How to monetise your calendar for more profits
Customised photo calendars are an easy, very profitable product for both photographers and fundraisers.
To produce a calendar that’s profitable for your organisation or business here are our 8 top tips.
- Start Now
The best opportunities for selling calendars are in the months leading up to Christmas. The earlier you produce your calendars, the longer the selling time frame and potential to increase profits. We’ve found those who print calendars early in the season and market them effectively often sell 2 or 3 times their initial expectation. Word of mouth creates more demand once the initial batch is out there. And it’s easier to sell a product that’s already popular, as you’ll have testimonials from your happy customers (don’t forget to keep these!)
Additional print runs are quicker with existing artwork and a simple and easy way to improve profits and increase the audience for your work. - Choose photos with your viewers in mind
Keep buyers and viewers top of mind when selecting images. Each month images will be viewed for more than 4 weeks, so people want images that are interesting and enjoyable. Choose your best work and most representative images. Then get someone to review your selection who knows your community or target audience well. What appeals to you may not be the best for buyers. Aim to create a calendar your viewers will want to own. - Maximise your Branding
Your calendar is a very low-cost marketing tool, which keeps working for the whole year. Make it straightforward for your calendar buyers to connect with your business or organisation. Include your logo if you have one, contact details, website address and social media links.
If you’re a photographer, your calendar will get new eyes on your work. If you’re a fundraiser it can raise your organisation’s profile outside your supporter community. - First Impressions Count
Your cover image and design arevery important elements in the success of your calendar. Choose carefully. Your cover should reflect the feel of the whole calendar - Promote before, during and after calendar production
If you don’t market you won’t make it!
Plan your marketing and selling schedule so you’re stimulating interest even before your calendars arrive. Many of our customers presell calendars before their calendars go to print.
If you’re unsure about likely profits, here’s a simple example:
Calendar quantity – 250 calendars
You paid – $7.50 each
Sell price – $20 each
Total Profit – $3,125 ($12.50 per calendar) - Marketing your calendars
Sell your calendars through as many channels as possible:- Your email database
- Existing community and customer word of mouth
- Your website and social media
- At events (both online and offline)
- Through retail outlets – approach local shops, galleries and businesses to sell your calendars
- Sponsor Advertising
Fundraisers can multiply the profitability of a custom calendar by selling calendar sponsorships.
Include one sponsor on each month page for low effort additional profit. And sponsors are a brilliant additional avenue for calendar sales, so you win both ways.
Here’s an example:13 sponsors (one per month) – $250 per sponsor
Additional profit $3250 - Calendars as a business gift
Sell calendars to businesses as a promotional gift for their customers. For photographers, this can be an effective way to market to an entirely new audience as well as increase your calendar sales. Offer to co-brand the calendars with their business details and your own.
Calendars are a profitable, evergreen and valued product. They put your business or organisation top of mind for a full year. What are you waiting for?
At CalendarPrint, we guide you personally through the calendar production process to easily translate your calendars from idea to product – delivered to your door.
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