Help with Senior Portraits

[morabid]

I am going to work on ways to advertise to the Seniors in my area to drum up some business but I am fairly new at shooting seniors. I am not worried about the photographs but the actual business of it. Any help would be great.

How early should I start advertising for Seniors?

Anyone had luck with recruiting Seniors to hand out fliers? If so, how early?

What about schools that require strict sizing such as the head needs to be a certain size? I imagine I could figure this out in Photoshop but is there any tips?

Thanks :)

[Mike R]

The way things are handled varies widely not only in different parts of the country but also in neighboring towns. Where I am, The photographer that has the year book contract, requires the student to go to his studio for the "free" yearbook portrait, the he hits them with his "special" senior packages. So you're already at a disadvantage. It's sad but most parents think they need to have a senior portrait taken by the official school photographer, not realizing that any portrait taken in their kids senior year is a senior portrait. Another school requires that the photographer have a full time studio and employ more than one photographer since the yearbook photos are taken one day at school, but even here, each kid gets a brochure listing "special- order now!" packages. These same offers are also mailed to the home.

Since I shoot sports at the schools, When I feel that I'm ready to offer senior portraits, I plan on including a brochure in with my T&I order forms for each team. These are parents that are already customers and just like with the increase in number of teams that I cover, I will rely on word of mouth to get to the other parents. (my marketing skills S***!)

[zagiace]

Like Mike said schools have a contract photographer who will handle the yearbook shot. They do have to be a certain size and the head has to be a certain size. That typically depends on the yearbook companies requirements and will change from school to school. It is sometimes the contract photographer who is putting the yearbook together.

There is a company who sells a database of students graduating in any given year. It is not that expensive, 200-300 as I recall. I can't remember the name but maybe someone will chime in.

One of the best ways is to get a popular senior to take pictures with your studio. Give that senior awesome work and lots of wallets and request they pass them out in return.

Really the only way you are going to be successful is to out perform and/or out service the contract photog. Typically the clients you will get are ones that went to the contract studio, had their session done and they were not happy.