My eyes became the size of golf balls and my stomach did 25 jumping jacks.
I may have peed my pants just a little.
My inbox had 12 delighted mothers wanting to book…
…from a single email.
and for me?
People didn’t usually respond to my marketing.
I normally rejoiced if I got even one booking.
But this was different.
THIS time, I was targeting an untapped market, like a keg out camping that somehow tipped over and became lost in the brush. The beer is still there, but nobody knows about.
And THIS time, I was using marketing with emotion.
Targeting a market that nobody in my area was doing anything with (because, just like the lost key, they don’t know it’s there).
There was virtually, literally, no competition at all for what I was doing.
But I didn’t just throw out an email that said “Now booking Tween Sessions!”
No, no, no, my friend, my darling, my fellow professional photographer.
Because that?
Would have resulted in likely zero bookings. Zilch. Nada.
Instead, I was pulling at the heartstrings of moms. Making them not just want, but feel they needed to have their tween daughter photographed.
{More details on that in my free guide at the bottom “How to make moms want to book you instantly for tween sessions.”}
And those 12 sessions?
Were during weeks when I didn’t already have anything booked.
And the potentially for growing your senior and family business from these sessions is exponential.
I’m still dumbfounded as to why it took me so long to realize the potential of tweens.
And why 99% of photographers don’t specifically photograph tweens (it’s always just tossed in the mix of children sessions)
Let me enlighten you, my dear, on just how lucrative tween sessions can be:
The top 5 ways “tween“ sessions can make you money and build your senior (and family) business.
01. It’s Like Pulling Money out of Thin Air
That’s right. Reach your chiseled arm (the one you shoot your 70-200mm f/2.8 lens with) over your head, and imagine pinching the air and that air turning into cash, baby.
Normally there’s a sea of photographers all grasping for the same measly dollar.
But not when it comes to Tween Sessions.
It’s just you reaching.
And you’re getting every dollar.
Any why is it invisible?
Because nobody else knows it’s there.
Mrs. Edward’s Math Class
If there are 600 high school seniors in your area and there are 20 photographers pursuing them, then you’re limited as to how much money you can make. And when you get one client, that means the other 19 are not getting those clients.
But with tweens, there are 1,200 tweens 12-13 year olds, and you are the only photographer going after them as clients.
See what I mean, about the money coming out of thin air thing?
02. The Favoritism Effect
The tweens you photograph likely have siblings. Which means ***Ding Ding Ding*** their parents will have to have their other children photographed when they are tweens.
They can’t play favorites. They can’t have a canvas and an album of one child and then do nothing for the others. They just wouldn’t feel right about it.
And who’s the only photographer that offers tween sessions in your town?
Why it’s you, of course.
And not only are you the only tween photographer in your area, but you’re offering them more than photographs.
You’re giving the tween self-confidence and self-worth.
And more importantly, you’re giving the mom what all moms want: to feel like they are doing something great for their daughter, which ultimately makes them a good mom. (You do this with the words you use in your emails and phone calls to them, more in the free guide at the bottom)
03. Future Senior
In 3-5 years these girls will be high school seniors, or the juniors that you put into your senior model program if you offer one.
And when the tweens and their parents fall in love with your style, personality and the way you make them feel about themselves?
They will be your client.
And so will their friends.
04. Time = Money
Who has time for MORE sessions in the middle of summer?
I don’t. You don’t. No sane photographer does.
So don’t book tweens during your busy season (and when you do, raise the price)
Book tweens in the slow months, or when you see a few weeks where you don’t have much scheduled.
Time is money. Right? When you book these sessions, you can’t do it when you are already busy and have to turn people away. That would be crazy talk. Am I right?
Or, you don’t turn anybody away, and then your children are orphans for three months a year (I have done this one before…can we say mom-guilt?).
05. Family Forever
Now that you’re finished with the tween session and got a great sale, it’s time to book the family session.
You know what I love about this?
They know you. They understand why photography is important. They know your pricing isn’t $75 for a disc and 20,000 prints.
So booking them is easy.
My favorite way to book them is to send them a letter a few weeks after they receive their products. I hand-write the note telling them how much fun I had at their daughter’s session, and as a thank-you I give them a complimentary family portrait session that needs to be used by the end of the year (and then I remind them before it expires).
Some photographers frown on giving away free things.
And I *sometimes* agree.
You can’t just give out free sessions and free discs and free photos at events to “get your name out there.” That doesn’t work. I’ve done that. I did that a lot, in fact, when I first started. But not anymore. Now if I agree to do something free or do a free promotion? Free ends up being paid.
You need to make money on free.
You need to give away free things to people who know they are going to spend money with you after they get what was free.
And in this case?
They just dropped a big chunk of change on their daughter’s tween collection.
So they know a free session means they are saving on the session BUT they are going to spend on the portraits.
This can all be very, very lucrative for you (imagine Mr. Burns tapping his fingers together slyly)
It’s Algebra at its best
It’s exponential growth.
Tween Word Problem #2:
Kimmy photographs 12 tween sessions. 3 of those have no siblings. 2 of the 12 have one older siblings (who are are not yet seniors) and no other siblings. The other 7 have an average of 2 siblings that are younger. They all (obviously) have families.
How many more potential tween, senior and family sessions will those 12 tweens bring?
54 potential sessions in the next 6 years.
Will you realistically book all 54 sessions? But even if just half of those sessions were booked?
That would be 27 more sessions.
And let’s say you average $800/sale. The 12 tween sessions + the extra 27 session would bring you $31,200.
And $31,200? Is a big chunk of change.
It’s the down payment on your dream house.
It’s putting your two children in private school this year.
It’s taking your entire family, siblings and parents on a Disney Cruise.
And just imagine tapping that market every.single.year.
And to help you tap that market, here is the download to the guide “The 3 Scripts to Make Moms Want to Book you Instantly for a Tween Session.”
Loved the article and the idea! Thanks ;o)
Wow – this IS a unique idea. Well done. You might be on to something….
I’ve only red two articles so far and I absolutely love everything you’ve written!
I can’t wait to try this!
do you have any marketing templates or wordage to use on postcard flyers?