If you want to open your own business and fully realize it, start small. Making photo albums is a great idea. Flipping through old photographs, indulging in memories and mentally returning to the past is pleasant to most of us. So that photos are not scattered throughout the house, but are in one place, they need to choose a beautiful photo album. This original book should be as unusual as possible so that it can be proudly shown to relatives and friends.
Demand
As more and more people buy expensive cameras and are fond of the art of photography, they need to store the best work somewhere. A portfolio with ready-made pictures in a beautiful album will look more respectable than on a flash drive. A book made of beautiful expensive cardboard for pasting photos in Provencal style or retro style will be the best gift that will be remembered for many years. Moreover, it can be given not only for a birthday, but also for Christmas, a wedding, the birth of a child, February 23, or professional holidays.
The production of photo albums includes the production of stylish booklets for commemorative photographs, both for sale and to order. In the first case, you need to develop a design and perform several finished works, and then agree with supermarkets or bookstores for their implementation. In the second case, you will need to fill the clientele yourself.
Necessary qualities for this type of business
The production of photo albums is best suited for creative people and anyone interested in photography. Work requires perseverance, since you have to spend a certain amount of time at the computer, processing photos and selecting a design. If you want to make photo books yourself, you will need accuracy, discipline, imaginative thinking and sociability. And desire is certainly important!
What is needed for manufacturing
What materials should I buy for photo albums? Production (Russia or the USA) does not matter. Both of these countries produce high-quality parts and cardboard basics for scrapbooking and other needlework, as well as blanks for them. For creativity, you will also need a laser printer, which allows you to print in a wide format, and paper of various textures. If you take pictures yourself, you will need to spend money on a professional camera. For further processing of photos you will need a licensed program Adobe Photoshop, which can be purchased at a price of $ 20 / month.
In some cases, you can do without any equipment. It is enough to create mock-ups of work and take them to a company that prints photo books. Next, you transfer the finished work to the client and get paid for it. It is recommended to pre-pay in advance. For the first customers, 30% of the cost of the work will be enough.
Customer base
As in any business, an important issue is finding buyers. But it is not difficult at all. Remember that everyone should know about your business. First, tell numerous relatives and acquaintances that now your business is the production of photo albums. St. Petersburg or a small town - it does not matter, you can always find customers via the Internet. Register on the forums, portals of your city or on thematic blogs where you can tell people about your business.
You can also go to schools and offer graduation album services.It is advisable to do this a few months before release. If you do not know how to take pictures, arrange with the photographer. The production of photo albums with various decorative elements will, in turn, be your task. Leave examples of work in the registry offices or kindergartens, where you can find potential buyers who want to order an exclusive photo book. If there is no portfolio yet, you can leave business cards.
Beginning of the creative path
First of all, you need to fill your hand. To do this, you can give albums as a gift to everyone you wish. Thus, you yourself will practice creating a real work of art, unobtrusively tell about your business and learn an opinion about your work. Feel free to ask friends to tell about your skills. To clearly show the portfolio, you can run your website or blog, and absolutely free. A page on social networks will also be useful, where you will talk about how the production of photo albums is your business. Briefly be sure to tell about yourself - this will help to gain the trust of potential buyers. Leave your phone number, write down the conditions of work and indicate the method of payment and delivery.
How to improve mastery
If you have never done scrapbooking or other crafts, learn the basics. You can watch several videos on the Internet that show the production of photo albums at home, the equipment necessary for work, and give various tips. Be sure to learn how to work in graphic editors to master the principles of creating graduation albums or collages. If you want to fully work for yourself without the involvement of a photographer, then learn to take pictures yourself and process them later. Images can be brought to proper form in just three days, adding sharpness or contrast as necessary.
Collaboration with a photo studio
It will be nice if you additionally advertise yourself. For example, using a photo studio. It can show samples of albums. In addition, cooperation will benefit both you and the customers. You will receive additional customers, and they will receive a discount on the album if they print a certain number of photos. The customer will be able to determine the subject and transfer the finished photographs in full order.
This business will become very profitable if you approach its organization correctly and not be afraid to work for the future. A finished photo album will cost about 6,000 rubles. The price depends on the equipment and manufacturing method. Handwork will cost more. Advertise photo album production wherever you can. Moscow it will be or another city - customers can be found everywhere. Improve your skills, do not be afraid to stand out among competitors and realize your ideas, then you will ensure a large flow of customers.
