We want to share an idea with you which could make a real positive impact on your spring cash flow. Does shooting hundreds of subjects and averaging $35 per subject photographed interest you? It is likely something that you have not ever done before – but very worthwhile. It is a way that you can take advantage of the turmoil going on at LifeTouch this spring to get a valuable new booking. Plus, you already have the skills and equipment to do it successfully. The question is – can you pivot and do something new?
We are going to share some thoughts about a different approach to Graduation Photography.
Typically, we think of Graduation Photography as pictures taken of graduates as they receive their diplomas crossing the stage. After all, that’s how most Graduation Photography has been done for years.
Due to the pandemic, we have seen high school graduations done many ways during 2020. We have seen them with graduates all spread out, with no families present, cancelled altogether, postponed until August, with photos taken as they “drive thru” in their cars and are handed diplomas, and even some done normally.
We have had success taking Graduation Pictures days before the high school graduations actually occur. These are done during the day at school – inside or outside – with several photographers.
This type of Graduation shoot was scheduled as a way for the students to get Cap and Gown pictures since the graduation was cancelled. Generally, we have seen the photos taken of the graduates alone. This has worked well and has been very worthwhile.
Here is the modification that really boosted our sales. We did a large public school where the families were invited, so they could be in the pictures, too. The sales from that grad shoot with families involved have been excellent. We then did some other non-grad related school shoots, invited the parents, and again the sales were far better than a normal shoot.
How does $21,544 in sales at nearly $35 per student photographed sound to you? We shot 624 graduates, 1/3 of them had their families present, and 2/3 of the sales came from them. WOW!
We shot those pictures during the day – and that limited parents who could attend during 9am-4pm. Going forward we will shoot from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm to allow some time for working parents to be included.
Some schools normally have senior class groups with them all seated together on risers in the gym, or even outside on bleachers. They aren’t being taken right now due to Covid concerns. The opportunity to take individual cap and gown shots and then create a virtual group is terrific.
The Virtual graduating class is a good reason for a school to schedule the individual Graduation Pictures. We have booked several in OKC for this spring. We will give the school a big banner as an incentive to book with us.
To be clear – we are suggesting the following:
- Book and photograph cap and gown photos this spring
- Conduct the shoot with PhotoMatch from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm so working parents can attend
- Cutout graduates and create a virtual group as another reason for the school to have the shoot
