a little help please. I've just started my own business a few months ago. So far I've only found one client. I've been marketing by sending out a promotional emails. I mainly do retouching for professional portrait/wedding photographers. I'd like to find more clients like my current client but its like trying to find a needle in a haystack. any suggestions? or ideas? comments?

One thing, coming from the standpoint of a web designer, is that your website is WAY too wordy on the homepage. You need to have some work on that very opening page to help capture people's imagination about the possibilities of what you can do. The whole site is too wordy in general. Make your opening pages more sparse, with more before and after images. You can have more detailed information further in the site but dumb it down for the clients who don't care to know the process, only the results. Make sure all your contact information is so evident that someone couldn't miss it. I'd even suggest putting it in the header of every page, and make sure people can not only email but call you as well (this helps with referrals to non-tech savvy people). In general too, don't exclusively rely on electronic marketing. Posters, postcards, traditional networking etc. will probably be more effective with your intended client base. Find out who are the people who would want your service and how they are most likely to find out about you and how they would generally contact you.

In addition to madclark's comment, you might want to invest in some web hosting service. Having every single page on your site plastered with ads really isn't attractive nor professional.

Hi Josh, I starrted the same way as you, 5 years ago. I just got my first high end New York Fashion/beauty client. So be patient. I also started doing weddings. What I did is I joined my local photography groups (mine was with the local PPA) an djoin as a sponsor. This way when they have speakers come in , which is usually once a month, big ones twice a year, you can put up a "show" in the trade area. This starts yhr networking, and these people have become my group of friends. One thing leads to another, and you're there! Minimal money invested. Also, I would take off how long it took to do those pictures off of your site, as most pro retouchers are much faster than that. No one needs to know how long it took if you bill them fairly. You may contact me anytime you want for help. wendy@wendytowle.com

I am no expert but i can give you a few suggestions
1)totally change your web page,your in a visual medium so make it about what you do,make sure its fast loading from what I hear stay away from flash not sure how true that is but thats what people say.

2)network ,find people you want to do work for and as its been mentioned join groups

3)only show your best work you might only get one shot

4)Your just starting a few months is nothing I think a lot of people that do this business tend to think that because they have the software,website and some skill they will automatically make money,but like any business you have to put in the time get clients to trust you show your stable and most of all learn your craft

5)decide which direction you want to go,find people who already do what you want to,find out how they got there and use it as your guide


Hope this helps you out
just my opinion Zganie

thanks all. lot of good advice

Aim higher. Bring your level of skill up. What you show on your website most photographers can do if they were so inclined.