With the growing competition within many industries, businesses are trying to do their best to stand out. Marketing is exactly what’s needed to gain a competitive advantage. Although nowadays many companies rely on social media, there is definitely more to marketing.
Email marketing is one of the oldest yet extremely effective communication channels that bring multiple benefits to businesses and increase their revenue. Besides, research shows that there are about 3.9 billion email users daily!
Still debating whether it is worth for your photography business to get into email marketing? Today, there are so many marketing platforms to choose from, but email marketing still claims some of the highest conversion rates which makes it a must for any small business. Keep reading as we are about to present some of the greatest photography newsletter examples! Besides, this article will feature the benefits of email marketing, tips and tricks on photography emails, and the best email marketing tool to use. So follow up and become an email marketing expert!
Photography Newsletter Examples
Let’s start by looking into newsletters by other photography brands. Get some ideas and inspiration for your upcoming email marketing campaigns!
1. PhotoWhoa Newsletter with Course Deal
Source: Original PhotoWhoa email
2. The Phoblographer Newsletter with Educational Resources
Source: Original The Phoblographer email
3. Halers Announcement Newsletter
Source: Original Halers email
4. Bittersweet Design Boutique Newsletter with Sale
Source: Original Bittersweet Design Boutique email
5. Shoott Summer Newsletter
Source: Original Shoott email
6. Joel Grimes Photography Course Announcement Newsletter
Source: Original Joel Grimes Photography email
7. Photography Canvas Prints Newsletter
Source: Original Photography.com email
Email Marketing Benefits
Whether you are new or slightly familiar with email marketing, let’s discuss the benefits to show how effective it might be to include email marketing into your overall strategy and communication:
1. It does not cost much
Email marketing does not require many funds. There are even a few marketing tools that offer free plans or trials. Thus, there are no extra fees paid for advertisement or exposure.
2. Huge return on investment (ROI)
If done right, email marketing brings huge ROI. According to research, an average email marketing ROI is 122% which is about four times higher compared to any other digital marketing channels!
3. Easy to measure
Email marketing can be easily measured by any email marketing tool you are using. In addition, they provide detailed analytics so you could track and trace your progress via opening and click-through rates, conversions, and more.
4. Send targeted messages
One of the most important features of email marketing is the ability to personalize each customer’s content individually. All you have to do is collect the data about your audience and customize your emails based on their requirements, behaviors, or demographics.
5. Drive the revenue
Email marketing allows the customers to purchase easily and accessible – it takes only a few clicks to buy from the designated website or e-shop. Furthermore, email marketing encourages impulse buying, so it is an excellent way to increase your sales.
Email Marketing For Photographers: How to Start?
Now once you know the great benefits of email marketing, let’s explore what it takes to get into the game!
1. Build an email list
To send your photography newsletters, you need to gather the audience and build an email database. For starters you can use a free graphic design software to design your email newsletter template. You could then reach out to your current clients and offer them to subscribe to your newsletter. You can also create sign-up forms, which you can place on your website or social media so you will gather the base of people with a genuine interest in your work.
2. Provide valuable content
Your email content needs to provide value to the recipient; otherwise, your opening rates will drop. Ensure that the photography newsletter you send is attractive, interesting, and exciting. Give a sneak peek at the content or arrange a giveaway to keep people engaged.
3. Write an effective email
When crafting your newsletter, ensure you keep it simple and do not overload it with text. It is always great to add pictures to support the text. Plus, with a photography newsletter, pictures should take priority. Other than that, ensure you add a call to action button in your newsletter, so your readers know what to do after reading your email (some call to action examples are; visit the e-shop, book a discounted photoshoot, etc.)
4. Time your newsletters
Before you start sending out your photography newsletters, you should decide on the frequency. Will you be releasing them weekly, monthly, annually? Make sure that once you decide on the timing, you keep to it as your subscribers will adapt to your schedule and will be waiting for the upcoming photography newsletters.
5. Avoid the spam
Nobody wants to end in a spam box after all the time and effort to craft an email. To ensure that you are not there, avoid misleading subject lines and trigger words within them such as ‘click here’, ‘free’, ‘100%’. Also, avoid writing an email in ALL CAPS to protect yourself from spam. It is worth emphasizing that the use of VPN services might be a good supplement to it and it will help you to stop spam as well. Furthermore, you can ask your subscribers to add you to their contact list when they sign up for your newsletters to avoid any inconveniences.
Content Ideas for Photography Newsletter
By now, you should be aware of the basics and how to create and design the newsletter email for your photography business. However, if the content still seems to be a struggle, we have some great ideas which you can include in your photography newsletter.
1. Storytelling
Tell your subscribers about the recent photoshoots you had. Share the story and provide details: where it was, what type of photoshoot, any challenges you had to face, etc. You might also want to share some funny shoots besides showcasing the best work. It will keep the audience engaged and wanting more.
2. Send tips and tricks
Share your knowledge and provide some valuable content for your subscribers by giving them tutorials, tips, and tricks related to photography. Help the audience understand the process behind photo editing or give some guidance about the best angles to take certain pictures. Only your imagination is the limit here, plus sharing is caring!
3. Share your portfolio
A newsletter is an excellent opportunity to showcase your most recent work. Plus, you can segment your audience and send them different types of portfolios depending on their needs and preferences (family photoshoots, maternity, wedding, etc.). Besides, it is a good way to show how skilled you are and gain some new clientele.
4. Showcase and gather testimonials
Have your clients left some excellent feedback on your latest photoshoot? Share it with your subscribers and create more trustworthy relationships. Furthermore, you can also use newsletters to gather the reviews – send your audience a link to the survey to get some feedback and analyze your work.
5. Send special offers and promotions
To give some motivation for the subscribers to use your services, offer them a special discount, promotion, or even a freebie to increase the number of orders. It is always good to share offers and promotions during special holidays and festive times to gain interest. Alternatively, you can award your loyal customers by sending them exclusive deals to show appreciation.
6. Common Newsletter Mistakes to Avoid
Although email marketing has a significant return on investment and can highly increase sales and revenue, it takes some time and preparation to ensure that emails you send to your subscribers and customers bring the advantage.
Firstly, you should always aim to personalize the content based on the data you have about each recipient. The more customized the email is, the more chances you have to succeed. On the other hand, if one email is generated for your entire audience, it will not be good enough, and your opening and click-through rates will suffer.
Secondly, ensure that your emails have some consistency so the subscribers could easily recognize your brand. For example, changing your layout all the time or using different brand colors might cause confusion. So instead, keep the branding consistent to ensure that your newsletters are recognized every time.
Thirdly, do not over-promote your business. Email marketing is not only about making sales; it is also about building trust and relationships with your customers. Avoid getting spammy by sending promotions and deals only. Instead, vary the content so the recipients will be engaged.
Do not get this wrong. It is good to send deals and discounts from time to time; however, that should not be your only focus.
Choosing an Email Marketing Tool
Although there are many email marketing tools to consider, there is one that might help you boost your email marketing game effectively and without involving any costs! Sender is a tool that has been recognized amongst the TOP 3 best performing email marketing platforms in the industry.
Sender provides many features which help you build the best newsletters in the industry. Customer segmentation, email automation, integration with CRM, and E-Commerce platforms are available with this tool. Besides, Sender offers a huge template library and drag & drop builder so your photography newsletter creation can become ever easier. Advanced analytics, high email deliverability, and 24/7 customer support are also awaiting for you to use.
The best thing about all of this is that you can enjoy all the features and benefits provided by Sender FREE OF CHARGE! The tool offers a free forever plan for up to 2 500 subscribers and 15 000 emails a month, so you do not have to worry about the finances and enjoy providing your subscribers with the best newsletters in the photography industry!
