I used to shoot 50+ weddings a year, so the number of vendors I had was getting out of control. I found that the easiest way to network with vendors was to add it to my wedding workflow schedule. Whenever I posted a wedding preview on my blog, I would make a list of the vendors from that wedding with a link to their site at the bottom of the blog post.
I also had a running vendor page to keep track of all of the vendors and to be an easy resource site for brides. It was separated by categories such as: venues, event coordinators, entertainment, florists, videographers, etc.
I want my potential brides to keep getting redirected to my blog that housed all the vendors then if she wanted to check them out more in depth she can click on the link to their site from the post.
As I was building my networking, I would always send out images to each of the vendors that I worked with to showcase their work. I included a thank you note telling them how great it was to work with them. I made sure to complement their services…”Oh, your cake was so cute and it tasted delicious!” or “The flowers were absolutely gorgeous!”
I would always include a release form and tell them to feel free to use the photos you sent on their blogs, websites, Facebook pages, etc. And I was always sure to have my logo on every image I shared with them.
One of the biggest networking tips I can give you is to help other vendors advertise their work by using photos you’ve taken.
Go through your previous weddings and pull detail shots from venues, cake vendors, florists, lighting companies, etc. and put together products, large prints, canvases, or look books for their companies. Get one printed for each vendor, and give it to them to promote their business with. Make sure when you print these products off, that your logo is prominently displayed.
For instance, when we did a coffee table book, the last page of the book said: “Album from Brooke Photography.” Also, on the first page where they open it, on the flap was a label with our studio information. This is a great networking opportunity and it also will help get your name out there.
So here’s how this would work: So, let’s say you shot Laura and Joe’s wedding at a beautiful venue. You take the photos and compile a little coffee table book for that venue to display. When you give the album to them, you also give the venue your business cards and post cards to include in the folders they pass out to brides.
A potential bride goes to that venue to get wedding information. She sees your company name when she is handed the album to see the venue’s images. She will also see it again whenever she opens the take-home folder from the venue when she gets home. That’s double exposure from one venue.
Let’s say you have also given prints to a local cake shop in the area. When that bride goes to look for the perfect cake, she’s going to see your studio name yet again.
If you gave out promotional materials to every vendor you worked with, think about how many potential times that bride could see your name. A TON. This will build a trust. She trusts these people to make her cake, to house her wedding. So, if they are promoting your work, then she should trust you, too. This makes it easier to book that inquiry when it comes in.
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Want more where this came from? Check out our 3 Networking Tips Wedding Photographers Should Know
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