I’ve always been passionate about marketing-- when it comes to a product that I truly believe in. For years, I’ve listened to photographers before, during and after each season-- their struggles, their success, their ideas, their mishaps and everyone always seems to be looking for something.
Every entrepreneur is passionate about something. Whether it’s the image they are creating, the technology behind it, the building of a company from the ground up, connecting and establishing relationships with their customers, working every day with a sense of purpose and giving back to their community and much more.
After working most of my adult life in this industry, I finally had kids of my own. They are now in 1st and 3rd grade. Even though I have always worked for a lab, and I know a ton of photographers… I don’t have that many prints floating around. As a parent of school age children, my life is actually insane. I have to schedule EVERYTHING- from my grocery shopping, gym trips, girl’s nights, date nights, EVERYTHING. When I have 10 minutes leftover at the end of the day, I just want to surf Facebook and sleep. My point is-- I don’t have time to think about capturing my kids milestones and printing them-- let alone shipping them to my scattered family.
With PhotoDay, photographers everywhere can connect with parents just like me. Simple, easy and streamlined. There’s now a really cool piece of technology that stores all of my images and lets me quickly order and ship to my family, and to myself, AT MY OWN CONVENIENCE! I know what you’re thinking- because I read it every week on Facebook Photography Groups--- Parents won’t buy the images if they can see them on their phone. Y
ou’re probably right-- especially if your images are of poor quality. Why would I buy something that looks crappy, or my kid’s expression is fake or terrible? I wouldn’t. But I also won’t spend a lot of money on an image I haven’t seen either- and I certainly won’t buy enough pictures to pass out to my scattered family.
You’re also right about this if this is what YOU believe. If you don’t believe it making it work… if you don’t put the plan together and execute it properly… then it will not work! But there is so much good news!
If You Can Believe It, You Can Achieve It
Younger photopreneurs across the country have already figured out how to connect with the next generation parents- online… and giving them what they desire. The flexibility of ordering when they want to order. The change is happening and parents prefer this updated method.
Here’s where you could go wrong- You have got to create the sense of urgency--- JUST LIKE YOU DO NOW--- on picture day. In today’s pre pay method, you give mom that sense of urgency by offering to take their picture if she pre-purchases a package. I’ll tell you what, ask any parent- and you’re creating a negative experience from day one. Mom doesn’t like this sort of pressure- not in today’s consumer world. This sales method is outdated and also devalues volume portrait photography. I know the big pile of cash up front is super exciting- but it’s shrinking, and before you know it… it could be gone entirely. Plus, isn’t it still as cool to have a big pile of cash deposited right into your bank account?
Create a sense of urgency with PhotoDay by giving mom something special for pre-committing to a package purchase. REWARD her for staying ahead of the game. Then do it all over again during picture day with another fun special! Give her a reason to purchase now, or just give her a reason to purchase. And then take amazing photographs, and offer her a variety. Give her a few poses to choose from and build & add to her packages, and you will see your sales increase.
It may not be right for everyone. I mean, who would want to take a couple of extra photos, take the risk, and gain a $45-$55 average sale? Who would want to gain two or MORE sales from the same customer? One for mom, and one for the in-laws? Who would love the bragging rights that your studio doubled the fundraising dollars over the previous photo company and their outdated method? ;)
The #1 reason I am so entirely excited about PhotoDay and bringing it all to life is because it completely changes and updates today’s current sales & marketing method. There is NOTHING else out there like it- so the possibilities of what could happen… the sky’s the limit! It’s a tool that allows so many things to occur all while the photographer stays in control of the entire process. Not only does it save a ton of time and paperwork… I mean come on… NO MORE IMAGE CATALOGING! NO MORE DATA MATCHING! NO MORE LAB SUBMISSIONS! NO MORE MANUAL ACCOUNTING! NO MORE PAPERWORK! Did I say no more paperwork? I feel like it’s the last day of school and I just threw away everything in my locker and I’m ready for the coolest summer vacation that has ever happened in the history of summer vacations!
ARE YOU READY? What is your favorite part of being a photopreneur?
