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Local Rec Sports Photographers

JohnBiggsJohnBiggs Registered Users Posts: 841 Major grins
edited November 20, 2008 in Mind Your Own Business
I have some questions for those who are doing rec sports/middle school sports, etc.

If you shoot a game and you talked to the coach about being there but he hasn't passed your info on to the parents...

How do you let the crowd know about the photos?
How many families place orders in these situations?
How are those sales? Obviously not as good as having a long relationship with the team or league.

Basically, I've been asked to shoot for a team and I want to know what kind of sales to expect the first time out. I normally shoot weddings but I don't have a wedding every week. This sounded enticing as a way to make extra money on those weekends.

Thanks,
John
Canon Gear: 5D MkII, 30D, 85 1.2 L, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 17-40mm f4 L, 50 1.4, 580EX, 2x 580EXII, Canon 1.4x TC, 300 f4 IS L, 100mm 2.8 Macro, 100-400 IS L
Other Gear: Olympus E-PL1, Pan 20 1.7, Fuji 3D Camera, Lensbaby 2.0, Tamron 28-75 2.8, Alien Bees lighting, CyberSyncs, Domke, HONL, FlipIt.
~ Gear Pictures

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    LUCKYSHOTLUCKYSHOT Registered Users Posts: 120 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2008
    John

    You can never rely on a coach to give out your info, even if you promise him free prints you are still not #1 in his mind. talk to all the parents, walk around give out cards showing where the photos will be posted, find the kids parents of that great shot you just got and show it to them. It would be a great world if a great shot sold, Unfortunately, Especially with tight economic times even great shots dont sell. Some games sell well, some dont, overall If you offer a good product at a fair price you should do ok.

    All the best
    Chris
    No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
    :whip


    WWW.LONGISLANDIMAGE.COM
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    mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2008
    Agreed that the coach's number one concern isn't you. :)

    FWIW, when I briefly did youth football for a local and established outfit he never really wanted me to shoot middle school. The younger ages sell a lot. And high school sells, but mostly on the reserve teams and not the varsity teams. But Middle School was something that he said historically sells next to nothing.
    JohnBiggs wrote:
    How do you let the crowd know about the photos?
    PA Systems are a wonderful thing. :) And the booster club usually has control over the PA System. So get in good with them. Kick-backs are usually a four-letter-word with the photography pro's, but in my mind a kick-back is a good thing IF YOU MAKE IT VALUABLE TO YOU. Kick-backs w/o recognition, kick-backs w/o promotion, all those are bad. Kick-backs with announcements over the PA system, links on their website to you, etc. all those are simply marketing expenses. Offer a (small) percent of sales, donate a few poster prints of your best work for them to display at the concession stand (prominently displaying your business name to be seen from 15' away). Make sure the parents know your a booster supporter. Etc.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
    Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
    My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
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    Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2008
    Have a card printed with your website, gallery info and password that can be passed out with the ticket stubs to people entering the game.
    If your proceeds support the boosters or school or team, make sure that info is also on the card.

    If the school will allow a small banner, have it placed on the ticket booth or refreshment booth. Additional flyers can be placed at the booths. Be sure to offer additonal services on this flyer. You will be surprised at the senior pics that come out of this simple advertising.

    Announcements are nice, but are often missed during the intermission. Supporting the team with some form of kickback helps with small schools. Offering 10% of the total sale will often give the school a reason to push sales.

    For parents, you can offer a free 4x6 print with every order of $XX.
    For the school, you can offer X prints for their use in the yearbook or whatever.
    Steve

    Website
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    JohnBiggsJohnBiggs Registered Users Posts: 841 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2008
    The games I'm talking about are much less serious than requiring a ticket booth, PA system, etc. I imagine those are more of a high school level.

    Maybe there just isn't any money in middle school/rec sports.
    Canon Gear: 5D MkII, 30D, 85 1.2 L, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 17-40mm f4 L, 50 1.4, 580EX, 2x 580EXII, Canon 1.4x TC, 300 f4 IS L, 100mm 2.8 Macro, 100-400 IS L
    Other Gear: Olympus E-PL1, Pan 20 1.7, Fuji 3D Camera, Lensbaby 2.0, Tamron 28-75 2.8, Alien Bees lighting, CyberSyncs, Domke, HONL, FlipIt.
    ~ Gear Pictures
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    mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2008
    JohnBiggs wrote:
    The games I'm talking about are much less serious than requiring a ticket booth, PA system, etc. I imagine those are more of a high school level.

    Maybe there just isn't any money in middle school/rec sports.
    Well, I do live in Texas. And they are kinda insane about their football. :) The Middle School here has a ticket stand, concenssion stand, PA system, and lights. But yes, not much money in Middle School sports from what I can tell.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
    Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
    My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
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    snaptie2002snaptie2002 Registered Users Posts: 81 Big grins
    edited November 20, 2008
    Here's a link to a thread on the same topic. It starts out with some pretty good info, then like so many threads now days it kinda degrades into slamming other photographers and their right to exist........ http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/706726

    Marty
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    JohnBiggsJohnBiggs Registered Users Posts: 841 Major grins
    edited November 20, 2008
    snaptie2002 wrote:
    Here's a link to a thread on the same topic. It starts out with some pretty good info, then like so many threads now days it kinda degrades into slamming other photographers and their right to exist........ http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/706726

    Marty

    Wow thanks. That was more of what I wanted. Very sad how threads seem to turn...
    Canon Gear: 5D MkII, 30D, 85 1.2 L, 70-200 2.8 IS L, 17-40mm f4 L, 50 1.4, 580EX, 2x 580EXII, Canon 1.4x TC, 300 f4 IS L, 100mm 2.8 Macro, 100-400 IS L
    Other Gear: Olympus E-PL1, Pan 20 1.7, Fuji 3D Camera, Lensbaby 2.0, Tamron 28-75 2.8, Alien Bees lighting, CyberSyncs, Domke, HONL, FlipIt.
    ~ Gear Pictures
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