Business Day Thursday: It’s Tupperware Time - Throw A Portrait Party

Good Morning Everybody,

We had another great of folks turn out for last night’s program and  everyone really enjoyed the program.  Our trip into Dallas was not so smooth though.  After turning in Phoenix at about 1:00 a.m. we were up four hours later, packing bags, and heading to the airport to drop the rental car and board the plane for Dallas.

Because our bags were slightly overweight (not a problem for Delta), American felt it was necessary charge us and an additional $250!!! to get the bags on board.  We do travel heavy when traveling to conventions and giving programs.  I don’t mind paying a fair price for the excess baggage, but the American charges were excessive and the agent was rude.

Next we boarded the plane only to find out that once everyone was buckled in, American announced that we would be facing a ground delay of almost THREE hours!  Remind me to book another airline next time around.  Yesterday' morning’s “American” was a perfect example of the LACK of customer service so prevalent these days with the airlines.

Anyway, sorry for the negative remarks to begin the day.  On a much happier note, we finally arrived at Dallas, rushed to the hotel to get set up and had a wonderful evening in between thunder storms and tornado alerts.  Today we are driving over to Houston and looking forward to visiting with the friendly Houston attendees. 

Hey gang, I’ve got a great Business Day Thursday post for you today.  Give it a read and let me know what you think – lots of possibilities here.  Let’s get right to it – here we go…

It’s Tupperware Time - Throw A Portrait Party

OK, I'm kind of dating myself by using the Tupperware analogy in today's post. Tupperware parties started about 60 years ago [link] and worked like a charm for many of the people that hosted them.

I've had this idea for years and have never given it a try, but I think there is quite a bit of business building potential. The basic idea works just like the Tupperware or Pampered Chef parties many of you may have experienced. Your hostess invites the attendees and the sales representative makes their best presentation to the captured audience. Here is how I would suggest you could put this idea to work for you.

Hit the “Read more…” link below to see my 7 step plan to Portrait Party success.

We all have clients that love us and love our photography. Ask around and you should easily be able to find someone willing to throw a "Portrait Party" for you. Your best prospects could come from past wedding clients who are connected with like minded friends.

Here are my 7 key points to consider for a successful Portrait Party:

1-  You will first need to offer a substantial incentive to the hostess for hosting the "Portrait Party". These incentives would be based on a point system. For instance, each point is worth $1.00. For hosting the party, I would suggest 250 points. Depending on your price points, that could be up to one complimentary portrait session and/or one 16x20 wall portrait. That's typically a value and a very nice incentive. Of course these price suggestions will vary with different parts of the country.

2-  You want the party to be a success for you, and you want it to be a success for your hostess, too. Success for you means getting many of your hostess's friends to see, learn and purchase your cool portrait products and services.

Success for your hostess would be the additional incentives she receives generating a good attendance. I would suggest an additional 10 points or $$ hostess incentive for each attending guest at the party. Just like a Tupperware party, 8-20 attendees would be just about right.

3-  Now let's take another lesson from the Pampered Chef and Tupperware parties. We want the attendees to purchase that evening! Your Portrait Party should be the center of the universe for your best deals.

You've got to consider what products and packages you want to offer? Put a little thought into your product offerings. Be sure to bundle items for better perceived value and offer plenty of choices. Offer purchasing incentives too, for instance, the higher the pre-purchase sale, the greater the discount offered.

4- List your products and services on an easy to read and understandable order form and be sure your incentives/deals/offers are clearly spelled out. Next, have your presentation well rehearsed so you don't stumble, fumble, or fall before the finish line. Also, put together a nice display before the guests arrive of want you want to feature and sell at the party.

5-  Remember, your Portrait Party is not just about getting people to show up. Its about those that show up making a purchase. You want your hostess to be inviting people that have a good chance of hearing your message and purchasing your product packages.

That means one more hostess incentive. At the end of the party, audit the packages purchased and award your hostess accordingly. You can see that this portrait party could be quite a rewarding experience for your hostess.

6-  So, you may be asking, "Are the attendees offered any purchasing incentives?" My quick answer is, "Of course". I suggest that anyone that wants to purchase any of your packages that evening receives a complimentary portrait session the value of which could range up to $200 or more.

If they order nothing that evening, I would still keep the door open by presenting them with a $100 gift card which they can use in the future with you. This becomes an extremely motivating factor for your hostess.

She is basically offering her friends who attend a complimentary portrait session from you. And if they decide to buy nothing, they still leave with a $100. Sounds like a deal to me, and I think it will sound like a great deal to your hostess' friends and attendees too.

7-  Wait, there's more. You want to continue the process don't you? Just like at a Tupperware/Pampered Chef Party there are hostess packages available ONLY to the person hosting a party.  Make these REALLY special. How about getting your hostess to work for you in setting up your next party. Yes, that means one more hostess incentive and a biggie at that. If your hostess arranges to have one of her friends host one of your portrait parties, she would receive an additional 100 points. By hosting their own Picture Party they become eligible for those special Hostess ONLY packages.

You can see that the hostess points can add up quickly. She's thrilled, you're thrilled, and the attendees are thrilled. What a great way to throw a party, spread the word about you and your business, meet new perspective clients and have a little fun too!

What I've tried to do today is give you a framework upon which you can build your own portrait party ideas. You may chose to tweak the points and the amounts but at least you have a road map in which to give your portrait party a try.

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Hey gang, that's it for me today. We head out to Houston shortly. We have another great crowd coming by tonight. How about I see you there. Be sure come up and say HI too.

See ya' soon,

-David