Photography Schoolhouse

Design April "Let your Naughty out" Boudoir campaign for Facebook
2017-03-18 08:00 - 09:00 UTC
Now is the time to get designing a Facebook Campaign for your Boudoir clients.
Many boudoir studios like to keep that business separate from their main studio business. So one way to get started it to design a new Facebook business page and brand it for your boudoir business only.
To get it started, you can buy a Facebook ad designed to get people to "Like" your page. Define the distribution very carefully to your geographic area and target group. I recommend ladies age 25-55. Don't go overboard on budget. Keep it small, and cut it off when you get the first 100 likes. Of course you can also invite your previous boudoir customers to "Like" the page as well.
With 100 likes, make a post with an offer. Here is one example:

Let the post run for a few days and get some organic feedback. After a day or two pay $20 to "Boost Post". This should get your reach out to over 5000 people or so.
Then, sell sell sell.
Good Luck

Boudoir Spring Sale
2017-05-01 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
It's time to start a Spring Boudoir photography sale.
As the temperatures start to rise in the south it's a great time to be shooting in the studio and bumping up our boudoir business.
Many boudoir studios like to keep that business separate from their main studio business. So if you haven't already, design a new Facebook business page and brand it for your boudoir business only.
Initially, the key is to get people to "like" your page. You can start by finding other Facebook groups in your area and posting there.
Do that by first creating a post on your boudoir page, then "share" the post to these other groups. That brings people to your page and you start building your likes.
You can also buy a Facebook ad designed to get people to "Like" your page. Define the distribution very carefully to your geographic area and target group. I recommend ladies age 25-55. Don't go overboard on budget. Keep it small, and cut it off when you get the first 100 likes. Of course you can also invite your previous boudoir customers to "Like" the page as well.
Once you have at least 100 likes, you can promote your ad to "People that like my page and their friends". Depending on the number of likes you have, you may want to start with small $5 posts, and increase your budget as your likes increase.
Let the post run for a few days and get some organic feedback. After a day or two pay $20 to "Boost Post". This should get your reach out to over 5000 people or so.
Then, sell sell sell.
Good Luck

Start Headshot Promotion
2017-05-06 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Headshots are a growing business right now. The demand for quality headshot images for LinkedIN, business, acting, modelling and so on is at an all time high as our society shifts into an all online world.
So while this is a good promotion to run at any time of year, late winter to early spring is a good time to fill in a slow time of year.
First we should plan on who we want to attract. Businesses are always good, but also consider acting and modelling.
With businesses you might want to start with LinkedIN. If you have a LinkedIN account and have made local connections, it's a good idea to tap right into that market. Send them all individual messages with a promotional offer.
For instance, my standard headshot session is $249. I run a special at $100 off for a limited time.
Your local Chamber of Commerce is a great place to try as well. If you're not a member, consider joining. They usually have weekly or monthly meetings and invite members to attend and display. Offer a special for Chamber members.
Your Facebook page is the most affordable way of getting your word out. If you don't have a large number of likes yet, then use a promotion to the local community male/female 25-55 and try to find some target parameters that suit the kind of offer you want to make.
So let's get planning.
Who is my target? Business? Modelling? Acting?
Do I have enough sample images?
Who am I targeting to? Facebook? Chamber of Commerce? LinkedIN?

Outdoor Portrait Sale
2017-06-07
The nice weather is here. It's time we got outdoors and did some families and get some cash flow.
For a promotion like this, I'd try and make it a one weekend special only. Make it for a limited time like 45 minutes, Pick a location where you can work all day, and book them one after another.
A promotion like this should work well on Facebook as long as you have sufficient likes. Spend $20 to boost your post to everybody the "Likes and friends that like".
I'd print a supply of 4x6 handout cards at Costco and keep them around to stuff in every order that leaves the studio.
If you've got a location that will let you put some cards out, I'd do that as well.
Send a copy to your email list.

Belly to Baby Promo
2017-06-10 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
It's a great time to run a special like this. Offer a double session for the price of one.
Offer both an in-studio (or outdoors) 1 hour maternity session and a 1 hour newborn session for the price of one.
Plus offer a gift certificate option so people can give it as a baby shower gift.
Set a price for the two mini sessions and promote it as $100 off. The have to buy this month, but the shoot can be done any time in the current year.
Include the two shoots plus a free 5x7 and digi from one image.
The client may book the mini sessions, but you could also offer them an upgrade to a full session instead of a mini session.

Cutest Baby/Toddler Contest
2017-06-22 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Here's a great way to build some fast business and income.
Hold a Facebook "Cutest (your city's) Baby/Toddler" contest.
Contest Post (modify for yourself)
Woo Hoo! It's time to start our first annual (your City's) Cutest Baby/Toddler Contest!
You bring your Baby/Toddler (age 36 months or less) into our studio (clean, warm, and baby friendly) and we will have a one to two hour stress free photo session with him/her at absolutely NO COST to you.
A week or so after the session you will return to the studio for a viewing session where I will show you between 20 and 50 fully edited images from the session. You pick out your favorite and you will receive a FREE 8 X 10 print! You DO NOT have to purchase a single thing at the viewing, the 8 X 10 is absolutely free. At this viewing additional prints may be purchased at 25% off of our regular pricing. Grandparents are welcome at the viewing 🙂
At the beginning of (select a date) I will post a gallery with our favorite image of each baby and the one that receives the most "likes" wins! There will be two separate categories based on age (with each getting a $500 Grand Prize), one for newborn to 18 months and the other 18 to 36 months. Voting will run for exactly one week and the winner will receive a $500 Photo Session Certificate, 2nd and 3rd place each receive a $100 certificate. These certificates can be applied towards prints, canvas gallery wraps, another session, etc. and are good for 90 days from the date of issue.
Be sure and become a fan of (your Facebook URL) to keep up with all of the details! This offer will be limited to no more than 50 babies.
So just call or text me (name) at (phone number), or you may email me at (email address) to schedule your session.
Thanks!

Senior Photography Promotion
2017-07-01 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
It's a great time to run a special like this. Offer a double session for the price of one.
Offer both an in-studio 1 hour Senior session and a 1 hour outdoor session for the price of one.
Set a price for the two mini sessions and promote it as $100 off. They have to buy this month, but the shoot can be done any time in the current year.
Include the two shoots plus a free 5x7 and digi from one image.
The client may book the mini sessions, but you could also offer them an upgrade to a full session instead of a mini session.
You should contact 3 or 4 High School Seniors from a Jr. class now. Offer them a free shoot if they become Senior Ambassadors and will actually sell sessions to they classmates. Offer them a cash or product bonus for every paid client they bring in.

Summer Family Portrait Promo
2017-08-01 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Late August is a great time to run a family portrait promotion. The weather is still nice, fall is just around the corner, and people seem to be ready as they deal with back to school events.
Time for us to plan a promotion we can run on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Perhaps there are some local retail outlets we can partner with. Try and get sample photos as a display in their shop.
Plan this one to launch in mid august.

Falling in Love with Baby - Model Search
2017-08-11 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
This promotion is a bit different. It's designed to help us develop a list of new moms by getting them to submit a photo of their newborn to our website and capture their names, email, and baby's birthday.
This can be used for future promotions as we'll require them to agree to an email release and liking our Facebook page, and to share their post on their timeline.
The idea is the enter their baby's picture to with a completely free session and a small package of prints. Don't be skimpy, make it worthwhile.
Do some Facebook promo to get the word out and maybe share you post with other Facebook groups in your area that mom's are likely to visit.

Start Planning Fall/Halloween Boudoir Special - Dark Angel
2017-09-01 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
With Halloween coming up in two months, it's time to start planning a Boudoir Special.
We've used the theme of "Dark Angel" to tie into the event, but you can make it anything you want.
With this theme, we have acquired a few special props to enhance the theme. A pair a large Adult size angel wings, and some material that resembles torn and tattered cheesecloth that's a dark grey. We got these from a local Halloween store with no problem, and without spending a lot of money.
Plan on shooting in late Sept. and early Oct. for Halloween delivery.
Prepare 4x6 @300 dpi promo that can be printed easily at your lab (or for cheap at Costco) for hand out at your studio and other locations.
Same layout for @72 dpi for email blast to your list and again for Facebook Posting.
If you don't have your own images to start, purchase some stock images that communicate the idea, without promising a set or image you can't deliver.

Start Planning Fall Family Portrait Promotion
2017-09-10 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
With fall fast approaching, it's time to start planning a Family Portrait special.
Depending on your location, you may want to take advantage of fall colors for special "On-Location" sessions. I usually try and gang these together about an hour apart so I don't have to make a trip on multiple occasions.
But location or studio, either way this is the time to gt your thoughts in gear.
Plan on shooting in late Sept. through early-med Nov. for holiday delivery.
Prepare 4x6 @300 dpi promo that can be printed easily at your lab (or for cheap at Costco) for hand out at your studio and other locations.
Same layout for @72 dpi for email blast to your list and again for Facebook Posting.
If you don't have your own images to start, purchase some stock images that communicate the idea, without promising a set or image you can't deliver.

Start Planning Santa's Workshop Promo
2017-10-12 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Fill up your November shooting schedule with this unique Holiday promotion.
Plan a simple set with holiday related props like small trees, wrapped gifts, baskets, white wicker benches for children and so on. Hire a local individual to play Santa Claus. You will probably need to advertise for this, but most will already have their own outfits, and beards. Perhaps a relative can play the part.
Plan on offering this on one weekend only. Take appointments an hour apart. Some photographers have tried to do 1/2 hour appointments, however don't underestimate the amount of work these sessions will be. If you get a group of 3 kids you've got your work cut out for you.
Plan on shooting early November for deliver late November or early December in time for people to mail holiday cards.
Prepare 4x6 @300 dpi promo that can be printed easily at your lab (or for cheap at Costco) for hand out at your studio and other locations.
Same layout for @72 dpi for email blast to your list and again for Facebook Posting.
If you don't have your own images to start, purchase some stock images that communicate the idea, without promising a set or image you can't deliver.

Plan "Santa Baby" Boudoir Promo
2017-10-20 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
After Halloween is over, it's time to get promoting our Boudoir Holiday specials. So we introduce the highly salable "Santa Baby" Promotion.
This is one of out top three boudoir promotions and really brings in the customers.
There's two ways to go with this. You can build a holiday set and offer a mini-session special, or just offer your regular boudoir session at a special price. Personally, I prefer the later.
We need to start shooting this in November, so there's no time to lose. We need to design, shoot samples, get promo out and get shooting ASAP. For us, we offer albums that can take up to three weeks to get produced so to make a Christmas or Holiday delivery we have to hustle.
We call the promotion "Santa Baby" , and the slogan we use is "For the Sexiest Gift under the Tree". we obviously need images that will support that message.
Does the session have to include holiday items? Should the customer be dressed in something Santa? It's an option, but I don't think it's strictly necessary.
So lets get planning so we can shoot samples asap.

Design Boudoir Gift Special
2017-11-07
If you're running a boudoir studio, don't forget the guys in your marketing.
Here, we plan a Facebook campaign targeted towards males that would like to buy a gift certificate for their wife/girlfriend.
This should also tie into our "Santa Baby" boudoir campaign.
First we should design a hard copy professional gift certificate. Your Pro-lab probably has press printed cards complete with envelopes that you can design quickly. They probably already have a template to use.

These are some samples from a lab I use. Simply pick a shape you like and design it as a gift certificate.
You may have an image already to use, or you might have to choose an appropriate one.

I choose the pattern on the top left and design a certificate as below.

Design Boudoir Mini Session
2017-11-16 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Here's a great promotion you can use to drum up last minute boudoir clients.
For those clients who decide on a boudoir session for the holidays, but have waited too long to get any albums or wall portraits printed, this is a great way of offering them something and putting some cash in our hands.

This boudoir mini session only comes with 5 digital images so delivery can be instant.
And being that the sessions are only an hour long, you can book multiple clients into a single day of shooting.
Plan on using this promotion on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, and send email to your client list.

Plan Valentine Boudoir Sale
2017-12-01 08:00 - 09:00 UTC
This is the right time to get working on your Valentine Boudoir photography to keep the studio busy during January and February.
Design new materials and price lists if needed, Shoot new samples if required.

Plan and Design Winter "Black and White" Sale
2017-12-04 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
We have to continue planning to fill the slow season with as many ideas as we can. This one, can really create some note.
Black and White portraits continue to be highly valued by the consumer and with a striking image, this can help set you apart from the competition.

Start Planning Wedding Promo
2017-12-09 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
In most communities, January marks the beginning of wedding show season. While I truly believe in meeting potential clients eye to eye, we can plan a promotion that not only suits a show, but other types of promotion as well.
For a show, we should at least have 4x6 handout cards available. This is of course in addition to other display prints and materials. The handout card is just to detail the promotion more than selling our quality as a photographer. That part is carried out by your display and your ability to talk to the customer.
But if we're designing for the show, we can leverage our efforts into other types of promotions such as social media and so on.
So now it's time to set up the details of the promo. What is the offer? What is the price? How long is it valid for?
Should it be a price discount or something free like an engagement portrait. Whatever it is, it's going to be different for every studio. It will depend on your standing in the marketplace, your skill level and other factors.
So lets get our thinking caps on.

Start Planning 2016 Super Silly Cyber Sale
2017-12-16 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Here's a great promotion you can hold during the January slow time.
A Super Silly Sale is a kids only promotion that you can hold over the space of one or two weekends.
The idea is a free shoot of the kids as long as they purchase a discount print package. The special is "Twice the Prints".
So for instance, if they buy a $50 package they get $100 worth of prints. $25 = $50, $100 = $200 ETC.
Simply set up a few PayPal "Buy Now" Buttons on your website and get the promo out
