Marketing on the Periphery: How to Entice Clients with Story

Photographer Sue Bryce’s marketing philosophy is simple: don’t create an advertisement — just tell a story.

“In my years as a photographer, I found that the best marketing I did that saw the greatest results was emotional or storytelling, which had nothing to do with what I was selling.” For example, Sue’s video “Payback Friendship with Friendship” is a moving story that wordlessly demonstrates her skill behind the camera:

Sue calls this method “marketing on the periphery,” and it’s made her one of the most successful portrait photographers in the world. According to Sue, when you tell stories, you connect with people’s emotions. You entice them to look at your business.

Sue tells photographers, “Your content should be for the client, not about the product.” And to do that, you need to know your potential client – what do they want? What are the stories that interest them? Find those stories, and you’ll connect with your audience in a powerful way.

To see how Sue draws in her audience, take a look at her amazing “Mother Daughter Shoot” video. Sue never gives a hard sell; she simply shows her viewers why mothers should step in front of the camera. Check it out:

Sue said of her video, “My desire was to sell them a portrait; their desire is to own a portrait of them with their mother. So my marketing told the story of the emotional importance of having that photo. Appeal to that emotional side.”

Want more tips on how to entice clients with video? Head on over to Animoto for Professional Photographers, a Facebook group that helps educate and support photographers looking to add video to their marketing strategy.

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