The Long-Term Impact of Marketing: Why Patience is Your Best Strategy
Marketing can often feel like a frustrating exercise, especially for photographers. You put in so much effort, sharing Instagram posts, sending emails, networking, preparing pitch documents, and yet, it sometimes feels like nothing is happening. Many creatives struggle with this feeling: the hard work seems to go unrewarded. But here’s the truth you need to know - marketing is a long-term game, and it works like an echo.
What you do today may not bring immediate results, but, just like an echo, your efforts will come back to you. Understanding this can change the way you approach your marketing strategy and help you stay motivated even when progress seems slow.
Why Marketing Rarely Gives Instant Results
Although it’s possible to get an instant response - for example, sending an email and receiving a quick reply - this is the exception, not the rule. In today’s world, social media can make interactions feel instant. You post on Instagram, and immediately get likes or comments. You send a pitch, and if you’re lucky, get a response.
However, true, sustainable marketing doesn’t usually work that way. Think of it like planting a seed in your garden, you wouldn’t expect a flower to burst out of the soil overnight. You need to water it, let it soak up the sun, nourish it with nutrients, and most importantly, trust the process. Months later, that flower will bloom. Marketing follows the same principle.
Most people give up too soon because they don’t see immediate results. But the ones who stay consistent, even when it feels like nothing is happening, are the ones who eventually reap the rewards.
The Echo Effect: Real Examples of Delayed Success
I’ve experienced this echo effect firsthand. At one point, I was regularly emailing a well-known UK national brand with updated portfolio work. For nearly a year, I didn’t receive a single reply. Then, out of the blue, the creative director emailed me to say they’d loved my emails and wanted to book a shoot. If I’d stopped pitching months earlier, they would have forgotten me, and I would have missed out on that opportunity.
Similarly, some clients disappear for years, leading you to think they’ve moved on, only to come back and want to work with you again because you kept in touch.
Another example is an editorial shoot I organised independently in 2021. After sending the images to magazines, a client who saw the published work contacted me months later to commission a shoot in that exact style. That editorial shoot was part of my marketing - work I created with a long-term mindset.
Your marketing efforts, the work you create and share, keep working for you even when you don’t see immediate benefits. It’s about patience, persistence, and playing the long game.
Practical Tips for Building Long-Term Marketing Trust
Be Consistent, Not Instantaneous
Focus on showing up regularly rather than expecting immediate results. Your audience needs to see your work repeatedly to build trust. Science tells us people generally need multiple exposures to someone before they feel confident enough to hire them. So, even if your pitches or posts get little response at first, keep going. Each email or post increases your visibility and familiarity.Create Evergreen Content
Don’t rely solely on trendy, short-lived content. Blog posts, for example, offer ongoing value through search engine optimisation and can attract clients months or even years later. Behind-the-scenes videos, even simple ones, can also be invaluable. Posting these on your website and linking to them can build trust and offer insights into your working style, which potential clients appreciate.Reuse and Reshare Your Work
Instagram posts, while important, have a very short lifespan. Don’t hesitate to repost work you created months ago. Most people won’t remember the first time they saw it, so giving your work multiple lives helps maximise its impact.Follow Up
Many people find following up awkward, but it’s essential. A follow-up email just checking in can keep you on a client’s radar. Often, a no response now doesn’t mean no forever. If you don’t hear back, follow up once or twice more, then try again after a couple of months. Many clients appreciate persistence and will eventually respond.
Keeping the Faith When Results Are Slow
It’s natural to feel disheartened when you don’t get immediate validation. You might think, “No one’s interested,” or “This isn’t working for me.” But remember, your dream client might not be ready today - but when they are, they’ll think of the person who kept showing up.
Marketing isn’t a lottery or a quick fix. It’s a long-term investment in your career. Keep track of small wins - a direct message, a website visit, an email open. These are all signs your work is being seen and valued.
The only real failure in marketing is giving up. So, ask yourself, what long-term marketing habit can you commit to for at least six months, regardless of immediate results? Whether it’s weekly blogging, regular pitching, updating your portfolio, or sending emails - pick one thing and stick with it consistently.
Your work deserves to be seen
The effort you put into your marketing is building trust, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. Trust in the echo effect, the effort you invest today will come back to you in time.
Stay consistent, be patient, and keep believing in the value of your work. The results will come.
