SENIOR GUY STYLE - CREATING PRODUCTS THAT GUYS LOVE
Products! Products! Products!If you’ve been in this business for any amount of time, you’ve probably realized that selling products, not digital files, is where the money is.With my very first clients I would take their photos, edit them to perfection, then load them to a CD and collect my cash. But I quickly realized that I was limiting my sales opportunity and doing a whole lotta work for not near enough money. The worst part though was that my images weren’t being displayed in a way that I felt made them look their best. That’s when I knew I would have to start offering a great line of knock-your-socks-off products.I’ve spent the last several years researching lab after lab, product after product, trying to find exactly which products I love and have full confidence that they’re the best quality for my clients. I’ve actually become somewhat of a *product freak*….I love looking at new products but I’m very picky about what I actually add to my product line.Of course most of the time a fabulous product, like albums or mini books, begins with the right template. But I was getting sooooo super frustrated with the lack of templates for guy products! Hopefully I can save you some of that frustration by sharing a few of the products and templates that I’ve found my own Senior Guy clients, and their families, absolutely love. (and be sure to read all the way to the end, there's a nice treat in store for you!)KEEPSAKE ALBUMS
The more I create albums, the more I believe that they are one of the best investments a family can ever make from their session. Especially when you’re dealing with the guys, because the moms tend to have less “nice” photos of their boys than they do of their girls. That’s just how it usually is.So when you’ve got all these fantastic images of your guy, and he’s looking good, showing off his hobbies or sports, it just makes sense to showcase them altogether. It’s a perfect representation of this Senior year and special time in his life. As soon as the moms see my album they immediately want one of their son. And when the guys see it they like the masculine look it has so they actually show some interest!Over the years I’ve offered a few different sizes of albums, but I currently only offer the 10x10 size of the Keepsake Albums. That size has become the “just right” size for me. Here’s the details on one of my favorite albums and the sample I show my clients:WHCC - Press Printed Album, Art Watercolor Paper, Custom Photo Cover Padded, Ashe Design template "Tattoo"
I also use the pearl paper option for my albums and they look so luxurious with that beautiful finish. The price point on these at WHCC is good for my business too. I can afford to offer a very impressive album and mark it up enough to make the profit I need without pricing myself out of my market.MINI ACCORDION ALBUMS
As soon as your clients see these cute little books they’re usually an automatic sale! They’re so popular because they showcase about 8-12 of your favorite images in one handy and portable product. As I always tell my clients “You’re not going to carry around a stack of 4x6 prints with you! So these are the perfect solution to show off those awesome portraits.”These are a big hit with grandma’s and I’ve had several dads that will take these to their work and set them out on their desk. They’re small so they’re not too obnoxious to display in public. I sell mine in sets of 3 and I’ve had several clients order extra books at Christmas time. Here’s another template from the Tattoo collection from Ashe Design. I love it when I can match different products in a Collection for my clients!
METAL PRINTS
If you want the WOW factor and to really get the attention of the guys, you need to offer Metal Prints! They’re becoming a “must have” product in my Collections now and many Seniors are coming to me this year specifically requesting an image for a Metal Print.The lusciousness of Metal Prints simply can’t be described or shown in a photo online, you really must see it for yourself. I think they’re extra wonderful for the guys! The dramatic sports shots have a 3D quality to them when printed on the metal, and portraits get an extra dose of coolness.
I’ve ordered Metal Prints from several labs and tried all different finishes. My favorite of all of them, at the price point that’s right for me, is from Black River Imaging. I choose the metallic fade finish so you can see the brushed metal thru the image. I have 2 16x20 sample images and I hear the “oooohhhs and aaaaahhs” as soon as my clients see them.Now that I’ve got you thinking about fabulous products, here’s a fabulous treat for you! One of my very favorite designers for guy templates, Ashe Design, has given an EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT and a FREEBIE just for my Senior Guy Style readers! High Five for Ashe Design!This is a Grad Card FREEBIE from the awesome Tattoo collection. I just printed this on the watercolor paper from WHCC and it’s simply stunning!
Click this link to receive your FREE 5x7 Grad Card template and use the code FREEBIE. And for everything else, all of their Senior Designs are 30% OFF thru May 31st with the code STYLE. You can click this link to go straight to their Seniors page. If you’re looking for templates for the guys, my favorites are Tattoo, Granite, and Special Elite. I also get great ideas looking thru their Amped Effects designs. If you shoot a lot of sports photos you’ll definitely want to take a look at those.Have Fun Shopping and be sure to leave some comment love for Ashe Design and their generous treat to us.And I’ll have more discounts, and talk more about my best selling products, in a future post for Senior Guy Style. There’s lots of great stuff coming!