Marketing Santa photography sessions. Masterpiece Class.

Marketing Santa photography sessions.

To be clear, this is not about promoting Santa mini-sessions. This is about marketing fine art Santa sessions. A photography business that has been doing these hour-long experienced Santa Claus sessions understands the need for strategic planning to attract the ideal client.

Marketing tools to attract word of mouth in your community.

When choosing to do higher-end, fine art Santa sessions, know that you will be giving up the Santa mini sessions brand and concept. To create and sell fine art and incorporate Santa Claus, you need to think on a new level. The mini-session is not part of that thought pattern.

Once you have made the leap and let go of the mini-session mentality, bring Santa Claus to life in a more nostalgic and majestic way. That starts with the Santa experience that you will offer and the products you will create.

There is other things of extreme importance when attracting new clients for the holiday season and fine art sessions. You need to think and put relevance on what Santa Claus will give to the child prior to and during the shoot itself.

I am not talking about images, but I am talking about what package you will send to kids in the mail and what is in that package. What will make kids get excited, and what will they keep? What will the parents and grandparents talk about that will inspire others to book with you?

We provide a golden invitation and bell off of Santa's sleigh. Can you imagine being 5 years old and receiving this in the mail? It is not just a flyer to promote the date of the session. Nor is it a Christmas gift. It is the first step in opening up the wonder of that child and a pure gift from Santa to kids that can act as a Christmas ornament for generations.

What about during the Santa session?

What Santa Claus gives to a child is a gift that money cannot buy. It is a Wish Book so children can write what they want for Christmas each and every year.

It is a little leather book in a beautiful red pouch. There are many empty pages, which also gives room for the adult members of that child's family to write something they want that child to never forget.

Think about this gift after the book is full. In the front of the book will be captured the wonder of the child from printing to writing to drawings, and in the back of the book will be the wisdom of the child's family...in handwriting. This will be one of the more precious things that a child will ever own. Now put 50...then 100 years on that little leather book. Priceless.

Word of mouth does not just happen.

People do not just promote you or your photography business for no reason. Give them a sincere reason to talk about you on Facebook, Instagram, during Christmas, and throughout the year.

It does not just have to be about the quality of your pictures, nor the caliber of your event or Photoshop skills. Families want to know there is purpose and meaning involved in what you do. Think outside this box and have them receive the unexpected from you.

Packages in the mail that bring joy, fun, and wonder to children are more than just an idea. Put it into action. When the children receive a beautiful Wish Book from Santa that they can keep for life, the parents will understand this is a gift that does not come from a store.

This Wish Book gift has a purpose and meaning directly customized to their family and their family alone. Not only will this be a heartfelt gift, it will maximize your word of mouth from clients due to the kindness and meaning behind the gift. Families want to know that you care, and you should care.

Kindness Builds Trust.

We do many weekend Santa events throughout the year, as we do not attach our sessions to Christmas. For us, it is all about the art and creation of heirlooms. We simply cannot do this with a mini-session. The person who books us knows they are to expect the best.

We schedule limited sessions and have a clear template and point to everything we do. At the heart of our session is professionalism and kindness. We want the families who book us to feel not only pampered but understand that we are creating for them with intent, purpose and meaning. It is very personal.

Unlike mini sessions, our sessions are over an hour. This gives us time to provide a performance that the will post about on their social media. Yes, the photography will be stunning. They are still fine art photography sessions and the art starts with exquisite photography at it's core.

Think about it, though, after the session is over, they have not seen the photography, but they have seen and felt the session. They also know what they have taken home from the session in the form of gifts and bailouts.

By making the Santa experience breathtaking and providing real gifts that have heartfelt meaning, the price becomes somewhat irrelevant. Customers see and feel value and this will show itself in the sales presentation.

These gift items, even though they are sincerely heartfelt from us, are, in fact, marketing tools give to the client via the children will in advance of the customers ever seeing the photos or artwork.

This sharing of kindness and delivering of the professional process builds trust and "value". This is something that a mini-session cannot do. Families who make substantial purchases like who they are working with and the experience they have had to date.

Create the Assets to show what you do.

Be clear with what you are going to provide your customers in your market. They will shop around and they will look at Santa mini sessions as this is what they know. You will want to stand out on your website and in your market presentations.

You will want "your" photography on your virtual and physical items. Make your message strong by showing photos that do not look like other photographers.

Be you and be real. Your bookings and sales will thank you for being genuine.

Be creative with your presentations, specifically when it comes to what you want your prospective clients to see. Businesses that show professionalism and stay the course tend to last the test of time.

Do not start your promos in the holiday season. Start creating assets such as photography well before the holiday season. Be ready with photos, videos, and email campaigns and do these things well in advance. Have them ready.

Start promoting at least 2 months prior to any given Fine Art Santa photography sessions. You will have to get the word out that this is not a one-day Santa mini-session event. This is what the rest of the photographers will be doing. And their price list will reflect this.

Do not just market a weekend of mini-sessions to clients. This will lose so much value. Let folks shop for a higher-end product. Think of yourself as that luxury photography store and set yourself apart from other photographers.

Make your event an art event that is not necessarily connected to the holiday season. Clients who want more will be intrigued. Holiday sessions are still of great value and you will market for them.

I am simply saying to not connect your fine art Santa Claus sessions to the holiday season. Keep it about the creation of fine art.

Here are a few key things to consider to get clients in the door this or next year.

Old school community outings such as markets, charity auctions, Christmas shows, or any other event where you can show your work and be there to hand out flyers.

Look for affluent family events and or where your target family customers with kids frequent.

Email Campaigns. Data Base, Data Base, Data Base! Promote more than just holiday photos. Show that your view of holiday photos is much, much more advanced.

* Direct Mail with strong images.

* Social media campaigns with Facebook and Instagram.

* Private schools.

* Vehicle wraps.

* Partner with other local businesses with similar and connected brand awareness. Make this a win-win.

* Photographers who get out into their community and reach out to others tend to get the business. Pound that pavement.

* Passive Marketing

Put your website address on all Christmas cards you sell to clients. We put ours on the back at the bottom in very small, yet legible letters.

Not all photographers do this but it is a great way to get residual business from your Christmas sessions. You will thank me for the extra money you will make. This is a great example of passive marketing.

The word of mouth that comes from giving profound gifts. Reach out to us about our Wish Books and mailing products. Happy to share what we offer to other photographers.

Your Brand

Again, think about what your message is to your potential customers. We want to see other photographers successful and creating and showing a brand of holiday fine artworks. It is not that I do not want photographers to not do the Santa mini session brand.

It is simply that our goal is to increase your sales and profitability. We want you to have something exciting to market and put into the homes of families. This makes the entire image of the photographic industry and all photographers have more value to the public.

Fine art Santa photography is just one example of increasing your value in your community. The images you create will last for generations. Each shoot will have purpose and meaning. Your clients will post profound testimonials and every bit will be genuine.

Happy Holidays Marketing

We wish you very happy holidays and hold your images and photos will not only last throughout the holiday seasons but year-round.

Photographers who shoot high raise the bar. The idea of being the best is not a bad thing. You must work hard and think smart to get there. Strong planning and presentations that get people talking about you will sent you apart and add value and profit to your bottom line. Be that person and photographer who takes that step.

Feel free to be that next great thing. Shoot high...study, implement and create.