Here are some of our photo booth success stories from the month of September!
Another month has gone by and we couldn’t be happier with all of the progress that we have been seeing with all of the PBI Family members. As you know, our exclusive Facebook community has been popping from all of the activity that you guys have been up to. We would like to highlight some of our favorite stories and photo booth success we noticed this month!
Our Top Contributor This Month in the Facebook Group
Congrats To Zoraida C Alvarez For The Top #PBIfamily Contributor Of The Month Of September. Who Will Win This Month?
Zoraida is new to the PBI Family but she is doing well already with her business, Pics and Tales Photo Booth. She is continuously gracing us with great news about her business inspiring new and old members alike. We are happy to see her utilizing the group for help in her own business, and giving help to others. We are happy to have you in our family, and wish you even more success with your photo booth business!
Oh Snap, All Snap is Here! Congrats Guys on Your New Branding.
First Gigs with their New PBI Photo Booth Equipment
Thanks for sharing your first gigs guys! We know that the first few gigs are a really exciting milestone. It proves to us that this concept can really work. Keep working hard and you can grow your business to be as big as you want.
Kristel and Michael Rogers had a great first gig this September. Congrats guys!
Tharaneka Sparrow was also kind enough to share their first event with us as well! We look forward to seeing the rest of your success to come!
Winner of Our Media Kit Prize Raffle!
EddyGee won our Media Kit Prize from our raffle. Enjoy!
Make sure you sign up for all of our contests so you can be our next winner. Find out about them in our Secret PBI Family Photo Booth Success Facebook Group!
September Big Wins
#PBIFAMILY
We like to acknowledge people when we see them making strides or having particularly big wins. This month have have two.
First we saw Alejandra Charles head out for a 3 event night. He was running 2 weddings and 1 quinceñera. That truck looks packed.
The other good thing we saw was that Brian Burns did $6100 worth of business.
We wish you all even greater success this month as you keep developing and growing your businesses!
10 Tips for Making the Most Out of Your Classic Photo Booth
BlogThere’s something nostalgic about an enclosed, classic photo booth. For many people, these models bring back memories of taking silly pictures with friends or a partner and walking home with a photo strip. For others, it’s a fun chance to experience the vintage vibe of an old-school photo booth.
Of course, this photo booth experience doesn’t have the bells and whistles of newer models. But that doesn’t mean your classic photo booth rental has to be boring. Read on for our expert tips on how to make your classic model stand out.
Elevate Your Old School Photo Booth
There are many ways to make the most of your vintage photo booth. Here are a handful to consider:
1. Provide Props
The perfect booth isn’t complete without props! While a classic photo booth may not have the space for anything massive, you can still encourage guests to have fun with smaller props. Get inspired by some of these popular photo booth props.
Fun hats, wigs, masks, and personalized signs give your guests options to express their personalities and create memorable photos.
2. Choose a Theme
You don’t want your traditional photo booth to blend into the background. After all, you’re running a photo booth business. This isn’t your typical model used by bars and restaurants!
Maybe you want to lean into the vintage look of an old-school photo booth with a luxurious red velvet curtain and seat. Or maybe you want to give your classic photo booth a modern look with chic additions and a monochromatic scheme.
Also, consider your classic photo booth rental services. If your niche is in weddings, you should make sure your booth can fit in. Or make your model versatile for all types of events!
3. Customize the Backdrop
It’s highly recommended to add a custom backdrop to your photo booth. Luckily, there are plenty of DIY backdrops that you can try your hand at.
However, keep in mind that a closed photo booth is limited in space. You don’t want your backdrop to dwarf guests or make them feel cramped while taking pictures. Consider keeping things simple with banners, drapes, or smaller logos and designs.
You have more creative freedom when it comes to the photo strips themselves. Offer unique borders or include hashtags and dates to each photo strip to make them stand out.
4. Use Lighting Wisely
Lighting always plays a crucial role in photography. You want to make sure your classic photo booth is well-lit so it captures high-quality photos. Of course, this is easier said than done in a closed booth.
Don’t hesitate to experiment with different lighting options to create different moods and effects. You can even put guests in control with color-changing lights or a spotlight during their experience.
5. Offer Different Photo Options
Does your classic photo booth have black and white or color photos? What about both?
Variety is always great for your business. Plus, there’s something captivating about black-and-white photos that people love. They are moody and timeless, making them perfect for certain occasions. Colorful photos also have their place, so ensuring your booth offers both is best.
6. Include Instructions
While traditional photo booths are fairly straightforward to use, it doesn’t hurt to ensure the instructions are clear. Consider creating a sign or small guide for guests to rely on when they want to take photos, change settings, or print pictures.
This helps elevate the photo booth experience and also helps keep your investment in the best shape.
7. Incorporate a Guest Book
Go above and beyond by including a guest book to accompany your booth. This allows guests to print a duplicate of their photo and attach it to a guest book. They can also include personalized messages. This is ideal for creating a lasting memory and a keepsake from the event.
8. Be Strategic About Timing
Now for some other practical considerations. Setting up a classic photo booth can take more time than your more modern, portable counterparts. It’s larger and more difficult to move around. It may also not be as eye-catching since the actual process of taking the photos is hidden behind a curtain.
That’s why it’s important to plan your time strategically. For your photo booth business to thrive you want to have your booth available during the peak hours of the event. Plan for enough time to set up your booth so that everyone gets a chance to enjoy it before taking it home.
9. Provide Digital Sharing Options
Vintage photo booths only print out a physical strip of pictures. However, you can find plenty of classic photo booths equipped with digital sharing options. This way guests can still take home a physical memento but can still share their photos on social media or via email.
10. Display Photos Creatively
Finally, don’t forget to display the photos your guests take. Guests can print a duplicate photo and add it to a photo wall, collage, or album. It’s a fun way to let everyone reflect on the event and also helps spread the word (or the visual) about your photo booth.
Guests can also leave their photo strip to be displayed and pick it up at the end of the event!
Upgrade to a Portable Photo Booth
While we love the look of classic photo booths, there’s no denying that they can be clunky and difficult to move around. They also have space limitations that can’t be ignored.
If you want to diversify your photo booth business, consider a portable booth. A portable photo booth can be one of the best investments you can make for your future. There are minimal start-up costs and they’re incredibly easy to market and bring to a variety of different events.
Check out our photo booths for sale and get started growing your photo booth rental business today!
The Best Ways to Make Money from Home for Teens
BlogTL;DR:
Gen Z is entrepreneurial, with 62% starting or planning their own business. Teens can make money from home with various side hustles. Starting a photo booth business is highlighted, citing low barriers, minimal costs, scalability, and market demand. Other options include online tutoring, reselling, arts/crafts, writing, surveys, YouTube, social media management, virtual assisting, website testing, and data entry.
Gen Z gets a lot of flack for always being online, but this generation is anything but lazy. Teens and young adults are known for multitasking and don’t shy away from a challenge.
A recent survey conducted by Microsoft found that 62% of Gen Zers said they have started—or intend to start—their own business. In fact, nearly half of Gen Z (48%) have multiple side hustles!
What’s keeping you from making money as a teenager?
In this blog, we’ll provide some ideas for awesome, money-making side hustles for teens to get you started. Read on to learn how to make cash as a teenager so you can start funding your own fun, education, and future.
The Best Side Hustle for Teens: Starting a Photo Booth Business
There’s one way for teens to make money that blows other options out of the water. Members of Generation Z should consider starting their own photo booth businesses. Best of all, you don’t have to be over 18 years old to take part.
Don’t just take our word for it. Learn how Josiah, a 14-year-old high school entrepreneur, decided to start and run their Photo Booth rental business. The whole story is in the video below.
Why Photo Booth Businesses Work for Teens
A photo booth business is one of the best side gigs because there are little to no barriers to entry. If you have the time, the tech, and the passion, you can start working right away. There are minimal upfront costs and plenty of opportunities to earn extra income in the long run.
Many young photo booth entrepreneurs continue to grow their businesses beyond high school or college. It’s a smart way to create a sustainable form of income. If you get to the point where you can hire other employees, you can even make money as a teenager without a job!
Let’s break down these benefits in more detail.
No Barriers to Entry
No experience is required to start this side hustle! Photo booths operate pretty independently and customers can easily snap their own pictures. With that said, people will pay more for an attendant. All you need are basic customer service skills and patience and you can bring in hundreds of dollars per event.
Minimal Upfront Costs
There’s no need to hire employees, rent an office, purchase and store inventory, or pay a franchise fee. All you need is a high-quality photo booth and a business plan! Once you start making money, you can start investing in things that add professionalism, like business cards and uniforms. In most cases, however, great tech and word-of-mouth are a great way to start!
Plenty of Opportunities
Photo booth rentals are always in demand. This is an industry in which your customers are looking for you! High school students have additional opportunities that adults don’t. For example, you can rent your booth out for your friend’s birthday parties, quinceaneras, graduations, and more.
It’s Easy to Scale
While you can easily start your business with one booth, growing your business is as simple as buying another one. You can also start slow by adding props, backdrops, green screens, and social media integration packages. If you make enough to hire an attendant, you can have booths at two events at once!
You Can Balance Work and School
A photo booth business is a great option for teens who are still in school. Many events take place on the weekends. You won’t have to sacrifice your studies to make hundreds or thousands of dollars each weekend. In other words, it makes work-life balance easy.
Market Where You Are
You don’t need to invest in marketing if you’re social media savvy. Consider posting about your services on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Since taking photos is your job, you’ll have plenty of dynamic images to use to capture interest. Digital natives have an advantage in this arena!
10 Other Good Side Hustles for Teens
While babysitting and dog walking are solid ways to earn extra cash. Still, it’s easier than ever to run a side hustle from home. Consider some of these popular side hustles if you’re in high school.
1. Online Tutoring
Make money online by tutoring your peers! If you’ve mastered a subject or are passionate about a certain course, you can help other individuals. According to Indeed, online tutoring jobs often require teens to prove their mastery of the subject. They may also require the tutor to be at least 18 years old.
2. Online Reselling
Do you have a passion for finding the perfect fit? Are you a pro at searching thrift stores for hidden gems? It’s super easy to turn your love for thrifting or upcycling into a business.
Sites like Poshmark allow you to create an online shop to resell your items. Keep an eye out for fashionable thrift finds or items that can be polished up and sold online!
3. Arts and Crafts
Another great side hustle that combines passion with work is selling your art. Etsy is an amazing platform for selling your handmade items. People are always looking for unique gifts spanning from artwork and jewelry to crocheted items and more. Market your products online so people can see what you make!
4. Freelance Writing
This side gig is perfect if you love reading, writing, and all things books. MasterClass explains that freelance writers can work across a variety of forms and genres. That means you can sell your short stories to creative writing journals or, articles to magazines. You can even work as a copywriter for a company.
5. Online Surveys
One of the easiest ways to make money from home (at any age) is by taking online surveys. If you can knock out a few surveys in your free time you can make some nice additional income for yourself.
While it isn’t as profitable as other jobs you don’t need any experience!
6. Start a YouTube Channel
While social media may feel like an oversaturated market, there’s still room to carve your niche. Especially on platforms like YouTube. Share your passions, daily life, or tips and tricks, and start building your platform.
This side gig can take a little while to take off and definitely requires dedication. However, it can be a fun creative outlet that can potentially start making you money while you sleep.
7. Social Media Manager
Gen Z is the most tech-savvy generation yet. Your natural social media skills can be invaluable for those who want to grow their brands. You can manage their social media accounts, capitalize on trends, and help grow their following.
8. Virtual Assistant
If organization is your strong suit, you can make for a great virtual assistant. Some individuals need extra help managing their calendars, making reservations, and more. You can perform these various administrative tasks without ever leaving home.
9. Test Websites
Being chronically online means you can tell a good website from a bad one. In other words, teens have a keen eye for the online user experience. Many companies are looking for feedback on how to make their website better, and you can be the one to provide that.
10. Data Entry
You don’t have to be an Excel whiz for this side gig, but it definitely helps! Data entry can span everything from transcribing scripts from meetings to entering numbers into spreadsheets. If you know your way around a computer and can type quickly and accurately, you can get paid to do it from home.
What are you waiting for? Get started with one of the best side hustles and check out our high-quality photo booths for sale today.
10 Types of Photo Booths: Which Style is Right for Your Business?
BlogSo, you’re ready to start or expand your photo booth rental business. As exciting as this is, you also have a very important decision to make: the type of photo booth model you will invest in.
With so many different types of photo booths available, deciding which is best for your business can be overwhelming. Luckily, as experts in the industry, we know a thing or two about the pros and cons of different photo booth types.
Read on to learn more about your photo booth options to find the best investment for your business.
1. Cloee Ring Light Photo Booth
If you’re looking for a portable, all-inclusive photo booth, the Cloee Ring Light can’t be beat. With built-in speakers, a high-def webcam, a touch screen, a computer, and installed software, this all-in-one portable photo booth pushes the envelope by providing not only amazing photos but background music to add extra entertainment value.
Plus, this perfect combination of beauty and intelligence is easy to transport, set up, and store!
2. Magic Mirror 2 Photo Booth
There’s a reason the Magic Mirror is one of the best photo booth types of 2023. This big, full-length mirror photo booth is large and in charge. The primary purpose of photo booths is to get people to interact with them, and this one is like a magnet.
Plus, when it comes to photo booth comparisons, the Magic Mirror is incredibly user-friendly. When your customers begin to interact with the booth, they will be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to use this piece of cutting-edge technology to capture high-quality photos.
3. PBI 12 Black Tie LED Photo Booth
From its captivating outer appearance to its core performance, you have just found the Black Tie is what dreams are made of. The photo quality itself is as excellent as the impressive sleek aesthetics of the unit. This booth features both hi-tech as well as visual appeal to draw the attention of guests, be it at a personal or professional event.
4. Miami Mobile Photo Booth
Of all the types of photo booths, the Miami Mobile Photo Booth is hands down the most portable. With its lightweight design, it can be transported to any venue, which means it’s the perfect addition to any type of event.
Equipped with a high-def webcam, built-in speakers, touch screen, computer, and installed software it has everything to capture stunning pictures and create an unforgettable photo booth experience. Plus, it doesn’t have any monthly charges!
5. Astro Mirror Photo Booth
The Astro Mirror Photo Booth is a unique foldable mirror photo booth engineered with the photo booth entrepreneur in mind. With an adjustable angled slant, you can quickly and easily adapt to any demand that you will run into.
Inside this foldable mirror photo booth unit is the included professional Microsoft Surface Pro computer, DarkRoom photo booth software, and more to capture reliable quality pictures every time.
6. 360 Photo Booth
The eye-catching 360 photo booth is an innovative photo booth that is a far cry from your classic photo booth. You’ve likely seen this high-tech video booth all over social media since it’s a popular option at events. As the name suggests, the 360 photo booth can rotate at 360 degrees, guaranteeing 360 degrees of non-stop, photo-capturing fun! It stuns and wows audiences, quickly becoming the center of attraction at any type of event.
But as trendy as this open-air photo booth is, it comes with more risks than your traditional booths. It’s important to understand that these types of photo booths, especially automatic ones, have some safety considerations.
Other photo booth options are truly just as fun and are much safer, especially for those newer to the industry.
7. PBI Mirror 4 Photo Booth
The Full Body Mirror photo booth makes a powerful statement to any prospect. This is a touch mirror photo booth that is elegant enough for any event, from weddings to corporate. Also, it comes with a printer to get you started right away!
The versatility makes this an ideal wedding photo booth but can also be used at events ranging from birthdays and anniversary parties to coming-of-age celebrations and corporate events.
8. PBI Trio iPad Photo Booth
The groundbreaking portability of this booth is designed to save you time and energy all while making you the most money. Almost everyone knows how to use an iPad. This is why iPad photo booth kiosks are such a hot commodity.
Not only is this type of photo booth easy to use, but it also allows users to share their photos via a wide variety of social media options in an instant.
9. PBI Prime Photo Booth
The multi-colored LED lights contained in the PBI Prime Photo Booth really make a huge difference when it comes to attracting eyeballs and forming lines. This booth sets itself apart from the pack with beautiful features that will attract all ages and demographics and make your job easier.
The booth is compact and perfect for tossing in your car and you’ll love the easy 10-minute tool-free setup. And patrons will be amazed at how great they look through the DSLR High Definition camera and professional lighting
10. PBI LED Photo Booth
Of course, we can’t forget to mention the PBI LED Photo Booth. This photo booth is eye-catching, to say the least. It boasts an amazing color-changing feature you can customize for your client and an ultra-bright LED ring flash built right into the unit for taking stunning photos with our fully adjustable DSLR camera. Plus, the massive 22-inch Touchscreen interface is easy to use and sure to draw attention.
Ready to invest in one or more of these different types of photo booths for your business?
Browse our selection of photo booth types for sale today or get in touch with our experts to learn more about which type of photo booth is best for your needs, experience, and budget!