I did a bridal show and have a long list of brides. I have names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. What should I do with this? What do you do with it?
Shad:- You say you have Names and Addresses and Phone numbers and Email.
Make up a brochure to email them - short and sweet. Tell them "This is what I do and how I do it." Max - one page. With an invitation to call you for more info. If they don't have email then mail them the same thing. Then phone them. Ask them if they saw the flyer. What did they think about it. Do they have a photographer? Do they want one, specifically you!
Not to sound too nonchalant about this but what you asked is basic salesmanship.
There are many great references, both hard forms - books - and on the internet. Spend some time researching the sales process. As you master sales techniques you will find that your booking rate will go up accordingly. Remember being a photographer is 50/50 -- 50% your ability as a photographer and 50% your ability to sell it.
Thanks for the sanity check. I'm not really as clueless as I tried to portray myself. I did send a bulk email to those with addresses, and I've called everyone who stopped by my booth but haven't made contact with most. I also plan on mass snail mailing a postcard thing that I had printed at Marathon. The reason I ask is that I posted a thread on this topic on another forum and was attacked by some who felt that what I did was spam and that it is illegal, against my ISPs rules, that my account was probably going to be terminated and that I should give my first born as a sacrifice to the email gods.
The show went pretty well. I've already booked 2 from it and truthfully expect to get about 8-10 more. I booked 17 off of my last show and expect to do well at this one also even though I raised my prices.
Thanks for helping. Sometimes I wonder why I even look at other forums.