As a real estate photographer or home stager, you most likely work locally. At least, that’s what I prefer. I don’t think it’s necessary to spend half a day in the car for a shoot or styling job when there is plenty of work just around the corner. Your online presence is crucial for your credibility as an entrepreneur. It’s the place to show your work to a wide audience. But you also need local brand awareness to become the go-to expert in your field. Offline marketing for your business is important and not dead, even though many entrepreneurs think otherwise.

So, what can you do offline to grow your business?

1. Make a list of your prospects

Create a spreadsheet of businesses that could use your services: real estate agents, interior designers, architects, florists, furniture stores, construction companies, and property developers. Museums also regularly need professional interior photography. Don’t forget bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, and holiday homes. One of my real estate presentation students even focuses on the interiors of luxury yachts.

Try to think outside the box as well. There are many possibilities, not just those directly related to your niche. Schools, fashion stores, even the dentist and the hospital. Every business is a potential client. They all have interiors that might be shown online or in brochures. A list on its own won’t bring you clients, but it does give you a clear overview of the opportunities in your area. You have all the information at hand, which is always useful for future marketing actions.

2. Go to networking events

It might not bring you work straight away, but it is important to get your name out there. People like to work with entrepreneurs they know and are happy to refer them to others. Even small communities have networking groups that meet regularly. Find out where the potential clients on your list go. Many business associations have a member list on their websites. They are usually looking for fresh blood.

Ask your local Chamber of Commerce about any upcoming events. In our area, the Rabobank regularly organises meetings for entrepreneurs. There are also more exclusive groups, such as BNI Business Network International and the Junior Chamber. In many places, there are monthly open coffee mornings or breakfast meetings for entrepreneurs.

Of course, it is nerve-racking to attend an event or meeting when you don’t know anyone, but it is an excellent way to meet other entrepreneurs in your target audience or people who know someone who might be able to help you.

Do you really struggle with networking, but not with English? I took an online networking course on CreativeLive. The course helped me a lot, and as an introvert in large groups, I feel much more at ease.

3. Build a strong brand, both online and offline

Good marketing starts with a strong brand. So put your brand out there. Make sure all your marketing materials, such as flyers, brochures, and business cards, share a consistent look and feel. Also, try something different from everyone else. Our business cards, for example, are square and printed on a rough, eco-friendly paper. But that’s not all you can do: a custom-designed notebook, and a case for your iPhone with your logo and pattern. Not a day goes by without a client noticing it, and they all love it. In our line of work, we help businesses and homeowners stand out with real estate styling and photography. You come across as much more credible when your own styling really stands out. If you like, you can also read this article about branding.

4. Turn your car into a moving billboard

A couple of years ago, I bought a white Fiat 500, after swearing I would never buy a white car again. My first one was white, too, but it turned out I am not the kind of person who visits the carwash regularly. So my car was not exactly marketing material. On my previous black car, I had magnets with my logo, slogan and website. Unfortunately, they got lost on the motorway, which I really cannot recommend. Imagine such a magnet landing on someone else’s windscreen. Stickers are the safest option.

But be careful. Do you have equipment insurance? Our coverage does not apply if something is stolen from my car when it is clearly visible that we are photographers. So check your policy before you put your logo all over your car.

5. Ask for referrals

Make it a habit to ask every happy client to recommend you. Do this shortly after you have worked for them. At that moment, you are still fresh in their minds. Give them the freedom to share your work on social media, but do ask them to tag you. Mentioning the creator of the work is required under copyright law anyway, so it really isn’t a strange request. They will definitely be motivated to share their positive experience and photos with friends, colleagues, and family. There is no better marketing.

Create a few postcards featuring your best work, and give them to your clients to pass along to potential customers. Just add a small logo, website and email address on the back. Make sure they are nice to receive, so they are more likely to end up on a pinboard rather than in the recycling bin.

6. Leave your name everywhere

I already mentioned our branded notebook. When a client tells me they like it, I walk to my car and leave one behind. Always a nice surprise. Having pens printed with your logo and website is always a good idea. Let’s be honest, everyone is always looking for pens. Keep them in your bag, and every time you see someone searching for something to write with, grab one and help them out. Of course, they can keep the pen. And your name will travel even further.

7. Bundle your services and create a clear price list

Your rates are also part of your marketing. One of the best things we have done for our business is create a clear price list listing all the services and products we offer. In addition to the separate items, we also offer packages that offer a small discount compared to the individual services. Most of our clients choose one of those packages. We can give them a discount on, for example, aerial photography or 360-degree tours because we are already on location.

Another thing that sells well and therefore is on our price list is seasonal photography. For real estate agents and homeowners, it can be a trigger to hire us for new exterior shots when a house has been on the market for a long time. This is not only great for your marketing, but also for your clients’.

We do not list our prices on the website. We want prospects to call and ask for them. That first moment of contact is an opportunity to sit down with them and explain what we do differently and what they get for their money. If they can only compare our rates with the big players, we are dismissed straight away.

8. Send your clients a card

Finding a card in your mailbox is quite special in this digital age. When you send a handwritten thank-you card to your clients, they feel that you really care about them. Find out your regular clients’ birthdays and send them a birthday card or a bunch of flowers if they are very good clients.

Don’t forget to send them a Christmas or New Year’s card at the end of the year. This way, you stay top of mind, and that is very important. When they need someone again, they know where to find you, and they are more likely to refer you to someone else.

9. Get to know your competition

Many home stagers and real estate photographers feel that this is counterproductive, but there are real benefits to knowing your competitors personally. You can refer clients who are not a good fit for you, and they can do the same. Also, if you can’t take on a job because you are on holiday or sick, it is always nice to have a reliable backup for your clients. Our relationships with other home stagers and photographers in our region, some of whom we even trained through our courses, have been crucial to the growth of our business. Larger clients are more likely to hire me because they know we have backup available. So pick up the phone and schedule a lunch or coffee today.

10. Reach out to local media

Local newspapers, free local papers, and radio and TV stations are always looking for topics to share with their audiences. They need to fill their paper or show. Starting your business is a great opportunity to send a press release and announce a new service. You could write a monthly column with tips about real estate styling or photography, or a recurring feature with inspiring interiors you have styled or photographed. And of course, you can repurpose that content on your own blog.

11. Create a welcome package

This is common practice in portrait and wedding photography, but it is also a great way to make a good impression on new clients. In your welcome package, answer their questions before they even have a chance to ask, and respond to questions they did not know they had yet. For example, we have created a welcome package for our private clients. They receive the book Make Your House a Home Ready for Sale and several checklists to help them prepare for the photoshoot and the viewings.

12. Ask for reviews

I have to admit, I really hate asking for compliments. That is what asking for a review feels like to me. But I have to, and so do you. Share your clients’ positive comments in your marketing materials, on your website and on social media. Reviews give your business social proof. Just think about your own behaviour. When you buy something, you read other people’s experiences first, don’t you?

There are some offline marketing ideas here you can use to increase your visibility. I would love to know if you have any tips to add to this list so we can all benefit. Will you share your tip in the comments below?