1. Post: Going from "doing a favour" to having a business Idea
So, I am a part time photographer and every year I am doing one of my friends a favour, by covering his non profit event for him. I would take photos and film for him.
This year he asked me if I could do something like a photo booth for him as well. All the past events, he rented a little box, which took and printed photos. it was quit expensive for the outcome so he asked me to help him. I accepted to help him, so I started researching, to see how I can make something.
What I Found:
First thing I noticed was, that many regional rental sites, where pretty badly made. On one site I noticed, that the owner even put out the booked dates of his box.
I was shocked at how this pretty bad looking website, could generate this many bookings. (he had like two month nearly completely booked). I started calculating the potential revenue.
The Calculation:
He had a box, which just took pictures and he charged around 150€ for one day. He also offered a little case with accessory for an extra 50€. His calendar had 83 days booked that's a 22% booking rate. If he has a 30% up-sale conversion (the accessory case), he would make 13.530€ per year with one box (about 1.100€ per month)! Imagine, what you could achieve with a professional looking site, advertising, a little bit of optimisation and some more boxes!
I researched the cost of one box and found out that it would cost me about 1.000€ to make one. Meaning that the box has an amortisation of just a couple of month. Now I started working on the idea.
Making a concept:
I started off with the website. The most important thing would be the landing page. To get going, I took the standard Airbnb booking site as a start. later on I would want to do some A/B testing with google optimize, to get a good converting page. Additionally I would need a booking tool and online payment.
Now the product. To make this thing scalable I need a box, that can be delivered and it needs to be easy to use, that the client can set it up himself. If I could achieve that I could have dozens of boxes, that I can send around the country with a minimum effort.
About the Pricing. The base price I would put between 130€ to 150€. Additionally I would offer two up-sales. An accessory case for 20€ and a printing function for 50 to 80€.
What about Advertising? I don't have so much experience in SoMe Advertising, but targeting should be pretty easy. With few to none data to work with, I would target interests in events like weddings or parties. When I have some traffic and some conversions, I would use things like FB custom audiences to create look alike audiences. With that, I could beginn automating the advertising process. Additionally I would do some remarketing ads.
Starting off and making the first prototype:
At the moment, I nearly have completed the first prototype. I would love to show you some pictures, but right now I'm away from my workplace.
The fundamental components of the box are a tablet, a DSLR, a flash, a little printer and the components for the box itself. First I tested the technical stuff. It was pretty easy, because there is a software which is called DSLRbooth. It makes connecting the hardware pretty easy. The box I wanted to make out of wood, to look like an old crate or something. While working on the box I noticed, that I chose way to thick wood and I was way to generous with measurements. Thus the box was way to big and heavy, what would make it a pain in the ass to send this thing and handle it. So I am already planing for the second prototype.
Field Tests:
The Event of my friend is next month and this would be the perfect opportunity to test my prototype.
Hopefully I can get it done until then... I hope you like this little documentation of my journey. I know its not the next facebook, but I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to get going with an online business. I will continue to report my journey as a way to force myself, to keep going and making progress. Please, if you have any advice for me leave a comment so we can discuss. I would love to hear your suggestions!
Thanks and greetings from Germany,
Bao
Hey Thai Bao Hoang,
What an exciting journey you're embarking on! Your transition from offering a favor to exploring a business idea is inspiring. The evolution from covering a non-profit event as a photographer to delving into the world of photo booth rental Long Beach CA demonstrates the power of seizing opportunities and capitalizing on your skills.
Your meticulous calculations and observations about the existing market reveal a keen business mindset. It's remarkable how a relatively simple concept can be transformed into a potentially lucrative venture. Your idea of a professional-looking website, coupled with targeted advertising and the potential for scalability, sounds like a well-thought-out plan.
The way you're approaching this venture aligns with how successful businesses are built – starting small, learning from prototypes, and refining your approach based on real-world tests. The focus on user-friendliness, ease of setup, and additional features like accessory cases and printing functions shows that you're considering both functionality and customer satisfaction.
The upcoming event where you plan to test your prototype sounds like a fantastic opportunity to gather valuable feedback and make any necessary adjustments. This journey is undoubtedly a testament to your determination and creativity.
Remember, every big success often starts with small, thoughtful steps. Your story resonates with anyone who's taken that leap from a simple idea to a burgeoning business. Keep up the great work, and don't hesitate to keep us updated on your progress. Best of luck on your exciting venture, and greetings from across the globe! 📸✨
Happy to hear how it went!
I'm in a similar position (other country tho). We had 2 events where we wanted a photobooth, so my sister said it would be already 50% of the cost of just making one, so that's what we ended up doing.
I do have a few small struggles tho, like how it's not always that easy to just plug'n'play everything (camera, tablet and printer) so it's simply works.
If you're interested in exchanging some tips/ideas, let's get in touch :)