We, as photographers, need to capitalize more on the holiday season. No, not by running weekend after weekend of mini sessions, although those are great money-makers, I am talking about taking it one step further.  What about all those people throughout the year that you photographed?  How can you turn a previous session into some extra sales without bringing them back into the studio?  Of course, there is the old email/social media campaign of “hey old peeps, I know you purchased stuff at full price but now I am going to give you 25% off those old pictures if you buy more” strategy.  I am going to be totally frank with you, I am not a fan of that.  It is training future clients to purchase a smaller amount and wait until you do a print sale.  It devalues your products and services. I just don’t love that idea. So this article on Portfolio.com http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/executive-style/2011/10/13/five-disruptive-holiday-shopping-trends got me thinking and I’ve come up with some options for easy added sales.

1. New products: this is one of my favorite ways to add to sales.  Introduce a new product that is cool and will cater to lots of people on a holiday shopping list. For example our Digital Album Collection is super easy for you to plug images into the templates and then you simply email the PDF  file to your clients.  They can burn the digital album to disc and give as a gift along with one of those digital frames
2. The no hassle present:  If you don’t offer framing in your studio, how about doing that during the holidays.  Purchase some inexpensive 5×7 frames in larger quantities, have a couple styles to choose from and let your clients know you have them covered with grandma gifts.  It is all framed, ready to go and you can even wrap it in your branding packaging.  When grandma opens those framed images in front of everyone they just might see your branding [of course keep it low key]
4. Seasonal products: only offer specific product during a very short period each year. For example a totally cute calendar.  Make these seasonal product announcements before thanksgiving.  Please stick to your guns.  Don’t say to all your clients.  XY&Z only available during Oct 31-Nov.15 and then allow people to buy them January 1^st.  This creates a sense of urgency in your clients. I know it is hard to say no however it will never happen again.  Your client will be sure to listen to your studio’s call to action and actually take it seriously.
5. Gift Certificates: make the GC offer very special, give them just a tad more. For example with a $150 gift certificate they get a standard session and a cool product – like a calendar or digital album. A product that has a lower cost of goods. Do not give print credit it has little value to consumers, unless they have already been a client of yours it will be hard for them to understand what print credit is. Make the certificate AWESOME, something different than the plain ol’ gift certificate in a long white envelope.
6. Last but not least sending out an email, posting on twitter and facebook is fine and dandy but a handwritten letter is WAY better! We know it’s coming down to the wire in terms of holiday shopping, if you are overwhelmed by the thought of writing to all your clients, sit down and choose only 10 or 20 of your top clients from the year and send them a quick note saying “It was so wonderful meeting and photographing you/your family/your kids in [insert month] we are so excited to announce our little holiday shopping stress relievers.  Visit [your url] or call the studio and we can help you cross names of your list in an instant with cost effective exclusive products that we didn’t have earlier in the year!”   Of course in your own words but that is a start!  As always we have you covered, with quick easy totally customizable product templates. Read more about the items you can offer your clients this holiday season!

Courtney DeLaura is our guest blogger today.  Courtney is a Senior Portrait Photographer in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Courtney is also the creator of Get Schooled Photo and Senior Blueprint, a regular Seniorologie Speaker at Seniorologie Tours across the country and the mom of two awesome kids!