This episode with social media marketing expert Kerry Fitzgibbon is perfectly timed considering the recent Facebook advertising challenge on the podcast. You'll be learning what you need to know about Facebook advertising, marketing and retargeting for photographers.
A former radio host and TV journalist, Kerry’s been involved in marketing and communication for over 17 years. For the last 5 years though, she has been working with businesses all over the world, helping them implement the very latest Facebook advertising, marketing and retargeting strategies and that's what we'll be covering in this interview.
Are you aware, if a prospective client joins your email list or comes to you via Facebook, they are three times more likely to buy from you than someone who comes via a Google search? Kerry says it's unfortunate but most businesses, including wedding and portrait photographers are still utilising Facebook marketing the old way and it's costing you dearly.
Here’s some more of what we cover:
What’s on Offer for Premium Members
If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this episode where you can access a very special offer from Kerry on a specific module of her Facebook advertising courses for you and your photography business.
The course normally costs $2000 but Kerry has put together something amazing for you and I at $197!
More details are available in the members area.
If you're on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your podcast app.
What is your big takeaway?
Following this interview, I’d love to know what your biggest takeaway is – what is the one thing that you’d like to implement or learnt from what was shared? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below.
Nowadays, you have to pay to play on Facebook – Kerry Fitzgibbon
If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Kerry or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them below.
And if you'd like to take Kerry up on her special offer and learn Facebook re-marketing via her training manuals, you can access it for $197 (normally $500) here: Social Media Plus One – Remarking Training
iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs
Each week I check for any new iTunes reviews and it's always a buzz to receive these… for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they really are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!
Secondly, iTunes is the biggest search engine when it comes to podcasts and it's your reviews and ratings that help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners means more interviews and ultimately a better show.
If you have left a review in the past, thank you!
If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL.
This is QUALITY Stuff!
In iTunes by Delane Rouse of DC Corporate Headshots in the USA on October 22, 2015
(FULL DISCLOSURE: I was featured in episode 135) Andrew produces a podcast that is A-MAZING.
I really love the fact that he’s talking with real working photographers around the world…people that are doing what we do day in and day out.
I’ve been turned on to what is an excellent resource in the photography community and I’ll do my best to let all my photographer friends and associates know about Photo Biz XPosed.
You ROCK!!!!
Taking a big step forward
Voicemail message by Britt Spring of Britt Spring Photography in Brisbane – Portraiture for Creatives
So many good things about Britt's message! I love the way she has identified where her photography passion lays – with portraiture, not weddings.
Visiting Britt's website, not a sign of a wedding just beautiful portraiture – no mixed messages for visitors. Perfect.
Great to have you listening Britt and we're all looking forward to hearing how your Facebook ad works for you and more importantly the follow up sales sessions as you work toward making portraits the income producer for your business.
Stay in touch and let us know how you go!
Something new from The Parsons
Jeremy and Ash of We Are The Parsons were interviewed in episode 131 of the podcast – and it was one of the most well received interviews I've recorded – it seems their message of a better life without social media really struck a chord with many listeners.
Yes, I know their messages contradicts what we've been talking about in the last few episodes, including todays interview with Kerry – all of which have been focussed on Facebook advertising and marketing.
I'm not entirely sure where Jeremy and Ash stand on the idea of using FB as a marketing tool instead of a pure time waster to keep you from quality time with your family or for yourself? To me though, I think there is room for Facebook as a marketing tool without having it consume your life.
Anyway…
Jeremy and Ash have some exciting stuff coming that wasn’t ready when we talked to you and they’d love for you to know about it.
They've taken a lot of what we have been going through and are putting together products and learning opportunities for photographers over on a new site:
http://www.dontgiveupproject.com
If what Jeremy and Ash shared in that interview affected you the way it did me, go have a look.
Get On Board with Bernie Griffiths
A lot of the successes we've been enjoying with the recent Facebook Ad challenge really is owed to photography coach and mentor Bernie Griffiths.
I think it's important to remember and realise it was Bernie who initiated that interview and the idea of the challenge. It was his skill, his knowledge and his generosity to share it, for free with us, that led to me personally booking 23 portrait photography sessions in one week! Not to mention all the successes other listeners have experienced too.
If you want to get more advice and help with your business, subscribe to Bernie's motivational and marketing tip-heavy emails at http://berniegriffiths.com.
And if you really want to take things up a notch, speak to him directly and work one on one with him.
Wedding Sales Course by Spencer Lum
I mentioned the free eBook by Spencer Lum of Ground Glass on wedding photography pricing earlier in the week and have since learned Spencer will be reopening his course – Momentum Sales shortly – 7 days time in fact.
Remember, there is a webinar series and there is a heap of good and free content in the series.
My advice, check out the webinar series, learn what you can from a master tactician in wedding photography sales and converting potential clients to clients then make up your own mind about the course.
Here’s the link to find out more – Momentum Sales
And the free eBook on pricing I mentioned in the last episode – Pricing for Profit
Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:
Social Media Plus One – Remarking Training – $197 (normally $500) – no promo code required
Social Media Plus One on Facebook
Don't Give Up Project by Jeremy and Ash of We Are The Parsons – resources for photographers
Get on Bernie Griffith's email list or speak to him directly about coaching for your business
Pricing for Profit – free eBook by Spencer Lum for Wedding Photography Pricing
Momentum Sales – upcoming course for Wedding Photographers by a master tactician on the subject
Thank you!
Thank you again for tuning in to the show and thanks to Kerry for her amazing generosity with what she shared in todays interview. More than anything, my hope is you can digest what you heard, set up a plan to put at least some of it into practice then execute on those plans.
If you have any suggestions, comments or questions about this episode, please be sure to leave them below in the comment section of this post, and if you liked the episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post!
That’s it for me this week, hope everything is going well for you in life and business!
Thanks and speak soon
Andrew
Holy moley! that was a serious dose of geeky! loved it! definitely going to be looking into that re-marketing business and er… do the FB ad challenge!!
Haha, nothing like a bit of geekyness every now and again on the show!
The good new is I’ll have details about a course Kerry is providing for listeners in next weeks episode if you found what she shared a little too tough to follow. I’m with you though, I’m trying the remarking for sure.
There is a well known wedding photographer in Melbourne who I know for a fact is killing it with remarking and retargeting. I tried to get him on the show but he wasn’t ready to share what he knows. This was my workaround 🙂
As for the FB ad challenge… GET ONTO IT ANGIE! (But listen to episode 138 + 136 before you run your ad).
The last few episodes have been fantastic, thank you!
I’ve followed the advice from Bernie Griffiths and my advert and call to action has been well received. Combining this with some of the stuff Kerry Fitzgibbon spoke about has been great and also a total headache.
I’ve listened to the Kerry Fitzgibbon episode about a dozen times, and I never knew these tools were available, just fantastic. Trying to implement them is another thing. When Kerry speaks, it’s so clear and straight forward but opening Adverts Manager is something else. I’ve even signed up to Lynda.com and watched videos about Facebook adverts and management, but it’s not helped me that much.
So far…
– I’ve installed the Pixel code
– I’ve created an advert to generate traffic to my website
So the way I understand it is this is stage one, and once I get some data I can then work on targeting those that have been to my site. Phew.
Going back to the Bernie Griffiths episode, just wow! Such a simple and clever way of generating a buzz and enquiries. It may not sound like much to some, but I’ve booked two portrait sessions, I’m waiting to hear back from another 4/5 couples and I’ve had around 15 enquiries. So far my promotion has cost around $20 and the post engagement is $0.11 which looks pretty good as Facebook ranks it a 10 on the Relevance Score.
I feel as if I’ve learnt loads from this one advert and will do even better for my next promotion. This is also from a Facebook page that I pretty much neglect, I’ll be giving my page some TLC to help boost the natural engagement with my ‘fans’.
Great stuff Andrew!!
Hey Derek
First up, kudos to you for giving all this a try!
I know exactly how you feel about trying all this new stuff within Facebook – I’ve been having similar headaches but am persevering. One of the biggest issues I can see is Facebook are currently making changes to their pixel and now the one pixel does the job of what two separate pieces of code used to do. I guess it’ll be easier in the long term but it’s difficult for me to wrap my head around.
If you’ve installed the code/pixel – yes, you’re on your way and that pixel will start to build an audience of visitors to your site who you’ll be able to re-market to in the future. I did this a while ago for the first time and from memory, you need at least 14 days to build and audience and up to 180 days – this may have changed.
Once you have your FB generated audience, you can re-market to them – which is awesome! I’d love to have my FB posts appearing in the feeds of potential clients who have previously visited my website – that’s gold!
Plus, with your newly established audience, you can build a look-a-like audience inside the ads manager and target this audience separately.
Great results so far with your FB ad! Love to hear how your sales pan out once they start happening.
And if anyone wanted to check out my Facebook promotion for ideas and to give me some constructive criticism I’ll post the link below, thanks
https://www.facebook.com/DerekAnsonPhotography/photos/a.130697853643389.13737.127334003979774/962786103767889/
Looks like you have a number of interested people, Derek. I like the simplicity. Well done.
I had a look at your ad Derek and can see it’s working well but feel some improvements could be made if you’re happy to experiment and test.
I love the photo and get the idea of having an older couple because it would appear they have been together for more than 5 years. My concern though, is unless you’re actually targeting older couples (and you may be) this image may miss the mark an not have the correct audience stopping to read your ad copy.
In saying that, this would be easy to split test. Run the same ad with two different photos (a couple weeks apart) and the same copy – see which performs better.
Here’s how I think the copy could be tweaked:
COUPLES WANTED: Must have been together 5 Years plus and still madly in LOVE.
I’m looking to build my portfolio and will be offering a free photography session and a “thank you” print to the right couples.
The requirement is you must have been together for at least five years… the longer, the better!
If you are a part of a couple like this – or know a couple who fits this description please get in touch.
You can message me via Facebook or email: [email protected] for more information and to book a session.
Hope this is some help and if you try any of the changes, be sire to let update us on how it goes for you.
Hi Andrew, great feedback!
Facebook also give insights to adverts and so far they have also recommended that I refine the advert to be even more targeted. The 25-34 age group has been the most active despite me using an image of an older couple.
I initially targeted females 25-65+ in my local area and then began to refine. I then added relationship status as a requirement, married/in a relationship/engaged.
Future adverts will be targeted to be age specific within the advert settings and with a picture to match.
So far the advert has been fantastic for me. I’ve booked five portrait sessions for November, and I’m waiting to hear back from another 5/6 couples. The five portrait sessions take place outside in November in the UK; it’s wet gloomy and a little bit chilly. I can’t wait to see how targeted adverts work in Spring and Summer! Also… Five may not seem like a lot, but it’s what my normal marketing tactics (tactics being nothing) would bring in yearly.
Mate, fantastic results! Love that you’ve seen more results in a week compared to a year. Also love your honesty about previous “marketing tactics” 🙂
Interesting to see the most responsive group has been the 25-34 age group despite the photo. This’ll be great to test! I wonder if it’s because that age group has the highest number of users on FB or the image stands out and makes them take notice? I would suggest trying a few combinations to see which actually works best.
Keep me updated if you can Derek.
Hey Derek – not sure if you’ll see the question / comment from John below – this is just a heads up. 🙂
I wonder if Derek did the split test or not? I would be interested to see what the outcome was. You may have hit the nail on the head though Andrew with the comment about Facebook usage being higher in the younger age bracket. Testing and measuring is not my strong point however it is very important in Facebook marketing since there are many different ways of gathering people to market to.
I am going over Kerry Fitzgibbons interviews again as it is making more sense to me now that I have had a bit of experience with Bernie. So it sure does not hurt to go back through your interviews again every now and then! Thanks goodness we can do that!
Not sure about Derek and his tests but I’ll ask after this comment.
I think the only way to be sure about demographics and targeting is testing. I’m still learning all this too but if you can run two seperate ads to the two different age groups and measure how much they each cost to per conversion, you’ll know whether it’s worthwhile to put money into one or both age groups.
Trouble is, the conversion is potentially worth so much to us, how much is too much to get a conversion?
The beauty of retargeting is we can present our ads (even if they’re not to sell but to stay in the minds of viewers) to people who have visited our website – that’s what has me very interested from what Kerry had to share.
Love that you’re going back over episodes you’ve heard – that’s so good!
This is great information. It’s really unusual to get so much useful information in one article. I’ve really not understood retargeting but I sure do now!. I’ve just done a redesign of my website so I can now turn my attention itowards more effective use of Facebook. There’s some really useful sites that you can get feedback and A/B testing.
Glad to hear you took so much from this interview Karen.