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Segment 31 - What is a Senior Model/Rep Program

Okay, so one of the major things I get asked about at own Senior Allergy is how do you do a rep program? How do you do a model program? Spokesmodels, Whatever you may call them all the same thing. It's a It's a advertising and marketing campaign that helps get your name out there amongst the target market that you are trying to reach. So we're gonna jump right into that because there's a lot of stuff to talk about. What is what is a model program? What is a rep for a gram? It's a marketing and advertising campaign. It is like big companies run marketing advertising campaigns. So should we. Eso. I get a lot of questions a lot of times about whether I make people pay to be in the program. I don't because I treated as my marketing and advertising campaign in the last time I checked. Tyra Banks doesn't pay to be in Victoria secrets at campaign. They pay her right, so I That's in my mind how I explain it and how I deal with it. There's nothing wrong with charging, and if you can do it and w...

ant to do it, I think that's totally fine again. We said that earlier. It's your business and whatever works for you. I just really want to give mine and experience that they go and tell their friends about, and I just treated as part of doing business. It is a business expense of marketing and advertising campaigns. Again, it's a way to get your name out there, and then what's more than that? It's a portfolio of building. Um, you know, you keep getting and keep showing that work that you want to do. You keep photographing the age group that you want to. You know that your clientele that you're trying to get on and that in turn get you business. So those are the three things that I think is the gist of what a model red program is. Um, everybody makes mistakes right, and especially with a model program, because some things you're going to try don't work the same thing for May. I tried it and didn't have made a lot of mistakes. It didn't work the first year. It worked a little bit better the second year and then the third and fourth year starts working even mawr because you know, you got to figure out what works for you. It's it's no one suspects all type thing. What motivates teens in your area? Teoh say and talk about you is different than what motivates people in my area. So it kind of takes a little bit of trying to figure that out and each year, just growing that red program, making some adjustments, making some improvement and improving every single year on that. So what are some of the things that I did when I first started? Um, kind of like I told the story about when I first started in person ordering set I just jumped in with Oh, I got to do this. Let me go. Let me do this. I I gotta do a rep program. So let me just find some girls and take their photo and that's it, right? I thought that that would be enough to get them to talk about me. So I got four girls. I spend a ton of money, own hair and makeup. That's been a ton of money on a stylist. Um, and I gave them everything. I gave him the disc of images and hoped they did what I wanted him to do. I didn't educate them. I didn't tell them what they needed to dio. I didn't motivate them other than hope, you know, they had a good time. Maybe they'll talk about me. All of those things are things that are mistakes when it comes to see your rep programs. I think when I first started, I thought, Okay, this is easy. The girls do the work, but in reality, a senior red program only works when you do the work, there's a lot more work on your end than the river will be for them. And that's the only way to make it work. So yeah, saying yes, too many times. I remember on that first model shoot, the moms were, you know, we were all sitting around here, make up. The moms were talking and they were like, So we get the whole city of images, right? And I was like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So you know, saying yes and being put on the spot, I didn't have a plan, so I couldn't say no or what you're going to get because I don't have a plan. I just jumped in so saying yes to too many things. Um, letting the rep dictate You know what they might get or what they want giving away the photos, and then they don't have to work for them. Uh, no accountability and spending way too much money. There's all things that that are mistakes made that I personally made that lots of people have made when it comes to read program. So how can you counter act that? How can you start rep program with a little more knowledge and try to avoid some of these mistakes? That's what we're going to talk about. Having a plan is major jumping in with two feet and no plan is no way to do anything. Really. Um, so you got to write it down, figured out, Really? Figure out what you're gonna give what you're gonna make them do, write it all out and be able to educate the potential rips about what it is that you're doing and what they have to do. Um, why are you doing a red program? You got to be able to tell them that. Ah, What type of shoot are you going to do? Are you gonna do individual shoots reach of your raps are going to one big shoot. Um, you need to figure that out when you're planning your rep shoot or your rep program. Um, what are the requirements the models are gonna have to do? Are they going? Teoh, you know, have to do something every single month there. They're gonna have to do something on their own timeline. Are they gonna have to just post on social media or they're gonna have to do something extra than that, You know, what is it that you want them to do? Um, figure that out, write it down and stick to whatever it is you come up with so that you can educate your reps. Ah, what rewards they're gonna give them. Are you going to give him money for every referral again? Are you going to give him products? Are you going to give them discount? Are you going to give them? You know, there's all kinds of different things that give them things like ipads and, you know, prize type things. What are you going to give them? Figure that out when you're planning your shoot. I met your red program. I keep calling a shoot, but it's the red program. Um, qualifications? What are you looking for? What types of qualifications Speak to your brand of a rep, because again, you want them to represent your brain. And so, what do you want them to have? Where they need to be outgoing? Probably. Or they're gonna need to be friendlier, and they gonna need to be involved in stuff. What are your requirements for your girls? You need to figure out an application process. How are they gonna apply to this? How are you going to get people to be ripped? And then, Ah, your model meeting and interview Andan. What pieces are you going to give them to help them market for you? So all these things are the process of planning out your program. We're gonna take each one of them, step buffed up. Um, So the first thing is, why? Why are you doing a red program? What is your reasoning? My reasoning was because I wanted my name out there. I wanted more business. And that's generally the reason behind a red program. You may want to do one more for portfolio buildings so that you can get more photos on, and that's a good way to start is find some people that could be your spokesmodels or rep. So you're not necessarily just giving anybody and everybody a free shoot to get a portfolio. But you're giving somebody that's working for you a free shoot so that you can have some some things for your portfolio. So, um, and then what kind of shooter you gonna do? Are you gonna do a group shoot? Are you going to an individual sheet? There's benefits to both You could do. I mean, depends on how many girls. If you have a ton of girls in your red program, maybe a group shoot is better. Maybe you split up a group shoot into two. Let's say you have 14 girls and you do one shoot of seven and one sheet of seven, and that's what you do. I do a group shoot, and the reason I do it is because I feel like by given them an individual, she not really working toward a shoot by given them a group shoot. I generally have some sort of concept or theme. It's a little bit different than maybe what they would typically wear. So then they know toe work toward their own individual shoot. So that's why do that. But you can do it either way. So the shoot itself. It's got to be different from a regular senior session just to make it stand out in their mind, to make you be able to showcase your brand and so that they then have something to work toward because mine work toward that individual photo shoot. So that's why choose a theme or concept. This year it was It was a garden fame, and it was shot in a, uh, would you call it a nursery where they sell in a greenhouse and nursery where they sell flowers. And then the boutique that I partner with fabric provided the clothes and I wanted a very floral things. All the girls were spring colors, floral things, dresses, etcetera. So that was my concept. It could be a It could be a loose concept. It could be a very distinct concept. One year I did a whole boho type thing. One year I did sparkle, Um, and it was there was a thing called. Every girl deserves to sparkle on their senior year. So I had everything to do with Glitter. There, there close were these tools skirts and they, you know, we had glitter everywhere, had this thing called a glitter bar where it had all the stuff that they could, you know, have fun with, have a theme like a you know, I mean, I could have gone with something like grow in your senior year because we were in a flower garden nursery type thing. You know, you may want to do that. You may want to give them a sort of a motto for the year. Um, and build your shoot around that look for inspiration. Obviously, that's you know, when you're trying to come up with shoot ideas, inspiration is always helpful. Um, you see something that inspires you and incorporate that into your in your model Shoot, uh, gather props generally to make it different than a regular photo shoot. I will have props that sort of illustrate the idea which this speaks very much to concept shooting, which we will get into in the next segment. But basically my model shoot is sort of a concept shoot. That's what that's the way I treat it because it's different than a regular chute. Clothing, hair and makeup need Teoh fit along with your theme that that's what you're doing. Um, if you're doing individuals, individual shoots for your reps, you still maybe want to provide hair and makeup, because that way, the girls that they're referring can see that process and see what that looks like and then consider your budget. What are you willing to spend on your marketing campaign for the year? ISAT 205 100? Is it? You know I'm or whatever. Remember, you've got to consider hair makeup. You've got to consider close if you want a certain look, or maybe you want them to bring it. If you're using a stylist, do you have to pay her? You working on trade? Um, your rep cards or whatever your marketing pieces you're going to give them. All of these things need to be considered when you're planning your program and planning out the chute so you don't get into it and think, Oh gosh, I spent too much money. There are definitely ways to save money when it comes to read programs here. Makeup. You can, you know, work with your artist your normal artists and say all these girls are going to come to you for their normal senior shoot. All these girls are gonna come to you for prompts. And maybe you do some sort of discount or trade. Maybe you find a new makeup artist that's willing to work for trade. Same thing with the stylist. You can definitely find somebody who's up in coming and use that, um, is an advantage to try not to spend as much money, so they're definitely ways you don't have to prevent close. Um, one year I did that the year I did the tulle skirts. I wanted them all wearing tulle skirt. So I found somewhere on the eBay where there were, like, $10 apiece. So I bought them each a skirt. But then they war would ever spoke to their personality on the top that paired with their skirt. So I budgeted for that this year are barred closed from a boutique. So I didn't Nobody had to bring anything about how to buy anything. Um, and then fabric got all the federal, so there's in some ways that you can save money on the shoot part, especially What will you require your models to do? Um And how will you tell them what to do? So for mine, I definitely have a distinct plan. I have it all written out. I decide what I want before I start recruiting them. And then I tell them throughout the process what they're going to be doing. What? I expected them. And then I help them with that information by giving them suggested Facebook statuses, Easy peasy. They could just copy and paste and done. They don't have to think about it. So that's an easy thing to do. Given them a calendar of things they have to do throughout the year. They know ahead of time. This is what I've got to do. I'm ready. I want to do it. Also, the referral guide is a great way to communicate to them what they will get for the things that they do. Rewards. That's what most people want to know. What are you getting? What you gonna give away for the girls, right for what they do. And all girls kind of are motivated by something different. I think when you first start a program, it's a little harder to motivate them. Then when you're doing it, after you do it for a while, it starts to catch on and people start to want to be a part of the program, said That is a little bit more motivating. So don't be alarmed at the first year. It's not the hugest success. Just keep at it. It will catch own. I mean, I have people now. They're, you know, 10th graders, They're like, I can't wait till I'm a senior. I'm totally applying for that. So it becomes sort of a motive. You know, the motivation becomes just wanting to be a part of it and not necessarily each of these individual things. But these individual things are very important. And again, I go for things that are motivational for the teen and the parents a little bit, because the parents can refer just just as much as the girls can. So, for mine, the first thing that motivates them is they really want that individual senior voter session. So they're gonna work hard to get that. And I only make him do one for that. I just say, you know what you do is get one. It makes it seem easy. They don't seem stressed about it. Um, and it's an attainable goal. And, um, you know, that's worth it to me. One referrals work, doing another shoot, They don't get photos or anything. They just get the shoot. So that is just one referral and then 23 fours, $25 cash, which motivates, I mean, who doesn't want cash? Right? And give Starbucks. You could go out with your friends to the movies. All those things you know they could use that money for. So if they get to you know number two referrals 25/3 Referrals. 25 Number four referrals, $25. So that's potentially $75 right there. Who added anyway, when they get to number five, they get 30% off of their photos from their individual sessions. OK, so that is motivated motivational for the moms because they're not paying full price for the actual photos. So a printer product order 30% off of that and then six through nine again in cash. So we go back to the cash thing. We try to, you know, get them excited about that and the number 10 they get the digital collection. So if they get the number five and they think, Oh, I think I could get to 10 then I say, OK, we'll hold off. Don't order yet. Try to get a 10 so you can just get everything so that motivates them. Or maybe they're okay with 30. And I'm okay with that because they're gonna spend some money, and that's fine. And we are all happy on. Then if they get any more, that goes back to the cash and then 15 or more, which I've never had. Anybody get that many? That's a lot. I think they would get in it an album. So that's how I have mine set up. Of course, you can give them anything. I think it's good to give things in increments. So in other words, the big things are the number one, the number five, the number 10 and then in between. There's no cash and, you know, keeps a motivator but doesn't give away too much. Yeah, the obsession that they're getting for the woman. Pearl. Since you have multiple different sessions for people to choose from right base succession. Okay? Yes, they're getting the basic session for that. Yeah, for one referral, they're getting the basic session. I thought about it this year and thought, You know what? Maybe I need to do number two or number four as the middle on the top session, but that's not how I had it this year, so but right now it's just the sheikh session. If they want the other to they, they have to pay for it. Also, if they don't get any referrals, Um, I don't force them to use me, but I give them an incentive to use me even if they don't get a referral, which is half off the basic session. So if you do nothing, you can still come to me, get your senior photos taken for half off of what a normal person would pay. Do you let them order the prints from the group session? Because I saw that it says from their senior photos, Yes, this is from their senior photo session. They could order them, but because we're sharing them so much on social media and they're getting these marketing pieces, they typically don't order from that session because again, they're getting them from, you know, on these marketing pieces to share on Facebook. That kind of thing when you see referral, er is that a booking? It is a book not just booked and paid for. Second. Girls can tell me all day long that someone call you until they call him pay for it doesn't. Okay. Yep, yep. Absolutely.