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Crowning Moments: Turning Prom Night into Profit with NowCandid

Crowning Moments: Turning Prom Night into Profit with NowCandid
Prom night is an iconic milestone in a high schooler’s life, brimming with fashion, friendships, and unforgettable memories.

While it's true that smartphones have made "everyone a photographer", professional prom photography remains a lucrative venture. Why? The answer lies in the quality that professional photos can offer, capturing prom night with a finesse that smartphones simply can't match.

The Profitability of Prom Photography

Prom photography can be highly profitable, with a target metric of $1.50 per image being a realistic benchmark for success. However, with the right approach, this figure can soar, as evidenced by a NowCandid's users Oklahoma City Prom, which achieved $2 per image across 3000 pictures taken, totaling $6000 in sales.

The key to serious profitability lies in having quantity, quality, and variety! An effective photographer using NowCandid has the ability to quickly deliver a professional, high-quality image gallery that will capture the attention of their subjects.

Why Proms are Still Profitable

  1. Social Media Influence: Today’s high schoolers live in a social media-centric world where the quality of a photo can greatly increase the quality of a post. Professional, well-lit, and expertly framed photos are in demand for their social media feeds, making them willing to purchase digital copies for their Instagram or Facebook profiles.
  2. Parental Investment: Parents are equally important customers in the prom photography market. They cherish these milestones and are often more than willing to purchase photos that capture their child’s special night. Using Selfie Check-In allows you to collect both the subject and the parents' contact info, marketing the subject's photos to both parties!
  3. Speedy Delivery: With the help of NowCandid, images can be available for purchase instantly. Selling images right away can benefit your overall sales thanks to impulse purchases people make when they are at their most excited about the Event.
  4. Unique Print Products: Unique print products alongside desirable images is always a combination that will generate extra sales! A variety of products be purchased, in addition to the usual prints and downloads. You can even upload an Event-specific custom banner to your Events to further make your product unique compared to the images subjects can take with their own phones - turning every photo into a memento!

Keys to Successful Prom Photography

  • Quality: While taking a substantial number of photos is important, ensuring the quality of your images increases their salability. Ensure each photo is well-lit and tightly cropped!
  • 2 Pics Per Minute: Aim for 2 pictures every minute, targeting 120+ per hour. These need to be unique images too - don't count duplicates! Utilize features like NowCandid’s LiveLoop to encourage guests to seek out photographers to get on the big screen.
  • Posing: Encourage a variety of poses to maximize the number of sellable images for any group you approach. After photographing a group of four, break the group into couples, ladies only, guys only, etc.
  • Photo Stations: Establish a dedicated photo area with an attractive backdrop suitable for individuals, couples, and groups, enhancing the variety and appeal of a subject's image gallery. Props are optional, but can be a fun addition. Also, a photo station is also a good place to station your less-social photographers, as guests will come to them!
  • Selfie Check-In Mastery: Achieving high participation in Selfie Check-In not only streamlines image delivery but also ensures a direct marketing channel to both students and their parents.
  • Strategic Staffing: Align the number of photographers with the expected guest count, aiming for one photographer per 100-150 guests to ensure comprehensive coverage of the event.
  • Strategic Compensation: Many successful social photographers pay their photographers based on how many unique (no duplicates) and sellable (good quality) images they take at a party. Consider paying $0.20 per sellable image with a minimum pay of $18 an hour, guaranteeing them decent pay but giving them room to take more images to make you both more money. (Example: 120 images an hour would be $24 an hour)

NowCandid: Your Partner in Capturing the Magic of Prom Night

NowCandid software is designed to streamline the photography process, from efficient image capture and upload to simplifying sales through intuitive galleries and easy online ordering.

With NowCandid, photographers can focus on what they do best—taking stunning photos—while the platform handles the logistics, making each prom a potential goldmine of photographic opportunities.

Success Stories to Inspire

Photographers like Tosha LaForest and Eric Miller have harnessed the power of NowCandid to amplify their school dance and event photography sales. Their experiences underscore the potential of well-executed prom and dance photography to significantly boost revenue and client satisfaction.

Prom photography, powered by NowCandid, offers a great option for photographers to expand their portfolios and profit margins. By focusing on quality, variety, and quantity, photographers can tap into the lucrative prom market, turning each dance into a profitable venture (and fun) venture.

Learn more, and join the ranks of successful prom photographers with NowCandid.

Visit our success stories to learn more and get inspired to capture the vibrant energy and timeless elegance of prom night.

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Candy's Weekly Recap: Extended Positive ID Events, Enhanced Order Details & More!📸🎉
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Candy's Weekly Recap: Extended Positive ID Events, Enhanced Order Details & More!📸🎉

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Hello, my fabulous photographer friends!

Candy here, ready to sprinkle some sparkle on your day with our latest Weekly Recap! 🌟

We've been tinkering away to bring you some delightful updates that'll make your NowCandid experience even better—just in time for the holiday season! Let's dive in! 🏊‍♀️

1. Extended Duration for Positive ID Events 🎅

Great news for those capturing the magic of the season!

  • Positive ID Events Now Up to 30 Days Long: You can now edit your Positive ID Workflow events to extend their end date up to 30 days.
  • Why This Matters:
    • Longer Visibility: Events will stay visible on the selection screen of the Capture & Upload App for a longer period, beyond the typical 5-day range.
    • Perfect for Holiday Events: This change is especially helpful for those using our Scanner ID and Type & Take workflows for Santa photos and other festive events.
  • Note: This extension is currently only for Positive ID Events. Events using the Face Matching Workflow remain unchanged.
  • Holiday Cheer: Don't forget to try out our Candy Cane retail theme, stuffed with plenty of holiday spirit to make your galleries extra festive! 🎄

2. Enhanced Order Details in Web Dashboard 🛍️

We've supercharged the Order Details to keep you in the loop!

  • More Informative Order Details:
    • Comprehensive Info: Access all the information you need about each order directly from the dashboard.
    • Clickable Orders: Orders in the recent orders lists are now clickable, taking you straight to detailed order pages.
  • Participant Integration:
    • Jump to Participant Details: If an order is tied to a participant, you can navigate directly to their details page.
    • View Images & Marketing History: See their images, marketing interactions, and more.
  • Did You Know? 🤔
    • NowCandid Handles Retail Support: That's right! We take care of much of the retail support for you, including order resubmissions. You can focus on capturing moments while we handle the rest!

3. Improved Scan Card Generation Performance 📝

We've fine-tuned the Scan Card generation to make it smoother than ever!

  • Performance Boost:
    • Faster Generation: Recent updates had slowed down scan card creation, but we've optimized the process.
    • Reliability Restored: Generating Scan Card PDFs should now work properly and more efficiently.
  • Why It Matters:
    • Seamless Workflow: Especially important for high-volume events like holiday photo sessions.
    • Feedback Welcome: If you notice anything not performing as expected or have suggestions, please let us know!
  • A Festive Note:
    • We're committed to resolving any issues faster than Santa delivering presents to billions of children across the globe in just 24 hours! (All those cookies must give him quite the sugar rush.) 🍪🎅

We're always here to support you!

So please, feel free to share your feedback or questions.

Cheers and sparkles,

Candy 🍬

P.S. Wishing you all a joyful holiday season filled with magical moments to capture! 🎁✨

Candy's Weekly Recap: New Image Timeline Stats, Capture App Update & More!📸🎉
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November 22, 2024

Candy's Weekly Recap: New Image Timeline Stats, Capture App Update & More!📸🎉

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Hello, my fabulous photographer friends!

Candy here, ready to sprinkle some sparkle on your day with our latest Weekly Recap! 🌟

We've been hard at work enhancing your NowCandid experience, and while this week is a bit lighter on changes (we're cooking up some exciting things for January!), I've got all the juicy details right here. Let's dive in! 🏊‍♀️

1. New "Images per 15 Minutes" Stat on Image Timeline 📈

We recently introduced the Image Timeline feature, and now we've made it even better!

  • What's New: There's a new "Images per 15 Minutes" stat available.
  • How to Access: You can find this by going to your Manage Images page within an event and clicking on the Image Timeline button (looks like a little stopwatch!).
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2. Capture App Version 4.10 for Windows 💻

We've released Version 4.10 for the Windows Capture App!

  • Performance Improvements: This update includes various performance enhancements to make your capturing process smoother.
  • Note: These updates weren't needed for the iOS version at this time.

3. Manage Images Page Sorting Update 🗂️

We've improved the Manage Images page for better usability.

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  • How to Use: Look for the new sorting button on the Manage Images page (a small button with up and down arrows!).

4. Quick Access to Default Price Levels Spreadsheet 💰

Setting up events just got a little easier!

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5. Image Uploader Now Detects Corrupt Files 🛠️

We've enhanced the reliability of our image uploading process.

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We're always here to support you!

So please, feel free to share your feedback or questions.

Cheers and sparkles,

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How One Louisiana Team Keeps Setting the Bar for Military Ball Photography Success
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November 22, 2024

How One Louisiana Team Keeps Setting the Bar for Military Ball Photography Success

8
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When it comes to military ball events, our incredible NowCandid users out of Louisiana have done it again!

Building on their previous years of success, they’ve once again showcased how profitable and rewarding these events can be with the right tools, strategy, and dedication.

Consistency & Growth in 2024

Despite a slight decrease in event participants/attendance in 2024 compared to the previous year, this Louisiana team managed to match their impressive ~$26,000 sales total from 2023—and they didn’t stop there. They also improved their sales per image and sales per participant averages, proving that even with fewer attendees, their ability to deliver value remains unparalleled.

This is the kind of consistency and adaptability that defines true professionals. Even more remarkable is their journey to this point.

The Journey: From 2022 to 2024

It’s worth revisiting their story. Back in 2022, this team had just started using NowCandid—trained on the system the week of their first military ball event. Despite being completely new to the platform and working under tight deadlines, they pulled in an impressive $16,000 in sales. While those numbers didn’t quite hit the heights of their 2023 and 2024 totals, it was a strong foundation for what was to come.

For their 2023 and 2024 events, they doubled down on preparation and team strategy, hiring additional staff to support their photographers and improve operational efficiency.

One of the key moves was more actively promoting selfie check-ins, which not only enhanced the customer experience but also increased the number of photos taken—a direct driver of sales. These refinements pushed them to over $26,000 in sales in 2023 and another stellar year in 2024.

Looking Ahead to 2025

With the new Web Dashboard at their fingertips, the Louisiana team is already preparing to take their 2025 military ball to new heights. The Web Dashboard will unlock features that are sure to impress attendees and drive even greater sales:

  • More Art Overlay Options: Customize event images with exciting designs that attendees will love.
  • All-New Retail Site: A sleek, user-friendly interface for clients to browse and purchase their images.
  • Upsell Opportunities: Introduce premium options like retouching and diamond gloss print coating to enhance the final product and boost sales.

Armed with these enhancements, they’re aiming for even bigger successes in 2025—and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish.

Military Balls: A Goldmine for Photographers

This Louisiana team’s story is a shining example of how profitable military ball events can be. With strategic planning, the right tools, and a little effort, these events can bring in tens of thousands of dollars in revenue.

If there are military bases in or near your area, we strongly encourage you to seek out these opportunities. Partnering with military organizations for formal events is not only rewarding financially but also a chance to build lasting relationships with a highly engaged audience.

Tips for Success

  • Invest in Support Staff: Extra hands help keep the process smooth, from organizing attendees to encouraging selfie check-ins.
  • Leverage NowCandid Tools: Our workflows, like Selfie Check-In and advanced offers, make events efficient and client-focused.
  • Upsell Smartly: Use premium options like overlays, retouching, and print upgrades to maximize your per-participant revenue.
  • Engage Participants Early: Drive excitement and ensure attendees know how to access their photos before and after the event.

Ready to Capture More Success?

Military ball events are a prime opportunity to elevate your business, and NowCandid is here to support you every step of the way. If this story inspires you to explore similar opportunities, don’t hesitate to reach out or dive into your local market to find events like these.

Here’s to making 2025 your most successful year yet! 🎉

Let’s get in touch

If you’re a photographer looking to add NowCandid services to your wheelhouse – set up a call by clicking the button below.

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