4 Reasons You Need A Senior Rep Program As A Senior Photographer
To have a senior rep team, or not to have a senior rep team…that is the question.
Any time I explain to my senior photography students or even people outside of the photography world how I've designed my senior rep program and made it an integral part of my photography business (read: being booked out year after year, baby!), they often stare into the distance for a second and then come back with, "Wait...that is genius." It works — I'm telling you. But don't just take my word for it, check out the evidence below to see for yourself!
First, what is a senior rep program? It is a curated team of qualified high school students who represent your senior photography business throughout their senior (and sometimes even their junior) year. Having a senior rep program empowers photographers to make a name for themselves in their local senior photography market and grow a raving, referral-based business. At the same time, a senior model program that is set up effectively will be profitable, effective in drawing in qualified leads, and honestly… a whole lot of creative fun, too!
My senior photography business experienced a night and day change once I implemented my improved senior rep program model. I went from generating less than $10,000 in annual photography revenue to hurdling past my first 6-figure year. These results speak for themselves when it comes to whether or not I think senior photographers should have a senior rep program, but we can break down the “why” even further.
1. Social media is always changing, but word-of-mouth is forever
While senior photography client leads can come from numerous sources, like Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, your website's SEO-optimized blog, print marketing, mail campaigns... there is one referral source that most often brings eager, kind, ready-to-book leads into my pipeline — and that is, people who heard about me from someone they know that took their senior photos with me.
So how do you get more people to talk about your business? You kick up dust. Make a splash. Become visible in your market.
Easier said than done, sure — but the truth is, NOT having a senior model program could be costing you some seriously awesome clients.
According to a study by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising. Another study by McKinsey found that word-of-mouth is the primary factor behind 20-50% of all purchasing decisions.
Knowing how to nail personal networking AND social media with video marketing skills is non-negotiable in today's photography business landscape.
TL;DR:
Having a senior rep program means leaning into personal networking FIRST, and social media second. A strong personal network in the senior photography space leads to warm, often pre-qualified word-of-mouth referrals, regardless of what 'the algorithm' is doing.
2. Don't know what to post? Group photo shoots are a content creator's dream
Do you ever feel like you want to attract more senior photo clients, but don't have any exciting senior-related bookings or events coming up on your calendar? Having a senior rep program means having beautifully styled, fun photo events taking place on your calendar year-round, so you'll never NOT have something to share online.
Senior rep events and group photo shoots are perfect opportunities to share what it's like to work with you — plus, you can market both your rep team AND regular senior photography portrait services at once.
There's a lot of talk about "showing your face more" and how important having a "personal brand" is for business owners in today's photography business space. For a while, as social media carved its path into more traditional, faceless marketing tactics, many business owners dragged their feet when it came to showing up online. The thought of filming ourselves, having to learn how to edit videos, and facing the fear of being perceived by strangers on the internet was daunting. But what if we re-framed those thoughts? What if incorporating video marketing into our social media strategies could be fun, quick, easy & effective?
Video marketing, short-form and long-form, is here to stay, and storytelling will become more important than ever for the success of your photography business. If you have any content-related goals this year, let it be this: prioritize setting your content apart from the rest through storytelling! Check out this reel for more on how to do it!
TL;DR:
Content is about more than just your usual bookings. You can utilize your senior rep program for portfolio work and behind the scenes storytelling to boost your marketing to the next level.
3. They build lasting referral sources
Unlike marketing strategies like paid advertising, offering discounts, or time-sensitive mini sessions, a well-designed senior ambassador program will attract high quality leads who want to work with you specifically year, after year, after year.
You see, a senior rep program takes on what I teach my students as the "Rep Ramp" — a 3-part process where the rep team is established, grown, and, finally, free to run on autopilot. While having a rep program is a long-term marketing strategy, the beauty of it is that you're planting seeds now that will reap bountiful harvests later, like:
-when your super unique group shoot photos become found on Pinterest 2 years after they're taken, or
-when the younger siblings of your current rep team's member finally become a senior and refuse to work with anyone else, or
-when the freshman who found you on social media from a senior rep group shoot post started following you, and has been on your waitlist for years
Choosing to start a senior rep team takes more effort and input in the beginning, and eventually gains enough momentum to run itself. There are, of course, always new and exciting updates made to the program, such as which new photoshoot concepts to introduce, adjusting your booking process, and raising your prices to stay profitable and ensure a positive experience for all team members.
TL;DR:
The referrals you get from an established senior rep program snowball and continue to reap benefits for years!
4. Senior Rep teams maximize the already existing social dynamics of high school students
Unlike photography genres such as newborns, weddings, and even family sessions, the senior photography niche is complimented perfectly by having a limited-time team in place (i.e. 12 months of being a high school senior) to attract current and future leads. Not only do rep teams support the ever-popular teenage habit of posting photos online, but having representatives who are currently enrolled in local high schools automatically spreads your work into pre-existing, extremely tight-knit high school student & parent communities.
Gen Alpha spends 4 hours a day on social media... so the importance of meeting these clients (and let's not forget: their parents) where they're already at is undeniable.
But don't forget that social media is only one piece of the marketing puzzle — it's never been more important to nurture and grow a real-life community within your brand.
TL;DR:
With actual high school students representing your business, you’re showing up exactly where your ideal client already is.
Not only does a senior rep team benefit your business, there are additional benefits that are so fulfilling. It’s hard to pick just one, so I have two favorites. First, the relationships I’m able to build with the girls throughout our time together, including seeing them grow SO much in one short year and sending them off into their next chapter by the end of it. Second, the cool destination locations we visit as a part of our group photoshoot adventures. Nothing brings a group of people together like exploring, adventure, and figuring-it-out-as-you-go!
When I implemented my rep program, I went from a wide-open calendar to having to create a last-minute, makeshift waitlist when my schedule got too full. My favorite part of all? I went from booking any photography gig that came my way (weddings, events, you name it) just to make end’s meet to gaining the freedom to pick and choose projects from a place of light-hearted desire — not financial necessity.
