Today we’d like to introduce you to Nora and John Morales.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We started Selfies-R-Us in June of 2017 right before we found out we were three plus months pregnant. This put us on a hold for a bit since we were in a high-risk pregnancy. We became fully committed to the building our brand and network in January of 2018. Although we still had baby on the brain, we were determined to get us up and running and were trying to figure out how we would be successful. Without 100% guidance, but with the help of a couple of books and some YouTube tutorials we felt confident we were on the right track to get us off to a good start. Since we both have a retail sales background but knew “Cold Calling” wasn’t our strong suit we decided to hit the streets and visit venues. We had postcards printed with our information as well as some of the free promotional jobs we had done to showcase our work. This was a bit tough, but we were pretty persistent.
A few venues picked us up as part of their offering packages and by May 2017 we were well on our way to being booked up to three times a month (we were super excited as we were averaging one to two events a month at that). After this, we really worked on our social presence, which we admit can still use some help. We started working with local influencers to really help get the word out on what we were about and really showcase what makes our services the best; our personalities. We love working with people and just helping them have their best time. Fast forward to 2019 and we have built what we feel is a great following, definitely organic and people who genuinely like us and what we do.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We can honestly say it has NOT been a smooth road. I think that most people think that when you are open for business that the business is going to come pouring in. This is NEVER the case! You really must learn to market yourself, your brand and your work ethic. One of the biggest struggles for us was the social marketing aspect. We love people and we love getting to know new people but being active socially is hard for us. We keep our personal lives private which is why it took us a bit to figure out how to market your own company. We have been slowly figuring out what does and does not work for us and what people like to see on your social media feeds.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Selfies-R-Us story. Tell us more about the business.
Selfies-R-US is a local open air photo booth company. We can make your event a standard one (which in our opinion is great) or give you a grand backdrop that will have you and your friends talking about it for a long time. We specialize in taking your best pictures and getting those memories that will last forever. The thing that makes us the proudest is when we get a DM and its someone who attended a party we were at. A message that will say, “OMG we want you at our party because you guys were the BEST!” that really puts a smile on our faces. Although similar offerings to other photo booth businesses in our area, what sets us apart is our offering for the price. We did our research on what several businesses offered and then decided that although our end goal is to make a profit, our return on investment is greater with returning clients. We offer the most we can at the best price to keep you and your friends wanting to come back.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
We can’t deny that luck has played a role in both our personal and professional lives. The extent of it is tough to measure because we like to think that we are prepared for any opportunity that arises. With that being said, we have been very lucky in the sense that we have had amazing support from our family and friends as both new parents and new business owners. When we first found out that we were expecting in June 2017, our son’s grandmother gave a six months notice at work (he was born in December) in order to become a full-time grandmother. Since he was born she has helped us tremendously by taking care of him during the week while we are at our “regular” jobs as well as on the nights that we have events. Additionally, we have been fortunate to have come across some very positive and helpful individuals along the way have helped us along the way through cross promotions and by giving us great reviews. Although I believe we’ve earned those great reviews by providing the best service and quality in the business, the individuals that we have served have all been great and we consider ourselves lucky- and very grateful- for that.
Pricing:
- Standard Package – 2 Hours – $300
- Standard Package – 3 Hours – $400
- Standard Package – 4 Hours – $550
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sruphotobooths.com
- Phone: 832-877-5570, 281-515-6829
- Email: jnmorales@selfies-r-us.com
- Instagram: @selfiesrus_htx
- Facebook: facebook.com/selfiesrushtx
- Yelp: selfies-r-us photobooths
Image Credit:
ARTumn backdrop used with photo booth designed by ArtsbyAaron
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