Category Archives: Photo Marketing Tip

Articles helping professional portrait photographers with their daily photo studio challenges.

Boost Portrait Studio Sales With A Portrait Fundraiser

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Need to boost your portrait studio sales this year? Looking for a way to help your church or civic group raise some extra money?

Church groups, sports leagues and school bands all need more money.

This is the perfect time for a professional portrait fundraiser. There’s very little cost to start one. Community groups will make attractive profits with your professional photography fundraiser. The program and certificates are easy to sell.

Consider that Family Portraits are Earth Friendly and they are Made in the USA. Your portrait fundraiser program can offer a selection of sizes and styles that are competitively priced and attractively packaged.

Getting a group of people to work for your studio to get portrait appointments is a way of multiplying your sales efforts. You make a couple of calls to get a group (5-50) of people to go out and talk about your studio. If each person made 2 calls each, you have just gotten a lot of publicity from your only two calls.

In addition the group will make all the money they need for their program and those getting portraits will have a wonderful memory and a great savings. Everyone wins big time.

Your plan is as follows. Print a certificate that is redeemable for a portrait session and print (probably an 8×10 or it could be a small multi print package from one pose). This can sell for $9.95, 14.95, 19.95, 24.95 or 29.95, anything that you feel will be acceptable. Give the band group $5, $10, $25 or what ever it takes and you agree to for selling the coupon. You get the balance (keep enough to cover your basic costs). Explain to the group that they collect their fee when they sell and deliver the coupon. The coupons are printed stating that the balance (use actual amount) is payable to the studio at the time of the session. Be sure to also print the group name and all your contact info on the certificate. Emphasize to the group that they have no upfront investment, no bookkeeping, no responsibility to keep your money, only a sure fire way to make money for their group.  Organizations like the idea that they have no investment and even if a coupon is lost or stolen they are not responsible to you for any money. If a stolen coupon comes into your studio the customer still has to pay you your money so you are always covered and need never have to go back to collect anything from the selling group.

You can put a fairly short time limit on the coupon that would get sittings into your studio sooner. A longer time limit, say 1 year, would let the group sell more coupons. People could see using these for seniors or Christmas portraits. You could offer an ‘Early Bird’ bonus for those who choose to use the certificate earlier in the year. This gets some action early in the program and gives you the benefit of both long and short expirations.

Your Portrait Photography Fundraiser offers the following benefits: NO money upfront – you provide all the sales materials the group needs to hold their portrait fundraiser. No selling required. Many people within their group will have a family event during the year that would be perfect to commemorate with a professional portrait. The fundraiser merely allows them to obtain this portrait at a discount and contribute to their groups program at the same time. Everybody wins. Purchasers can call the studio at their convenience for an appointment.

People know and trust your portrait studio because you deliver quality professional photo prints at a great price. This program offers your customers spectacular value and is extremely easy to sell.

Today’s successful portrait studio photographers combine their photo and business skills with quality professional photo printing from a professional photo lab.

Pet Portraits – Professional Photography Studio Promotion

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Pet portraits are a great professional photography studio promotion. The most effective way to promote and photograph this pet portraits is to work with a local pet grooming salon. They have the base of customers you are trying to meet. Why run ads when you can make a few sales calls to meet salon owners and present your idea?

The promotion is explained that the pet salon has provided the portrait session as a thank you to their loyal customers. Prints and photo products are available for purchase at special prices the salon has negotiated with the professional photographer.

The photographer will donate to the salon the session and possibly a commission on sales. This is negotiated with the salon owner.

After the salon staff spends the day grooming the pets you will photograph each of the pets before pickup by the pet owner. Many groomers will assist in the photography by directing the pet. Remember, the pet knows the groomer and will respond well to their instructions. From experience these portraits are easier, faster and better without the pet owner being in the salon or involved in the portrait session.

Try to get a close up face, medium and full body shots. Your zoom lens helps a lot with this step. Have enough light to shoot at f8 to f16. You want the pet to be sharp and clear. Some tests will be of help here.

Set up a second visit to show the pet owner the photo proofs or a package of professional photo prints. You could show the images on a computer screen but it is too easy to leave on screen images behind. Prints lying on the table that look like they are heading toward the trash are purchased. Price the proof prints at a higher price for one proof or a discount price if all prints are purchased.

Have various products available in addition to print packages. Photo buttons, picture magnets, calendars, blankets, tote bags any thing you can think of that the customer will want to have their pet portrait displayed.

The keys to the success of this promotion and the benefits to each party are as follows: The salon is able to provide a valuable professional pet portrait to their clients creating good will and lasting loyal customers. The pet owner has a convenient one-stop way to get quality pet portraits at a discount as compared to making a personal studio visit.

You might start your search for pet grooming salons by listing the names of salon locations and owners you might use. Ask you customers the names of grooming salons they utilize for their pet grooming. Ask any friends, neighbors or family members the same question. Take this list and start your visits.

Todays successful portrait studio photographers combines their photo and business skills along with quality professional photo printing from their professional photo lab.

Adobe Lightroom 4 beta Reviews and News

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Adobe Lightroom 4 beta is now available for download and evaluation from the Adobe website. This is a full featured piece of software you can use for free until March 31, 2012. At that time you may choose to upgrade or stop using the software. For the professional photographers who want a fast high quality tool to process their raw camera files this upgrade has some excellent improvements. Some of the process module adjustment sliders have been rearranged and renamed to make their use more intuitive. A much requested soft proofing option is now available.

Some great online resources with some up to date information on the new features in Lightroom 4 are:

Michael Reichmann at www.Luminous-Landscape.com  is offering a free 22 minute streaming video showing the primary new features in Lightroom 4. While you are at The Luminous Landscape you should check out their highly recommended photography training videos.

Ian Lyons on his website www.computer-darkroom.com has in addition to his great photography posted a very informative article describing the new features available in Lightroom 4. Read his article:  Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 – Public Beta Preview

Andrew Rodney aka the Digital Dog has posted a video on his website www.digitaldog.net showing the use of the soft proof feature that has been added to Lightroom 4.

If you have never been to any of these sights, be warned, these three photographers have so much amazing information and knowledge available that you will be spending a lot of time on their websites.

Great files deserve quality professional photo printing and some of the very best professional photo prints are available at Pechman Imaging.

How to Increase Professional Portrait Photography Sales Today

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To Increase Professional Portrait Photography Sales today you might consider adding event photography to your photo studio services.

To begin make a list of anyone you know who has children in a sport program, dance school or day care school. Contact them and ask for names of anyone they might know who would be in charge of the group. If they do not know the leader ask if they might know of another member who might know. If you do not know of people directly involved with any of these groups you would then just ask everyone you know if they might put you in touch with one of their friends who might belong to such a group. You will be surprised how few people you actually have to ask before you begin compiling a nice list of potential customers

During your conversations with friends who have children in these programs you want to learn as much as possible about their likes and dislikes of their current photography program. Are there services or products they wished they had available? Retake days or how many retakes were needed for their last photo day. How long did photo day take? Was photo day smooth or hectic? How long did it take to get picture packages and were they accurately completed?

Armed with this market research make a list of your business strengths. Focus on describing these features as a benefit to the customer. Be aware that the real customer you must impress is the group leader. Explain your services as benefits to not only the members but also how you always focus your efforts to make the leaders job ‘hassle free’ and smooth.

Now you should be ready to make your appointments. You may need to call a couple of times to get a meeting. Be friendly but persistent and offer helpful ideas during each call. Make them an offer they can’t refuse.  You might partially describe an important service or product that is so interesting or intriguing that they have to see it in person at a meeting.

Remember that you likely will not get meetings with every contact but by making enough calls you will get appointments and book some jobs. Since each job has many customers you win even without booking every jobs. Missed jobs this year will be your leads for next season. Keep lists of contact names, dates of calls and a brief summary of your conversations listing the key details unique to their group you discovered. Since you are in this for the long haul you just need to remain patient and persistent.

Your unique photography and impeccable service combined with professional photo printing is your winning combination.

Professional Photographers New Years Resolutions

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Professional PhotographyThis blog posting isn’t directly about professional photo lab services or new professional photography studio techniques. This posting may though provide you with additional photographic opportunities that you will then be able to use your professional photography skills.

Today’s idea for January is for you to make a list of your top business customers. This could be a hospital, realtor, dance school, nursery school or sports league. Make a second list of the competitors of these people who you would like to gain as new customers in 2012. Next make a short script outlining what you would like to learn from these existing customers and what they have planned for 2012. Try to learn of any changes or new direction in their business.

Thank your customers for their business of course and ask how you did this year. Get a score card assessment from them of your service. Ask if they have any thoughts or suggestions as to new, additional or modified services you should be offering them.You can ask them about specific projects they have coming up that you could be getting ready to work with them on in 2012. If there is a project, determine the best time to follow up and whom should you contact.

You might inquire about your contacts personal goals for 2012 if possible or appropriate. Determine how their goals might impact your relationship.

Combine all the information you have learned from your current customers. You might have learned of some important industry or local trends.  Now looking at your new lead list, design a script outline comparing things you can offer to similar business that you already know the market is moving toward. Remember to explain these ideas as benefits to the business.

For studios who do not work with companies or groups, you might make a list of your top 5 families. Beyond the natural thank you ask about changes taking place in their family during 2012. There might be a new birth, graduation, marriage or job promotion coming up. Determine the best time to follow up with them about this opportunity.

Your big goal in all this is to solidify past customers and gain a few new ones for 2012.

Proof Books Make Profit Create Happy Customers

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Proof Book

Bound Proof Books Make Profit and Create Happy Customers

How do professional portrait photographers make profit and at the same time create happy portrait photography customers? One idea is to always suggest a proof book or two as add on gifts. These are great for Grandmas and Moms. They fit nicely in a purse and are the perfect brag book to show off their children. Pechman professional photo lab has several size proof books available. Two very popular sizes are the 2×3 and 5×5 books. With ten photos included these books make a great gift. Priced from $10.25 assembled in a gift box ready to deliver these proof books make great Holiday Gifts.

Remember, if you do not ask your customer for the sale, you very likely will never get the order. Show the books, suggest the books, describe how much other customers have thanked you for selling them these books, all methods to increase sales and make profit.

How Portrait Studios Grow Profits

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Fact. Disk only photography coverage today for portraits and weddings may seem cheaper but in the long run of life and memories are very expensive and of little true value. A disk only coverage is really a disservice to the wedding couple and their families.

SB Atkins Photo ©2011

Family Photo

Reason. Disks of images are never shown again or even very much at first. Disks have a very low long-term archival stability. Additionally, ask around to find someone who can show you a Sony Beta video tape or for that matter, how many VHS tape players are still being used? CD’s are only a few years, if that long, away from non-use or existence.

People who think a disk is ok for today because they plan to get a wedding photo album or maybe some quality professional photo prints made are really fooling themselves. People’s natural tendencies are to procrastinate. The cheap disk will get lost in a drawer and be forgotten until it is to late to rescue the images locked inside and have an album or prints made. By the time someone finds the disk it will likely be to late.

These disks will be found someday by kids going through grandma’s old stuff. The kids will likely think this shiny circle is probably some kind of tree ornament. Some other lucky kids will find a book or box of photo prints showing mom, dad, grandma and grandpa at a wonderful old time party.

Now which set of kids will be your customers?

What are you allowing your customers to leave their kids?

If you don’t explain this to your customers everyone, you, them and most importantly their kids all loose.

Family events deserve professional photography and these memories deserve to be printed and preserved.

Professional photo printing and Wedding photo albums, the caring solutions to the disk only photography problem.

Holiday Profits Increase At Professional Portrait Studios

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Holiday gift giving, Christmas and Hanukkah  are nearing. These are Family Holidays full of memories past and those yet to be made. What better gift to give than the gift only you can give, your love in a family portrait.

Anyone can go the the mall and get a toaster or a tie. People buy these items for themselves all the time. Your loved one can not go to a store and buy your portrait.
Once you decide to have your portrait made avoid any urges or great ideas to ‘do it yourself’ or have a friend do it. Professional portrait artists, those with many years of experience, those who have fed their families from their skills as a portrait artist, have the ability to capture the love and spirit of your soul. This essence is what will connect with your loved ones when they receive your portrait gift. Just sitting in front of a camera on a tripod, letting the auto timer snap a series of cold images really doesn’t work. Been there, tried that, didn’t work. Here is when trying to save a little isn’t really a savings. The old saying, “you get what you pay for” applies in spades. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah
Hire a skilled professional portrait photographic artist who uses a top quality professional photo lab to produce your lasting family memories.
Professional photographers – This blog posting is written to your customers. This (love, emotion, portraits) is ‘The Message” you need to be sending to your customers. Feel free to copy, borrow or tweak this message to fit your style. The important part is to just communicate and remember, the message is love and emotions are best preserved and passed on with quality professional photo prints.
Holiday profits for the professional portrait photographer means more portrait sessions. Holiday profits for your customers means the lasting value they receive by preserving their family memories and love with your amazing portrait skills. Done correctly this is the classic win, win.

Stop Missing Profits – Improve Your Photo Studio Bottom Line

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Photo Dust JacketsWedding photo albums using custom collage designs are highly profitable. Most brides who only take your image disk statistically will never get professional photo prints or a photo album made. Those professional photographers who perpetuate the disk only business model are doing themselves and their customer a big disservice. Some photographers have had trouble selling albums and prints after the wedding because they have not presented the products correctly and possible they have priced these items to high. The photographer forgot that they had already been paid to shoot the event and deliver corrected files. In this situation, prints and albums would be priced to include only the labor and costs to produce these products, not the labor at the event.

If you are not selling enough books or prints you might try two things. Rethink your presentation of these items. Be sure to present these products showcasing the emotional  appeal and long term family memories value that they provide. Consider different pricing levels. Experiment with both items until you find the sweet spot.
When you show your photo books have 2 or 3 styles  to show and have a couple of options available. This makes your customers decision, “which style and options do they want” vs “do they want a book today or  later”. Photo dust jackets with a leather cover or a full  photo infused leatherette cover are two popular options. Presenting two sizes of books, “The Grande” (24×12) pano book or the “Deluxe” (20×10) book makes a good choice to offer.
Remember to test, experiment, ask questions of your  customers, keep speaking about the memories and emotional value of the products. You will improve your profits while providing your customers with treasured memories.

Picture Greeting Cards Preserve Family Memories

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Picture Greeting Cards make the perfect personal holiday time greeting. Whether it be Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas or New Years sending family and friends a holiday greeting that includes a family portrait makes your customers message more personal. These greeting cards are kept as heirlooms for years. Professional portrait photographers should be showing their customers photo cards. This is an opportunity to not only increase sales but to provide an appreciated service to your customers.
Custom picture greeting cards need not be expensive, they come in many sizes and styles in a wide range of prices. Photo cards can be printed using Kodak photographic paper or ink on professional printing presses. Pechman Imaging offers Kodak Photo Cards and two price ranges of press (ink) printed cards, Value Line Picture Greeting Cards and Press Cards.