Bill Bricker - Rand's Camera - Toms River, NJ - http://www.randscamera.com/

Hello Bill,

Just was talking with another camera shop, the conversation was the usual - things are bad, companies are doing nothing to help, big box stores are cutting into our profits. Despite this we seem to go back to doing the same old things. I have to admit myself that at every PMA and PRO conference I make a list on the way home of things we must do when i get home. But we must remember what we hear there.

Several years ago the buzz word was photo classes, we had been doing classes for several years before that but took ideas from others at the meeting and extended what we were doing.

With the way things are we must squeeze out every dollar we can. No matter how good our salemen are they miss items when selling a camera. I find our classes are selling more and more accessories at each class. I have expanded the education to include products they should have and do it pulling the items out of my gadget bag so they realize I do use them myself. While educational for them it is also a 4 hour sales pitch that borders on subliminal advertising. On SLR class we have averages as high as $1100 in sales of accessories right after the class.

With the success we have had this year with the SLR class and to a lesser degree our Point And Shoot Class we are working on a Lighting Class, and several location shoots at state and federal parks for on-hand experience with different accessories.

Yet there are still dealers who are not pushing classes or not doing them at all. To these dealers I can only ask "How much money did your store make on Friday night after the store closes?"

Mike Wengloski - Photo Connection of Colchester, CT, USA - http://www.photoconnectionoc.com

Hi Chris,

A few weeks ago you asked who was offering photo classes. We've been doing a Basic Photo Class a few times a year for quite a while now.

Lately, largely due to customer requests, we've also been trying to hold seminars about once a month. In the past we held them occasionally and would charge a minimal fee in hopes of making it a break-even event. Now we're doing it as one of our "product offerings", not strictly for promotion, and making a decent profit.

We've even doubled the price of our in-store classes and people are happy to pay it.

Check out our website if you want to see what we have coming up.

Gabrielle Mullinax - Fullerton Photographics, Inc. - Fullerton CA - www.fullertonphoto.com

Hi Chris and Bill

Well now that you asked here goes! We are doing everything possible to keep our names front and center in our customers minds. We are paying more attention to detail and are using our e-mail campaigns, our in-store signage, a-frame signs and our store windows to promote Fullerton Photo. We are now more conscious than ever that people want value. When creating an offer we are spending more time thinking about its perceived value. An example of this would be our "special portrait shoot days". We have promoted three days of special location portraits keeping our eye on value. Our first two days sold out, with 18 families spending $125.00 each this past Sunday. We are promoting our photography now more than ever and are hosting several in-store drop in days, such as Ghouls & Goblins Day and a Santa Photo day as well.

Also, we are paying special attention to packaging products together to create a finished and complete gift. One example of this is a "Year-at-A-Glance" calendar packaged in a beautiful desk top frame. Another is a calendar mousepad. Along this same line, we are creating a "Gifts to Go" category. These are photo gifts pre-made with a universal sentiment and packaged ready for the customer to give at a moments notice. A mug pre-printed with "Celebrate the Season", packaged with candy canes in beautiful Christmas wrap.

I believe it is time to be confident in the service and services we provide and let our customers know that we are in the business of making them smile even when there's not much to smile about!

Thanks for all you guys do!
Gaby

Editor's note: If the timing of Gaby's promotions seems a little strange, it's because she sent us her contribution before Christmas 2008.

Bill McCurry will lead two DIMAź Marketing Idea Exchange sessions to help you get actionable ideas from your peers that you can implement immediately. Whether you attend one or both sessions, no two idea exchanges are alike.

DIMA Marketing Idea Exchange will be Monday, March 2 at 2:40 p.m.

DIMA Marketing Idea Exchange Part II is Tuesday, March 3 at 2:00 p.m.

Each Idea Exchange stands on its own, no two are ever alike.

Chris leads Photo Classes - The Next Great Sales Tool Session D18, Sunday, March 1 at 3:30 pm.

More great events in and around PMA/DIMA 2009:

PTN Dealer of The Year Party - Wednesday night - at Renaissance Hotel - March 4 - 5:30-7:00pm - come congratulate Jerry Sullivan and rub elbows with all the greats of photo retailing . . . yes, you are invited!

PRO meeting and working dinner Monday, March 2, 2 pm - 7:30 pm. Members and Affiliates only

IPI Members Meeting - Monday, March 2, 6 pm-7, dinner following.

PMA is adding a most insightful session to the 2009 schedule - it will be Thursday, March 5 - called something like "Hot Picks of The Show" or "Best Gems of PMA" or something similar

It will feature representatives of the major buying groups around the world showing their best finds of the show . . .

January 22-23 - PhotoLynx Users Group meeting, San Diego CA USA details

January 26-28, 2009 - West Coast Art & Frame Show Las Vegas, NV, USA - www.wcafshow.com

Saturday, February 7, 2009 PMA Northern California Division "Winter in the Wine Country" Sonoma County, Calif. details

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 New York/New Jersey Metro Division Spring Meeting Fort Lee, N.J.

February 12, 2009 - Bill McCurry gives keynote speech at United Nations International Photographic Council luncheon, Manhattan USA. More info

March 1 - March 4, 2009 - DIMA 2009 Las Vegas, NV, USA

March 3 - March 5, 2009 - PMA 2009 Las Vegas, NV, USA

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - PMA Northern California Division Luncheon at PMA 09 Las Vegas, Nev.