Category: Ideas For Your Business

What are photo folders, and why are they such popular event giveaways?

What are photo folders, and why are they such popular event giveaways?

Published November 21, 2023

Hi! We’re Studio Style, and we specialize in personalized photo folders for framing event photos, photo booth prints, studio portraits, and party pictures.

If you’ve never used—or heard of—a photo folder before, we’re here to help. Let’s walk through what it is, how to use it, and how your event or company can benefit from using them.

Let’s go!

What is a photo folder?

A photo folder is a paper frame with a cover that folds over to protect the picture inside. They are available in all standard photo sizes including 4″ x 6″, 5″ x 7″, and 8″ x 10″, or we can make something completely custom.

Here are just some of the ways that photographers and event planners use photo event folders:

Studio portraits
Photo booth pictures
Event photography
Tourism photos, including cruises & resorts
Wedding & engagement portraits
Family & newborn photography
Pet photography
Prom & homecoming portraits
And more!

What are photo presentation folders made of?

Our paper photo holders are made from smooth cardstock or heavier cardboard papers (sometimes called paperboard). They are similar in style and design to vintage-style portrait folios (which are sometimes called bi-fold paper picture frames). Our portrait folders feature a textured, linen-weave finish.

Think of these paper portrait folders as the modern version of the folders you would find your grandparents’ or great grandparents’ portraits in.

Vintage portrait folder and modern portrait folder comparison. — Shown, on right: Vertical Contemporary Black Portrait Folder

Cardboard photo folders are memorable guest favors.

Whether you order blank or personalize with your logo or branding, these cardboard folders for pictures protect event photos—and create a lasting impression.

Here’s why:

The folder protects the picture, preserving the memory. The front flap covers the photo, protecting it from dust, fading, and fingerprints. Yet, you can display the photo in the folder.

If you add the event name or branding, people are more likely to remember the event. It’s funny how a logo can jog memories, but it does! To boost the memorability, add something interactive, like an event hashtag or fill-in-the-blank area.

Two Instax Mini paper frames sit on a kitchen table. Each frame has a hashtag that reads 'I'm on a natural high' and an area below the photo for people to write what their natural high is. — Shown: Custom Instax Mini Frame

Paper photo holders last.

We often hear people tell us they still have their folders or paper frames, even years after the event. You see, we make all of our cardboard picture frames, portrait folders, and photo cards in our St. Charles, IL facility—and we have designed them to last.

Slip-in folders work for any budget.

Cheap photo frame folders of high quality can be hard to come by. But our customers are thrilled with the quality they get for the price. See what our customers have to say.

Photo frame folders increase brand awareness.

Whether you’re adding just the event logo or are creating a custom cardboard picture folder, personalized folders enforce your company’s image or event branding.

Black golf photo folder, custom printed golf course photo folder, and a white golf ball textured picture frame. — Shown: Golf Photo Frame and Folders

Personalize your photo display folders with custom branding.

Our portrait folders are available with printed or foil stamped personalization. Most styles are available in horizontal (landscape) or vertical (portrait) format. Can’t decide which folders you need? We’re happy to help.

Small event? No problem. Get low minimums on photo event folders.

We offer no minimums on many products, including some of our themed photo frame folders. Need bulk photo holders? No problem! Bulk pricing is shown online for applicable products. You can order online or call and speak with our team: (800) 346-3063.

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Why booking annual golf events is good for your photography business

How photographers and photo booth owners ca book more golf events

Why booking annual golf events is good for your photography business

Published July 7, 2022

We make a lot of photo folders for annual golf events. Those events are awesome for vendors because they are a recurring event: book them once, and you can book them every year. Are you booking these events?

If you’re an event photographer or photo booth owner, you already work hard enough. Here are some tips and ideas for how to break into the golf event market—and easily book those annual events.

These are the golf event clients you should look for

Golf tournaments aren’t just for the pros: park districts, country clubs, schools, alumni associations, business groups, industry associations, and more.

Find their event schedule; if there is a golf event listed, reach out to see if they are interested in booking your photo booth.

What kind of golf events are there?

Knowing what kind of golf events there are will help you plan who to approach.

Tournaments
Invitationals
Opens
Classics
Derbys
Scrambles
Charity
Fundraisers
Reunions
Benefits
Client Appreciation Events
Women’s Events

What kind of photos do you take at golf events?

The event planners might have specific ideas on what kind of golf tournament pictures are best, but here are some of the standard photos taken at golf events:

Foursome photos. This is the most popular golf event photo. Take a picture of each team at the first hole, before the tournament begins. Some event planners might want photos taken at select sponsor holes.

Golfer portraits. For a memorable keepsake or gift, take a formal, posed portrait on the course.

Action shots. Capture them on the backswing or in the sandpit for some shots with great movement.

After-party pictures. Many tournaments host dinner, drinks, or an award ceremony after the event. Take group photos or set up a location to take group photos (like a photo booth).

Four male golfers stand together with their golf clubs on the green on a sunny day. — A golfer foursome photo is one of the most popular golf event pictures. Best taken at the start of the event.

Protect golf event prints & provide event favors with photo folders

Don’t send golfers home with a print thrown in their golf bag. Protect those prints with golf photo folders. Available to photographers and photo booth owners at wholesale pricing. Need help choosing the best photo folder to really wow your new clients? Get in touch or give our team a call at (800) 346-3063.

A woman in a sleeveless black dress holds a green golf photo folder on a sunny day in front of a landscaped green yard.

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How to add Photo Mounts to your Portrait Studio Packages

How to package your prints with studio photo mounts

How to add Photo Mounts to your Portrait Studio Packages

Published August 23, 2021

Senior photos, family portraits, pet pictures… whatever your photo studio focuses on, you need high-quality photo packaging to present those prints.

And acid-free photo mounts fit the bill.

Like the vintage portrait folders of times gone by, studio photo mounts are a highly practical portrait package add-on because:

They protect the prints. Package one, or hand out a few folders at different sizes.
They last. Crafted out of acid-free, archival-quality material, these mounts will still be protecting those portraits many, many years from now. They last long enough to become a family heirloom!
Gives you a solid branding opportunity. Add your studio logo to the portrait mount. We recommend either the front cover bottom or back cover. Keep it subtle—but noticeable.

Inserting a flower picture into a white studio portrait folder — The print easily slides under the window frame border, and the cover closes to protect the print inside. Acid-free material means long-lasting print protection. See more portrait holder options.

But here’s the big question: how to sell photo mounts to your studio portrait clients.

How to convince clients they need photo mounts: 3 easy options

We talk to many portrait studio photographers, and it seems everyone does things a bit differently when offering package add-ons like portrait folders. Here are a few ideas.

1. Build the portrait folders into the package.

This is the most common method. It’s also the easiest because consumers are accustomed the “upgrade” feature.

Think about it: we see this with streaming services, app subscriptions, and even portrait studio equipment bundles.

If the big dogs can do it, so can you. Maybe you add a few portrait holders to your mid-tier package. Or perhaps part of the premier bundle. Wherever you place them in your portrait package structure, your clients will inherently see them as a premium upgrade.

2. Offer as a small upsell.

Not as popular, but if you’re suave with the sales pitch, it’s a cakewalk. Here are some tips:

Sell them just one or two to protect just a few of the prints. Perfect for if they want to keep some in storage for safe-keeping.

It makes a more unique gift for loved ones. Yes, you can display studio photos with photo mounts! And if they need or want to package it away for a while, the acid-free material means that print will be perfectly protected.

3. Include one as a gift.

When the prints are ready for your clients to pick up, present them with one of their prints mounted in a portrait folder. Mention that it’s a gift, and it’s designed to protect the print for display or storage.

If you do this, be sure to include your studio logo on the folder so they remember who you are… and they can easily recommend you to friends and family.

Include your portrait studio logo on the back of the photo mount folders for long-lasting branding.

Not just for the studio: photo folders are the perfect wedding favor

Complement your photography with a print holder that matches the luxury of the wedding. The textured feel, the deckled edges… it’s much more upscale than a plain photo folder. Trust us, these portrait holders are popular with brides, and they’ll often willingly spend a bit more on these than the more economical event folders.

Whether you include these as part of a package or upsell them separately as a wedding favor, you’re doing the bride and groom a favor: you’re taking care of the photos AND the wedding favors.

Textured white photo mount folder on bed of flowers. Front cover is stamped with bride and groom's name in gold foil. — White studio portrait folder with elegant foil stamped imprint. A simple—but luxurious—wedding favor. Shown: Horizontal Contemporary White Portrait Folder with optional gold foil stamped personalization.

Are you a studio photographer? Check out our wholesale photo mounts.

With savings of up to 60% for professional photographers, we can help you build your portrait packaging collection without breaking the bank.

All of our portrait folders are crafted in the USA out of recycled paper. Browse our entire collection or sign up for a wholesale account.

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5 Reasons You Need a Photo Booth at Your Brand Activation

Published July 23, 2021

First things first: what is a brand activation?

More than just a party, but not a permanent experience, a brand activation is an immersive, interactive experience for consumers to get to know your brand, product, services, or mission. It’s often used for new product launch, rebranding, or to re-engage consumers with your brand.

Sometimes, brand activations are just a one-night party, kind of like a launch party. Other times, it’s a temporary install either at your place of business or somewhere related. And sometimes it’s a cross-country experience.

And a brand activation experience takes more than a party planner to pull this off. You need brand experts, designers (graphic design, interior design, architectural design, you name it). You need a marketing team to advertise the experience and keep it going while it remains open.

And you need someone to record the experience, to help you remember it. That’s where a photo booth comes into play.

1. What’s an event without the pictures?

You spent all the time and money on your event or install, you don’t want people to just forget about it, do you?

It’s that whole “proof or it didn’t happen” idea. Whether you go for a digital booth, virtual booth, or hand out printed photos so event guests can show them off at home or work, photos keep those memories alive.

The pros of a digital photo booth: Guests can instantly share their photo booth pictures to social media. Add a custom hashtag for the activation, and you have some good, lasting brand memory on social media. Also, no printed picture means nothing for guests to have to hold onto at your event; they can print it on their own time.

The pros of a photo booth with printed pictures: Guests get a printed photo from the photo booth to display at home, work, school, wherever. The print will last, and won’t get lost on their phone. But what about social media sharing? you may ask. Create selfie stations, tell them to tag your brand and use a hashtag. While a photo booth can help guests share your brand on social media, they’ll often share it own their own.

2. It’s not just for taking pictures. The photo booth is an experience at your activation.

There’s something about a photo booth where people just let loose and go wild. Throw their inhibitions to the wind (within reason!). Whether you offer custom props, use a branded backdrop, or build a custom photo booth set just for your brand activation, the possibilities are endless—and there are lots of photo booth owners who love working with creative clients who think outside the box.

Think more than just taking a picture. Make the photo booth part of the experience.

Create the custom props. Make a background that makes them says “WOW.” Design a photo set that creates an unforgettable scene.

Glam photo booth setup with gold ribbon backdrop and a group of women wearing sparkling and velvet dresses and a man wearing a floral jacket.

3. Many photo booth companies offer installs or virtual options

This is the perfect option is you want a photo booth with digital images. The photo booth company will install their photo booth at your location and leave it. If you choose to go this route, be sure to ask the photo booth owner about regular service checks and to make sure their booth is insured for this use.

Don’t want a physical booth at your event? That’s where a virtual photo booth comes into play. A virtual photo booth lets users take their own photo and add a “virtual” frame on their image. These images are really easy for event guests to share on social media. As a bonus, those images they share will have your activation branding on it, giving your brand that extra boost.

4. That photo booth picture is an easy event giveaway

If you’re already adding the photo booth to the event, may as well make the output part of the party package.

Offer printed photos as part of the swag for your activation. Photo booth companies offer templates for their 2×6, 4×6, or 5×7 prints—and often you can design your own branded frame for the print.

Another swag idea is to package the print in photo folders or paper picture frames. It’s an inexpensive addition to your event, but helps create a longer-lasting experience because of the branding potential of these photo booth giveaways.

5. Doesn’t need to take up much space.

You might have such a big install or such little space in general that you think a photo booth won’t fit. Not true!

While you can create an experience with the photo booth, you don’t have to. Many photo booths just need about 2 square feet for the camera (really!) plus space for enthusiastic guests to have their photo taken. Plan for an 8′ x 8′ space.

But there is another option… the handheld roaming photo booth! This requires someone to walk around with the camera (typically an iPad) and take pictures of guests. This option takes up the least amount of space, and as an added bonus, you get to interact with the photo booth attendant (they’re the one who takes the pictures). Roaming photo booths typically offer digital images only.

So are you getting a photo booth for your brand activation?

What activities or events you have at a brand activation? The sky’s the limit. Dream big, or crush it with something smaller but more memorable.

But having a photo booth helps guests capture their memories. It’s a worthwhile investment that will help keep people talking about your brand.

Need to package your photo booth prints? We create custom-branded photo folders and paper frames. Easy for anyone to use, and it gives your branding an added boost.

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How to Turn Your Art into Greeting Cards

Think beyond photos with art greeting cards

How to Turn Your Art into Greeting Cards

Published September 15, 2020

Learn how to use photo insert cards to frame your art, cross stitch, drawings, and small media

Have you ever thought about making your own greeting cards? You have the art, but no way to make a one-of-a-kind card out of it.

Let’s look at it this way: if you can frame your art the same way you frame photos, why not create greeting cards the same way photographers do? And it’s simple, really. Here’s how you do it:

Get a photo insert card. And then you just slide your 4″ x 6″ artwork in the window frame.

Done!

Now you have a beautifully finished piece that you can mail to loved ones or sell at art shows, craft fairs, and farmer’s markets or even online.

Who knew that creating a greeting card with your art could be so easy—and protect what you created?

Why are photo insert cards so popular with artists?

The photo insert cards we make are popular with photographers and artists because:

The 5″ x 7″ card holds a standard 4″ x 6″ print

The window opening measures 3-½” x 5-½”, meaning more of your art shows.

Recycled photo insert cards. 5x7 cards for 4x6 photos. — Mini watercolor prints are perfect for inserting in these 5″ x 7″ blank greeting cards.

Many recycled card options for your eco-friendly art.

Especially important if you create art using eco-friendly materials or design art focused on environmentalism.

Nature art print in recycled kraft photo insert card — Small art prints, like this botanical print, fit perfectly in photo frame greeting cards, especially cards made from recycled card stock, like this kraft photo insert card.

Made of acid-free, archival quality materials.

No yellowing or aging. Protect what you created.

Black photo insert card holds a watercolor print of a tiger splashing through a river in the forest. — Your art is protected in this acid-free, archival-quality paper stock.

No glue or tape needed—just slide your art in.

No damage to your photos or art with glue or tape. Your art is held in place by the window frame border. And this makes it easier if the buyer or recipient wants to re-frame your art; just slide it out, and frame it as you wish (psssst… check out our mat board for framing art prints).

Sliding 4 by 6 photo into a white photo frame card. — Just slide your 4″ x 6″ photo or art print under the window frame border.

Come with mailing envelopes.

Perfect for mailing prints to clients or selling at art shows. If you’re selling at an art show, consider packaging the card and envelope in a clear greeting card sleeve for added protection.

Charcoal art print in recycled kraft photo frame card with white envelope — All of our photo frame greeting cards come with plain white mailing envelopes.

What kind of art can you frame (and mail) in a photo insert card?

Ultimately, you can insert any thin 4″ x 6″ piece of art into this 5″ x 7″ blank greeting card. Photos fit nice and snug (so they stay put without glue or tape), so keep that in mind. Cross stitch and embroidered pieces do fit in the window frame border as long as the stitching isn’t too thick.

Drawings (by kids or adults!)
Watercolor paintings
Ink drawings
Mixed media creations
Calligraphy or hand-lettered art
Digital or giclée prints
Cross stitch or embroidered pieces
Nature photography

Something important to keep in mind: the window opening measures 3-½” x 5-½”, meaning ¼” of your art is hidden under the frame edge.

Art insert card cut off areas — The purple represents the area that would be hidden under the window frame edge to keep your art print nice and secure without the use of damaging tape or glue.

Learn more about insert greeting cards for art

Never used a photo insert greeting card before? See how easy it is to insert a photo or art print, and learn about customization options for your business.

Ready to frame your art with photo frame greeting cards? Check out the full photo insert card collection. Coming up with some Christmas-themed art? Check out our holiday frame card designs.

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How to Sell Your Own Art Cards

How to Sell Your Own Art Cards

Published July 25, 2019

Calling all artists! Do you want to turn a profit from your creative passion? Whether you’re a painter, photographer, printmaker, illustrator, henna artist, embroidery savant, or a mixed media aficionado, you can leverage your favorite art form to create unique, handcrafted greeting cards to sell.

Our customers share all kinds of stories with us about how they pair our blank photo insert cards with their own art. And the good news is, if you plan to make and re-sell your own cards, you qualify for wholesale card pricing.

Here are a few ideas to consider as you plan to start selling your own art cards.

Sell Art Cards At Local Shops

What are some of your favorite shops in town? Do you have any friends or family members who own or manage a brick and mortar business?

Stop in at local boutiques, flower shops, jewelry stores, hospitals, restaurants and cafes, yoga studios, and pitch the idea. Bring a few of your favorite handmade cards to show off. Be prepared to talk about pricing and your wholesale or consignment policies. If there’s interest, you may find an opportunity to create a custom line of art cards exclusively made for one location.

Two photos of art cards displayed in shelves in a small shop — Art cards and photos by Donna M. Kabay.

Sell Art Cards at Pop-Up Markets

Many cities have spring and summer farmers markets, art shows, cultural events, vendor shows, business expos, and craft fairs that attract lots of local shoppers.

Chat with your park district, chamber of commerce, or do some searches for upcoming local events on Facebook or Google. Ask your friends and family members if they’ve attended any fun art shows or craft fairs, and start making a calendar of the dates.

Check with your local schools and churches, too. They often organize these types of events annually as fundraisers for their organization. A few things to keep in mind:

It’s a good practice to attend a few of these events yourself, to get a feel for the crowd and attendance so you can assess if your art cards will appeal to the audience.
It’s also a good idea to help you assess whether the traffic at each show will justify the booth fee that the organizers are charging for vendors.

Keep in mind that many outdoor events are rain or shine, so doing this type of setup will require you to invest in a sturdy tent with weights, tables, display materials, business cards, signage, and in some cases, liability insurance.

But don’t take our word on all this, take Bonnie’s:

Screenshot of blog comment arts with: My husband and I sell photo art cards at out annual arts and crafts fair every October. The commenter describes selling photo cards as a cheap alternative to matted photos. — This comment is on our post about how to sell your nature photography.

Sell Art Cards on Etsy

Etsy is a well-established and fast-growing online marketplace for makers to sell their handmade goods and art.

While there are a plethora of options for selling your art cards online (and we encourage you to do your own research to find the platform that’s the best fit for you) Etsy is fairly simple to use, has a reasonable fee structure, and is backed by leading e-commerce research and major marketing power.

You can also search Etsy for art cards in your specific style to see how other makers are pricing and titling their cards to get ideas for your own Etsy shop.

How to Price Your Art Cards

Do your market research to see what the going rate is for cards in your area. You want to be sure that you’re not just covering the cost of your time and materials, but also including some profit margin, and considering any overhead for things like marketing costs and booth fees, and insurance, while still being affordable to your customer.

Average art card prices typically range from $4-$8 per card, depending on the level of detail, materials used, and the complexity of your art. If you’re selling originals or limited edition prints, you may be able to sell for even higher.

Another aspect to consider is wholesale vs. retail pricing. Many artists require a wholesale minimum of at least $200. In order to appeal to a larger audience, you may want to offer two types of art cards at two different price points: a basic and a deluxe version, or two different size options. Some artists offer a discount when a customer buys multiple items to help move product and increase their average sale amount. For example, you could set your price at $6 per card, or 3 cards for $15.

A good formula to follow when pricing your handmade art cards is this:

Supplies cost + time cost + overheads x 2 = wholesale price x 2 = retail price

Read more about pricing your handmade cards here.

How to Market Your Art Cards

Get creative with your product photography and include lifestyle shots to bring context to your product. Professional quality photos can go a long way in helping you build a polished brand. You can even achieve this with your phone and some natural lighting, a simple background, and a few props that you already have lying around the house.

Black photo insert card frames a 4x6 art print

Next, think about your story—what inspires you to create? What do you love most about your medium? Take a deep dive behind the scenes and show your process. Look at other artists you admire and pay attention to their writing style. What language do they use?

Once you have some photos and some written story elements, you can start marketing your art cards using Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. These are three great platforms to share your images and your stories—and get discovered.

If it suits your style, consider starting a blog. Being active on social media helps attract potential customers, and gives you a polished and professional look when approaching shops about wholesale opportunities.

Many juried art shows also ask for your social media links. Having a solid online presence boosts your credibility and your chances of being accepted to these events.

Now, Go Make Your Art!

We hope this inspires you to get your handmade cards out into the world. With a little planning and research, you can make money by turning your art into greeting cards. If you’d like a deeper dive on making money from your art, find more greeting card selling tips here. Leave a comment below if you tried any of our tips! We’d love to hear your feedback.

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Who Uses Custom Photo Folders? Book More Event Photography Gigs This Year

How to book more event photography gigs this year

Who Uses Custom Photo Folders? Book More Event Photography Gigs This Year

Published April 13, 2018

Photographers and photo booth owners: when was the last time you worked on business development?

If you want more event photography gigs on the calendar this year, it’s time to think outside the box. If you’re stuck and need some ideas, take a look at these event ideas we’ve gathered from working with event planners, event photographers, and photo booth owners.

But you don’t just want to book more events, you also want extra income, right?

We know that customers use our custom photo folders for these events. Consider pitching them to clients as an add-on to your photography package. Branded photo folders are a great way to differentiate yourself and build in some extra revenue.

Here are 60+ event ideas to help you book more gigs this year:

Mother’s Day
Father’s Day
Grandparent’s Day
Graduation Parties
Anniversaries & Reunions
Birthday Parties
Bar & Bat Mitzvahs
Weddings
Parades and Festivals
Community + Municipality Events
Chamber of Commerce Events
Open Houses (check with local businesses or organizations)
Park District Events
Visitors Bureau
School Events (field trips, carnivals, sports games, music programs, theatre, clubs, volunteer groups)
Prom & Homecoming
Daddy Daughter Dance or Princess Ball
College Campus Events
Music Festivals
Sorority and Fraternity Events (bid day, parent’s day, formal and semi-formal)
Banquets and Galas
Golf Outings
Pride Events
Church Events
Baptism & First Communion
Vacation Bible School and Awana
Charity and Non-Profit Fundraisers
Breast Cancer Awareness Walks or Fundraising Events
Pet Adoption Events, Animal Shelter + Humane Society Awareness
Summer Camps
Art Shows + Exhibitions
Sporting Events
Customer Appreciation Events
Local Businesses (car and motorcycle dealerships, supermarkets, banks, realtors)
Tourism and Entertainment Companies
Grand Opening Events
Corporate Events and Activations
Specialty Trade Association Events
Building Associations
Home + Garden Shows
Comicon
Restaurants
Liquor Distributors
Cruise Terminals
Tourist Destinations and Resorts
Society Groups
Interest Organizations
Conferences & Trade Shows
Retirement Homes, Assisted Living and Senior Housing Communities
Special Sales + Promotions
Labor Day + President’s Day Sales
4th of July
Summer Festivals
New Years Eve
St. Patrick’s Day Events
Valentine’s Day
Easter Events
Earth Day
Veteran’s Day
Boxing Day / Black Friday
Halloween Events including Trunk or Treat, Pumpkin Patches, and Fall Festivals
Oktoberfest
Christmas & Holiday Parties

Have another type of event to add to the list? Leave a comment below or drop us a note on Facebook.

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Leverage the Power of Referrals to Grow Your Photo Booth Business

Leverage the Power of Referrals to Grow Your Photo Booth Business

Published June 25, 2017

Want to grow your photo booth business without spending an arm and a leg on advertising? Referrals are the key. Here are a few tips to get more referrals:

1. Do a memorable job—every single time.

This means consistently delivering great communication, being prepared with backup equipment should a printer or camera fail, and delivering above and beyond what you promise. Put on consistently amazing events, and people will take note. When people have a great time at their wedding, party, or special event, they talk about it. Referrals from happy guests are the best way to build your photo booth, DJ, or event entertainment business organically.

2. Make the client and the guests feel special.

Take time to get to know your clients as best you can before the event. Your job as a photographer, DJ, or photo booth operator is to make sure your clients have a blast at every gig they hire you for. You’re there to help them create great memories. Throw in some fun surprises like unique props and signs (and custom photo folders) that will WOW them!

That’s a big responsibility– but we’re here to help. Custom photo folders and frames are an affordable way to exceed your client’s expectations. We’ll help you design the perfect photo holder to match the event theme. Surprise your clients with the folders as a complimentary value-add, or use them as an upsell to help you grow your bottom line after you’ve booked the event.

3. Ask for the referral.

After you’ve pulled off a great event, and you’re sure your client is happy, snail mail them a fun photo from the event inside a photo folder with a signed thank you note. Add a P.S. line asking if they have any friends or co-workers planning an event that would be a good fit for your services. Let them know that it would mean a lot if they’d refer you to their friends and family.

4. Add your logo & contact info to your photo booth giveaways.

Add this to the back of each custom photo folder (free of charge on our printed designs), and you have an instant referral piece that goes home with every single guest. It’s a business card that sticks around. When they remember how much fun they had at the event, they’ll want to book your services for their next celebration, too.

What are some other ways you’ve had success with getting referrals? We’d love to hear what works for you and your photo booth business. Leave us a comment below, or share with us on Facebook!

Use Custom Photo Folders For:

Halloween Events
School Field Trips
Banquets and Galas
Sporting Events
Corporate Events
Weddings
Fundraisers
Golf Outings
Prom & Homecoming
Bar & Bat Mitzvahs
Conferences & Trade Shows
Christmas & Holiday Parties
Anniversaries & Reunions
Baptism & First Communion
Birthday Parties
Graduation
School PTA Events
Pet Adoption Events

A collection of 2 by 6 photo booth folders lay on a table, each with event branding and logos

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Grow Your Photo Booth Business with Studio Style Photo Folders + Frames

Grow Your Photo Booth Business with Studio Style Photo Folders + Frames

Published March 15, 2017

At Studio Style, we’re a team of designers, marketers, and printers who manufacture custom photo folders and frames for all kinds of special events. We’re here to help photo booth owners, DJs and event planners increase their revenue with a unique add-on for their photo booth rental packages.

We want to help you get more customers and grow your presence in the marketplace. You spend all night taking memorable photos, keeping the energy up and the props organized, making sure the bride and groom are happy and their guests entertained.

What better way to send guests home than with a memorable photo souvenir?

Instead of just handing each guest a photo strip, give them something nice to take home. We’ll help you design personalized photo folders for each event with your logo and company info on the back, in addition to a special greeting from the bride and groom, or a message from the corporate sponsor or host of the event.

Here are some of the highlights from our interview with DJNTV.

Ways to Use Custom Photo Folders

Tell your story. Include a client’s corporate logo on the folders and highlight your mission + brand identity
Order a custom branded folder to show your clients the possibilities. Include photos of your booth setup and a brief list of your offerings. This makes a good promotional giveaway at event trade shows and bridal fairs.
Thank a photo sponsor who covered the cost of the booth rental services. Include their logo on the folders for extra recognition at a fundraiser or corporate event.
Custom photo holders can serve as a business card given to all guests at the event (be sure to add your photo booth logo and website on the back!)
Great referral tool in lieu of handing out business cards or using a traditional digital template with a logo overlay on the print.
An inexpensive party favor to give guests to thank them for being a part of the journey (for a wedding or corporate event)
An economical up-sell to a booth rental. Charge the customer retail pricing for adding custom folders to their package – grow your bottom line!
Put your website and social media icons on the folder. drive them to your online platforms to get in touch and learn more about your services.
Ask for happy customers to leave a testimonial or review to help build trust and credibility online for your brand.
Network with other vendors and the venues themselves. Send a photo folder with a picture from the event to the venue manager thanking them for having you there.
Use branded folders as thank you card to clients. Send one out after each wedding, party, or event with a photo. Handwrite a short note inside with what you enjoyed most about being part of their special event. Great for a personal touch that goes a long way!

Why Work with Studio Style?

We enjoy working with our customers to come up with a memorable custom design that fits their needs, whether it’s designing a marketing piece for a bridal fair or a special themed piece for their client’s event.
We have an in-house art department: free design consult prior to ordering.
We’ll happily show you a proof of a layout if you need to spec it to one of your clients
We’ll send you free samples to show your clients – best way to upsell them is to have some physical samples on hand to demonstrate.
If you call us at (800) 346-3063 or chat with us on our website, you’ll talk to a real human!
Easy process: personalize and order custom photo folders from our website: StudioStyle.com (or place your order over the phone!)
7-10 day turnaround for production of custom folders and delivery to your location
Quick-ship stock folders available for last-minute events (no personalization)
Made in the USA from high-quality 14 pt. card stock
We are the manufacturer. We make the photo folders and know how to use them – so we can brainstorm ideas for design and construction of custom pieces.
Low order minimums
Online product images and sell sheets and digital mockups to help you sell

Photo Folder Features + Benefits

Preserve the prints: turn photos from the event into photo souvenirs
100 square inches of design and customization space on our 4×6 folders. Compare that to your traditional 4×6 or 2×6 digital template.
Ensure each print is safe and not left behind on the floor or table, or used as a coaster. Guests will take your custom branded event photo folders home.
Custom photo folders provide a safe place to store the pictures while guests enjoy the event.

Studio Style Customer Testimonials

Dennis Marentette, Owner at DDM Photo Booth and a 30+ year veteran of the photography and videography industry says:

“These Photo Folders are one of my most effective marketing products that I use. I will speak about it at the Photo Booth Expo this year. Studio Style is the best in the business. We booked this event with Northstar Aerospace as a result of their General Manager being at a wedding back in September, where I gave out your photo folders. I have booked 2 events from handing the custom photo folder samples from Studio Style out to guests. I could go on and on– the bookings are in the thousands of dollars from using your material!”

Howard, Owner at Step it Up Events says,

“We use an assortment of 4X6 & 8X10 frames and photo folders from Studio Style. We love the excellent quality, and the amazing pricing. Using the custom photo folders and photos frames has helped our business by allowing us to offer upgrades that other vendors do not feature in their packages. It has made us look extremely polished. Plus, the customer service team is second to none! Kevin helps me brainstorm ideas on how to incorporate and market different Studio Style products into my event services all of the time.”

We hope you enjoy these tips and ideas to increase your profits in your photo booth business! Have more ways to grow your bottom line? We’d love to hear them. Please leave a comment below, or share with us on the Studio Style Facebook page.

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Photographer Spotlight: Melanie Taylor | Tips for Beautiful Event Photography

Photographer Spotlight: Melanie Taylor | Tips for Beautiful Event Photography

Published February 21, 2017

Melanie Taylor is a photographer who’s passionate about capturing stories on camera. She specializes primarily in event photography, but her talents and experience also span commercial and residential photography, candid and portrait photography, wedding photography, photojournalism, styled interior architectural photography, and beyond. We sat down with Melanie to pick her brain about what it takes to be a successful professional photographer. We’re excited to share her tips and tricks learned over her 20+ years of experience with you!

Tell me about your journey to becoming a freelance photographer.

I started shooting in high school. It was back in the days of wet labs and film. My first camera was a Canon AE1 with a 50mm 1.8. I had a big crush on Georgia O’Keeffe and my early work had a lot of flowers. When I started incorporating people, I loved it. I’ve never been much with a brush and paper, so photography gave me creative freedom. I put in years and years of wedding photography for bigger companies before I was comfortable shooting on my own. I got to mentor under lots of different photographers as a second shooter and with that experience, you start to see how to work on the fly.

Bridal portrait by Melanie Taylor Photography

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as a photographer?

It’s as much about the images as it is about how you make someone feel about themselves. I once worked with a wedding photographer who had a really big, over the top personality. He’d exude positivity and enthusiasm, and knew exactly how to make people feel confident and relaxed. He’d be shooting a bride and groom and he’d say “OH MY GOD– these look so good, you look so amazing,” and just kept the praise going. He did it so well that they believed it, and they felt more confident all day, without even seeing the shots he’d taken. Half of it is making someone feel like they look really good, and then they’re going to do better for you during the shoot. I tried to absorb that and it’s definitely one of my stronger aspects.

I’ve photographed a lot of families – and sometimes the men can get weird and awkward. They do this tense smile, and turtle themselves (rigid shoulders and neck) so it’s really important to help them relax and get them into a more natural pose, with the shoulders out, neck back, and a slight turn of the head. To help them feel more comfortable, it sometimes helps to touch them gently and give them eye contact, which boosts their confidence. Don’t be afraid to say, “You look so good!” and tell them how beautiful their wife and children are. Bring some jokes into it, softly feel out their interests. 95% of the time it’s the women who are booking the shoot, so it’s helpful to quiz them a little bit. Ask what her husband is into, take note of any special interests, ask about his cars, favorite sports, just to have something to talk about. “Oh, I hear you have this really big truck,” you say — then you can see when someone cracks and you break past that uncomfortable barrier.

Fireworks photo by Melanie Taylor Photography

What’s your favorite subject matter to photograph and why?

I really enjoy photographing events and the people enjoying them. It’s super rewarding to see people interacting and capture their feelings toward each other and the space where it’s all taking place. My favorite event last year was the 4th of July celebration at Rolling Green Country Club. So many happy people, amazing food, beautiful decor, and a huge firework display!

What’s the biggest challenge you face as a professional photographer?

It can be a highly competitive field. I’m very fortunate to be part of the Happy Tog group. They are like minded photographers who enjoy sharing knowledge and resources. With wedding photography, the biggest challenge is usually managing the client’s expectations and talking them down from anything that’s unrealistic.

Bride and groom sitting in front of a lush green background. Photo by Melanie Taylor Photography.

How do you prepare for a wedding shoot? Any rituals or special techniques to get to know the bride and groom beforehand?

When a couple inquires about a wedding, we always meet for coffee first. I want to get to know who they are and if we are a good match. We usually hang for an hour and talk about their priorities for the day. If they have a Pinterest board already, we look at it together. About a month before the date we spend another hour on the phone talking about the timeline and what are realistic expectations within it. The week before the wedding, we confirm addresses. On the wedding day, we relax and have fun!

Any advice for other photographers just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?

Find good mentors and DON’T work for free! There’s nothing like tons of experience to make you better. Just putting those hours under your belt will help you learn to work on the fly and adapt to the environment.

Engagement photo of man proposing to woman. Man is kneeling in moving water while woman stands against a colorful graffiti wall.

Can you tell me about the most fun photo shoot you’ve ever done?

Last fall I had the opportunity to take pictures for an engagement. We had so many rainy weekends in a row that scheduling had been a problem. Finally, we had a 2-hour window on a Saturday morning. We tromped through the woods to a spot that had some colorful graffiti I had scouted earlier in the year. Well…now there was a raging stream halfway into it due to the rains. It was unexpected and I have to hand it to the guy, he kneeled down right in it and proposed. The water soaked his pants and shoes and made for an amazing image. It was so beautiful, I couldn’t help but let a couple tears flow!

How do you market your photography business? Can you talk about your social media strategy and what works to secure new clients?

I have my website, MelClicks.com (currently under construction). I use social media to tag photos of my clients, and request if they post that they also tag me. I also tag the venue in my posts which helps me build great relationships with the facility coordinators and gives the venue some exposure, too. I find that sharing amazing GIF images works really well for high engagement on social media! Posts with just text, not so much. Jimdo is my website provider and it’s been eye-opening watching the flow of traffic and that 99% of the time it’s being viewed on a mobile device. As always, the best advertising is referrals from former clients.

Woman in a red dress next to a man with a guitar. They are standing with the setting sun behind their backs.

How do you stay inspired?

I stay creative by being involved with the local photo community. Sometimes it’s a photo shoot that has nothing to do with my genre that gives me a burst of new ideas. Sure it can be tough to walk into an event where you might not know anyone, but the payoff can be a great new contact!

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