Ready to take your photography business far beyond “point-and-shoot”? Pat Miller brings renowned photo booth expert Jamie Cobb to the show for a firsthand look at turning fun event photo ops into lasting, high-paying client relationships.

Episode Highlights 🎤💡:

(05:20) — How one headshot session turned into a long-term McDonald’s corporate partnership

(14:26) — Premium photo booth add-ons (magnets, keepsakes) that instantly raise event package value

(22:52) — New photo booth trends photographers should know plexiglass, fog effects, lenticular, and film comeback

Connect with Pat Miller ⬇

LinkedIn | Website

Connect with Jamie Cobb ⬇

Website | Instagram | Facebook

I'm Pat Miller, and this is The Professional Photographer podcast. At every event we go to, what is there, Good times, great music, some food, some drink, and a photo booth. They're everywhere. Maybe you've thought about doing a photo booth. Maybe you have a photo booth that you bring out to some events. Well, today we're going to talk with the photo booth queen. Jamie Cobb is on the show today, and we're going to talk about how to make the most of a photo booth business. We're to start with how to talk to the clients and how much money you can make on a discovery call. Then we'll talk about how to make a great experience with the customers that are actually in the photo booth, how your team needs to treat them, how little takeaways can change their overall experience and help them remember you, which then leads to getting bookings for your business from the folks that sat in the seat. It's no longer just point and shoot with a little mustache. This is big bucks, and Jamie is doing it at a high level. We're going to learn all about photo booths and how you can make some more money today. Jamie Cobb is standing by. We'll talk to her next. Jamie, welcome to The Professional Photographer Podcast. How are you today?

Doing well, yourself?

I'm doing great. I'm excited for Imaging USA. I can't wait to get to Music City. Going to Nashville is just like, oh, it's like Christmas morning. Have you been to Nashville before?

I love it. I mean, it's my favorite place to go for Imaging. Out of all the places that Imaging has been, Nashville is definitely my favorite.

I can't wait to go to hear the music and to eat the food and see you speak, which is going to be awesome. But we'll get to all that. Let's start with having folks meet you. If they haven't had the chance to meet you yet, tell them who you are and what you do.

So I own PhotoVille out of Oklahoma City. I've been doing photo booths for, you know, 15 plus years. And I mean, I love it. It's like I enjoy it so much, I don't work a day of my life just because of, you know, the events that we get to attend. I mean, it's fun. So it's every day pretty much, but it is fun.

Now, I know you're a little biased seeing how you own PhotoVille, but what's the deal with photo booths? Why do we all love photo booths so much?

You know, like I tell my staff, you know, it's 45 seconds or a minute that they're engaging with us at the photo booth, that they're not thinking about anything going on in their life, whether it's a personal issue, financial issue, or a family issue. No matter what's going on with that person engaging with us, they're having fun. And so it's, I mean, it's just a luxury every day that you get to see people having fun, being silly, and sometimes taking pictures that normally they wouldn't want to be in front of a camera. So, you know, we just get to experience the side of everyone where they're in a great mood and they're having a good time.

It seems like everyone's used to the idea of taking their phone out and taking a picture of their food or taking a picture of a band that they're seeing. But do you think people are now expecting photo booths to be at the places that they go to?

I do. Just because, you know, they are so popular. And, you know, if you're having an event, chances are that is in your budget. Whether it's a wedding or a gala or, you know, a Christmas party or whatever, a birthday party. I mean, you know, people are expecting some type of photo op.

Here's what's fun. While you do the photo booth business, today we get to talk about unlocking budget with the clients that we talk to. So you say that unlocking the budget starts with asking the right questions. What do you mean by that?

Just, I mean, fill in the gap. I mean, finding those heartstrings where, you know, people can't say no to you. And I feel like that's one of the good things about me. I mean, I do have a sales background, but, you know, you want to connect with the client and find those moments that can't be replaced. I mean, as photographers, I know we've seen it all. You know, you've photographed pictures with Santa, and then the next morning you get that call where that person didn't make it home from the Christmas party. So we all feel, you know, that gap and that void in someone's life that, you know, otherwise, they may not have a studio, you know, family session, but they have, you know, a photo booth session. And they're getting to express themselves, you know, by being creative with props or hats or, you know–we don't do hats–boas or glasses or something like that we have hats, but they're PVC hats. They're not actual hats that you put on. But people get to be silly with the props and you know, just kind of unlock their, if they're an adult, unlock that, you know, inner kid still inside them. So, it's great. It's a great industry to be in for sure.

So people are expecting them. The phone rings, and sometimes people freak out because the first touch point with so many of our clients is picking up the phone and talking to people. Why are we so scared to talk to people on the phone?

I don't know. But I mean, I want to get them on the phone because, you know, if we can get them talking about their event. And you know, just an example is how I landed McDonald's is they called just for headshots. They wanted headshots. And I'm like, great. And I'm nosy, so of course I like to talk. And I got them on the phone and they were like, you know, we're going to do headshots before our Christmas party. And I'm like, okay, tell me about your Christmas party. And so, you know, once they got started talking, not only did we get to do their headshots of all of the general managers and the directors within McDonald's in Oklahoma, but we also got their event photography, their event videography, photo booths, award photography, behind stage. And so it was a whole, you know, itemized invoice that we got to send out. And now, I mean, you know, we're about to do their–I think this is my 10th year with McDonald's–on their Christmas party on Monday. So, you know, it's just, it's exciting if you can just get them on the phone. Because everyone likes to talk about what they have going on with their company and their roles and their responsibilities. And then, you know, if you can get them to deal with one person over, okay, I'm going to deal with PhotoVille on headshots. I'm going to deal with this company on a photo booth. I'm going to deal with this company on an event videography. If they can have one point of contact. I mean, you know, we're all busy. We want to streamline. You know, it's kind of like Amazon. They make it so easy, you know, a one-stop shop. They can buy it on their phone and only have to deal with, you know, one app. And, and that's what we try to do is just one man show. We want to just deal with me. You know, I'm your point of contact on all assets that we're going to bring to your event.

But when you stop and listen to the client, it like, turns the corner where now you're helping them. Oh, did you think about this? Oh, no, I'm glad you brought that up. I mean, that's what we have to do to kind of continue the conversation. And then we look like we're providing a big old service.

Right. And we all have, you know, connections to labs. I mean, you make your labs happy because then you become, you know, that person that can also do their posters or signage or invitations or thank you notes, you know, and so we try to get as much business as we can from clients and to make it so simple for them to do business with us, and then they want to do business with us, because then we become that person that they rely on for printing or thank you cards or invitations in the future. And then, of course, the event photography and the event videos.

You hear that? Labs? Shout out to the labs here–

That's right.

–in The Professional Photographer Podcast, shout out to the labs, it's right there.

Because my lab loves me. Because, you know, I'm always trying to upsell and provide, you know, the current clients that we have with as many resources that we can do for our customers.

If we get over the fear of getting on the phone and then we take the time to listen to them. Opportunity happens.

Correct.

But many of us behave on the phone like we're on a payphone. Like, I've got four minutes and I gotta get off. We're in a hurry. It's just so hard to slow down and listen. Is that just where we are right now in relation to using the phone?

I think so. I think, you know, especially our younger, you know, generations, you know, they don't know how to talk on the phone. I mean, they like to text and Snapchat you and not have a conversation. And so when you do get on the phone and a person is willing to talk, I mean, they're like, wait, I'm talking to a human, you know, and not AI or, you know, talking, you know, via Snapchat or text message or email, you know, people do want to have a conversation. And so, I mean, I enjoy talking to people and learning what we can do to help them.

It'll probably surprise you because I look so young. I've never Snapchatted anyone ever.

Well, that's okay because I've never had coffee and I'm 50.

There you go. All right, let's talk about the conversation when we get the client on the phone. Walk us through some of the questions that you ask that end up unlocking opportunity. You got any, like, real go to questions you can share?

You know, I mean, just open end questions, you know, like, where's your event? How many people are going to be there? You know, what type of experiences do you want to create for your employees or fans or, you know, whomever I'm talking to. And then once they start opening up, like, oh, my gosh, I mean, you know, we never get dressed up. You know, we wear scrubs to work or we wear sweats to work and we're going to be in formals. And then once they say that I got them, because then it's like, you know, we want to do a formal portrait station during cocktail hour. And then we want to get fun once they loosen up and do a photo booth at the reception. And so once you get them, you know, buying into creating those moments and creating those captures for them, I mean, they can't say no.

We start getting these new opportunities when we ask the questions. But some structural questions. Is it important to know up front how long I have and where I'm going to be, like for loading the right gear and having the right stuff?

Oh, yeah. I mean, and I always ask like, you know, is there a loading dock? Can we set up early? And then once a client realizes that we want to set up early, you know, is there going to be a room reveal to, you know, the bride and groom or the president of the company, no matter, you know, what type of event we're doing. And then once they understand that, okay, wait, she gets it. She wants to set up early. She's going to be prepared. She's going to bring backup equipment. You know, once you get all of those action items discussed, I mean, you know, you have clients for life because they do want someone that is going to bring backup equipment, you know, because I mean, you know, as, you know, I mean, Surface Pros fail, PCs fail, sync cords fail, hot shoes fail. I mean, they all fail. And so when you give them the reinsurance that you're going to bring backup gear, you're going to be prepared, you're going to have extra staff there. I mean, you have the big corporate clients for life.

You know, it doesn't fail. Labs. Hey, labs–I'm just kidding. I'm just teasing. Okay? One thing I've heard you say is think like a guest when you're talking to a potential client. What do you mean by that?

Just we're all on the same team no matter what we are doing. And that's one thing that, you know, I get to experience. And I hope some photographers are listening to this because sometimes I'm just the photo booth person and they don't know that, you know, my team. I mean, I have master artists, I have master photographers, I have CPPs on my team, you know, and we may just be running a photo booth, but we're all on the same team. And, you know, I encourage every single one of my staff members to go up and talk to the DJ, and the florist, and the caterer, and the photographer. And, you know, sometimes the photographer just snoots their nose, and they act like they're better than us because they're the photographer, and we're the photo booth person. And so. So I try to tell people we're all on the same team. So if a DJ is carrying something in, and you're only carrying a hot shoe from the van because you needed a backup, you know, and they're struggling, open the door for them or help them get set up, you know, and same with a photographer. You know, if they don't have a backup camera and their shutter goes out, I mean, you know, we try to help them. And so I just tell everyone, like, pick up trash. You know, if the caterer's slammed, and you can tell that they're slammed, and they don't have time to bust a table and, you know, we may be in between a session at the photo booth and there's, you know, trash, pick it up. You know, think about how you want, you know, a venue to be when you attend a wedding or a gala or, you know, a sporting event even, you know, you want nothing spilled on the floor. You don't want to see a guest or yourself or an employee fall. So I always tell people like, you know, keep your head on a swivel and pay attention to our environment that we're in and make sure it's the best foot forward because no photographer wants trash on at the table, you know, and we don't want, you know, trash in our area at the photo booth. So, you know, keep it clean and keep it tidy. And, you know, people recognize that when, you know, you don't think someone's looking, they are looking. Everyone has a camera. Everyone has a video camera in their hands these days. And so you just want to make sure that you're representing yourself. And, of course, PhotoVille to the best foot forward.

We're going to switch to how to use a current booking to unlock future bookings in a second. But before we get there, one more question on getting the most out of the gig itself. What are some add-on experiences that you regularly include or you mentioned some of the tangible items that people walk away with, like what are some of your greatest hits that grow the size of a package?

So we offer a lot of premium experiences, and that's primarily my topic at Imaging. And so, you know, we always try to upsell the client with, you know, a trading card or keychains or snow globes, ornaments, magnets. Everybody loves magnets, and everybody loves buttons. And so, you know, we always try to tell people like, hey, they're going to come into the photo booth. Yes, they're going to get a 4 x 6 picture or 2 x 6 strip with their images on it. But we can take it a step further by also offering magnets, mirrors, keychains, buttons, or anything in the photo booth that creates that premium experience that, you know, guests love when they get it, they're like, whoa, we get a magnet too, you know, and so they're, they're always excited to walk away with something tangible besides that actual print that they get in the photo booth.

Love that. Now let's talk about growing future gigs with the gigs that we have. So how do we leverage a really great client into future clients?

So anything that's new that we have, we try to leave them a thank you or a leave behind. So maybe I did present prior to the booking, hey, would you like to do magnets? And they're like, well, it's really not in our budget, but maybe in future, so while you're there, you know, have them take a picture in the photo booth and then surprise them with a premium product that maybe you didn't offer that night, but you offer it in your portfolio. And so we always try to leave a thank you note to everyone. I mean, from the caterers to each vendor that we're working with, the vendor team that night, and then, obviously, the person who actually paid for us to be there. And so instead of sending flowers or things that we don't sell or we offer, you know, we try to leave them a thank you premium item that we have and we can do in the photo booth.

How does a caterer react to getting a thank you from the photo booth people? I would imagine that they're surprised by that.

I mean, nobody sends thank you notes. And so we have thank you notes for every single thing that we do. So if we do just a photo booth. We have thank yous that just show our photo booth lineup, and then if we, you know, if I photograph a senior, obviously I send them a thank you note. So it's just the vendor team, I mean, love on them. They are the ones that are the backbones of, especially in the vent business, you know, give them attention. I mean, we try to do a reel, why we are there. We tag the vendor team, we give them a vendor team shout out on an Instagram story, TikTok and then any social media platforms that we're working on and you know, like the florist, they come and they drop it off. They don't get to see the beauty and the smell and all of the senses that go along with the florist, you know, they just drop them off and they may not get to do a room reveal because they have other drop offs that day. And so we try to at least take pictures with our phone, or if we are the event photographer, obviously we get pictures of our, all of those captures from every single person on the vendor team and send them a thank you note with their images. So they're always happy. And then they want to hire us back because they're like, well, shoot, they do the reel. So I have a reel for my social media because we collaborate. We invite them to be a collaborator and so, you know, we're doing the work for them, we're providing them a reel, images, and then social media shout outs.

So I can understand loving up on the decision maker. I love the strategy of the fellow vendors and partners who put on an event, but it would seem like the really big opportunity would be all the guests that you're taking pictures of. You mentioned magnets and having them have a great experience. But you got any like ninja moves to help us really connect with the people at the event to potentially fuel other parts of the business?

You know, just make them feel special. I mean, you know, you never know who's in your photo booth. And this weekend alone we did an event at OU and the president of OU came to our photo booth, you know, and we made him feel like he was, you know, I mean, we, we didn't know he was the president. I mean, you know, it was early morning, it was cold, we were outside, and you know, I was behind doing trading cards at the venue. So I know what he looks like, but my team doesn't know what he looks like. And then I get, you know, an alert from him thanking PhotovVille for his first ever trading card, you know. And so my team did a great job because they made him feel, you know, special and you know, kind of like every other person. I mean, you know, it's an experience and just make them feel like they are the most important thing at that moment.

You said one word over and over again, and I would be committing host malpractice if I didn't ask you about it. You keep on talking about this team that understands it, and they share your values, they know what must be done. What are your thoughts on leading a team and training a team? Because it sounds like they're a key part of making your business work.

Yeah, I mean, I can't do it without my team. I mean, especially in the next couple of weeks. You just, I don't know. I love my team, and there's not a day go by that, you know, I hope I don't show them that, you know, and I care about them, I care about their families and their success, you know, especially like my college kids. Like I want to be kind of hard on them. But you know, every college kid that has given me three or four years of their time in college have gotten better jobs when they graduate because we do more than just photo booths. I mean I also still do media buys. Marketing is my background. And so, you know, they get a taste of social media management and post buy audits from, you know, TV and radio buys, and then the photo booths, the videography, the, you know, all of the things that we get to allow them to put on a resume. I mean it's impressive when they leave here, you know. Yes. Do I want them to stay? Yes. But I also know if they're studying nursing, I want to give them as much experience as I can in real world life to better their career on down the road. But again, like my full-time photographers that I have on my team, you know, if they want to go to Imaging, I pay for it. If they want to get their CPP, I pay for them to get it, you know, and so I want them to have the best, you know, education and the best titles after their name, whatever makes them feel better. Because the better they are, the better my company is.

I'm sure not everyone on the team is an aspiring CPP or a CPP. So photography purists don't listen to this question. Fast forward if you must, but do you look for people with a great personality you can teach pictures to, or people that take pictures and try and make sure they have a good enough personality?

I just want passion. If I see they're passionate about something, you know, you can't teach passion. You can show passion, but you can't teach it. And so if they have drive, if, you know, I have cheerleaders on my team right now, and, you know, when you have, you know, cheer, they face it every single day. They get told cheer is not a sport. Well, if you've seen collegiate cheerleading or, you know, these competitive cheer, I mean, they work hard, and so they're passionate about that. And so when you bring them on your team, you know, they're passionate about what we're doing because, you know, they want to be successful. And so I love having, you know, like cheer and dance members on my team at a young age. And then, you know, from the older generation, I like to have people that want to buy stuff because if they want to buy stuff, that means they want to work hard, you know, and they're passionate about being better and being better for themselves and being better for their families.

As the photo booth expert, is there anything that's coming down the line, a hot new trend, something that you weren't doing two or three years ago that now everybody wants or they see it on TikTok and now they want you to do it too? Does anything come to mind?

Yeah, I mean, there's a couple of things coming up. You know, the biggest trend right now is kind of like the plexiglass shoots with fog, different types of lighting. And so we have a plexiglass photo booth now where we can do pictures and videography. And then the lenticular prints is actually making a comeback. So people want to see that. And then I think the next challenge is we're going to have to figure out how to do something with film. Like, my younger generation, they love film. Yes. It's not instant, but we're going to have to keep a close eye on that because film is making a comeback.

Hold on, you mean film like Polaroid? Like shake it and it shows up kind of film?

No, like 35 millimeter film.

Whoa. Like film, film?

Yeah.

At a photo booth. What are you going to do with that?

I don't know. And that's, you know, something that I've got to figure out. Like, how can I incorporate a film experience in our event industry?

Oh, my God. You know, that would be so cool. Okay. My photography knowledge is this big. I'm married to a photographer, so forgive me. Okay? Imagine you in the back of the hall, you put up a double-sided tent, and inside the double sided tent, it's all the red light development room and people can come in one side and watch you do the whole thing and have the pictures hanging and the whole thing. So they get an experience. But it's an experience that happens. Hey, listen, we're going to be developing these photos here at 8 o'clock, so if you want to join us in the back, join us for the thing and oh, we've got secret dessert that's inside there and blah, blah, blah, blah. Like I could see like a, like a dark room experience that you could add on to the people that are super passionate about film. Besides, you could charge through the Wazoo for that and you got to do the work anyway.

I know. And get to smell fixer again, right?

Exactly. And you can put dark chocolate in the dark chocolate in the dark room. Big bucks, no whammies. Well, good thing we get to learn from you and not me at Imaging USA. So tell us about your talk early on Sunday morning. What are we gonna learn?

Yeah, so early. So you know, you coffee drinkers, just drink your coffee and come sit with me Sunday at 8:30. I promise I am a morning person. So 8:30 is not early for me. But yeah, we're going to talk about just the premium experiences in the event business. I mean, there's so many things that you can add on that, you know, really doesn't cost you a lot to invest in because most of the tools that we use photographers already own. So just want people to come and learn how to elevate their game and give their current clients or future clients, you know, new experiences and new ideas.

It's always exciting at Imaging to learn from people who are leading. You clearly are. Jamie, thanks for coming on the show. I really appreciate it.

Yeah, thanks for having me, and I'll see you in January.

Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode of The Professional Photographer podcast. Before you go, click like, click subscribe, and leave us a comment. That is the holy trinity of YouTube. When you leave us a comment that lets us know what you liked about the show, what Jamie said, that's going to make you some money. And maybe you just liked my idea of the dark chocolate darkroom. I still think that's pretty good. I could tell she thought it was stupid, but I'm telling you, someone's going to do that and make some money. Now, if you're not yet a member of Professional Photographers of America, you're missing out. PPA offers incredible resources like equipment insurance, top-notch education and a supportive community of photographers ready to help you succeed. It's perfect for photographers who are serious about growing their business in a sustainable and profitable way. At PPA, you belong here. Discover more about membership at ppa.com. That's ppa.com. I'm Pat Miller, founder of the Small Business Owners Community and your host of the show. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you right here next time. Take care.