Those of you who shoot yearbook photo's, dances, etc... How do you bid? Do you contact the schools, or do they send something out stating they're looking for bids?

Contact the school. You'll probably talk to a class or grade adviser, particularly for the senior prom. You can sell pre-paid packages and have the price included with the prom admission. That guarantees you a predictable minimum base sale but also probably closes the door on additional sales, which are the gravy.

You can offer packages to be sold at the prom, in which case you need the school's help distributing price/pkg info in advance so the kids know they need to bring $$. If you do this, your packages should look nice but be missing essentials you know the kids will want. A common example is a package with only 4 wallets and an add-on option for 8 or 16 more.

Most schools will expect a per centage of package sales returned as their commission. Some will want money guaranteed up front to defray the cost of printed invites or favors.

For yearbook photos, there's usually a separate adviser for that in high schools. In junior high schools, middle schools and elementary schools you usually deal with the PTA.

In every case, if you don't knock on their door, you get nothing. I've never had a school "send something out stating they're looking for bids," ever.

Frankly if you can glom some non-contract senior portrait business from local 12th graders you may well be better off than going up against Lifetouch or whoever has the contract business. To get those, you can advertise in the town weekly paper, buy a student list (which may or may not be useful) or get a handful of "student ambassadors" whom you shoot for free and then pay a pittance for every friends they bring to you. Good luck.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

henryp wrote:
Contact the school. You'll probably talk to a class or grade adviser, particularly for the senior prom. You can sell pre-paid packages and have the price included with the prom admission. That guarantees you a predictable minimum base sale but also probably closes the door on additional sales, which are the gravy.

You can offer packages to be sold at the prom, in which case you need the school's help distributing price/pkg info in advance so the kids know they need to bring $$. If you do this, your packages should look nice but be missing essentials you know the kids will want. A common example is a package with only 4 wallets and an add-on option for 8 or 16 more.

Most schools will expect a per centage of package sales returned as their commission. Some will want money guaranteed up front to defray the cost of printed invites or favors.

For yearbook photos, there's usually a separate adviser for that in high schools. In junior high schools, middle schools and elementary schools you usually deal with the PTA.

In every case, if you don't knock on their door, you get nothing. I've never had a school "send something out stating they're looking for bids," ever.

Frankly if you can glom some non-contract senior portrait business from local 12th graders you may well be better off than going up against Lifetouch or whoever has the contract business. To get those, you can advertise in the town weekly paper, buy a student list (which may or may not be useful) or get a handful of "student ambassadors" whom you shoot for free and then pay a pittance for every friends they bring to you. Good luck.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video



yeah, lifetouch is currently in contract with the school for yearbook photo's. I need to try and bring in some senior business though... currently there's only 1 major studio, and they're pretty bland.... Thanks for the info!