Smarter, Not Bigger: How One Photographer Increased Graduation Sales with Fewer Participants Using NowCandid™
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When a long-time graduation photography business decided to switch an event they’d covered for years to NowCandid’s plaatform, the results were impressive.
Despite a significant drop in graduates at this ceremony, this studio has outperformed last year’s total sales, thanks to smarter systems, easier check-ins, and a smoother experience for families.
🎓 The Challenge
Capturing a graduation is always a high-volume, high-pressure operation. For years, this photography business relied on pre-registration lists and manual image matching. But getting enough students to register ahead of time was always a hurdle—and every missed check-in meant lost revenue.
With parents and schools expecting a faster, more polished experience, the team knew they needed a better way to deliver.
✅ The Solution
This year, they went all in with NowCandid’s smart, automated workflow:
- • Selfie Check-In™ for faster, more flexible student identification
- • Automated galleries and image matching, cutting down post-event sorting time
- • Mobile-optimized customer galleries with tiered pricing offers
- • Real-time reporting and clearer communication with the school
And the big win? Selfie Check-In™ now gives graduates up to 60 days after the event to register their photo—capturing stragglers who might otherwise never see their images.
📊 The Results
Here’s how the numbers stack up compared to last year:
- • NUMBER OF GRADUATES: -10%
- • SALES PER PARTICIPANT: +39%
- • ORDER AVERAGE: +29%
The graduation's 2025 sales over the past 45 days has already exceeded their 2024 sales over 365 days by 26%.
Meaning, their total sales are up 26% with plenty of time to increase going forward.
By giving families more time and an easier path to find their photos, the studio saw higher average order values, better sales per participant, and less manual work for their team—even with fewer students overall.
💬 What the Studio Noticed
- • Time savings: Fewer employees needed to manage sign-ups on site.
- • Lower labor costs: Less time chasing registrations, more focus on shooting.
- • Less customer service: Fewer retail support calls, because NowCandid helps with those!
- • Happier schools: Schools loved the modern process and the extra contact info for staying connected with new grads.
🎯 Their Biggest Wins
When asked what they’d tell another studio thinking about making the switch, the owner put it simply:
“What are you waiting for? We increased sales, lowered our labor costs, and made the process easier for everyone.”
They added that the extended Selfie Check-In™ window alone made a huge difference:
“Being able to register students up to 60 days after the event helped us capture sales we would have missed.”
Would they use this workflow again?
“100%.”
🚀 Wrap-Up
This photo business proves that growth isn’t always about shooting more photos or booking bigger crowds. Sometimes, it’s about working smarter—using tools that connect families with their memories faster and easier than ever.
👉 Ready to see what NowCandid™ can do for your next graduation event? Start here »
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