Building a dating website portrait business

So I've been struggling trying to get some business going for people who use dating websites. I got the idea when a few of my friends were showing me people they were considering contacting from various sites. Most of the photos were horrible.

I did some investigation and found many people spend upwards of $30 a month on these sites! I figured, if they're spending that amount of money to find, "that someone special," shouldn't they put their best foot forward and have good photos?

As I dug deeper I found two sites who are sort of brokers for photographers doing this kind of work. I was accepted on one site and got the contract from them. First of all, they take way too much of the money (they set the fees). More importantly, you have to give up ALL rights to your photos! On top of that, you have a non-compete and cannot solicit this type of business in the area (I understand that) and cannot solicit the customers for other work. So it's not like you can even build other business around this.

So I'm back to trying to figure out how to market this service. I could always advertise on the dating sites but that can get expensive and advertising is hit or miss (mostly miss) in my experience.

I've gotten involved in some dating groups to attend their events giving out flyers and even donating a free shoot or two (people say they'll take me up on it but never do).

I'm at a loss in how to build this business. I still believe it can be a good business if priced and positioned properly. I just can't get in front of the people using these services.

Anyone else here have experience with this type of business?

Thanks.

Bump!

If your friends were already considering contacting those people despite having bad photos, wouldn't that mean they don't really need better photos?

I understand where you're coming from, but having professional photos can be dangerous since they're retouched and lit more flatteringly than real life. A lot of people could end up disappointed with what shows up at dinner. A snapshot, as bad as it is, is actually a better way to tell what someone looks like day to day. Plus it's free.

Example: I shoot model for a day type senior portraits. More often than not, they look like a different person than the rest of their facebook images. They come to me specifically for that purpose - to be seen like they usually are not seen by their peers.

I wouldn't use my images to judge whether I'm attracted to someone for life changing purposes because they're sometimes quite deceptive.

ETA: I know this doesn't help your quest, but I wanted to underline how it's probably a really hard sell, otherwise there'd be a huge market for it already in place. You could get some guerrilla business going probably but to make a significant income from it probably won't happen like it does for seniors, weddings, families, etc.

This is a hard sell unless you worked with boutique sites that had some level of exclusivity that attracted a high end client. Most people won't see the value in spending money on pictures. How much were you considering charging?

GadgetRick wrote in post #13346889
So I've been struggling trying to get some business going for people who use dating websites. I got the idea when a few of my friends were showing me people they were considering contacting from various sites. Most of the photos were horrible.

I did some investigation and found many people spend upwards of $30 a month on these sites! I figured, if they're spending that amount of money to find, "that someone special," shouldn't they put their best foot forward and have good photos?

As I dug deeper I found two sites who are sort of brokers for photographers doing this kind of work. I was accepted on one site and got the contract from them. First of all, they take way too much of the money (they set the fees). More importantly, you have to give up ALL rights to your photos! On top of that, you have a non-compete and cannot solicit this type of business in the area (I understand that) and cannot solicit the customers for other work. So it's not like you can even build other business around this.

So I'm back to trying to figure out how to market this service. I could always advertise on the dating sites but that can get expensive and advertising is hit or miss (mostly miss) in my experience.

I've gotten involved in some dating groups to attend their events giving out flyers and even donating a free shoot or two (people say they'll take me up on it but never do).

I'm at a loss in how to build this business. I still believe it can be a good business if priced and positioned properly. I just can't get in front of the people using these services.

Anyone else here have experience with this type of business?

Thanks.

...do you know the best way to break into this industry? Find a broker. You would probably have to give up copyright, they would take to much in fees, and probably have all sorts of other conditions that you would be uncomfortable with. Oh, you've already discovered that!

Why have the brokers developed this model? I'm guessing that people who spend money on dating sites would fit into two catagories: those who put value on photography and those who don't. For those that do: they have many options. They probably already have profile photographs done by a professional photographer, or they will be much more likely to click on an advertising link that pops up on a dating website advertising photographers.

It would be hard to market to those who place no value on photography. Answer this question:

"How will having a professionally taken photograph increase my chances of finding the perfect match?"

Once you can answer that question without offending the person asking that question, then you would have the basis of how to write your marketing plan. I've just checked out a couple of "brokers" online, and they both take very different approaches to answering that question.

http://www.lookbettero​nline.com/
These guys are very upfront: spelling out all the potential objections on the splash page and countering with why it isn't the best option.

http://www.datingheads​hots.com/
These guys are less upfront: assuming the customer has already decided to purchase a photo and making it very easy for them to do so.

Both approaches are perfectly valid, in fact it wouldn't surprise me if they were owned by the same guy! (Its what I would do!)

However I think the key to the the success of this business model is volume: and this is what the brokers can do well but what you would find to be the thing you would struggle with. The brokers can reach potential customers nationwide, even internationally, which is something you won't be able to do. The photographers the brokers would use would be the "microstock" photographers, the part timers who make a bit of money on the side but wouldn't look at making a living from "dating profile photography." You could probably make money if you worked your butt off: but your investment in time and money would not be offset by the rewards and you could make the same money easier.

So my advice? If you really really want to break into this industry, either 1) Bite the bullet, work with the brokers, take the money and build your real business in other areas, or 2) Be the broker. But I don't see it as a big money earner on your own unless you invest huge amounts of time and money in it: and as I said, there are easier ways to make money.

cdifoto wrote in post #13353464
If your friends were already considering contacting those people despite having bad photos, wouldn't that mean they don't really need better photos?

I understand where you're coming from, but having professional photos can be dangerous since they're retouched and lit more flatteringly than real life. A lot of people could end up disappointed with what shows up at dinner. A snapshot, as bad as it is, is actually a better way to tell what someone looks like day to day. Plus it's free.

Example: I shoot model for a day type senior portraits. More often than not, they look like a different person than the rest of their facebook images. They come to me specifically for that purpose - to be seen like they usually are not seen by their peers.

I wouldn't use my images to judge whether I'm attracted to someone for life changing purposes because they're sometimes quite deceptive.

ETA: I know this doesn't help your quest, but I wanted to underline how it's probably a really hard sell, otherwise there'd be a huge market for it already in place. You could get some guerrilla business going probably but to make a significant income from it probably won't happen like it does for seniors, weddings, families, etc.

I think you're missing my point. I'm not looking to do a model for a day type thing. Just portraits. Doesn't mean they'll look significantly different than they actually do. They're just putting their best foot forward--something they're going to want to do anyway.

It's not any more of a hard sell than most other types of photography...once you get in front of people who are using these services. It's on me--as a photog--to help them see the need for these types of shots. There actually are photogs out there doing quite a bit of this type of work because people want to look good to attract a mate. That's why we buy nice clothes, get a haircut, etc before a big date.

Also, I don't think anyone is looking at photos on the net and thinking they want to spend the rest of their life with someone they've only seen a photo of and read a profile for. That'll come later but, typically, the initial reason someone goes out on a date with someone has something to do with (on some level at least) whether they're attracted to the person or not. A good photo will help and it doesn't have to be deceptive.

USER876 wrote in post #13355407
This is a hard sell unless you worked with boutique sites that had some level of exclusivity that attracted a high end client. Most people won't see the value in spending money on pictures. How much were you considering charging?

I think you'd be surprised as there are quite a few people out there paying for professional photos for these sites (and even FB believe it or not). The key is, you can't charge too much for it.

I haven't figured out the pricing just yet but trying to keep it reasonable keeping in mind they're not buying prints.

banquetbear wrote in post #13355608
...do you know the best way to break into this industry? Find a broker. You would probably have to give up copyright, they would take to much in fees, and probably have all sorts of other conditions that you would be uncomfortable with. Oh, you've already discovered that!

Why have the brokers developed this model? I'm guessing that people who spend money on dating sites would fit into two catagories: those who put value on photography and those who don't. For those that do: they have many options. They probably already have profile photographs done by a professional photographer, or they will be much more likely to click on an advertising link that pops up on a dating website advertising photographers.

It would be hard to market to those who place no value on photography. Answer this question:

"How will having a professionally taken photograph increase my chances of finding the perfect match?"

Once you can answer that question without offending the person asking that question, then you would have the basis of how to write your marketing plan. I've just checked out a couple of "brokers" online, and they both take very different approaches to answering that question.

http://www.lookbettero​nline.com/
These guys are very upfront: spelling out all the potential objections on the splash page and countering with why it isn't the best option.

http://www.datingheads​hots.com/
These guys are less upfront: assuming the customer has already decided to purchase a photo and making it very easy for them to do so.

Both approaches are perfectly valid, in fact it wouldn't surprise me if they were owned by the same guy! (Its what I would do!)

However I think the key to the the success of this business model is volume: and this is what the brokers can do well but what you would find to be the thing you would struggle with. The brokers can reach potential customers nationwide, even internationally, which is something you won't be able to do. The photographers the brokers would use would be the "microstock" photographers, the part timers who make a bit of money on the side but wouldn't look at making a living from "dating profile photography." You could probably make money if you worked your butt off: but your investment in time and money would not be offset by the rewards and you could make the same money easier.

So my advice? If you really really want to break into this industry, either 1) Bite the bullet, work with the brokers, take the money and build your real business in other areas, or 2) Be the broker. But I don't see it as a big money earner on your own unless you invest huge amounts of time and money in it: and as I said, there are easier ways to make money.

Excellent post. DatingHeadshots.com is the one who accepted me and sent me over a contract. As I mentioned, you give up EVERYTHING. I can live with giving up rights to those photos--what am I gonna do with them anyway--I wasn't comfortable with giving up rights to the customer and giving up my rights to market this type of business locally (although I understand why they do this). When I emailed them asking whether the contract is negotiable in any way I received no reply. When I called the help number, I was routed to someone out of the country who couldn't answer any questions and said they'd have someone call me back...nobody ever called (I tried more than once). So that was kinda out of the question for me.

Also, I'm not looking to build my business around this. Since I'm still getting started with my business here in Jacksonville, I'm trying to keep busy while I build the part of my business which will, "pay the bills," so to day. This type of work is busy work for me but it also brings in (at least) some money.

I still feel it's a great idea, it's just tough to get in front of the people who would use this type of service.

Shoppers drug mart was doing a promo with one of their cosmetic lines and it was all about winning a chance to be a model for the company. They had me come in and shoot portraits of anyone who bought $25 worth of cosmetics and then could enter in the contest. All the older women who had a picture taken asked me if I could email them the picture so they could use their for their dating sites. So there is a market out there, how big, who knows, whats the harm in trying?
Also to get these people, do dating sites have forums? Single mixers thrown by such dating sites, handing out cards at your local Cougar bar or single's night.

TheoM wrote in post #13389091
Shoppers drug mart was doing a promo with one of their cosmetic lines and it was all about winning a chance to be a model for the company. They had me come in and shoot portraits of anyone who bought $25 worth of cosmetics and then could enter in the contest. All the older women who had a picture taken asked me if I could email them the picture so they could use their for their dating sites. So there is a market out there, how big, who knows, whats the harm in trying?
Also to get these people, do dating sites have forums? Single mixers thrown by such dating sites, handing out cards at your local Cougar bar or single's night.

I actually have gotten involved with a popular singles mixer group here. Unfortunately, I've gotten a LOT of interest from people when I've attended many events (not to date me ) but nothing in the way of business. I've even been giving away certificates for free sessions and nobody has even taken me up on that.

I think maybe this might not be the target audience. Keeping in mind photography is a luxury, maybe I need to find these groups in the more well-off areas. I'm not really sure.

I do believe there's a market although I'm not thinking I could make a living off it. I'm just always looking for other things I can do to bring in extra revenue.