Have you got an effective sales strategy in place for your photography business?
The uncomfortable truth that photographers must confront in today’s post-Covid marketplace is that success demands that you are able to effectively handle sales enquiries and achieve direct sales yourself. You can no longer rely on a gallery, art fair, or online platform to promote, exhibit and sell your work for you. In recent years, record numbers of galleries and art fairs have closed, and online photography platforms are full to bursting with prints to sell, and not looking for new work (exhibition programmes have been poorly attended, there is a shortage of new work to show as artists haven’t travelled as much due to Covid, and rents and property prices are still over-inflated). Photographers today need to know how to promote and sell their own work, which requires an effective sales and marketing strategy.
The purpose of this course is to help you establish a sales strategy so that you can achieve direct sales yourself, and grow an audience with a strong engagement in your brand. I will teach you how to sell photographs, I will help you identify where the market is for your work, and show you how to establish an effective strategy to reach those customers directly, and provide a higher level of service so that you generate repeat sales. I have been selling photographs for fifteen years, so this is an opportunity for me to pass on my knowledge of which sales channels work, and which aren’t worth wasting time and money on (we will cover photographers’ websites, social media channels, art fairs, exhibitions, gallery agents, photography books, online photography platforms, business partners, charities and so on).
Time is allowed for a review of your portfolio to ensure you get key decisions right as part of your sales strategy, such as print and limited-edition size; I will advise you on appropriate production costs for printing and framing and a pricing strategy in order to set your first sales target, and I will help you forecast your income and profit in a P&L statement. I am happy to spend longer reviewing your portfolio if you wish me to help you curate a tighter collection of prints to identify and convey your work’s USP, before they are published for sale.
It can feel difficult at first to be thrown back on one’s own resources, and have to learn the art of direct sales, but the rewards are significant and worth the extra effort (afterall, you won’t have to profit share 50% with a third party) and once you get an effective sales strategy in place, it will give you the confidence to handle direct sales enquiries yourself, and you might find, like me, that selling is fun and exciting. It can be both rewarding and motivating to see the sales figures grow, to see the money coming in and develop an audience of repeat buyers.
Once you start working towards your sales goals, I am available for quarterly follow-up meetings to review and support your continued progress, and help you hit your goals (2-hour sessions are available for £180). This course works in combination with my marketing course – after identifying your target market and most effective sales channels, read how I can help you establish a marketing strategy to reach your buyers here.
Follow on to read what photographers whose prints I sell have said about my own sales strategy, along with reviews from other photographers I have mentored on this course…
"Luke, EXCELLENT WORK! 26 print sales in six weeks are quite phenomenal and you have set a global price record for a Kenna print sale. You obviously have the Midas touch, and it is greatly appreciated this end. THANK YOU." Michael Kenna, Photographer 2019
Example sale:
Forest Edge, Hokuto, Hokkaido, Japan 2004 by Michael Kenna | AP4 | Sold £21,125 | Click here
"Luke, I must convey how thrilled I am with the record global print sales you and your team have achieved on my behalf, particularly selling the limited edition of my beloved cows. You are a brilliant salesperson and I greatly admire your work ethic." Charlie Waite, Photographer 2019
Example sale:
Loch Indaal, Scotland 1994 by Charlie Waite | 72/75 | Sold £6,500 | Click here
"Luke, what terrific print sales! I wish you could see my face - I am beaming from ear to ear. No, further than that. Award yourself a virtual hug. I am thrilled. Beyond thrilled. I mean truly. Thank you. What a top team! Thank you for having such faith in me, I couldn't be more delighted with the exhibition." Valda Bailey, Photographer 2017
"Luke, congratulations on the big sales! This is great news, a huge thank you." Tommy Clarke, Photographer 2020
"Luke, you have achieved incredible sales figures, thanks to your superb effort and hard work. Thank you so much." Steve Bloom, Photographer 2014
“I was mentored by Luke for a year and achieved my first solo exhibitions in Italy and Germany, with an impressive number of sales. It was undoubtedly the best investment in my photography that I have made. Luke was enthusiastic, totally absorbed and committed to helping me achieve my goals. Luke’s help and support has been invaluable, not just in terms of exhibiting and selling, but as importantly for me, helping to build my self-confidence and belief in my work. I cannot recommend this course more highly - just do it.” Adriano Henney, Photographer 2023
Full Reviews From Luke’s Clients & Photographers Here
Luke Whitaker’s Business Awards:
Best Boutique Fine Art Gallery, Global Business Insight Awards 2024
Best Boutique Fine Art Gallery, Global Business Insight Awards 2021
Best Fine Art Photography Gallery, Southern Business Awards SME News 2021