is a very delicate balance to growing your client base and finding your ideal client through lots of work AND respecting your business and where you’d like to grow. You will need to figure out how to work with as many people as possible, while not compromising your future business growth by utilizing discounts. There is no set way to give you a game plan for this, but it’s going to be a delicate balance that you want to strike. Here’s the good news: As you work with more and more people, then you will be able to understand who to work with as a ‘target client project’ and who to turn down for a discount option.

Get in front of your potential clients

….more than you feel is necessary.

You read that: MORE than you think is necessary. You may feel like you’re being overwhelming, but keep in mind that we live in world with very short attention spans and memories. Get in front of either your target clients or ANY clients (while you’re figuring out your target) MORE than you think is possible.

So what is the one thing you can do to find clients? EXPOSURE. Get more. Talk about your work. Share it. Ask others to share. Go where your target clients are located. Be creative in how you get in front of them. Hustle, hustle, hustle.

Want a few more ideas about how to bring in clients? We have a Client Magnet Idea Infographic for you to get those wheels turning!