Senior Rep Advice

[bentolover]

Hi,
I used Senior Reps this year for the first time, restarting my business after a move. I don't have many and got started a bit late, but they are not bringing in any referrals. Any ideas for me to help them and ideas for next year. The students have rep cards, large accordion books, facebook pics and phone slide show to show their Senior Sessions......any ideas would be very helpful. Meeting with the reps soon to get their feedback.

[kimberley]

Monica...

I have found that you need to prequalify your reps. Just putting out a Rep Call will not insure that your reps will bring you referrals.

Also the reps need to be in constant contact with you either, via email, facebook or text message etc....the more your pushing them to work the more they are going to work...also just becasue they have great pics doesnt mean they will work for you for the rest of year...

you give them everything up front then what else do they have to work towards?

Also use facebook, do contest between your reps get them excited to want to show off their images and promote you :)

Good luck and pre qualify those reps, just dont look for pretty faces :)

[bentolover]

Thanks for taking the time to reply,and for the good input. I think being my first year using reps, I didn't want to be to pushy. I suppose I felt the photo credits were incentive, but maybe if the student doesn't pay for the Seniore pices, there is not much incentive.... so a visa gift card might be better incentive for them to gain referrals?

[brad]

Exactly. Picture credits mean very little to a senior - only the parent. Cash and other prizes, though... that is a little better motivator, but only barely. As Kimberly says, you gotta find the right rep - one that will work for you and communicate. They just get too busy and distracted otherwise.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

What does your Senior Portrait work look like?

[XtremePhoto]

Originally Posted by brad

They just get too busy and distracted otherwise.

What teenager isn't this way? Constantly moving from one thing to the next. I find it very difficult to hire decent workers from this pool of prospectives, let alone have them "rep" (represent) my corp. Even paying them a decent wage doesn't result in adequate 'representation' from a lot of the young kids entering the work place today. They are only interested in "ME" and not much else. They are given too much now a days and do not have to earn it.

-G-

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

I would think then a marketing campaign "It's All About Me" should work then? ;-)

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Brad, I've been thinking about this all day and nexts years campaign for my studio will be "It's All About You & Me" I think alot of creativity can be put into this and create the buzz I need for my studio!!! Thanks

[LadyShutterBug]

in my area, i've found that parent networking is pretty valuable in addition to the actual student networking. perhaps you could look at offering incentives from the parent angle?

maybe also look at providing product that's fresh/new/cool that other photogs in your area aren't offering. kids are pretty quick to be "I WANT THAT! WHERE CAN I GET IT?"

i have a high school student, and right now she's worried about her first progress report, playing her sport, settling into classes, and getting a date to homecoming. i don't think any of these things are all that far out for her to be concerned with... so perhaps it's just a little early in the year?

in all honesty, she is up at 5:15 am every day and at school until 9:00 some nights with sports. school IS her "job".

[brad]

Originally Posted by Ernst-Ulrich Schafer

Brad, I've been thinking about this all day and nexts years campaign for my studio will be "It's All About You & Me" I think alot of creativity can be put into this and create the buzz I need for my studio!!! Thanks

I think so, Ernst... I adopted the slogan "Stand Out Loud" for my teen and senior business and its been well received.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Yep Brad, You got to "Stand Out" from the rest of the crowd!!!!