Close your eyes. I want you to imagine your dream client. What are they wearing? What does their home look like? What kind of food do they like? Are they savvy shoppers at Marshall’s, or do they love a splurge at Anthropologie? What kind of art do they enjoy? Are they silly and funny, or serious and passionate?
Construct your ideal client. This is the person (or type of couple) to which you are marketing.
You attract what you put out.
If you’re a bubbly, outgoing football fan who loves grilling and running and has two kids… your friends probably have kids, like football, and run with you in the morning. The same goes for business! If your online presence (and natural personality) is cosmopolitan / city chic, you mention that you love shopping at West Elm, and you have a soft spot for French cuisine, the clients who actually book you would have already connected to your personality and likes, and are more likely to be a potential friend as well as a client.
You can scatter little tidbits about your personality and likes on your about page as well as on your blog to give your potential clients bridges to connect to you.
So how can I get the chance to shoot at my dream venue?
Go through your portfolio and show only what you want to shoot. If you’re done shooting mid-range hotels and want more barn weddings, then take down everything shot at a hotel. Showcase your barn weddings on the home page and throughout your website. Give your website and portfolio a big revamp. If city shoots give you a headache and you love shooting on the beach, remove all city shoots and only showcase beach shoots. Yes… it’s that easy!
My challenge to you:
clean up your website, do a bit of social media marketing, and see how your inquiries change.