I have the privilege of working with models and entertainers in all stages of their respective careers, from complete newbies to seasoned veterans. They are all beautiful, unique and each brings a certain style and skill set to the table. Yet while no two models are exactly alike, they will often find themselves dealing with the same set of circumstances when making the decision to create a calendar or set up branded merchandise. So even though nothing pertaining to the internet and retail sales is ever set in stone, there are some simple and fairly universal guidelines to keep in mind when preparing to create and sell your calendar or branded merch.
SETTING UP A PHOTO SHOOT
Etch your photography deal in stone before you shoot! Make sure that you have the right to use the photos for your calendar, branded merch, social media or any other use you might think of.
There are many ways to skin a cat — no offense to cat lovers — and many ways to arrange for professional photos. Here are a few:
- Barter for photos: You trade your modeling talents for professional photos, which usually means that both you and the photographer can post the photos for marketing or engagement purposes, but neither can sell them.
- Model for photos: Unlike bartering, after you model for the photographer, you can post the specific photos they give you, but the photographer owns and can sell the photos, so you cannot use them for commercial gain without paying or getting permission.
- Pay for photos: You pay the photographer to shoot you, but even in this case, you have to ensure that you retain the right to resell the photos.
This brings us to rule No. 1: Etch your photography deal in stone before you shoot! Make sure that you have the right to use the photos for your calendar, branded merch, social media or any other use you might think of.
NUDITY OR NO NUDITY?
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with nude photos in your calendar or your branded merch — until it comes to payment processing. Fun fact: you’re not going to enjoy getting your money tied up when PayPal or Stripe puts your account on hold for violating their nudity rules. However, if your calendar cover is “clean” — meaning non-nude — and you don’t exhibit your inside pages, you should be safe.
Another reason to avoid nudity on the front cover: it can severely limit your ability to advertise. You can’t put a nude calendar cover on Instagram — and if you try to sell outside product on OnlyFans, odds are they will take it down, nude or not.
Finally, if getting your money tied up because of use violations isn’t a strong enough deterrent, remember that in most cases, you’re going to pay higher fees for processing nude photos.
TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS
I’ve had relatively unknown models wanting to order 400 to 500 calendars. While I admire their ambition, I always try to deter them. A really well-known model might sell 300 to 500, and some sell even more than that, but most models will only average around 100 calendars — and that’s if they promote it.
You have to be realistic. If you post an Instagram or Twitter poll asking your followers and fans if they would buy your calendar, you’re going to get a boatload of “Yes!” responses. Unfortunately, a good number of those people just want to be part of the conversation. When it comes to it, they are not likely to buy anything.
So, be sure to find a calendar distributor that offers a manageable order quantity and unless you have a really solid fanbase, start with 50 calendars. If they are selling, you can always order more.
WHY GET INTO THE CALENDAR BUSINESS?
There are calendars with bad photos and cheap paper, and there are calendars with high-quality paper and excellent hi-resolution photos. Assuming you want your calendar to fall into the second category, then jumping into the calendar business can help you strengthen your brand by projecting success, bring in extra holiday cash and keep fans engaged all year. It also helps new fans discover you and makes a good upsell incentive or contest prize.
Just don’t drop the ball when it’s time to promote your calendar. Show your fans how excited you are to show off your calendar, and if you are not sure about how to promote it, get with a merch company that knows the adult market.
Danny Ferretti has over 25 years in the marketing industry and is the co-founder of GFE Model Services and Fangear.vip, a company that specializes in collectible calendars, branded merchandise and other model-centric printed products. For more information, contact sales@gfemodelservices.com or visit GFEModelServices.com.
