Ideas Needed for a Chamber Speaking Engagement! :)
Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for having this forum! We were thrilled to see it at Imaging and love all the entries so far.Our studio has just been asked to speak at a large (200+) Chamber of Commerce meeting about "how photography can help any business". Well, duh, I could talk for HOURS about that, but I've been given 15 minutes. That's kind of too short to say anything of great substance but too long to fake it. So, does anyone out there have any ideas or cool statistics regarding photography for business? We are a portrait studio, so rather than talk about product photography, I'd like to focus on how having a great head shot can propel their business forward.
I'd love to hear any thoughts, stories, even sorta clean jokes.
THANKS!!!!
Love,
Stephanie at iSmile
Albany, NY
Im not a photographer, but as a consumer, I'd say head shots are VERY important for any business. I vote for talking about that. Considering you will be speaking primarily to businessmen or owners, this would be a great way to push your business as well (get them to have headshots done by you). Business is all about marketing and without great marketing pieces, like head shots, you business may not be as successful. Maybe show examples of bad and good marketing pieces..... I don't know, I hope this helps!
Other PHOTOGRAPHERS, help her out!
Will you have the opportunity to use an overhead projector? I would showcase some of your work (business related) via a slide show (Animoto) and show some instances of not so good head shots and talk up the importance of presenting a good image, whether it be with their business headshots or images they use in their collateral materials or website. If you have time (not sure of the date of your presentation) but design a marketing piece aimed at reaching out to businesses for headshots and let that marketing piece be a source of inspiration to them as well. This may not help AT ALL...but was just on my mind. Good luck!
Explain to them that headshot images need to show personality and help them seem approachable. A headshot says A LOT about someone.
You could make fun of yourself and show examples of a bad headshot and a good headshot (images of you showing what to do and what not to do...) Have a printed piece ready for them that gives important things to remember about their session. Have a package made up or tell them that your studio has packages ready for this kind of thing and just to call.
OR plan a headshot session day and announce it there!
Allison :)
Very good points to everyone who commented but how about just to decorate with portrait art. You could offer photo sessions to their clients where they give a certificate equaling the amount of an 8x10 print with a photo session. Then you could give some of the images to the business to put in their office. This could create a crazy buzz for both businesses.
Talk about a win win for both parties involved!!
Remember, sell them on you, your personality and what you can offer them, not how you are benefitting. Ideally, you could get together with a few businesses and photograph the employees to have photos to showcase and say, "this is what we have done for xyz company"
Just a thought.
So when is this meeting and what did you decide to do???
Keep us posted!
Allison :)