A situation today…

Posted | 6 comments

A senior I photographed in December is on the drill team at a large school.

Their annual banquet is coming up and they want a photographer. The senior’s mom called me about doing it.

She said the photographer normally sells small prints for about $12 and everyone pays cash that day. She asked if I wanted to do. She said there are 50 girls in all grades at the banquet. She also said, several moms are so impressed with Katherine’s senior pictures that they already know they are booking me when their daughter is a senior.

I am IMMEDIATELY thinking, “This would give me some great face time BUT $12 pictures, hmmmmm”

If you remember, I believe its full price or its complimentary. My 8X10s are $85 and $50.

What to do? I certainly don’t want to train the moms I will sell prints for cheaper. But, I do want to photograph them.

I said, “Can I do the pictures, collect the money but donate it right back to the drill team? Would the coach like that?”. I knew the answer would be “yes”

“Can I also set up a small table with some business cards and a couple albums?”. She said Yes.

“Can I donate a nice door prize?” She said Yes.

So, I am going to donate all the proceeds to the team, get some great face time, give the money back to the team (making me a good guy I hope), give a door prize, show off a couple albums, and then give the prints to the drill team coach.

That is worth and hour and half of my time. Its just marketing to me.

Maybe you would do something different but I am sharing what I am doing.

GEorge

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6 Comments

  1. Jacqueline Myers
    April 3, 2009

    Wow! Impressive! I think you are a great guy for doing that and Im sure they would not only appreciate that but you are giving back to the school and they will keep that in mind!

    *Pats George on the back!*

  2. Kami Voiles
    April 4, 2009

    I think that’s a GREAT idea!  :)  

  3. Dena
    April 4, 2009

    Cool idea, George!

    So how does this work? Do you set up a backdrop, you take the photo, and they pay for the photo right there, but you mail it to them later? Are they just individual photos or group photos?

    If there is a backdrop, do you think you’ll go with a fun, funky one, or one more like that grey one with the cloud look that you use a lot?

    Or is it more casual snapshots, where the images are put online later to pick?

    But you should get TONS of business off of this!!

    Dena

  4. George
    April 4, 2009

    @Dena:

    I will bring an off camera flash and find a brick wall or something.

    I’ll take whatever they want and then give the prints to the coach to hand out with my logo on each image.

    Should be good.

    GEOrge

  5. Anastasia Howell
    April 5, 2009

    I think you made a great decision..it is great marketing for you, instead of being a greedy person and sticking your nose up at them bc they are $12..And just doing one picture keeps them begging for more!!

  6. Nicole Hate
    April 16, 2009

    Good thinking!

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