Marketing to Teens and Tweens with Best Friend Sessions

Families and children have their own genre; high school students do, too. But sometimes kids fall between those two categories. Phoenix portrait photographer Jen McMorran of JenLeigh Photography may have found a great new way to market to tween and younger teen clients (and their parents): the best friend session.

Jen was inspired by a pair of clients. Two girls approached her wanting to do a shoot together, as the best friends no longer live near each other. But since they were together briefly for winter break, they asked Jen do a session with both of them. She had never done a best friends session before, but she was happy to try it. “I wanted to showcase who they are as well as who they are becoming. They are growing into their own and finding their voice. They didn’t need professional makeup, hair styling, or an over-the-top studio setup.” Instead, Jen focused on showcasing the girls’ personalities and their friendship.

Style: Simply Stated
Song: “And I’m So Happy” by Jesse Palter and the Alter Ego

Looking to create similar sessions for your clients? Here’s Jen’s advice:

• Start slow. Jen started the girls in the studio before moving outside, giving them the time they needed to get comfortable with the camera.
  
• Have fun. “The only way to truly get young adults to trust you and come out of their shell is by showing them it is okay to be silly. If your clients have fun and enjoy the process, they will talk about it to their friends. Their experience will sell your work!”
  
• Focus on the relationship. Though it seems obvious, make sure you’ve got several shots of the friends interacting together so you capture the relationship that made them want a session in the first place.
  
• Even teens think about marketing. Both of the girls she photographed have small jewelry-making businesses, and wanted images they could use for marketing. So get to know your teen and tween clients to see if there are additional ways they can utilize your images.
  
• Use video to share images on social media. “I love using Animoto as a sneak peak or bonus to my clients. My clients can easily share their slideshows on social media without the fear of them cropping out my watermarks or adding their own effects.”

Do you have a best friends session you’d like to share? Post a link in the comments below or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter, #Animoto.