Bruce Heflin utilized Now Candid’s Grad Pics Now, with Selfie Check-In at a recent graduation, so far racking up roughly $2600 in total sales in less than two weeks.
Heflin had covered this Nursing College’s graduation in previous years, generating roughly $200 in sales each year. The sales had been so dismal the administrator would provide gas money to keep Bruce coming back. This year was a different story, Heflin has managed to increase his sales by roughly 1200% with the help of Grad Pics Now’s Selfie Check-In Workflow & automated marketing campaigns.
Here's How He Did It:
1. Used Selfie Check-In to collect correct & current contact data
2. Sent automated marketing messages during the event
3. Bruce had about $200 in sales by the time he reached home an hour or so after the event (he didn't have to go back to the office!)
4. He used a mix of GPN Price Levels 1 & 3
5. He had a total profit margin of roughly 75% across the College’s ceremonies after accounting for the 85% margin for digital downloads.
6. We’re excited to see people discovering the effectiveness of Now Candid’s systems in action when executed properly with quality photography!
We recently caught up with Bruce to get a better idea of how he started incorporating Now Candid's tools into his existing photography business. Watch the video below to hear from Bruce.
It's time for another session of NowCandid 101. Today, we're diving into the Capture & Upload app. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the NowCandid universe, understanding this tool is key to utilizing NowCandid effectively.
The Two Primary Functions of the Capture & Upload App:
Tethering and Uploading:
The device running the Capture & Upload app tethers to your Nikon, Sony, or Canon cameras.
Images are uploaded to the cloud as you take photos, ready for immediate marketing and sales. 🌐💫
This not only boosts sales, but also cuts down on post-event workload, and enhances your customer experience.
It pairs photos with your subjects, ensuring every photo finds its way to the right phone or inbox, right away. 📲
Platform Availability and Recommendations:
You can find the app on both Apple and Microsoft App Stores.
Whether a Microsoft Surface Go 3, or an Apple 10th Generation iPad, the app functionality is essentially the same - though the Apple experience may be a bit more consistent.
Compatible with iPads, iPhones, and Windows tablets (like the trusty Surface Go 3).
A pro tip: Opt for an LTE-enabled device to stay connected and upload images in real-time, saving you from poor venue WiFi quality and troublesome WiFi hotspots. 🌍✨
Using the Selfie Check-In Workflow? The app here is optional but highly recommended.
It allows for live-uploading, adding an extra layer of efficiency. However, you can also choose to upload images post-event using the NowCandid Web Dashboard. Once uploaded, images match with Selfies and begin marketing right away.
In the dynamic world of event photography, staying ahead is all about using the right tools effectively.
The Capture & Upload app is one such tool, designed to make your work easier, faster, and more profitable. So why wait? Embrace the future of photography with NowCandid’s Capture & Upload app, and watch your business soar! 🚀🌟
That's it for today's NowCandid 101. Stay tuned for more tips, tricks, and insights to keep your photography business on the cutting edge. Links to view the app store pages for each version of the app can be found below:
New Orleans Event Photography, led by the dynamic duo of Amy Lombardo and Brian Junod, has had quite the success at a recent social Event!
Though they had successfully covered this annual social Event in 2022, their experience and preparation, combined with NowCandid's improvements over the past year, led to over a 60% increase in sales covering the same Event in 2023.
Left: Amy Lombardo Right: Brian Junod
The Backstory
New Orleans Event Photography embarked on their NowCandid journey just a week before covering the same annual social event in 2022.
Despite the brief preparation period, they managed to prepare Microsoft Surface Go tablets to utilize NowCandid’s Tap-A-Face, connected to the internet via LTE hotspot, to generate over $15,000 in sales. Typically, devices with LTE built-in are highly recommended, but in a pinch, an LTE hotspot works!
This impressive feat marked just the beginning of their journey with NowCandid! Their 2023 results were even more impressive.
Elevating Sales through Education and Experience
Building on their initial success, the team sought to deepen their understanding of NowCandid's capabilities through workshops and mentorships. This proactive approach was key to their remarkable 60% sales increase.
"With the mentorships and workshops we have done over the past year, we have grown the sales of the same event over 60%," they reported. This educational commitment catapulted their sales from over $15,000 in 2022 to over $25,000 in 2023.
It's worth mentioning that their profit (before paying their photographers & crew) was well over $20,000. An almost 83% profit margin! Not bad for an Event where they were only taking photos for 5 hours.
What were some of the lessons learned through workshops and mentorships?
Putting some of the more nuanced lessons aside, the basics were: more photographers, more images taken, using LTE-enabled tablets, and knowing when and how to utilize Selfie Check-In.
While in 2022 New Orleans Event Photography had 4-5 photographers at the Event, in 2023 they had 7 photographers in total, with approximately 7 additional crew members there for support.
Additional photographers allowed a significant increase in poses and images taken, while the additional crew streamlined the Event and allowed them to garner hundreds of Selfie Check-Ins as attendees arrived at the Event. Amy & Brian could not have succeeded at this Event without the help of their awesome photographers and crew!
By having additional crew present to acquire Selfie Check-Ins, the photographers did not need to spend as much time on tapping faces (though there were still plenty of Tap-A-Face entries at their Event as well) allowing them time to take even more images.
What New Orleans Event Photography Liked Most About NowCandid:
Focusing on the Photography
One of the standout features that Amy and Brian emphasized was the ability of NowCandid to simplify the complexities of the photo sales process. This allowed them and their team to concentrate fully on their photography and increasing their volume.
"It is nice to be able to just focus on the photography aspect knowing that the sales, marketing, and technical features are being handled by NowCandid," they shared. This focus on photography ensured thorough and professional coverage of the event, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Ease of Use and Customer Satisfaction
The intuitive nature of NowCandid played a significant role in streamlining their workflow and enhancing customer satisfaction.
"Our customers have loved the experience of instantly receiving their photo proofs and being able to order on the spot," Amy & Brian noted. Instant gallery delivery not only simplified the process for the photographers, but also delighted their clients.
Responsive Improvements and Growth
Over the past year, New Orleans Event Photography witnessed firsthand the evolution of NowCandid's Capture & Upload app.
"The NowCandid crew listens to feedback and has vastly improved the application since we first used it a year ago," they acknowledged. This responsiveness to user feedback demonstrates NowCandid’s commitment to continuous improvement, aligning with the evolving needs of professional photographers.
The story of New Orleans Event Photography and NowCandid is one of collaboration, innovation, and remarkable growth.
Their journey showcases how the right tools, combined with a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, can lead to exceptional outcomes in event photography.
Welcome to the first entry in our "NowCandid 101" series! Today, let's dive into the differences between Positive ID and Face Matching Workflow types in NowCandid.
Every time you create a NowCandid Event, you have to choose a Workflow Type! The two options areFace Matching, and Positive ID.
NowCandid has 6 Workflows, that can be split into two categories.
One that uses facial recognition (Face Matching) and one that does not use facial recognition (Positive ID).
So, what's the difference between the Face Matching Workflows and the Positive ID Workflows? Let's get into it.
Face Matching Workflows 🤖
What Are They?
Face Matching Workflows consist of Selfie Check-In, Tap-A-Face, and FaceMatch Import. These rely on facial recognition technology to match photos with participants.
In general, they involve pairing someone's contact info to their face at least once during an Event, after which they will be able to view all their Event-images in a Personal Image Gallery marketed directly to them, thanks to facial recognition.
How Do They Work?
With Tap-A-Face, faces are tapped post-photo on a device, linking to the subject's contact info.
Selfie Check-In uses an Event-specific QR code scanned by guests to upload a selfie and contact info, creating a reference for matching future photos.
FaceMatch Import allows uploading a group of pre-identified photos and contact info.
• Includes an All Images Gallery plus Personal Image Galleries.
• Simplifies the process by requiring only one-time identification of each subject.
Positive ID Workflows 🆔
What Are They?
Positive ID Workflows include Scanner ID, Name Lookup, and Type & Take. These Workflows do not use facial recognition. Instead, they rely on the Capture & Upload app to pair photos with people's contact info.
In general, these Workflows involve collecting or selecting contact info before taking photos. Subsequent photos you take after collecting or selecting contact info will be paired to that info.
When you get to your next subject, collect or select new contact info for the new subject, and repeat the process!
How Do They Work?
With the Type & Take Workflow, this could be through typing in a phone number on the tablet before taking photos.
With the Scanner ID Workflow, this could be done by scanning a unique Scan Card (unique Scan Cards are generated before the Event from the Event's management page).
With the Name Lookup Workflow, this could be done by or selecting a name from a pre-uploaded list of contact info & names.
Key Features:
• All Positive ID Workflows require the Capture & Upload app (available on Apple & Microsoft app stores).
• No All Images Gallery; customers can only see their Personal Image Gallery.
• Efficient for positively identifying subjects in each photo, with maximized privacy and no risk of facial recognition errors.
Choosing the Right Workflow 🤔
When deciding between Positive ID and Face Matching for your event, consider factors like the size of the event, the frequency of photographing the same individuals, and the level of privacy the Event requires, how many photographers you'll be able to send, and similar factors.
Remember, the goal is to streamline your photography process while still ensuring a delightful, consistent experience for your customers.
Stay tuned for more entries in the "NowCandid 101" series!
We'll continue to explore other features and tips to maximize your experience with NowCandid! 🌟
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