Alan Passmore and I cannot emphasise enough how important the success of
Cherubs is to our studio, it now comprises over 60% of our business
including the spin-offs from it. During the lead-up to Christmas we had to
work Sundays as well as our normal working days in order to fit in all the
sittings requested for Christmas presents, making the total sittings for
the period more than sixty per week!Amongst these were some recommendation sittings and Thomson Directory bookings which is our only other form of advertising. We have had no need to advertise in the local newspaper, but have relied solely on Cherub customers - bless their cotton socks! To top it all, we have the two year old Cherubs coming back now to buy their Birthday portraits - and no Freebies!
Not only this, but we are full swing into a full working diary for January, how else could you have such a guarantee of work? Our biggest problem has been reshuffling the �little bodies� with cancellations due to the dreaded 'flu' bug.
Even though the number of weddings taking place nationally is well down, this does not seem to have had any effect on the birth statistics. In fact, during the month of July in our home town of Hemel Hempstead, there were twice the average monthly number of births. (I think Alan has been spiking the local water!).
Slowly but surely the word is getting around town that there is an alternative to bog-standard in-store baby photography and our Cherub mums are telling their friends that is well worth responding to that Cherub letter.
We have even had calls from pregnant mothers requesting to come onto the Cherub scheme as soon as they have seen their friends photographs - even before the baby is born!
We are really pleased to hear that over the last few months the number of MPA members joining the Cherubs scheme has increased substantially. However, there are still large areas of the country still waiting to be scooped up. See the list of available postcodes published in this issue of The Master Photographer or phone the Cherubs hotline on 01325 467528.
Our own annual turnover for Cherubs related business now stands at more than �60,000, with an average of around �200 for the first three sessions - this could be you!
Following the success of last years Cherub Roadshow, we are very pleased to have been asked to do a follow up tour during March.
We will be covering the feedback given to us by members during the course of the past year, and looking to the improvements in the running and application of the Cherub scheme.
Sadly lacking in the last year's Roadshow were examples of the work being produced by the Cherub partners. It is essential that when you attend the meetings this year, you bring some current Cherub photographs. We can then advise you on possible ways to improve on sales. Not only this, but a competition will be held at each meeting, with prizes awarded.
Admission to the seminars is free of charge and is open to all MPA members interested in learning about the Cherubs scheme. We look forward to seeing many old friends and to be making many new ones in the coming months.
MPA Cherubs and the Cherubs Roadshow are supported by Kodak Professional.