So I got this awesome idea to shoot and sell some calanders! I have some neat ideas! Anyone ever do this?!?!?! If so, where did you sell and for how much and what was your experience?!

Anyone?!?!?!

This probably will not help you any but I used to work at a pretty well known commercial studio heres a clue GS and the calendars were $400. In the time I was there no one purchased them just looked at me like I was crazy when I answered them.

Are you talking about the 14 image calendars where you have one photo for each month and one for the front/back cover?

We never offer those and I'll tell you why.  First, people aren't going to buy  more than a couple of them.  Second, they're not going to be willing to pay much for them.  Third, selling a 14 image wall calendar for say $20 is like selling them 14 8x10s for $20.  The photos on the calendars are big, easily scanned, and many people will cut the photos out of the calendar and FRAME them.

We shot a wedding in Hawaii two years ago for some friends.  They basically paid for us to stay in Hawaii for a week and we shot their wedding...not a bad trade.  The last time I talked to the Bride was about 2 months ago and she said "I still need to get with you to order a few photos.  I still have pictures from the calendar that you made for us that are in frames and up on the wall!"

OH NO!!!! I dont mean it like that. What I meant was shooting, say, ALL patriotic stuff and choosing 14 images from it, and making my OWN artistic calander to sell to like, anyone! LOL. Like, Anne Geddes has calanders, Kinkade has scenic calanders, etc! LOL

I'm going to be doing that next year. My theme will be New Jersey's Beauty. We are going to use it as a fundraising tool where 50% of the proceeds goes toward our autism walk. I'm not sure how much we will charge, but it won't be anymore than about $20 per callendar.

I look at is as a great way to raise money, and get my name out a bit more.

If you don't have a good plan for marketing and distributing it will probably not make you much money, then will be quickly outdated, you only have a about 6 months to sell them before no one wants them. Do you have a marketing and distribution idea?

These are all great things for me to think about. Any ideas where I could get them printed? I have not ordered calanders from Mpix yet.....dont even know how much they are. I was thinking about ordering a few and trying to sell them at craft fairs this fall????

I did a garage calendar for a chain of biker bars in Houston before I moved.  It was a good experience but unless you have the ability to move 500 or more calendars quickly, the cost overruns the profit.  The printing costs upfront will run you about $2,000.  Factor in the time you spend taking the images, designing the page and then add printing plus shipping & handling, you're very likely looking at $5,000 out of pocket to start with.  The bar owner paid me for my time to take the images and design the pages.  (Every single page had my logo and phone number on it for advertising so as part of our agreement he paid cost for the actual printing & shipping).  He charged $25 a calendar but ended up selling most of them to the models (his bartenders) to send to thier families or keep as souveniers.  It worked out well for me financially as the hired photographer/designer, but if it were MY money on the line I wouldn't go there without being VERY sure I could sell them.

  If you do roll with it and it works for you, please let us know how you did it.  I would love to be able to do something like this again.  IMO it was a lot of fun and great advertising.    

lphoto:

Better yet, have your priced them and found out the quantities you have to purchase to make it worth while?

This is exactly what I was thinking.  I was approached by a local company last summer to do just this, produce a calendar for them, but once they heard the expense, they decided against it.  Very, very expensive!

I'm not sure where in WI you are located, but here is a link to a good company.  They are local to the Fox Valley, but they do business nationwide.  Worth it to check it out....

http://www.createphotocalendars.com/

I am actually right by Milwaukee!

Thanks for the web site. They look very professional and good quality. Again, its the cost. If I pay $20- will I even be able to make a profit?

This is so much to think about.

I really want to do this though.

Maybe Ill shoot the dogs anyways, and order one through either the company whos web site you gave me or Mpix and see how it looks......

Maybe ILl do a craft fair and bring, like 7 of them. (I plan on doing a craft fair to sell my framed prints this fall). And if they sell I can order more, if not, they will be Christmas gifts for friends!!!!

marley123:

OH NO!!!! I dont mean it like that. What I meant was shooting, say, ALL patriotic stuff and choosing 14 images from it, and making my OWN artistic calander to sell to like, anyone! LOL. Like, Anne Geddes has calanders, Kinkade has scenic calanders, etc! LOL

Marley,

I made some using  Cafepress.  IF you buy 15+ calendars at a pop they charge about $12 per.     One season I sold  74 calendars so it was worth it.  I priced them at $23 each.

Check out Cafepress.com    LULU is good but  people liked the cafe quality more.....     I think Koa also uses  cafepress.

WHOA! Awesome!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!!!!

marley123:

am actually right by Milwaukee!

I grew up just north of Milw :)  I am liking that we are getting a lot of WI people in the mix!

AWESOME! Two of us are planning a small "meetup" in Wisconsin Dells this February!!! Wanna go!!!!!!!!

I could work that out!!  Exciting :)  I really was hoping to go to the Iowa meet up, but it doesn't seem to be working out :( 

Keep me updated!

jwphoto:

I could work that out!!  Exciting :)  I really was hoping to go to the Iowa meet up, but it doesn't seem to be working out :( 

Keep me updated!

hopefully it'll work out Jackie!! we'd love to see you there!

Wait for the Dells............more water slides! LOL

photoguru:

hopefully it'll work out Jackie!! we'd love to see you there!

Wouldn't it be awesome to do both?!  I'll have to see....  I love learning so much on this forum!

marley123:

Wait for the Dells............more water slides! LOL