Fast food is an example of an industry that could not survive without repeat business.
Estate Attorneys are people who usually do not depend on repeat business.
Photographers fall between these two industries.
People don't go to photographers every week but they do usually go more than once in a lifetime.
There are a number of things which photographers can do to encourage repeat business.
They can: 1.
Market gift certificates to grand parents.
Grandparents love getting pictures of their grandchildren.
As a result they are often more than willing to purchase gift cards on a repeated basis.
These cards have the added advantage of helping with your cash flow.
You are able to hold onto the money until the cards are redeemed without incurring any expenses.
2.
A photographer can sell yearly packages.
This technique is effective when dealing with newborns and very young children.
Children this age change quickly in a year and many parents are willing to setup four to six photo shoots during this time to capture their kids at various points.
Present this idea to your clients.
Many people are open to the idea once it has been presented to them.
Often it is simply they have never considered.
3.
Stay in contact with your clients.
You can stay in contact with your clients through a monthly e-mail.
There are a number of services available that allow you to send out email messages to a client list which contain an attractive format complete with text and graphics.
4.
Offer discounts for a second session after a client has booked a session during a one year period.
Many large families will have a wedding and a senior graduation in a year.
By offering a discount, they may consider using a photographer for smaller events.
Thus in this case, they may hire a photographer at a senior graduation party because of the discount where they otherwise would depend on their own talents.
During difficult economic times a number of photographers are competing for a limited number of photo shoots resulting in a more competitive environment.
By seeking repeat business from past clients a photographer can more easily maintain his revenue streams.