Ways to Market

Run your own business? Want to start one? Discuss business applications of ProShow Gold and Producer here.
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Ways to Market

Postby photoshowstudio » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:56 pm

I too am a very new member to this group and have used PSP for about a year now. I have done some projects "just for me" and a memorial for my aunt who passed away. I saw those eyes of the people at her home, how loved her, and although I was the creator of the show and had seen it over and over again, I started to cry myself seeing their response to it. It was sad, but one of the most beatiful moments I have ever experienced. I work, as most of us do, and have this as a business on the side. I've become a little discouraged with the lack of customers, only one so far that was a viewer of that show for my aunt. I have done a few "free" shows for people and am actually forking on one now of a church kindergarten group that sang at a radio station and we all took pictures so I am building a show around that. Some of the words are hard to hear due to some of the kids mumbling, but that's why we have captions, huh?? I am using the captions as a form of "sing-along".

Anyway, I have an extremely limited amount of money, so marketing needs to be very strategic as to not waste money, so I am looking for whatever help I can get. I created my own free logo form cooltext.com, and gather as much info as I can from other sources. Because i am not tech savvy, I have "hired" my brother to my my tech dept and give him 10% of any money I make. So far...he's workin for peanuts!! Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

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Postby sheldonk » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:55 pm

Hi,

A couple things. First of all, I don't do Proshow for a living so my comments are not specific to running a slideshow business.

1. A great book for marketing on a shoe string is "Guerilla Marketing".

2. I don't mean to discourage you, but you have a hobby not a business. It is a very sucessful hobby however! Now you want to make a business out of it. Starting a business takes a whole different set of skills then being deft at Proshow. However having a hobby that makes you a little money here and there can make it more fun. Think about starting with that as your goal!

Sheldon

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Postby marmart » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:58 am

To do this as a "business" would not work IMHO. If you say, wanted to make $20,000 a year (very conservative) you would have to do more than one show a week with an average show netting $300. That is not possible in my world.

If you were a "successful" professional photographer and offered this service as "part of your package", then I suppose you would realize more profit. I believe Alan Russell from the forum said he does 6 such events a year.

This should not discourage you tho, this is such a fun way to make "mad" money!! Then there are the freebies you do for family and the joy is in watching the viewers.

Anyway, that is my take on the subject.

Mary

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Postby HunnyB » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:01 am

If you are real serious about making this your business, then
go for it. Photographers make a living. I don't know anything
about how they run their business. But I worked at home with
a graphic art business for a few years. It's like anything else,
the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.

I would get some solid templates in place - standard music for each theme.
For me, this would be the only way I could "mass produce" shows on a weekly basis and
make any money at all.

Do some sample shows, distribute the appropriate show to the appropriate
client showing them what you can do, i.e. dance studios, photographers, schools,
funeral homes, churches, etc. I have a local wedding photographer right now that wants to offer
slide shows to her clients, but has no desire to do them. She wants me to.
Wedding shows are the best, no rush factor .

Have a brochure with prices inlcuded, an order form, business cards, logo, etc. A web-site for people to view
your shows would be good. Like any kind of business, it takes time to build it up.
Get everything in place, and start marketing your business. Just plain word of mouth would take
entirely too long. Even advertise in your local newspaper.

GOOD LUCK!!!

HunnyB
HunnyB
PSP4, Canon EOS Rebel T1i, Canon EF70-300mm lens, Dell Studio XPS 9100 desktop w/ blu-ray burner & Windows 7; hpMedia center pc370n desktop; Gateway Laptop; Epson 4990 scanner; hpC5280 Printer; Adobe CS5; QuarkXpress 8

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