Marketing for newborn photography clients at hospitals?

8 years 1 day ago #475904 by Carry
Hospitals always seem to have new babies born every day.  So this seems like a smart place to plant yourself to meet new and expecting parents?  I'd like to expand my newborn photography arm of my company and thought this was a good place to start.  Thoughts? Suggestions? 


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8 years 1 day ago #475908 by icepics
My background is in Early Intervention with babies and toddlers w/delays so I've been to our local children's hospital, visited a NICU, etc.

From what I understand hospitals work with a company that provides the service of taking newborn photos. The photographer wears scrubs and needs to be out of the room when a doctor or nurse comes in, etc. I understand it to be a certain amount of waiting to get in to see the baby and parents and take the photos.

I suppose you'd have to see in your area if a local hospital has a service or is looking for a provider. I'd think there would be certain requirements to be in the hospital (background check, etc.) to do this.

Sharon
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8 years 1 day ago #475912 by Carry
Very helpful thank you.  Is there anything wrong or needing permission to give marketing collateral to new parents as they exit the hospital?  Most parents will want photos 2-3 weeks after birth.  

What are your thoughts? 


Thanks again!


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8 years 1 day ago - 8 years 1 day ago #475921 by effron
"Hospitals always seem to have new babies born every day"......Is that opposed to "old" babies? 
Sorry, I couldn't resist.... Anyway, Sharon is correct about hospitals already have it covered. That shouldn't stop you from going for baby photography, you need to establish yourself and the work will come, but I don't think handing out cards on the steps of the maternity ward is the answer.....

Why so serious?
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8 years 1 day ago #475922 by icepics
I don't know if a hospital would let you make anything available to parents or not. In my job we could give parents/families info. on public services but not anything private like a business that I can think of offhand.

Sharon
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7 years 11 months ago #476122 by Alan Nunez
What about teaming up with other business that have valuable products for new parents and create a baby pack. make sure everything has a high value offer. You can offer a Credit to the photoshoot. Then offer them to the hospitals to give to the new parents for free as a gift.

I have done something similar with great success.


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7 years 11 months ago #476182 by icepics
You'd probably have to check ahead; if someone showed up with gift bags for patients they'd probably be running them thru a metal detector or xrays or calling in the bomb squad! Maybe not really, but then again, they would have to check them out.

In our program we'd get donations of toys and baby clothes etc. and had to go thru everything before it got offered to families or maybe donated to a charity thrift store if it was something we couldn't use.

I think you'd have to figure out on a hospital's website what their policies are or who to contact.

Sharon
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7 years 11 months ago #476243 by Kenta

Alan Nunez wrote: What about teaming up with other business that have valuable products for new parents and create a baby pack. make sure everything has a high value offer. You can offer a Credit to the photoshoot. Then offer them to the hospitals to give to the new parents for free as a gift.

I have done something similar with great success.



I was going to suggest the same.  New parents love that stuff.  Best of all, you can count on it that they will go through every item in that goodie bag.  


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7 years 11 months ago - 7 years 11 months ago #476320 by icepics
What makes you think a hospital would let you give out goodie bags? If they let one person give something out, they'd probably have to let everybody or anybody do the same, at least where I live I don't think they're going to take that chance of something inappropriate/unsafe being handed out.

Maybe the hospital gives something out and you could check into offering to include something.

Sharon
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7 years 11 months ago #476348 by Screamin Scott
My son has already approached me to take images for him & my Daughter in Law. They have the props they want to use as well.  This was several months back. I doubt any Hospital would like your idea. Most new parents would likely already have someone lined up... Best to market yourself to parents to be as opposed to new parents.

Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/

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The following user(s) said Thank You: icepics
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7 years 11 months ago #476356 by EOS_Fan
IMO seems like a lot of waiting around.  I would think there would be a more auto pilot way of going about this.  Perhaps like already mentioned, partnering up with others and offer goodie bags for new parents.  


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7 years 11 months ago #476425 by Athena
I really like the goodie bag idea, so would that need to pass by anyone at the hospital, like a committee for approval?  Even it it's free?  


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7 years 11 months ago #476450 by icepics
I would hope so! I can't imagine if someone shows up at the front desk that they could just go up to one of the floors with a bunch of bags and start handing them out - next thing you know the cops or the bomb squad might show up!

Seriously, I think you'd have to look on the hospital's website and find out who to contact.

I remember after a hospital stay (NOT baby related! lol) that I joked about getting a gift bag, or 'door prize' which was a notepad and pen with the hospital's name on it, I forget what else. At the doctor's office they get samples from pharmaceutical reps, I've gotten that type of a 'freebie', not exactly a fun gift but that's about it in my experience.

Like Scott said, parents probably made arrangements long before they went to the hospital for the delivery. Or might use whatever service the hospital might have available.

Sharon
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