Selfie stations are the hottest thing to hit events since the photo booth. They are easy to make, fun to use, and create endless memories, not to mention giggles. What’s more, they’re incredibly popular at events of all shapes and sizes. And even though millennials invented the selfie, every generation will have a great time using the selfie station. In fact, the “fun factor” is why you need to want -to add selfie stations to your repertoire of services.

Whether you specialize in weddings, meeting or party planning, or DJ services, selfie stations are in high demand. And, what’s more, the release of great iPad apps mean that setting up a selfie station doesn’t require carting around bulky equipment. Instead, with animated overlays, green screens, and other amazing features, those apps give you the tools you need to create a killer selfie station.

What you need for the perfect selfie station

The beauty of selfie stations is that they’re incredibly portable. And this is a huge benefit in today’s mobility-focused world. In fact, you only need a few things to make one:

• An iPad with pre-installed subscription-based software
• A stand or station for your iPad
• A power cord (for longer events)
• Props – these are totally optional but can be a lot of fun. They are inexpensive, and you can easily tailor your props to your event. Fun ideas include hats, silly glasses, and a letterboard or chalkboard.
• A backdrop – this is also optional, although corporate or PR events may provide their own.
• An attendant – also optional. But it’s a great opportunity to build awareness of the selfie station and make some fun suggestions. If you’re a one-man (or woman) show, then an attendant is not something you need to focus your energy on.

That’s it. So if you’re already planning a great event, everything for your selfie station can be easily packed with mobility in mind, making it a no-brainer addition.

Creating an experience and memories

Selfies are fun, and they’re dynamic. So, what you’re offering your clients is an enhanced experience for their attendees.

Not only does a selfie station offer your clients a way to really engage the people at their events, but it gives them well-documented memories…and potential marketing material. Gone are the days of leaving disposable cameras at a table and pay for film development of potentially blurry—or let’s face it—weird photos.

By adding this service, you’ll be able to sell your clients on getting quality photos and superior editing capabilities. Plus, they’ll also enjoy the benefit of fun video clips and animated gifs for event memories that keep giving years after the fact.

Delivering on PR and engagement

Selfie stations go far beyond fun at an event to deliver powerful public relations and engagement. After all, it’s the ultimate user-generated digital marketing tool for building brand awareness.

And better yet, with apps like Onebooth, you can enable easy social sharing on a variety of platforms using pre-defined hashtags. So, not only can clients encourage their attendees to check in to the venue, but when they share the images from the selfie station app, your clients will benefit from focused engagement. Then, as their followers see their check-ins, it only grows awareness of your client’s brand, especially among millennials who are at the forefront of relevant technology.

This is event management gold – for your corporate clients, for their attendees, and of course for you, as you deliver enhanced value and profit from it. Similarly, you can include your own branding on the selfie station to generate your own PR.

High-value social campaigns and contests

Engaging content is the name of the game, and it can help you and your clients craft a hard-hitting social campaign. It has value for giving people unable to attend the event insights into what’s happening. It has value for building an audience and engagement. And, what’s more, it’s something that is largely self-sufficient without the need for a lot of babysitting from you or your client as the event unfolds.

And, if you’re looking for ideas for social campaigns, an easy one is recommending that your clients ask their followers to tune in to a specific hashtag, which of course is pre-set to post with every photo that is shared from the app.

Or it can be an opportunity for gamification, where clients can choose and reward the attendees who take—and share—the most fun photo, or the photo with the most social engagements. This triggers them not just to post, but also to work to engage their own followers.

How a selfie station can boost your bottom line

Inc just named services like selfie stations one of the best industries for starting a business in 2019. It’s easy to see why. In the age of social media, we are taking more photographs (and publishing them) than ever before. So a selfie station is truly a no-brainer for those already in the event industry, and it makes a powerful upsell for your clients. You can add value to their event that delivers on countless memories, social media check-ins, and great event engagement.