Photobiz-In Focus

Need money?  Who doesn’t.  Especially now.

You are holding a great money maker right in your hand.  With the holidays approaching, this year in particular people are looking for meaningful gifts.  The family portrait is one of the most cherished gifts people can give.

Think about it.  When disaster strikes, like a wildfire or hurricane takes away homes, what do people lament the most?  Not the furniture or plasma screen TV.  These things can be replaced.  It’s the family pictures and momentoes.  These are irreplaceable.  They mark moments in time; they are the history of our lives.  Without pictures, there is no record.

Get started now marketing family portraits. Here are some ideas.

• Advertise in church bulletins, in community newspapers, in mailbox fliers
• Offer discounts or promotions for your services.  Or work with another business, perhaps a restaurant or spa.
• Consider fundraisers, such as family portraits at schools, churches, community organizations with a percentage being donated.
• Use word-of-mouth referrals, offering discounts to customers who refer and promotion codes for others who use your services resulting from a referral.
• Give free packaging, like holiday card folders when customers purchase card-size photos.  These holiday folders are priced right.
• Rent space at busy places, like shopping malls, on the weekends to book sittings or even set up a portable studio.
• Offer a holiday wonderland studio setting.
• Offer multi-generation packages, with separate children, parent and grandparent portraits as well as pictures of the entire family.

The possibilities are endless.  Use your imagination and use your connections.  Coop with other businesses to better serve the customer and everyone will reap greater rewards.