Senior Portrait Business

I am finally getting ready to start a small photography business. The focus will be Seniors, families and maternity.

What I am wondering about is finding work with regard to the Seniors. I already plan to use social media heavily. I also searched on google for "my town senior portraits" and was surprised to find that it seems as though nobody has optimized in our area for those keywords. I did find two local photographers. One with some senior portraits on their site the other seems to be more weddings. Sales will be handled through Zenfolio at www.northwoods-photo.com - I still need to add sections about sessions, fees, etc. Also any marketing I do to seniors will point to a slideshow on my site of portrait work. Right now I am a little slim on portrait work but I have two booked within the next few weeks.

So the question is how else to market. In looking at the seniors thread over in people I noticed a few folks making mention of "reps". I assume they are talking about a couple of seniors they have provided photos or a discount to in return for promotion? Am I correct? Can anyone provide me more info?

Also I have considered contacting the HS principal about senior photos. Is there any merit in this? Has anyone tried it and if so how has it worked out?

Sorry for the vague questions I am still feeling my way around the marketing aspect.

The other major hurdle I would love some feedback on is a lack of official studio space. I have done some studio shoots using an area in another business that I own and it has worked out ok. The concern that I have is that the other business is a cabinet manufacturer so when you walk in it is obviously not a studio and I am not interested in rebranding it. As time goes on I am hoping that the photography business is such that I might rent a couple of rooms in a building here in town but the question is what to do in the meanwhile. Do I use the building I currently have to shoot during off hours (Fridays and Saturdays mostly) or do I try to lean more toward location shoots? Also when I get together with clients to review photos do I use my existing office which again is branded as a cabinet manufacturing location or do I meet at the clients home? Maybe I am over thinking this and people won't really care (I am in a small town where a lot of the folks know me, who I am and what I do) but I am curious as to others thoughts.

Thanks in advance!

Northwoods Bill wrote in post #17393016
. . . Right now I am a little slim on portrait work but I have two booked within the next few weeks.

Not on your direct question list, but beyond the "two booked" sessions, how will you develop your portfolio? Most folks want to see some examples. Here's a suggestion - Try Model Mayhem and seek aspiring models that are (or look) in their teens. Many will pose in exchange for your prints for their own portfolios (there's an acronym for this bartering, but it escapes me right now). Get a bunch of them as part of your portfolio (don't forget the model release) and you will have a start on a portfolio and/or advertising fodder for pass-outs.

Northwoods Bill wrote in post #17393016
I am finally getting ready to start a small photography business. The focus will be Seniors, families and maternity.

What I am wondering about is finding work with regard to the Seniors. I already plan to use social media heavily. I also searched on google for "my town senior portraits" and was surprised to find that it seems as though nobody has optimized in our area for those keywords. I did find two local photographers. One with some senior portraits on their site the other seems to be more weddings. Sales will be handled through Zenfolio at www.northwoods-photo.com - I still need to add sections about sessions, fees, etc. Also any marketing I do to seniors will point to a slideshow on my site of portrait work. Right now I am a little slim on portrait work but I have two booked within the next few weeks.

So the question is how else to market. In looking at the seniors thread over in people I noticed a few folks making mention of "reps". I assume they are talking about a couple of seniors they have provided photos or a discount to in return for promotion? Am I correct? Can anyone provide me more info?

Also I have considered contacting the HS principal about senior photos. Is there any merit in this? Has anyone tried it and if so how has it worked out?

Sorry for the vague questions I am still feeling my way around the marketing aspect.

The other major hurdle I would love some feedback on is a lack of official studio space. I have done some studio shoots using an area in another business that I own and it has worked out ok. The concern that I have is that the other business is a cabinet manufacturer so when you walk in it is obviously not a studio and I am not interested in rebranding it. As time goes on I am hoping that the photography business is such that I might rent a couple of rooms in a building here in town but the question is what to do in the meanwhile. Do I use the building I currently have to shoot during off hours (Fridays and Saturdays mostly) or do I try to lean more toward location shoots? Also when I get together with clients to review photos do I use my existing office which again is branded as a cabinet manufacturing location or do I meet at the clients home? Maybe I am over thinking this and people won't really care (I am in a small town where a lot of the folks know me, who I am and what I do) but I am curious as to others thoughts.

Thanks in advance!

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a senior portrait photographer, aside from the ones I've done for friends & family.

Unless you're in a small town and already friends, the principal likely will want nothing to do with helping you market your services. I'm pretty sure the big school-portrait companies (lifetouch, etc) give the schools a sizable kickback in exchange for the contract to shoot all the students - so unless you're prepared to offer something like that, there's no reason for the school to help.

You might be able to buy advertising space in printed event programs (sports programs, etc). I don't know what your local schools have.

Many senior photographers work with a "senior rep" - to over-simplify the concept, the photographer finds a good-looking and popular senior, shoots a top-notch senior session for free, and that senior markets the photographer to their friends.

Word of mouth will be your best marketing tool, but it might take you a while to get "in" if you don't already have some sort of foot in the door - a sibling or cousin who's in that high school, or some sort of other involvement. To that end, you might have to spend this year doing just marketing/portfolio shoots, to build up your rapport/profile/presen​ce/whatever within the community, then start working for-reals next year.

Model Mayhem or Craigslist might be a good place to start, to find senior reps, or at least seniors who will shoot TFCD.

golfecho wrote in post #17394612
Not on your direct question list, but beyond the "two booked" sessions, how will you develop your portfolio? Most folks want to see some examples. Here's a suggestion - Try Model Mayhem and seek aspiring models that are (or look) in their teens. Many will pose in exchange for your prints for their own portfolios (there's an acronym for this bartering, but it escapes me right now). Get a bunch of them as part of your portfolio (don't forget the model release) and you will have a start on a portfolio and/or advertising fodder for pass-outs.

TFP or TFCD - meaning, Time-for-Prints (when photographers used to provide prints) or Time for CD (meaning digital copies).
It implies an equal exchange of the model's time and skill for [a license to use] the photographer's images.

Thanks for the Reponses.

I have some experience with MM. I used to shoot from MM and lets just say that returning to the shooting I used to do may not be the best choice for my marriage It is actually part of why I want to get into portraits, I really miss shooting people and trying to make them look their best.

Your thought about the school may very well be spot in. I don't know the principal personally but I do know a few people on the school board. I could probably call one of them to get the inside scoop.

I do have some general recognition in town. I am a small business owner in town, I am Cubmaster and I teach faith formation at the Catholic Church so I know a number of people. With the size of our town it is rare for me to go somewhere in town and not be called by name. Of course at the same time the small town comes with a smaller potential customer base.

The idea of spending the first year marketing and portfolio building doesn't particularly bother me provided it is clear that we are working toward a profitable business.

I am sure I have a ton to learn but I already have a good business and customer service background so am expecting that to serve me fairly well.

Time will tell....