Posts Tagged ‘Professional Photographers’

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Professional Photo Prints Displayed For A Profit Part 6

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Method 6 Has anyone ever been in your reception/gallery area and asked you, “how do you pick the people for your print display samples?” If you’re like most professional photographers, this is a yes and if you’re also like most, this is where you do a lot of stumbling about how you pick people for these prints. Since you have always had to pay for this professional photo printing out of your pocket, you have only picked the very best looking people. If a semi-attractive person wanted to pay you for a sample, would you use it? The response I would suggest you use the next time this situation presents itself would be, “everyone who purchases our display-session package combination or one of our display packages are automatically included in the next display.” Get this on your next price list or print the offer as a supplement to your current list. Your “display-session package” is a package of prints with a larger wall display print. If you get to use the wall print in one of your  print displays the package has a bonus discount applied. Your ideas and comments are always welcome. -Bryan

PS. Pixs4Pros.com professional photo lab is currently having a display sample print sale.

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Professional Photo Prints On Display, The Perfect Money Maker, Part 5

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Gallery displays featuring professional photo prints have proven to be the most effective sales tool professional photographers have available. Here is the fifth idea in our series.

Method 5  Pick a theme. Big shots in industry (in your area) for example. Send a letter to these people mentioning that you will be having a print display and describe the theme. Explain why they were chosen and how their participation will enhance the display. Go for the image and prestige in this selection and display. Mention the five invitations (discussed in a previous post), the publicity they will receive etc. Talk of how this is an exclusive offer to only a few people and there will only be ‘x’ number of participants in the display. Stick to this number because they will come to see the display and if you have more they will see you fibbed. These ‘special sessions’ and ‘display prints’ are available to this select few for only $xxx. They pay at the time of session for the size* they want in the display. Assume you were doing this for the county fair held in the summer. You would shoot these sessions in Jan-March. Prints would be made April-May. You get your money (a nice winter bonus in Jan-March) plus you have prints ready for the fair on time.

Sell the frames as mentioned earlier except you could collect the entire amount now. Offer a discount of course. Remember, emotion, pride, ego get this going; a discount, logic, keeps it sold. This promotion should get you 5-10 new location sessions, 1 -2 20×30′s and the rest 16×20 sample prints. No one will want a small print in this display, after all these are the tycoons in town, the leaders with their peers. How would it look for them to be seen in this group as small.

*Your letters/notes/request for display prints from customers need not be limited to 16×20 prints. Neither do you have to list actual sizes in inches. You could say, “in our most popular display sizes” or just refer to the sizes as “display sizes”. These could be small, medium and large; 16×20, 20×24 and 20×30. Of course the deposits would be larger.

You comments and suggestions or display ideas are welcome. -Bryan

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Professional Photo Prints on Display, the Perfect Money Maker, Part 4

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Method 4.  A letter could be sent to many of your past customers who did not purchase a wall print stating that they have been selected for (name a specific display) and that their images were so photogenic it will just ‘make’ the display perfect . Remember, all of these display ideas only work because the customer is made to feel good, special, important and needed. The print display appeals to their ego. The price of the print (assuming you are offering these at a discount) only helps keep the idea sold. You get them to go for the idea emotionally. They use the logic of this being a good value, a savings, to remain committed to the plan. This promotion works best when you only send it to some of your customers. When they start to check with their friends (this really works great with high school seniors) and find out they were ‘one of only a few selected,’ it makes them feel very special. Include a mail order form listing three display * sizes and their prices. Let them sign a model release and include their check or have a place for them to indicate their charge card information if you accept this type of payment. You should also include an addressed return envelope. Digital photo prints display sizes can be small, medium, large or Coronet, Heritage, Regency (11×14, 16×20, 20×24). You comments and ideas are welcome. Hope this helps. PS. Pics4Pros professional photo lab is currently having a half price sample sale on their professional photo prints. – Bryan

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Digital Photo Prints for Display at a Profit, Part 3

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Most professional photographers agree that their best form of advertising is a photographic print display at a bank, library or any place the public gathers. A key problem many professional photographers face, the cost of the digital photo prints for their display. Here is another method to get sample display prints at a profit.

Method 3. Include a letter or a personal note in the customers portrait delivery package. This letter states that their portrait would be just perfect for the next display you will be having. In the letter, express that the customer was so photogenic and how they just ‘Made’ the picture perfect. The sales person should act surprised when finding this letter in the package. This gets the customers attention and they wonder about the letter. In explaining the letter to them, talk about the display and how much fun it is when the family goes to see the print. Sort of forget but remember just in time to mention to your customer that you will also give them five invitations for them to address and send to their friends announcing the display dates. All they have to do is ok the use of their print and place a small deposit on the print today to get things started. They can pay the balance when they pick up the print after the display. $25 works well for 16×20 size prints. This will cover most of your costs. When they pick up the print after the display you will collect any balance due. You could also offer they a frame at this time explaining that you have several used frames from the displays. Show the styles and ask which goes best with home furnishings. Offer to use a brand new frame just for their picture if they would like to purchase it after the display. This way the customer gets a new frame at a used price. Get a deposit to cover your cost plus shipping of the frame. Even if they never pick up the frame, you have a sample for free.

We welcome your comments or suggestions on other print display techniques.  -Bryan

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Free Digital Photo Prints for Display, Part 2

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Method 2. Sell display prints during your portrait sales presentations. You show several larger size portraits to your customer. Assume she is balking at the price or the idea of a wall print. The pride and prestige of being in a photographic print display can overcome both of these objections. Get her excited about your current or next portrait display. The idea of being in a display will melt her resistance to a wall picture. Ask her if someone on your staff had mentioned your ‘Display Option’ to her. She will be curious now. Explain you could let her have the picture she had been considering for $x because she would let you borrow it for a few weeks while it is on display. You could alternately offer her a print one size larger for the regular price of the print she had picked, sort of a display BONUS. This way you would not be discounting, just giving more value.

Remember that a photographic print display of quality digital photo prints is a professional photographers best form of advertising. Check out the current discounts for display prints at Pics4Pros professional photo lab.

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Free Digital Photo Prints for Display

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Many professional photographers feel displays of their digital photo prints are a “have to” job, a pain, a big cost, a loss. Instead, how about refocusing your thoughts and make this an exciting part of your professional portrait photography business to enhance cash flow and profits. How? Read on! We will discuss several methods to get sample display prints at a profit plus how to find and get display locations.

Method 1. Sell the idea during your initial customer phone contact. Someone calls you about a professional portrait opportunity and inquires about how much a 16×20 portrait costs. Say “It’s great you called today!”, we’re right in the middle of; just starting our; in the final two weeks of our preparations for our nifty next display.” Talk a little about the fun, excitement and prestige of portrait displays. Mention that you could include them in your next display and they could get a regular display size* for only a little more than the cost of the 16×20. This display size is actually a 20×30 print, the little more could be the cost of a 20×24. You will GET the session, 1st priority, plus you will get a display sample and make more money than you would have from just the 16×20 portraits.

Also remember to check with your Professional Photo Lab to see if they have any special sales on display prints. At P4P our 16×20 digital photo prints are everyday priced at $9.98 each.

Our next post will have more sample display print ideas, as always, your ideas and comments are welcome. -Bryan

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Professional Photographers | How to Save Time and Money.

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Professional Photographers need to find ways to save time and money. Many photographers are realizing they are spending way to much time in front of their photoshop computers fixing the color and brightness of their digital photos. If you are in this same boat you might want to give a professional photo lab a try for this service. Some professional photo printing labs offer a very good and very affordable color managed digital photo printing service that will check and adjust the color, contrast and brightness of your digital photo prints. This saves you a bunch of time and at some labs doesn’t cost any more. Another big time saver, many  pro labs also offer great photo retouching services that can smooth faces, fix glass glare, swap heads in group photos and many other art services. More time saved and a lot more profit for you. Time to make a few more sales calls, go fishing or play with the kids.

Some digital photo printing labs offer a very good and very affordable color managed digital printing service that will check and adjust the color, contrast and brightness of your digital photos.

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