SOCIAL MEDIA AND PHOTOBOOTHS

In the photobooth world, being able to connect to social media on the internet is the new big thing.

There are many new photobooth stations coming out where that is all they do – you don't actually get a picture, but you can send it directly to your email, or to Facebook or Twitter, or whatever the new internet sensation of the day happens to be.

In order to be able to have the pictures sent to the internet, you must have some sort of connection to the internet yourself.

Perhaps this is thru wifi at the the venue. I have also tethered my cell phone creating a “mobile hot spot”.

Then you need software that will allow this.

The program I am most familiar with is a program called Photo Booth Connected www.photoboothconnected.com which allows you to monitor a folder and when an image is added it will immediately pop up on the screen and allow you to send the photo to a myriad of places.

I have tested this program out but have only used it sparingly because it slows down the speed at which I can process people through the photobooth. So, unless a customer is insisting on it, I generally have not been offering it.

I know what some people have done is to network the main photobooth computer to a print or send station that people can line up separately to send off their photos. This is definitely a solution to the line problem but of course it complicates immensely your entire photobooth setup.

There are many photobooth suppliers out there that simply make photobooths for social media exclusively. For one thing these photobooths are much lighter as there is no printer component and consequently there is no paper and toner cost as well. Many of these photobooths actually use webcams which makes them even lighter. While I generally believe a DSLR camera should be used for most photobooth applications, for the social media booth, in most cases a webcam does do the job.

There will be much more to write in the coming months and years as this whole part of the photobooth market continues to expand.

NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK

INSERT MOBILE BEAT DJ CONVENTION PHOTO HERE

In almost every business success I can point to, I can credit the amount of networking I have done.

Some people shy away from meeting others in their industry and giving away what they think are their trade secrets.

I am of the opposite opinion. I don't think there are many industries out there that are based on “secrets” - well maybe Kentucky Fried Chicken, but beyond that people have succeeded because of hard work, persistence, dedication and education.

Remember, when you are talking to someone else they are talking to you as well. A smart man is one who learns from his own mistakes. An even smarter man is one who learns from the mistakes of others. Attend trade shows. Join associations. I am not saying that every association is worth joining and worth your time, but the better ones, and ones that relate to your market are.

Learn Learn Learn

The first place to educate yourself about photobooths is on the internet. Go to youtube or google photobooths. You will literally find a wealth of information. Many of the photobooth manufacturers have tons of videos that you will find very worthwhile and instructional. 

Here are just a few websites that have worthwhile blogs and other information you can learn from:

www.photoboothcity.com

www.photoboothtalk.com

www.photoboothowners.com

Learn everything you can about photography through seminars and courses -

Photographers have an edge on DJs with this one so you need to catch up

(of course DJs have the edge on photographers when it comes to entertainment).

If you are a DJ you will have to get yourself up to speed relatively quickly on basic photographic techniques, especially if you have not done any professional photography.

Now don't get scared – it's not that hard. I did it a couple of years ago. The most common photobooth software out there and the one I am most familiar with is Breeze. Play with the settings in Breeze and see what they do. And remember, practice makes perfect. Here are just a few things to look out for when you are trying to make better pictures:

1.             Framing

2.             Lighting and Color

3.             Motion Blur

4.             Grain (keep ISO at lowest level while ensuring adequate light)

5.             Flash – helps to keep even skin tone and focus on the face

Over time you will develop an eye for making good pictures.

Most professional photobooth companies will use DSLR cameras and DYE SUB printers – its almost mandatory – but you still need to know how to use them.

Conventions

Go to as many conventions as you possibly can that relate in any way to what you are doing, especially free or inexpensive ones. I was recently leafing through a DJ Times magazine (September 2013 issue) when I came across a couple of quotes that I thought summed up just how valuable a trade show can be:

“I'm afraid that, if I'd not been exposed to some of the trailblazers and innovators who gather in Atlantic City each year, I might still be leading the Chicken Dance at backyard barbeques” - Steve Croce

“I have to use at least half my Expo time, if not more, simply networking with entertainers from all over the country. Just from idle conversation and discussing how the last year went for those guys and gals, I can extrapolate so much information about their business to see if I'm either doing things correctly or can somehow improve myself. In addition to that, it's always great to meet new people and, as I've stated in the past – seeing new entertainers come into this industry is what excites me the most because it shows that our industry is growing and I'm very proud of that.” - Adam Weitz

I sort of feel the same way about the photobooth industry – yes there may be twice as many people in it than there were 2 years ago, but the industry has also grown – the strong players will be getting a lot of business.

As in any industry – the top 20 percent make 80 percent of the money – the 80/20 rule – it has been like that for a long time and will continue to be like that for the foreseeable future.

Some of you who are reading this book may replace yesterday's leaders.

HIRING EMPLOYEES FOR YOUR PHOTO BOOTH EVENTS

So you are a great photobooth attendant and operator. Maybe you are certain you will never need to hire any employees. If that is the case feel free to skip this chapter.

More likely, however, that time will come when you find you can take on much more business if only you have more systems and some employees. When you are turning away more business than you are accepting, most of us will look at expanding. Of course, the hard part becomes, how do you duplicate yourself?

You must FIND personality – you can't teach personality.

Most people don't do this, but I like to find out a bit about my employees before letting them through the front door.

Reference Check

A general script for a reference check could go something like this:

Hello. This is (INSERT YOUR NAME) with (INSERT YOUR COMPANY NAME) and I would like to verify the employment information for (INSERT APPLICANT NAME) who is applying to us for the position of photobooth attendant. May I verify some information with you regarding their work history?

First verify their dates of employment to make sure that they correspond to what the applicant has written on the application.

Then ask if the applicant would be eligible for rehire at the previous company if a suitable position were available.

Possible answers would be YES, NO, and UNSURE.

If no then discreetly try to ask why.

Also, ask how they would rate the applicant in comparison to people they have worked with in similar positions:

Once again, look for the answers: EXCELLENT, GOOD, FAIR or POOR.

Now, many companies will only verify dates of employment and the larger the company the less likely you will get anything other than start and finish date, but I would always like to do my due dilligence for my company and follow up on the references.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOOGLE CHECK

Generally, the wisdom goes that you should not put anything on the internet that you don't want the world to see, but many people don't follow that wisdom.

Isn't it better to find out the dirt on your employees before they are on your payroll.

QUESTIONS TO ASK IN AN INTERVIEW:

1.             Why do you want to be a photobooth attendant?

2.             We advertise to our clients that we provide them with FUN INTERACTIVE ATTENDANTS, people persons. This is who we need to hire. Tell me what about yourself would make you fit into this role.

3.             Would you describe yourself as punctual? Give examples.

4.             Are you able to lift 60 lbs.

5.             What is the closest job you have had to that of a photobooth attendant?

6.             What were your expectations of that job? Why did you leave?

7.             What is your educational background?

8.             What other job or jobs do you currently hold?

9.             What do you like to do on a Saturday night?

10.          What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced?

11.          What do you already know about our company?

12.          Where do you see yourself a year from today – 5 years from today?

13.          Discuss a time when your integrity was challenged.

Obviously there will be some trial and error here as there is no 100 percent fool proof way to hire the right person.

Define Your Wish List

The first thing you need to define is your wish list for the particular position for which you are hiring. If you don't know what you are looking for how can you have any hope of finding the right person or persons. Define which skills you need them to have already and what you can teach them. In the examples below I will use the position of “Photobooth Attendant” or “Photobooth Operator” or “Photobooth Cast Member”,

Teachable Skills

Breeze Software

Photography Skills

Company Procedures

Inherent Skills

These are the skills that your candidates had better bring to the table.

Drive

Personality

Ethics

Basic Computer Skills

Transportation

Put Yourself In Their Shoes

Why do they want this job? – Are they right for it?

What do they want out of the job and can you give it to them?

Will they stick around?

Sometimes You Have To Use Your Gut

Trust your gut. If you get a bad feeling run don't walk away.

Don't Let Bad Attitudes Through The Door

Bad attitudes are contagious – stop it at the door.

positive attitude

will they represent the company as well as you

do not look at the clock - (if you need to keep track of the time then place the watch on a table)

do not look at the cell phone (nothing portrays more that you don't care)

Think outside the box when looking for people

CRAIGSLIST KIJIJI MONSTER.COM

Check them out in the social media – esp FACEBOOK – google them

Actually check out references – even though you know some of them may be fake (lol) – that counts against the prospective employee.

Once you have them hired – how do you retain staff?

Constant Contact

Always conduct an exit interview – often someone walking out the door will be more honest and forthcoming than someone who still depends on you in whatever form for a paycheck.

Employee Or Subcontractor?

In most cases the staff member that you are sending out on these events will be an employee.  We recommend consulting with your accountant or lawyer for more details.  But simply remember these bullet points to determine subcontractor or employee from the Internal Revenue Service.

Behaviorial Control – do you as the employer have the right to direct how the work is done?  If yes – Employee, If no, and they just have to complete the job contracted – Subcontractor

Financial Control – if the worker has to invest in costly equipment to complete the job – they would be a subcontractor.  Who controls the money.

Relationship of the Parties – Benefits are only for employees, do they work for others doing similar work?

START-UP COST FOR BUILDING YOUR OWN PHOTO BOOTH IF YOU DO IT RIGHT

Hardware

Many people think they have the capabilities to build their own photobooths, and of course some do. For those that do, perhaps they should consider marketing their booths.

There are some very attractive home-made booths out there, but more often they don't come out so good once they are completed. Here are some of the biggest problems I have seen with home-made booths.

1.WEIGHT AND SIZE – Many people just didn't figure how heavy their booths were till they completed them and then it was too late. Booths need to fit in your vehicle, they need to be portable and they should ideally be able to be set up by one person. If this is not the case you may need to re-consider your design.

2.DURABILITY – your photobooth will take a lot of abuse over the years – Have you designed it to look as good after 100 events or 1000 events as on the first event. If it is not durable, you should reconsider the design. Even if it is durable, you may want to consider investing in a cover to protect it from scratches.

3.FITTING IT ALL TOGETHER – this may not seem like a big deal as there are really 3 main components to the photobooth, the printer, the computer and the camera. However, you can well benefit from the experience of someone who has put together hundreds of booths. They may be a little more expensive but you will save a lot of headaches and in the end you may even end up saving both money and time.

Most people choose to buy packages from companies that have made a lot of photobooths. Here are some of the market leaders: 

Where To Buy Photobooths

Apple Industries – faceplacephoto.com

Colorado Sound and Light – csnl.com

Extreme Event Design/AtlantaPhoto Booth – extremeeventdesign.com

EZ Photo Booths – ezphotobooths.com

EZ Photo Booths in Canada – www.ezphotobooths.ca

Innovative Photo – innovativephoto.com

Kingdom Photo Booth – kingdomphotobooth.com

LA Photo Party/Photo Party Upload – photopartyupload.com

Limelight Photo Booth – limelightphotobooth.com

Mojo Photo Booths – mojophotobooths.com

Open Air Photo Booths – openairphotobooth.com

Photo Box Interactive – photoboxinteractive.com

Slomo Booths – slomobooths.com

Vanity Photo Booths – vanityphotobooths.com

Viral Booth – viralbooth.com

Software

If you are a software engineer by trade, well maybe you can create your own photobooth software. For everyone else, even those that manufacture their own photobooths, you will probably have to rely on a software company or at least a programmer (much more expensive) to create your photobooth software.

The program I am most familiar with is Breeze as this is the program that I was using at the start of my photobooth career.

www.breezesys.com

I have also played around with software from Photo Booth Solutions

www.photoboothsolutions.com

Other programs I have not played around with but am told from various sources are good and will do the job for you are:

www.memoryfactoryllc.com

www.photoboof.com

Computer

(PC'S, LAPTOPS OR ALL-IN-ONE'S?)

The first thing you must decide is whether you are going to be in the MICROSOFT WINDOWS or APPLE world. A long time ago (25-30 years) at one point I actually worked for IBM so I learned a lot about their hardware and the software they used. Consequently, I have never really worked with Apple. So call me biased.

I hear many good things about Apple, especially the new IPADs and such. However, I will not speak of what I do not know.

I have basically worked with 2 types of booths. I started working with a PC in a case with a monitor before I started my own photobooth company. This for the most part works fine, but I much prefer for mobile applications an all-in-one PC for one reason and one reason only, weight.

While an all-in-one PC may have some limitations when it comes to expandability and so forth, it is hard to beat the convenience. The other thing that I like is the fact that there are less cables to worry about. This makes the whole setup a lot cleaner to the look and since cable connections are very often the culprit when it comes to diagnosing problems, well, the fewer pieces there are to connect, the better.

My favorite configuration for running a photobooth is an ALL-IN-ONE PC that runs WINDOWS and BREEZE. Apple may or may not be better, but it will probably be a while before I can judge for myself.

Camera

(DSLR or WEBCAM?)

Could you get away with using a webcam camera on your photobooth. Yes you could. However, I do not recommend a webcam other than for a non-attended photobooth designed for social media because the quality standard amongst the market leaders is DSLR cameras, and most photobooth software supports Canon DSLR cameras.

There was a time when DSLR cameras were reserved because of their price point for professional photographers. Today however, even many consumers who demand better quality are buying DSLR cameras at places like Walmart, so the prices have gone down, and if you try to run a photobooth with less than a DSLR, I am sure your competitors will quickly point that out when they are comparing themselves with you.

I also recommend that you use a good quality flash with your camera, especially in an open booth setting. Wheras in a closed booth, the lighting in the booth can be controlled with properly placed lights (yet another reason to benefit from the expertise an established booth setup rather than experimenting yourself) in an open booth you will encounter different lighting situations with just about every setup. Sometimes you will be in bright light, other times the ambient light will be quite dark. Yes you can add your own professional stationary lights and if you know what you are doing you can adjust the aperatures and ISOs to accommodate that particular location, but a flash helps to compensate and adjust to just about any lighting situation. I have also found that the flash tends to create a more dynamic picture and tends to highlight the subjects and their faces better than the background. It is only with green screen photography that you have to be careful to add additonal lights to minimize the shadow effect that the flash tends to create.

Printers

If you want to be taken seriously, you need to use a DYE-SUBLIMATION printer. The most common dye-sub printers being sold by the various printer manufacturers in 2014 are the Mitsubishi CP-D707DW, Mitsubishi CP-D70DW, DNP DS-RX1 and HiTi P510L. These printers are all in the $700 to $1000 range.

They are used by almost all photobooth operators and are known both for their reliability and relative low cost per print, in almost all cases less than .20 per 4X6 print, and often closer to .12 . Dye-sub printers are one of the only type of printers where you can calculate precisely the cost of your prints.

Many people wonder why dye-sub printers are the standard for professional photobooth companies, and that was one of the questions I had when I first started in the business. One of the main advantages of dye-sub printers is that the photos are dry and ready to handle the second they exit the printer. Since the dye never enters a liquid state, this also means that for mobile applications, there are no liquid inks to clean up, the printing cycle is much more clean and there are few moving parts that can break down. Almost all the dye-sub printers have a reputation for being extremely reliable, and this is what you need for a printer that is constantly on the go. Dye-sub printers create pictures that are photo-lab quality and with dye-sub printers there is no problem with printing right to the edge of the paper.

For a BACKUP printer only you may want to consider a Canon Selphy printer. While they are technically dye-sub entry level printers, they are very slow and awkward to use, so I would never ever recommmend using them as your primary printer. For strictly backup purposes however, they are small and cheap and will do the job in the rare instance your pro dye-sub printer breaks down.

Backdrops

If you are doing a large number of photobooths, you need to standardize your backdrops.

I carry 3 backdrops to all events – a black one (most commonly used), a white one, and a green one for green screen.

I do have a variety of other backdrops that I will take along on request. I also bought a few canvas backdrops that I will only bring along on request, but they do make very nice photos.

There are also times that I will suggest to the client that the backdrop be the natural backdrop of the location, be that a brick wall, outdoor landscape and so forth. Many times at Christmas parties I will set up next to the Christmas tree as the backdrop. Certainly those pictures very nicely represent the mood of the party.

Tables (Banquet)

I generally will bring along 3 tables to add to the photobooth setup. One is a 4 foot rectangular table on which I place the props and the other 2 are highboy tables on which I place either more props, a 2^nd monitor, or which I use to create the scrapbook at a wedding.

I highly recommend spandex table covers for all of the above. While the spandex does not last forever, it creates a very clean and modern looking setup, which is something that can differentiate your booth from the other less professional booths you may be competing against.

Here are a couple of online suppliers I have found good deals at in the past:

www.banquettables.com

24X42 with FREE SPANDEX $84.99 special www.banquettables.pro

www.displays2go.com

search Bar Table Covers with 31” X 42” Highboys

Insurance

We all hate talking about and dealing with insurance, no-one more so than me. I think the only people that probably like dealing with insurance are lawyers (lol) and even then I don't think that they like dealing with their own insurance, just other people's.

Now, let me insert my disclaimer here. People may call me a lot of different things (lol) but one thing I definitely am NOT is a lawyer. That said, nothing I write here should be considered in any way, shape or form, legal advice. You should always consult your lawyer to ensure that any decisions you may reach with respect to your business meet with your jurisdictions requirements.

So now that I have said that, we all know that we live in a society where people like to sue people, sometimes for just cause, and sometimes not. When you run any business, you must be careful that your life's work, and sometimes even your home and so forth, are not wiped out by a single incident that may in some cases not even be your fault. Maybe you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am not trying to sell insurance, and I wish there was a way around it, but this is just an ugly fact of life.

Some people like to take chances, but especially if you have a family and a home, I would recommend that you not be one of them. There are two primary types of insurance when it comes to photobooths – Liability insurance and contents insurance. Liability insurance is designed to protect you if someone sues you and content insurance covers your equipment  if it is stolen or in certain circumstances damaged.

I would first check with your local insurance agent to see what kind of a deal he can make for you. I would then get at least 3 other quotes if not more. I would also compare it to insurance policies promoted by associations such as the National Association of Mobile Entertainers. Their website is www.nameentertainers.com . Their insurance provider is Willis and they advertise that they provide liability and equipment insurance for all sorts of mobile entertainers including DJ's, bands, stage hypnotists, clowns, comedians, magicians, and of course photographers and photobooths. I am not necessarily endorsing this policy or any policy for that matter. I am just saying it is probably worth comparing to other policies out there to see what is in your best interest. Also, you may ask around with your local competition to see what insurance they have. I am sure many will tell you (though some will want to keep it a secret – lol)

Other than protecting yourself, the other main reason for having insurance is that there are some venues out there that will not allow you on their premises without proof of insurance and some clients, especially institutional ones, will require you to have insurance before they even consider hiring you.

You should also be careful to make sure that your vehicle is properly classified. Insurance companies in general are notorious for not wanting to pay if they have any possible legal way out of it, and they have their armies of lawyers protecting their own interests. I'm not blaming them as I would probably do the same. All I am saying is to be truthful and always make sure you read the fine print.

If you have employees, you also need to check out the rules with respect to workers compensation, as well as other mandated government fees, not to mention taxes. But like I said, I am neither an accountant nor a lawyer, so I will leave it at that.

Remote Support

At a minimum you should have teamviewer (www.teamviewer.com) set up on your pc. Many of the photobooth suppliers will load this onto their systems so that they can log into your system if you call them for support. Setting it up is free, but if you make use of it they do ask that you be fair and pay them.

A competitor to teamviewer is logmein (www.logmein.com) . This is strictly a pay-per-use program after an initial trial. While I do know of some people that use logmein, I know more that use teamviewer.

Paper Suppliers

Paper will be a major cost of you doing business. You may choose to get your paper from a local supplier or you may choose to get it online.

One thing you need to know is that with all the major dye sub printer manufacturers, they sell the paper and the ribbon ONLY as a pair, or unit. You cannot buy the ribbon without the paper nor the paper without the ribbon. Or at least I have not seen it yet. (On a side note you often get leftover paper – I use this sometimes for request paper for DJ services)

While dye-sub paper and ribbon does have a reasonable shelf life it does not last forever. Learn the markings that indicate on each box when that paper was manufactured, and when you buy paper make sure that you are not getting stale-dated product. In the case of HiTi P510 paper there is a sticker right on the outside of the box that states when it was created. For other manufacturers you can generally get this information by going to the manufacturers website or you can definitely get it from the various blogs, if it is not blatantly obvious.

While there may be great deals to be had buying the paper in quantity, I would never buy more than a one year supply no matter how good the deal. If you see a deal that just seems too good to be true, make sure the paper wasn't manufactured in 2005. (lol)

With dye-sub paper (because of the ribbon) take a bit of extra care to make sure that the paper does not go to extreme temperatures. On the HiTi boxes, it is recommended that the paper does not get colder than 5 degrees celcius or hotter than 35 degrees celcius. Converted in fahrenheit this would be a range of 41 to 95 degrees.

Sometimes I have no choice but to carry this paper into temperatures beyond this range but I do my best to make sure it does not stay in that range for long. I do not leave the paper in a car or van overnight and during the coldest winter days or hottest summer days will place the paper and printer in the passenger compartment rather than in the trunk where it can get very cold or very hot.

I have bought my paper from a number of suppliers and am currently looking at re-selling myself. One supplier I have personally had a good experience with myself is:

Photo Finishers Supplies Inc.

11-22 44^th Road

Queens, NY 11101

800-786-8730

www.pfsny.com

Scrapbooks

I have probably gone through more suppliers in this category than in any other. There are so many options for scrapbooks out there. Most people will start off getting their scrapbooks from the big-box craft stores such as Michaels and Hobby Lobby and then gradually move to online and wholesale outlets as their volumes increase. Hobby Lobby also sells their products online. 2 products they offered in 2013 that you might want to consider:

12X12 Post Bound Scrapbook Album – The Paper Studio

Item 621680 - UPC 09720 11233

Retail $9.99

8X8 Album

Item 798686 - UPC 09720 14576

Retail $8.99

Colorbok also has some very good offerings and in Canada I have had some luck with the following supplier:

Forever In Time Scrapbook Collection (Albums and Scrapbooks)

12 in. X 12 in. (30.5 cm X 30.5 cm)

Code 081-SA200-242-0712

SA200B Cream (also available in black)

Imported by MultiCraft Imports Inc.

Ottawa, ON Canada K1B 1E3

Made In China

www.multicraftimports.com

Creating Templates

Creating or using attractive looking templates will be one of the factors that will differentiate yourself from your competitors. In the wedding market more often than not the name of the bride and groom will appear at the top of the strip and the wedding date will appear at the bottom. This can be done relatively easily by using photo editing program such as Adobe Illustrator, Corel Paint or even free ones such as www.getpaint.net . If you are using Breeze software for your photobooth, then any of these programs will allow you to edit your headers and footers.

The corporate market will be a bit more demanding and you will more often than not be creating custom templates with their logos and different picture layouts. If you are very creative you can create these from scratch yourself, but you may also want to look at buying pre-made templates online. Some manufacturers or franchisees will include templates with their offerings, but if that doesn't apply to you simply do your research online and find places you can purchase these yourself.

I Love Free Software Programs – Especially Open Office

For years I got tired of making Bill Gates richer and richer by buying legal and EXPENSIVE versions of  Microsoft Office.

Sure, it is a great program suite but the commercial version costs about $400 and every year or 2 they will try to get you for another $200 for the upgrades.

No, the alternative is NOT getting a not-so-legal copy – I would never suggest that – I don't do that and it could be very dangerous especially in a commercial setting.

The much better alternative is a FREE and LEGAL alternative to this program that in my opinion is every bit as good. OPEN OFFICE.

This document was originally developed using OPEN OFFICE.

To download it go to www.openofffice.org

If you want to transfer documents to people who use Microsoft Office you can save any document in WORD format.

Other Shareware / Freeware

For simple editing applications one of my favorite editors is free and can be downloaded at www.getpaint.net . For editing my green screen backgrounds I like to use PhotoPad http://www.nchsoftware.com/photoeditor/index.html .

SyncBackFree, available at www.2BrightSparks.com is a free file backup & synchronization program. It’s easy to use, and even the free version includes many options for the power user.  For more powerful features they also offer SyncBackPro for a modest fee. If you want to save some time at the end of the night and are giving your pictures to the customer on a USB stick, you may want to consider using syncbackfree to back up the photos onto the USB stick as the night goes on, rather than waiting till the end of the night.

Buy The Right Photobooth

There are many options and many things to consider when entering the photobooth business.  Make sure to shop around and look at features vs. prices of the various systems.

Proprietary vs. Open Systems

Some systems require that you use their printer paper sometimes at an additional cost.  The tradeoff of this is a guaranteed system that works and followup and continual service after the initial sale.  Look at these options and decide the benefit of such vs. the limitations.

Should You Try to Make One Yourself

Are a you a design expert?

Are you a manufacturer?

Well then maybe.

However, for the other 99.9 percent of us we will spend much more money trying to do it ourselves especially when there are companies out there that have made hundreds of booths and put their knowledge and expertise into the design of every booth.

Do Not Gamble, or Gamble On A Sure Thing

If you are not sure that you can sell a photobooth, try it before you buy.

If you only get 2 bookings and decide you do not want to buy, if you tell us beforehand and we trust you, we will rent you the photobooth for those events.

If on the other hand, you have thousands of dollars in business beforehand, then well, by all means buy!

THE ART OF SELLING YOUR PHOTO BOOTH EVENT

 

Get Them Talking

Everyone has dealt with pushy salespeople. For this reason everyone's guard is up. This is the number one reason why it seems like everyone's first question is “What is your price”!

There is a fine art to lowering their guard and making them want to deal with you. If you seem like you are desperate to get the sale, rest assured you will probably lose it.

The key is to focus the conversation from the customer's point of view. Effective selling requires patience,  the ability to listen to what the prospect wants, and then the skill of being able to present to them exactly how you can help them achieve their wants and needs.

Everyone likes talking about themselves. By asking the right questions and showcasing your knowledge about the product, in this case a photobooth, you create a dialogue between yourself and the prospect. This dialogue is essential in being able to close the sale. As a rule of thumb, if you can keep them talking for 5 minutes on the phone, chances are pretty good you have the sale.

Ask Open Ended Questions

The best way to create a dialogue with a prospect is to ask relevant open ended questions. Try to avoid simple yes or no questions as this does little to advance the conversation or find out what the prospect truly wants or needs. Here are a few examples:

Tell me about photobooths you have experienced in the past.

Tell me what you know about our company and what we can do for you.

Tell me a bit about your dreams for your wedding day.

Listen intently and then use the information you received to help your client achieve their dreams.

Don't Go Cheap On Advertising

I learned this one the hard way. In the early 90's I was ahead of most people in terms of the quality of my advertising and it paid off big time.

When I re-started my business in 2011 I was trying to save money – I did not go full-color and made up the materials myself and I did not get the results I wanted.

What I saved actually cost me money.

I learned my lesson and in the future will go for full-color professionally printed materials.

Use a Graphic Designer If You Can Afford It

Create an image and then keep it consistent. You may well be the best photobooth operator in the world, but what good does it do anyone, most importantly you, if you don't do the proper job in spreading the word.

You are only as good as your weakest link. Don't waste money on wedding shows if you are not going to maximize the investment by issuing top notch marketing materials. 

Build It And They Will Come.......NOT

You Must pound the pavement, especially in the beginning. If you need to do so many sales, you need to make so many presentations. To get so many presentations you must make so many approaches. Always plan your marketing. To truly succeed you must have a well-conceived and consistent marketing strategy

Start Off With A Logo and Mission Statement

Take in all the marketing seminars you can afford both time-wise and money wise. If you are running your own business, your marketing skills must match your operational skills in order to be truly successful.

If you are starting your own business, write down your mission statement. Create a logo. Center yout marketing effrorts around this mission statement and logo.

While word of mouth will always be the premier business driver for successful businesses, social media is becoming more and more important with every day that passes in getting your info out there.

Do you know how to maximize your results on facebook, twitter, youtube and more recently linkedin, pinterest and instagram? Maybe not, but there are many people willing to teach you - some for free and more often for a price.

Never throw away something that works, but always measure the results (How did you hear about us needs to be a mandatory field). Stay in tune with the market and constantly re-invent your business model.

Use Personalized Appointment Cards

Relatively few people book right at the briday show. Your success at the show will depend highly on your ability to make an appointment with them after the show to close the sale. One tip is to have personalized appointment cards at the bridal show. On the front of the card use whatever you have on your regular business cards. On the back you could use something like this:

APPOINTMENT:

Mon___Tue___Wed___Thu___Fri___Sat___Sun

Date___________________________

Time______________AM___PM___

If you are unable to keep your appointment for whatever reason, please contact us as soon as possible.

Look For A Specialty / Niche

Think hard about what markets do you want to serve and what makes you special?  If you are part of a particular community use that to your advantage. Use any leverage you can get to get your foot in the doors.

Build Relationships

Always get in contact with the hall that you will be setting up in. Build a relationship with them, or at least try to. Calling them and giving them a heads up is the best excuse to market yourself at the same time. It is also a part of providing superior service to your clients.

Send out Christmas, other holiday and maybe even anniversary or birthday cards to prior and regular clients, complimentary businesses and even competitors. Snail mail works best but can also be time consuming. If this is not possible then at least send out the cards online. One site you can do this with is 

www.birthdayalarm.com

The free component at this site is adequate for most purposes.

There are other programs out there that allow you to keep in contact and stay top of mind with your prospects and clients. Here are a few:

www.sendpepper.com

www.aweber.com - allows you to send emails at intervals of your choosing, including the number of days before the event or wedding date.

Write a series of emails to send 12, 9, and 6 months before the wedding, and then 2 months and 1 month before. Personalize these with the bride and groom's names, wedding date, and location. This way, while the emails are sent on autopilot, they seem personal and friendly.

Every Monday (or Tuesday if you take Monday off) send THANK YOU cards to everyone you worked with at the wedding:

-Photographer

-DJ

-Florist

-Banquet Manager

-Officiant

Thank them for their professionalism and teamwork in making the bride's day a success.

Snail Mail

I like snail mail. Because everyone is so focused on the net, if you send something in the mail it makes you stand out. Depending on what source you look at and how you do it, somewhere between 90 and 99 percents of advertising emails are never even opened.

If you have the time personally address the letter – just make sure everything else is professional. Get a co-op student with good handwriting to address the letters. People are more likely to open personally-addressed envelopes.

Evaluations

ALWAYS send out EVALUATIONS and always follow up with your clients. I used to get a 60–80 percent return rate on evaluations with the majority being perfect. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. With email I have seen this dip to 10-20 percent. In the evaluation always ask for a testimonial you can use in your website or other advertising materials. Testimonials are like references. Get them as often as you can.

When sending out evaluations by snail mail always put a stamp on the return envelope – this makes them feel obligated to return it. 

Send a coupon (at least $100) that they can give to any of their friends.

If you still want to use email consider using a survey program

www.esurveyspro.com

www.surveymonkey.com

Go Above And Beyond

Have you ever heard that you should always exceed expectations? Sure it may cost you a little bit of money upfront, though sometimes more its time, but what it does is to lock in customer loyalty.

Would you rather spend more of your time chasing business, or spend more of it exceeding expectations. I think we all know the answer to the question.

In any business there are two types of businesses, low price leaders and industry leaders. In commodity based businesses, low price leaders tend to do quite well because people can see what they are getting. If you can buy a car for 30,000 but get a supposedly better car for 25,000 which are you going to choose?

I don't always buy the “you get what you pay for” theory when it comes to commodities, but pretty much always buy it when it comes to service. After all, people will generally charge what they can get. If their service is in high demand the price goes up. If they can't get work the price goes down. There are of course exceptions but that is the general rule of thumb.

Now you could choose to be the low price leader but you will continue to be frustrated by someone who undercuts you by a few dollars, and at the end of the day do you really want to be working for peanuts.

Achieving excellent service is something that is more difficult to do than cutting your price but at the end of the day you reap your rewards.

Part of going above and beyond involves contributing to the health of the very business of which you have chosen to make your living, or at least a part of it.

In my particular case I chose to write a book. I didn't do it for the money. I did it because it is usually the teacher who learns the most. By setting this goal I advanced my ultimate aim to become a true expert in the field. I don't have all the answers, but because I am always looking for them I am learning at the same time.

Competing With The DIY Booth

I am sure I will have some people asking, what is a DIY booth? DIY simply means Do It Yourself. If you go to youtube, there are people that will try to show you how to create your own photobooth experience for less money than it would cost to hire a professional company.

Of course this doesn't just apply to photobooths. If a wedding is on a severe budget, it is cheaper to have a pot-luck dinner than to hire a professional caterer. Picking your own flowers is cheaper than going to a florist. A 13 year old friend of your cousin will probably DJ on his or her ipod for a lot cheaper than a professional company will. Can someone run their own photobooth? Probably they can try. Can they do it as well as you? I hope not. If they can then you probably should not be in the business.

I remember reading a blog where this lady explained in great detail how to create your own photobooth at your wedding, and how she did it at hers. There were no instant pictures. Nor was there live view. At least she did use a DSLR camera, because that was what her sister owned, and she borrowed it from her.

After going through all the work getting the booth ready for her wedding she forgot to do one thing. Her sister never charged the batteries for the booth, so at her wedding all she got was two minutes worth of photobooth. Of course a real photobooth would have used an AC adaptor so this would not have been an issue, and would hopefully have had backup.

I guess if the worst thing that happened at her wedding was she did not have a photobooth, then things could be worse, but she did teach us a good lesson.  Apparently, her brother did make some use of the backdrop with his click-and-shoot camera, so they did get a few pictures.

Competing With DIY Booth Photographers

There are some photographers out there offering excellent photobooths, just as there are DJ's offering excellent photobooths.

However, some photographers call their setup a photobooth when in reality what they are offering is their body holding a camera, as well a backdrop.

As long as they clearly explain what they are offering there is no issue. More accurately what they are offering is called doing a photo shoot, and they may be very good at it.

They may add some props to enhance the experience and there is nothing wrong with that too.

There are 2 main features however, of a REAL photobooth that a simple photo shoot does not offer.

1.             LIVE VIEW – people really like seeing themselves on the video screen as their photo is being taken. On the screen they see a countdown such as ``6 seconds to picture 1 of 4``.

2.             INSTANT PRINT – remember those Polaroid cameras in the 70s and 80s. People don`t want to see their picture next month or even next week. In today`s society there is a demand for instant gratification. People want their photos instantly. If there are no instant photos then I personally don't think someone has the moral right to call what they are offering a photobooth.

Yet there remain many times people will call  something that is not a photobooth – well - a photobooth, and often at a very low price.  Most commonly, some photographers will include a so-called photobooth as part of their package.

While some photographers do use real photobooths (and I have sold real photobooths to some excellent  photographers) very often this so-called photobooth is nothing more than the photographer's body holding a camera, maybe with a backdrop. If you are lucky, maybe they have some props.

If you are competing with such booths, it is very important for you to point out to your prospect as I did above why a real photobooth is a far superior experience to just a photographer with a backdrop.

Make sure you stress the value of a real photobooth that provides instant pictures. One of the reason for the success of photobooths is that people like instant gratification, and appreciate a memento that they can take from the party or the wedding. Two weeks later for the first picture just won't (or shouldn't) cut it in the photobooth business.

Second, part of the appeal of the photobooths is the ability to see yourself (or your group) as the picture is being taken. Without the live-view aspect a photobooth just is not a photobooth.

Furthermore, being able to see the pictures recently taken on an external monitor adds to the complete experience. While a pseudo photobooth may be OK and better than nothing, it is no replacement for a real photobooth.