For many photography businesses, the summer months often mean slower business. This doesn’t have to be true for you! There are a variety of summer events that could provide valuable revenue for your company. You simply need to know where to look.

Sports and Community Events

Summer sports leagues are an excellent booking opportunity. Baseball, swimming, basketball, flag football, and bowling teams are just a few of the sports that organize in the summer. Most communities host youth leagues, but adult summer leagues and church leagues are becoming popular as well. These leagues will usually compete May through late June or July. To find the summer leagues in your area, contact your community recreation division, do a quick Internet search for posted league sites, or visit local sports facilities and speak with the directors.

Other places to look for summer bookings are your local community organizations such as Special Olympics, the YMCA, and Boys and Girls Club of America. Many of these groups not only have active sports leagues, but various summer events and activities that cater to families and communities. Day camps and longer summer camps provide opportunities for group portrait sales, but you may consider offering commercial and public relations photo shoots as well. 

Reunions

High school and college alumni groups plan class reunions for the summer months. To find reunions, watch community bulletin boards and contact the schools’ alumni organizations. Be on the lookout for 15, 25, and 50 year reunions, as these usually have much higher attendance or evoke a stronger sense of nostalgia than the years in between. These events offer a great chance for Faux Groups and individual image sales as well as party pictures and social media image downloads. Family reunions are also lucrative and provide a great opportunity to network with several families for potential business.

Corporate and Organizational Events

Many large companies and corporations plan events during the summer months and some serve as sponsors for larger community events. Look for Fourth of July celebrations, family fun days, local fairs and art shows, car shows and concert series. These types of events can be discovered in local newspapers and magazines, on company and community Web sites, and through contacting the company’s marketing or public relations department. The majority of your images will be party pictures and couples and small group shots, so ideally, you will want to book events with high numbers of attendees.

The best way to learn about potential bookings is to get outside your office and begin looking. Keep in mind that now is the time to book these events, even though they may be months away. You will find out about events simply by talking with people and getting involved in your community. For advice about approaching businesses and booking events, contact Customer Development at 800-336-4550.