How to Start a Corporate Event Photography Business

Some corporate event photographers perform videography services for rallies and public events.

Starting a corporate event photography business requires studying your market, choosing the services you will provide, creating a budget and finance plan, and creating a marketing and promotions plan.

Things You'll Need

• Internet
• Events trade resources
• Technical photography resources
• Production resource guides
• Telephone
• Word processing software
• Calculator
• Financing capital

Instructions

Research and Plan

1. Identify and study your market. The market for event photography includes associates, suppliers and buyers. Studying associates will reveal your competitors and potential alliances, and teaches you business practices used by other corporate event professionals. Studying suppliers will give you an idea of the cost of your operations. Studying buyers reveals your target market for promotions. Event photography buyers include communications managers, exhibit designers and builders, convention and meeting facilities, party planning services, personnel consultants, trade shows and fairs, planning consultants, entertainment bureaus; and advertising, marketing, and public relations professionals (See Reference 2.)

2. Choose the services you will offer based on your ability, resources and your current network. Event photography consists of technical, stylistic and client-focused services. Technical services include videography, group photos, green screen, on-site portraits, prints, CDs and DVDs, website viewing and ordering, on-site printing, branded or personalized prints and products. (See Reference 1.). Stylistic services include portraits, environmental portraits, reportage, instructional, marketing and advertising. Customer-focused services apply to specific kinds of events such as charity galas, client appreciation events, picnics, grand openings, conventions, news conferences, team-building events, political rallies, trade shows, staff meetings, board meetings, stakeholder meetings, exhibitions and product launches. (See Reference 3.)

3. Plan your operations by identifying important equipment, preparing legal information and outlining the process of dealing with new clients. Important equipment is your in-house equipment and may include a computer, transport materials, cameras and lenses. Legal information includes liability insurance, business registration and licenses and commercial photography agreements that govern usage rights of the images you produce. Your new-client process plan should outline steps from the moment you begin communicating to point of evaluation. Your process may identify a client's needs, supplier and cost research, proposal preparation, payment collection, pre-production, production, post-production, delivery and evaluation.

4. Create a budget and finance plan by determining start-up and operational costs. Estimate how much money you need to make to pay debts and generate a profit. Secure start-up funding and price your services based on your needs and goals. Start-up and operational costs are determined by operations planning, the bills you need to pay and the cost of staying in business. The costs of staying in business may include equipment upgrades, accounting and legal services, marketing and promotions. Funding options include self-financing, bank loans, private investment and credit cards. Calculate your revenue goals to cover monthly expenses, and price your services based on these goals. Price your services based on the number of projects you estimate completing, competitor prices, and your minimum acceptable revenue per project. Your minimum acceptable revenue pays company bills, turns a profit and pays your desired salary.

5. Create a marketing plan that includes networking and promoting your business to buyers. Networking strategies include attending trade-association conventions and events where other event professionals gather. Connect with individuals in charge of buying photography services. This may involve setting up a website, buying marketing lists, calling businesses to ask for their purchasing manager or communications executive and following up with brochures. Use your network and resources creatively to promote your business by performing promotional services. For example, if you are friends with an event planner, offer to shoot reportage photos of an event for a minimal price and put a sign or stack of your cards at the door. Shoot at public events and hand out your cards. The objective with promotional services is to work where your market can see you work, make them want your service, and provide a way to contact you and collect contact information from them.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay competitive by keeping abreast of new photography technologies and updating your equipment regularly.

• Enhance your personal photography skills by researching techniques and photo case studies, testing new equipment and frequently shooting similar projects.

• Subscribe to events publications such as Corporate Meetings and Incentives, The Meeting Professional, Special Events Magazine, Meetings and Conventions, Successful Meetings, Tradeshow Week or Travel Weekly.

• Do not be discouraged if you have no source of financing. Assemble your marketing, finance and operational plans, and pitch your business idea to potential partners and investors such as banks, private equity funds, friends and family. If your plans are solid, people will invest in your enterprise.

• Always have liability insurance for event photography services, because the high volume of people and activities at events makes accidents very likely.

References

• "Christie's Photographic Studios": Event Photography Services
• "Exposures": About Us
• "Dallas Events": Quick Look

Resources

• "Exxtravent: An Eventography Company": Event Photography and Videography Services
• "Bay Area Event Photography": Rates and Policy