Photobooth start up!

[Steveningle]

Hi everyone, new here and also my first post! I'm looking for some advice, I have become interested in buying and running a photo booth. Having never owned a business before I'm looking for some marketing tips, where to get clients and maybe some USP ideas? I'm 22 and have done enough research to know that I have a market here (Edinburgh) with a bit of hard work!

Please any help you have... And also some of your start up stories too if you have time!

Thanks!!!

 

[ethical PR]

Now you have done your market research and identified there is a market for your service, you need to develop a funded marketing plan. These will help you identify how you use your brand/market position to promote your services to customers you have identified will want to use your business.

The communications/approaches you will use if targeting weddings for example, will be very different from those you will use if you are targeting the corporate market.

For any customer you need to clearly be able to articulate the benefits of 1) using a photo boot service 2) using your service in particular - what can you offer that others don't? why should they use you rather than an established business with a successful track record?

Very few businesses have 'unique selling points' - rather they have what is called 'points of differentiation' - we can't tell you what these are for your business - these are something you develop as the business owner to help you stand out from your competitors and based on the market research you carried out to identify there is a market for your business.

Lots of information available online to help you put together a marketing plan - do make sure you cover off the basics

1. SMART objectives linked to your business plan objectives
2. Market positioning/brand
3. Competitor analysis
4. Customer research - profiles on type of customers likely to want your services
5. Key messages/product benefits
6. Strategic marketing approach
7. Tactics and calendar of marketing activity
8. Measuring success
9. Budget - break down of costs of marketing your business on and offline.

 

[UKSBD]

I've been helping someone who was considering buying a photo booth hire business.

From my brief look at things, it looks as though most businesses tend to be bolt ons to established photographers.

It doesn't appear to be a case of just buy some booths and hire them out, you need a bit of a photographic background yourself too (preferably wedding photography).

Are you a photographer?

 

[Virtual Reality Hire]

Last year I started a photo booth business and never went a week without a booking. I sold the business earlier this year due to health issues. The best forms of marketing the business for me were:

• Google Adwords (This method brought in at least 70% of all my bookings)
• Wedding Fairs at local venues can also bring in a lot of work if done right
• Posting on local wedding pages on FB
• Always take business cards to every job as people love photo booths and will ask for your contact details as they have a wedding/birthday/corporate event coming up.
• Always upload photos from each job (with the customers permission)

If you can think of a funny and quirky USP that should definitely help you to stand out from the crowd. Although some people say the market is saturated, at one point I was turning away more work than I was booking due to being so busy.
Now would be a great time to start the business just in time for the wedding season.

 

[Steveningle]

Wow, I didn't expect so many replies so thanks to all of you taking the time!

I am a photographer, but I don't have an established business doing photography. I'm known for winning a few national competitions and have featured in newspapers/ magazines too, so would say I have a good understanding of how things work.

I've not fully finished a business plan but will have done by the weekend and will work on a marketing plan too as mentioned.

All the info everyone has given has been great and I'm feeling a lot more confident about what steps to take!

again thanks and please feel free to keep adding any info you think might help.

I'll keep you all posted on how things develop.

 

[pbdesigns]

Get to every wedding fayre in the area - that's where the brides are, and you can talk to them.

When it comes to weddings, brides buy people. They just want confidence that 1: you'll turn up and 2: you'll do a good job and create a fun experience for their guests in the photobooth.

 

[stallfinder]

Get to every wedding fayre in the area - that's where the brides are, and you can talk to them.

We list wedding fairs all over the UK so if you need help finding any just let me know.

 

[Steveningle]

Great thanks! If I can can work out the private message function that would be a great help! Thanks

 

[stallfinder]

Great thanks! If I can can work out the private message function that would be a great help! Thanks

Hi, I've just sent a message to you with a link to the wedding fairs we currently have listed. Wasn't sure whereabouts in the country you are but you can narrow the search by county etc.

 

[Frequent_nomad]

Don't worry too much about USP's, if the market it big enough it can accomodate multiple people. The thing that will get you business is being visible (as people have mentioned) and then word of mouth. Make sure you do something really memorable for the bride (look on pintrest/instagram) for ideas.