How to Start a Modeling Website
The internet has provided unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs to get involved in businesses and compete with companies much larger than themselves. With the internet as its storefront, you can have a professional modeling business where both your talent and customers can find resources such as examining your portfolio of modeling talent. There are several ideas and approaches to start a modeling website.
How to Start a Modeling Website
Identify a creative website designer. You’ll want to work with an individual or company that is skilled with both website design as well as web applications to make your website more than merely a brochure for your company. Your designer will advise you on a domain name as well as a hosting company for your website. Having a number of different interactive functionalities such as talent scheduling, capturing client data, even processing payments will make your modeling website the central hub for your business.
Design your website so that talent can upload photos for display on your modeling website. You will also want to provide some vital information on your talent such as name, height, weight, garment and shoe sizes. One wonderful feature would be to have a number of thumbnail size images of all talent in a segment that can be viewed quickly but also allow a client to click on any image to enlarge it significantly enough that the main facial image of the talent can be seen clearly.
Use the internet to advertise for modeling talent. Sites like Craigslist have specific categories by the city where you can place a low-cost ad to generate your modeling talent. You’ll want to create sections on your website to display model headshots and other photos by gender or age or other modeling categories such as Large Size Models.
Capture client data through your website. New clients should be sent to a form page on the website where information can be captured by the company and their talent needs. You’ll want to capture a key contact’s name, phone number, and email address. Also, ask their consent to receive promotional emails with images of new models on your company’s roster.
Consider bringing e-commerce functions to your website. If talent is required to pay for photographs or other expenses, you can accept major credit cards or have a Paypal account setup for money processing. You can also offer your clients the convenience of making talent payments online rather than using snail mail. Payments facilitated through the website will give your company the ability to expedite payments to talent after a job, something that’s always welcomed by employees and a signal that your firm is professionally managed and operated.
