Planning a headshot lounge for a corporate event is a balancing act. You want the booth to not only provide high-quality portraits taken by experienced photographers, but you need it to look polished. Above all else, you want it to be easy for your attendees and stress-free for you. Here are the top five tips I've picked up from different client events that will help you create a seamless, elevated experience for everyone.
1. Create an On-Brand Lounge Experience
Ensure your headshot lounge reflects your company's brand. At trade shows, make sure the mini-studio is set up with triangle lighting for the most flattering headshots. Want a high-end experience? Offer comfortable seating and branded signage – first impressions matter.
- Signage: Make signage easy by being in front of attendees
- Pre-event Promotion: Tease the headshot lounge in pre-event emails and social media posts
- Queue Management: Your sign-ups should be talking to attendees while they're waiting for their headshot – not afterwards
- Instant Headshot Delivery: Attendees should receive their images in a custom-branded gallery immediately, to post about
2. Get Sponsors Involved
Incorporating sponsors into a headshot lounge is a strategic move that elevates your brand visibility while cutting costs. Sponsors can choose to cover the cost of optional retouching for headshots in advance, or allow attendees to purchase the service individually otherwise.
Another option is to have sponsors participate in the headshot lounge:
- Giveaways: Offer branded swag and exclusive rewards
- Hosted Activities: Create word-hunting moments and interactive experiences
- Software Demos: Sponsors in tech and SaaS can showcase tools that align with the theme of "professional headshots"
- Refreshments: A coffee or food sponsorship to further keep attendees in your headshot lounge
3. Add a Professional Hair and Makeup Glam-Up Station
This isn't a full hair and makeup glam-up for portrait sessions, but rather helping attendees look and feel their best. It might be as simple as some setting spray and adding volume or as involved as light contouring.
4. Host Networking or Mini-Seminars in the Headshot Lounge
Your headshot lounge shouldn't just be about headshots – make it a multi-purpose space. You can add value through networking and educational opportunities:
- Themed Networking Sessions: Allow participants to connect and build relationships with those in the same fields with a topic-based networking round.
- Mini-Seminars: Short presentations by experts or sponsors are always big draws. Topics like personal branding or LinkedIn networking provide actionable takeaways.
- Mentor Meetups: Organize brief mentoring sessions. Attendees can gain career insights from experienced professionals, maximizing the time they spend in the lounge.
5. Make Sure Your Photographer Is Using SpotMyPhotos
The best way to streamline your headshot lounge experience is by using SpotMyPhotos for image delivery. Photographers using this powerful platform can instantly deliver headshots to attendees via custom galleries. Since participants get instant access to their headshots, it eliminates the hassle of manually distributing images later. After the event, you'll receive a CSV file with collected information, streamlining your follow-up marketing efforts. This means you're not just enhancing the attendee experience; you're also bolstering your marketing strategy.
A Headshot Lounge Can Be So Much More
A headshot lounge isn't just about capturing polished headshots; it's a strategic tool that elevates professional image and marketing efforts. Your headshot lounge could also become THE place to be at your next conference or trade show. Not only will you have excited attendees posting and sharing their new headshots, but you'll also have sponsors getting hundreds of quality leads. Thus using these strategies, the whole headshot lounge experience could be a huge win for everyone involved!
