Can A Photobook Help You Gain More Sales?

Think photo albums are dead? Think again. They are simply changing from the books of yesteryear that had matted images.

Nowadays, people are used to loading up their images and creating their very own photobooks with just a few clicks of a mouse. And while you may think that if a client can product a photobook, why should you, its ultimatley quality that sets you apart from the average consumer.

People think long term, and use their consumer-driven images to tell a story. You can shorten the story, make it much more detailed … and much more professional.

Start by choosing a photobook printer

In today’s marketplace, photobooks can be created in a variety of ways using a variety of sources. You can order the Apple book from your iPhoto program, or try one of the many other sources out there.

AdoramaPix Photo Books

Blurb

Embassy Pro Books

Zookbinders PhotoBook

ubyu Books

Come up with a theme for your book

If you simply let your customer pick a few favorite images and throw them into a book, the value of the photobook goes down. But if you create a theme before you shoot and develop your photo session around that theme, you can easily create a dynamic storybook from your session. People pay for design as much as they do photography. The more creativity you put into it, the more successful you will be.

If you are new to album design, do a sample with a friend/child/sister. Don’t think photo session; think album design. What can you do to tell a story through a short, one hour/half day photo shoot? It makes you look at your photography slightly different and can really enhance your shooting abilities.

Then put a sample album together. With many programs today, you can put the album together without printing it. Practice. Put together a comprehensive album and evaluate what you would change, where you would add. Strive to develop a large album, not just a few pages. Money from clients comes when you can give them a comprehensive product that stretches beyond what they can achieve on their own. That’s what makes you an artist.

The most important image is on the cover

As you develop photobooks again and again, you will quickly learn what makes a good cover … and what makes a great one. When a client is showing off their photobook, the first impression will be formed by the cover. Make it a great one. Spend the extra time setting it up and creating one that will be perfect for the cover. Don’t be afraid to pick it for your client; that’s what makes you the artist. The only caveat here is to make sure they don’t hate the image; take multiple to make sure they like the expressions and they are comfortable with the look and feel.

Remember, you are the designer

Many photographers miss the step of design and allow their clients to select favorite images before the create the book. Never let them see the images first and try and retrofit the images into a book after they choose. When you become a designer, you think differently. You approach your photo session as a storyteller, not just a photographer. You learn how to build pages and what looks good together. You think storyline and how pages flow. You build on emotion, not just favorite shots.

Ebook too?

In today’s world, many clients will be just as excited by having an ebook as well as a photobook. While ebooks can be great additions to your sales, never make them the entire focus. Instead, give them as add-ons to your photobook packages. Nothing is as beautiful as printed images. And nothing will be preserved the way a printed book.

Photo Albums; How To Make A Professional Presentation

What makes a professional photographer stand above an amateur? It’s the way they present their products and their services to prospects and clients.

Whether you photograph weddings, families, children or babies, adding a professional album to your list of services can showcase your photography in an elegant and impactful way.

With each of our weddings, it wasn’t just the photographs that made us special. It was the way we presented them. We would design multiple volume sets, and show a client an album design (via software) along with the digital proofs. We assumed they would buy albums – that was our service – and it was a strategy that never failed.

Imagine selling a four volume set to your client – each with 60-70 pages. What would that do to your bottom line?

Let’s look at 5 different album companies.

Art Leather
Iart leather professional photo albumst’s all about options. Art Leather can offer you a variety of different styles and looks. I’ve always been a fan of the flush mount albums. You create digital image collages in one size, and have them flush mounted in an album. With their high quality pages, you get a look that screams “professional”. I also like that they have a variety of add-on products, from gift albums, to folios, to image boxes. Image boxes were always a big hit. Place a selection of matted images in the image box. Your clients can display them, use them as signature frames, and have an elegant way of displaying them as well.  They are great for bringing along to coffee houses when you’re showing your clients your work.

Zookbinders
ZZookbinders professional photo albumsookbinders does a fantastic job with both their albums, design and customer service. We worked with the staff at Zookbinders for years, and loved everything about this company. They have a variety of products and styles to ensure you have something for every taste. Instead of offering your clients one item, why not give bonuses along the way? A two volume album earns you a discount on The PhotoBook. With a variety of lines, you can find many ways to create special offers for your clients.

Queensberry
Queensberry offers you a variety of options in album Queensberry professional photo albumsformat, and a wide array of sizing options. How about a 20×16 album – imagine the look on a prospects face just looking at these large images. We used a variety of sizes throughout our business, and size does matter when it comes to album design. If you give something out of the ordinary – something your customers’ friends won’t have – you’re sure to be a hit.

White Glove Books
White Glove Professional Photo Albums What attracted me immediately to White Glove is their take on albums – they don’t just produce albums, they produce First Editions. It’s not just what you create, it’s how you present it. White Glove allows you to present your images in a variety of ways, and choose from different layouts and cover designs. Each book is uniquely your own.

Albums Australia
Another thing that makes a professional photographer stand above the crowd is offering somAlbums Australiz Professional Photo Albumsething a consumer can’t get anywhere else. Change the size to something out of the ordinary – maybe an 11×14 album. Or give them the newest magazine style album. In either case, make a sample that shows your client what to expect, and what you can do that’s different from traditional and more available options. Albums Australia has great products for the professional, and gives you access to software to make your job of album design easy.

These are five of the great companies available to you as professional photographers. Get on their websites and take a look for yourself. I would recommend that you offer a variety of album companies in your product line. Different clients like different things. We had some clients who were vegan, and wanted a quality album that adhered to their vegan beliefs. Some love an artistic look, while others like a more traditional look. By offering several choices, you can develop a package that is perfect for your client.