6 Industry Secrets to Book Your First 150 Events with Your Photo Booth!
So, you've been doing endless research about photo booths. Cost, competition, how to market your business, the list goes on. Heck, maybe you've even been reading our blog posts about kick-starting your business.
Whether you've just purchased your first photo booth or you're about to pull the trigger, this article will help you score your first 150 bookings in your first year with ease.
Well, it's going to require some work, but we're here to help and give you all the information to make the process as easy as possible.
Ready? Let's jump in!
Confidence
Let's face it, in the beginning nobody is perfect. You know what they say, "Practice makes perfect" and that applies to your photo booth business as well.
You're going to spend countless hours researching and investigating how to be successful, how to stand out from the sea of competitors, I mean, you're reading this, right?
And that's okay! It's okay not to know everything from the get-go. It will take time and it's important that you recognize that.
With that said, it's important that you're confident. But, don't confuse confidence with being cocky.
If you don't know the answer to something, make sure your client knows that. But, show that you're confident and that you can find an answer.
People want to work with people that are confident and this will get you more bookings.
Help and Support
We just said that practice makes perfect. Well, you're going to need to surround yourself with a group of people that support you and that can assist you.
Whether you have friends in the industry or we, at Photobooth Supply Co, are your support, it's important that you have someone. That's one of the benefits of purchasing our Salsa Photobooth - we'll offer support and assistance in answering your questions, helping you grow your business, and more.
Additionally, attend trainings and seminars. Of course, be mindful of your budget and don't spend thousands when you can't afford it. But, if you find a free or inexpensive seminar or training in your area, go! You'll be able to meet others in the industry, learn from them, and hopefully walk away with a wealth of new information and connections.
And when your company starts to grow, don't feel bad about hiring employees. At some point in time, you'll have to understand when too much is just too much. It's important to be able to automate your workflow as much as possible. Once you've grown, check out this article for more information on improving your workflow.
Build Your Brand
We've talked about the importance of building your brand identity in multiple articles here on our blog. Even if you're not 100% sure that a photo booth company is what you want to do, it's important to start marketing yourself.
When you start marketing yourself and creating your brand you're testing the waters with zero risk.
Sure, you may spend $10 on a domain name and maybe a couple more on website hosting, but doing so will allow you to start looking for event bookings before you have even purchased a photo booth.
If you want more information on Booking Before You Buy, check out our article here!
Market and Advertise Yourself
Get out there and market yourself! No, don't go spending hundreds of dollars on Facebook or Google ads right away. Take advantage of your network. Talk to your friends, family, co-workers and let them know what it is that you're starting.
They might not be interested, but they might know somebody that is.
On the flip side, if you know somebody who's recently engaged, for example, congratulate them and tell them a little bit about what you're starting. It'll be a great way to build your portfolio, but to also get some practice with someone who you know.
In general you should hand out brochures, business cards, and other marketing materials. If someone has a physical item that they can pass onto someone, it's even better.
Go the Extra Mile
While you may not have gotten your first booking yet, it's important that you go the extra mile in the beginning.
If people notice the extra work and attention to detail before they've booked with you, it'll make them realize that you're super dedicated to your business.
On the flip side, if you don't go the extra mile, customers will see that.
You're creating your brand. Represent it with pride and be the best you can be!
Start in a Less Saturated Market
If you live in a big city like Chicago, LA, or New York, you're going to be entering a hugely saturated market.
That doesn't mean that you can't get out there and let your name be known, of course not. But it does mean that it'll be more challenging to do so.
One thing you might want to consider in the beginning is starting in a less saturated market. That could be a different city near to where you live, or it could even be a particular neighborhood in your city.
Start small, grow your brand identity, and let your reputation grow. Once you've gotten your name out there, you can start to enter your ideal market. Sometimes you'll even enter your ideal market without trying once you have more clients reaching out.
Be patient, start small, and work from the bottom up.
And that's it! We hope that these tips help you in your journey to book your first 150 events!
Want to learn more tips and tricks on how to have a successful photo booth business?
Check out our other blog posts and our 26-Episode Video Series where you can hear from real PBSCO Photobooth owners on how they've led their businesses to success!