Photos By Madman: No Pressure Church Photo Directory

A LOW STRESS FAIR COST WAY TO GET A GREAT CHURCH PHOTO DIRECTORY.

This offer is intended as an "open letter for Christian Churches, primarily in Calgary and surrounding areas."

Having a Church Photo Directory is a great way to help new attendees get to know the people in your Church. It’s also great to help existing members and attendees learn the names of the other people in your congregation. But most people report negative experiences with Church Photo Directories. Why?

What’s Wrong with the way Church Photo Directories are normally put together?

#1. High Pressure sales. The photographer only makes money if people buy the enlargements. So the photographers are taught how to play on peoples guilt and fears. They are trained to very carefully make people buy the very expensive enlargements. As one photographer told me, “Churches are great for this because the people are conditioned to feel guilty.” And of course, they use the standard “buy now, because in x days we dispose of all of the negatives.” From my experience, the high pressure, guilt oriented sales pitch is the number one reason that, once a photo directory is done in a Church, they never want it done again.

#2. Poses. Because the photographer only makes money if people buy the enlargements, the poses and photos are done for resale of enlargements. But when you take those kinds of photos and put them into tiny little squares, they are of much less value in the photo directory – the “official purpose” of the photos.

#3. Tiny little squares. The smaller the square, the harder it is to recognize someone … until you already know them. And when you already know them, you don’t need the photo directory for them! Having 12 or 16 on a page, especially when the pose is not a close up, just doesn’t make sense.

#4. Enlargement shenanigans. One trick is to sell enlargements that are not “normal” sized. For example, instead of selling true 8x10’s they will sell 7x11’s. This means your people have to buy overpriced frames from the company that did the photo directory or the overpriced pressure sales enlargements end up sitting in drawers.

#5. Frame quality. And then, as several people have told me – the frames aren’t even good quality frames. They are expensive, poor quality frames.

#6. Short life expectancy. A typical directory is put together with staples in the spine, and it includes names, addresses and phone numbers (the addresses & phone numbers may be on the back pages.) This is great for the photographer, because the shorten the life value of the photo directory so that you will hire them back to do it all over again. And try asking “can you use the photos from the last time for most of the people in the congregation” don’t be surprised when you are told no, they don’t keep the negatives. (Note: at least you know they were honest when they said they were going to dispose of the negatives.) Their real reason (I know, I have read the training materials) is that they will never make any money off of old images, they can really only sell the new pictures.

Now, if reading this you say “That wasn’t at all our experience, we loved the photographer who did it for us last time” then you will want to rehire me<g> or the photographer that did it for you last time. If not, please read on to see how Peter does it.

Peter is a professional photographer and has been for many years. In both of the Churches that Peter attended over the past 35 years, photo directories were done the traditional way, and the general feeling in the Church seemed to be that people hated the hi-pressure sales of just good or mediocre product. Peter understands what you hate and what you want from personal experience. As a professional, Peter brings professional quality to the job. But professional doesn’t mean just taking the best pictures for the job, it means doing the job in a way that achieves the true objective of the customer.

The true customer objective in a photo directory is to have pictures that make people recognizable, not to sell enlargements. And it doesn’t matter whether the enlargements are reasonably priced or not – the goal is recognition not artist value.

For Church photo directories, Peter specifically shoots the photographs expertly to achieve recognition – thereby achieving the highest value from the photo directory. It's all a matter of being professional - doing the best job to serve the real purpose.

As a result, in Peter's default method of operation, he doesn't even try to sell your parishioners enlargements! So there is no high pressure sales. However, some churches may prefer an option for parishioners to obtain prints and the price the church pay be reduced partly by the orders.

So do he do ANY marketing? There may be a few people in your Church that decide they would like to have a professional session done of their family at a later date. To accommodate this possibility without any pressure on your congregation, Peter will on the registration table, leave out brochures and business cards so that, if people want to learn more, they can. If he didn’t leave the brochures out, people would be more likely to feel that they “should” ask him, and he admits, he wouldn’t be disappointed if one or two families decided they wanted a full family session. Since he doesn't use high pressure sales ever, if they like what they see at the Church session, they’ll even be happier if they want a private family session.

These brochures are left at the registration table where a volunteer from your Church is working. There will be none where Peter is working and Peter requests that the registration table be visually separated from the place where the photos are being taken (to make it easier to take the pictures without distractions.). This means he has no way of knowing which people take brochures, so there is no pressure whatsoever. The volunteer from your Church will be instructed to simply leave the brochures on the table, not hand them to people.

Note: if you request, Peter will provide a person (at a reasonable cost) to operate the registration table, but that person will be instructed to register only, not “sell.”

A photo directory is a large cost item. To give your Church the best long term value, the pages are put into a clear covered duotang. Your congregation can add pages to their directory with newcomers. And the photo directory does not include phone numbers and addresses so it does not get out of date so quickly! A significant reason normal Church photographers give you a stapled booklet with addresses and phone numbers is so that you will bring them back as soon as possible to do everything over again from scratch. If your Church has less than 100 families, there are other cover options, some that can save a few more dollars. Peter will of course discuss these with you so you can choose what's best for your Church.

The pages Peter typically delivers include, on the first page (visible through the clear cover of the duotang) a picture of your Church building. While buildings are not the focus (or shouldn’t be) of a congregation, it does have value for recognition. Next, there will be one or more pictures of the Church staff. Such as, pastor(s), secretary(ies) and others that you choose, typically 1 to 4 per page.

I (Peter) am also a Christian. Now, it must be admitted that making a claim like this ends up sounding like a “sales” pitch, and more than once, someone claims to be a Christian just to make extra money. But in this instance, being a Christian may be relevant. Let me first of all say that, other than for my home Church, I do make a profit from building the photo directories. But…

1. When this letter is mailed, it is only sent out to Churches that list themselves as Christian Churches . Although I try not to judge too strictly, there are some that list themselves as Christian Churches that I choose to not send this to. This brochure and this service was set up because I truly believe that it will assist Christian Churches in fulfilling their mandate for Christ.

2. The price I charge to “noticeably Christian” organizations is significantly less than to any other organization religious or otherwise . If you are concerned that I have classified you in the more expensive category…look at the quote, you will see an amount which I consider to be the amount I am volunteering. This discount amount is based on the amount I normally charge – and normally receive less what I am charging you. But as I see this as partly a service to God, I do not have any problem volunteering for some and not for others. If your Church would prefer I charge the full amount and donate back the difference, I have done this and don’t mind doing it for you as well. If you still don't trust me, and I understand - I've been cheated by people claiming to be Christian, here is what you do. When you contact me, tell me you belong to "such and such" a group. I will do up the quote for you, THEN tell me "actually we are such and such Church/organization" I will THEN tell you the amount of $ that I will deduct as my volunteer time. That way you will be able to trust that know exactly what my quote would have been for a normal group and what the discount was because of your status as a Christian Church/organization.

Q. Will you (Peter) sell enlargements of the photos taken for the photo directory.

A. Unless you pick the new option (see "We'd like to make enlargements available to our parishioners" at the bottom), I'd prefer not to - remember, they are taken for recognition not for artistic value. But yes, if requested, I will. And, like all my enlargements, unless requested, the enlargements will fit in standard frames that you can buy at places like Wal-mart. As mentioned before, I never intentionally destroy negatives. This means that, if the picture was "the last picture of the late Uncle John" you can get reprints/enlargements even years from now.

What my home Church did was ask for a donation from each family. The results of this were very positive. People were very happy to donate $10 each rather than be guilt driven into spending lots of money on photos they didn't even want. To do this, they were instructed to make the cheque out to the Church so it is clear that we are not receiving the money. But if they pay us directly, we will reduce your bill by the exact amount we receive from them.

Q. Do we have to do the photos at our Church? Can we do them at your studio?

No to the 1st and Yes to the second and the price is the same. However, most Churches will much prefer to have the photos taken at their facility. Indeed, you will probably get more people to participate if you do them at your Church building unless your building is rented and not available during the week.

A.
- First I need space to take the pictures, about 10’ by 15’ with access to 110V power. A little more space would be convenient - 15' by 25' is ideal, but it can be done in less space if required - it is tight, but I've done it in 8' by 10'.
- Second, a space for the registration table – the table doesn’t need to be a big one.
- Finally, a waiting area for about 4 families at a time for those times when there is a little lineup. Setting up the waiting area and registration table in your foyer, with the photos taken in a room off the foyer is frequently an ideal setup.

A. Allowing 4 minutes per family is preferable, but if you have a lot of people and want to go as fast as possible, 3 minutes per family is achieveable.

A. Planning. To come up with the time that the pictures will be taken that works for both your Church and my schedule.

Promotion. You need to let your people know when, where, why and how to sign up. It is important to let them know how it is being done because otherwise they may think this is going to be another high pressure sales pitch. I can provide text to go into your bulletin to help alleviate this concern.

Payment. You will be given an invoice that is to be paid 25% up front (to lock in your photo dates.) 25% the day (or 1^st day) that photos are being taken and 50% on the day the photo directories (or if you are collating, the pages and duotangs for the directories) are delivered to the Church office.

Reminding. You need to have someone phone each family the day before their session to remind them of their time slot. Request that each family come 5-10 minutes before their time slot to give them time to remove their coats, get their hair ready and register.

Proofing. When the directory is ready, you will be provided with one copy to verify that everything is correct. When you give the OK, the rest will be printed.

Although I don’t require it, I strongly recommend you provide volunteers to do the setting up of appointments and the registration on the day the photos are taken. This will both save you money and add positively to the experience for your congregation.

A. Yes, but not during the photo sessions. And I encourage you to give them away to newcomers so they have the maximum value. If you wanted, to keep costs down, you could give the B&W ones or electronic ones away free and charge an upgrade fee for those that want. If you wanted to sell the upgrade, you could put a coupon in the bulletin so you know how many you want in color/b&w by the time the sessions are complete. I trust you understand that, since I want people to feel no pressure to “buy” anything, I cannot allow “selling” the upgrade or “selling” the books during the photo sessions (and that includes the person at the registration table!) If you want my suggestion/preference - I suggest handing out a small sheet at the end with various information, such as when to come and pick their final photo and suggesting a donation.

Q. If we have had the directory done by you before, can we reuse some/many of the pictures?

A. Yes. I purposely keep all previous photos, they are referenced by a number coding system so you can easily pick the ones you want.

A. Generally speaking, no. There are several reasons. The first is legal and ethical: The photographer who took the photos previously owns the copyright. You may not like that photographer and feel his or her high pressure sales techniques were dishonest or rude, but as a Christian Church you will understand that it would be wrong to steal, even from someone you don’t like. The second reason is that the photos in your current directory are almost surely taken in the traditional way and are not designed for good reproduction in a photo directory. However, if the photographer who took the previous pictures will give you written permission to reuse them, then yes that can be done.

Q. We didn’t get enough copies/We ran out & have new attendees, can we order more?

A. Yes. Minimum quantity 10, but these can be some black & white and some color if you like. The cost is my “price per book” plus $10 shipping and handling. Payment due with order. Or, for a little more, payment is due upon receipt. And if you call back a year or two down the road the answer will still be the same.Q. Can we add/subtract a few people every 6 months (or 9 months or whatever).

Yes. There will be 2 fees, one for the cost of photographing the new people (cheaper if they come to my studio, more expensive if I have to come to your site) plus, of course, a fee for new copies of the book. There are no fees for removing people. 2 suggestions if you are thinking of doing this:

1. If you don’t want to send your new attendees to my studio, why not have a “new comers” dessert night or something similar every 6 or so months, I can come and take pictures of all the new families during that time. This is good for the photos but it is also good for your Church if you aren’t already doing something like this.

2. We can print “addendum” sheets to give to all your existing members. This way you don’t have to pay to make new copies of every book, the existing attendees can simply add the pages into the back or front of their existing books. Of course, all NEW books will be printed with the new attendees in alphabetical order. For existing attendees, this can even be considered an advantage because all the new people are together, making it easier to learn their names. Perhaps every 3-5 years, depending on growth or change, you can get replacement photos as needed and reprint all the books.

A. Any color other than pure white. (A white shirt with suit jacket is fine.) So are pastels and even off whites. It is up to you whether you want to encourage people to dress up or come casual. In general, we recommend they dress the way they come to Church – since recognition is the key purpose! Having someone do up their hair special and dress in clothing they’d never wear to Church may be fine for some photos, but not for a photo directory.

Q. Some of our members can’t come on the days we are taking the pictures, for example, some are overseas missionaries currently, others may be in the hospital or on business trips or away at University. What are the options:

Q. You use "Church", shouldn't you use "church" most places in the context of this letter.

Yes, in most places I agree it should be "church", and only "Church" when refering to "the Church of Christ" or referring to a specific church. But to be honest, most people think that "Church" is correct and I get fewer people "correcting" me when I use "Church" throughout. In fact, since I put this FAQ in, I have never had anyone "correct" me!

We have found that many people like the photos for other purposes. Originally our stance was "we do not permit purchasing of enlargements" because we didn't want any pressure associated with the decision. However, we had so many people insisting and saying "OK, what if I come to you later." that we looked at alternatives. The big problem was, we want to make sure that there is no pressure or guilt trips laid on people. We do not want anyone in your congregation feeling they "had" to buy. So ... we have come up with an option that is clearly different from the traditional guilt trip, yet still allows for this option for those that really want to, and gives an opportunity for the church to save money.

To do this, we add one optional step to the flow. After they have chosen the picture they want for the directory, they will have the option of going into a separate room or partitioned area (you provide the room or partitions) where they can pick the pictures they want enlargements or other special treatments. If they do choose this option, the bill to the church will be reduced by 25% of their order. This puts our profit so low that we have little incentive to push sales yet it allows them to receive enlargements. Outside the room we post the options and the prices, so, before they even enter the room, they know what prices are going to be discussed. No surprises inside the room and even if they go into "that room" we will have done everything we can to reduce the sales pressure. And if they do buy because they really want to, the costs to your Church will be lowered

The first step is for you to decide whether or not you want the services and whether you want the option to purchase enlargements (an additional space 15'x15' or larger with a couple tables is all that is required). We can provide the information and answer questions by coming in person, by fax, by email and/or by phone - whichever method you feel most comfortable with.
You promote the event in your bulletin and, if you want, from the pulpit. In most churches, if you don't want to promote it from the pulpit, you may be doing it for the wrong reasons or not fully understand why you are doing it. Pulpit promotion should talk about why you are doing it and request that people join.
People sign up for their family's time slot.
On the picture days:
1. the family comes, signs in at the registration table
2. the family photos are taken
3. the family evaluates the photos and picks the picture for the directory
4. the family goes back to step 2 if they are not happy with any of the pictures
5. Those that want to, go into a side room or partitioned area where they can order pictures.
Somewhere prior to step 6, you provide us with the extra photos, logos etc.., that are to be included.
A proof book is produced and delivered back to you for checking spelling and making sure that the pictures match the names. Typically you would make the proof book available to your congregation so they can check themselves.
You give us the go-a-head to print
We print and deliver the books to you for handing out.

If after reading this, you would like to get more information, references or a quote, please feel free to contact me by your choice of methods: email, phone, fax, mail. If you want to come to my studio in person or have me visit your Church, phone or email to arrange an appointment.

- Are there any other special photos/pages that you want included in the photos.

- Your Church’s name and address (Remember, if you don't yet trust me, you can put in another group name. Pick an address within a couple km's of your building since your address may make a difference to the quote $.)

- Possible dates for taking the pictures Typically I like to take one or more days in a row, depending on how many photos need to be taken, starting at 4:00pm and going as late as you think is appropriate for your congregation (8, 9 or 10pm typically.) In figuring out my quote, I do take into consideration how many hours are scheduled, but I don’t charge more for working late in the evening. I charge slightly more for Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons (I am not available Sunday mornings) as I like to keep these times available for my family, and I normally take Sunday as my Sabbath. On Saturdays, I would typically recommend we start somewhere between 8:00 and 9:00am. I teach Sunday School and participate other ways at my Church so I am not available Sunday mornings.

- Black & White or Color (The electronic is always included and there is no charge no matter how many copies of it you want since I email it to you or provide it on a CD and you copy it from there as many times as you want!)