Slideshows – the Perfect Way to Say “Thank You!”

Suzette Allen is back this week with an outstanding idea to keep building on the products and services you offer.

This year there are an estimated 3.5 million high school graduates, just in the United States alone. Even if you’re not regularly a senior photographer, you’ve still got a small window to create some outstanding goodwill with your client base.  

Graduation offers an extensive list of potential products, from event photography to portraits and family to producing “Thank You Videos,” like the two Suzette created below.  Are there any parents on the planet who wouldn’t love a video like this? As a parent myself, I can’t think of a more cherished video I wish I had from the past.

But, I want to take it one step further.

I went on a mining expedition in Google trying to find out how many children under 18 there are in the United States. The best I could come up with is around 74,000,000! I know that’s all ages, but hear me out.

There are milestone moments and events all year long in a child’s life. Then there are holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. Think about the potential goodwill you could be creating for a client with a surprise video of their kids, individually or as a group being able to say “thanks” to their parents or grandparents.

We’re always talking about the importance of capturing memories, and the importance of updated family portraits as the kids grow older, and the family dynamics change. And, if you hate the idea of charging for the service, then why not just quietly throw it in with whatever portrait package “Mom” has selected?  It’s the perfect gift idea, and it keeps on giving every time it’s watched.

You’ve heard me talk about being the low-tech poster child of the industry. I like and need simplicity, and nobody makes it easier to produce a slide show than Photodex. It couldn’t be easier for me to use ProShow Web together with my images and short video clips.  As I’ve said before – “If I can do it – then anybody can!” LOL

Don’t let the year go by without expanding the services you offer to your clients. Think about how many different applications there are for kids to say “thanks,” and then let your creative juices flow. Done right, this could be one of those perfect skill sets to separate yourself from your competitors!

You can’t look at the competition and say you’re going to do it better.
You have to look at the competition and say you’re going to do it differently.
Steve Jobs