McCurry Associates Marketing Idea Exchange Archives

Volume 69 - January 21, 2004

Bill McCurry McCurry Associates wmccurry@mccurryassoc.com (800) 553-1332

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Idea #1 – Question: “Should I sign up with QDPC or CDPP?”

Answer from Bill McCurry  

Background: We’ve received emails asking about these new programs and which is better.  Let’s look at three that are currently available.  

PMA recently launched their QDPC ( Quality Digital Print Center ). There’s no cost to PMA members and you will be listed and linked on the www.printsarememories.com website which PMA is promoting through various media. This is a no brainer. . . why not be here? Go to www.pmai.org or http://qdpc.pmai.org/ today and sign up.  

A slightly more “upscale” approach is IPI’s Certified Digital Photo Processor (CDPP). It is currently available only to PRO and IPI members who submit sample work that must pass a minimum quality standard. There’s a small cost to pay for signage and certification inspection. The cost is so reasonable we can’t see why anyone who is eligible wouldn’t sign up.  

Industry veteran Bob Banasik is the new VP of Retail Services for DigiBug. One of their programs allows you to receive print orders through their marketing and promotional efforts. You pay them a commission only for the sales they bring you. No additional sales then you pay nothing. Again, sounds simple to me. Contact Bob at (203) 470-8881 or bob@digibug.com  

It looks to us that you should support all three of these programs and any similar programs that will drive business to your store or website. Do it now!

Idea #2 –

Joel Lippman, Reed’s Camera & Video, Walnut Creek , CA joel@reedscameras.com

      One of the tools we have used to try to have better sales and turn on our inventory is to analyze our inventory by department. We do a department inventory sales sort by department by retail price point and then divide this information by meaningful retail price point categories...e.g. on digital cameras we go $199-299, $300-399, $400-499 etc.

      We can then see the sales by price point, and by doing a few quick calculations we can figure out the percentage of sales in each category. In addition we can also figure out the sales by vendor. These department inventory sorts show us:

       + Units Sold

       + Gross Sales $$$

       + Gross Profit Margin %

       + Gross Profit $$$'s produced

     With this information you can see patterns & trends in departments with products and vendors. You'll see what is successful and what is not, and adjust your buying directions accordingly.  

Idea # 3 – Free Albums Drive Double Prints

Curt Reif, Acme Photo, LLC, Madison , WI - Acmepf@chorus.net  

      We have a box of inexpensive (our cost is 34¢), sometimes seasonal, photo albums (vinyl, fold over, holding 24 - 4"x6" photos) that are on our counter. The customer can select a free album whenever they add a second set of prints to a 24 or 36 exp roll. Or price for the "twins" is $4.00 for 24 $5.00 for 36. We have gone through three cases of albums the first three weeks of doing this. Customers now ask for the "album special" and buy the albums for the first set of prints (for 99¢ per album).  

Idea #4 – S U P E R   B O W L   S U N D A Y! – Score one for your team

Michael St Germain, Concord Camera, Concord , NH – www.concordcamera.com  

Our newspaper rep sent this email which made me think of the opportunities to sell services and products to “football widows” – the prime spenders in our industry are women – while there are many women football fans there are also lots of women who will want to escape the house – we’re going to give them a place to come.  

Email from Concord Monitor Sales Rep - - -

Last year, several downtown shops opened the afternoon of the Super Bowl and business was brisk. Apparently lots of women would rather shop than watch football (yours truly included)! If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, we suggest you be open from Noon to 5 on Sunday, February 1st and offer some special treat for shoppers. You also might want to advertise on the Tuesday page of the Concord Monitor, on January 27th!

Upcoming Industry Speaking Events with Bill McCurry –  

+ Wednesday, February 11 – 10:30 – 11:40 – Marketing Beyond The Book – (DIMA – Las Vegas ) – What’s happened in the year since Digital Guerrilla Marketing was published? What’s working? What’s not?

• Wednesday, Feb 11 – 1:00 – 2:10 – Marketing Idea Exchange (DIMA – Las Vegas ) – This is where you meet new networking partners and share ideas that will pay back your investment to come to Las Vegas – This session tends to sell out so register now!

• Thursday, February 12 - 11:00 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. (PPFA – Las Vegas ) Guerrilla Marketing for Framers (PPFA General Session Luncheon)

• Thursday, February 12 - 2:30 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. (PPFA – Las Vegas ) Effective Marketing in Tough Economic Times – Customized for picture framers, how to reach your target audience in today’s climate without breaking the bank.

• Friday, February 13 – 7:00pm – 9:50pm (PMA – Las Vegas) Night School – “Marketing That Makes You Money” – A concentrated look at your marketing dollars and how to wring more sales from them.

      If you’ve read this far down . . . God Bless You!  It means you’re serious about your business and see something of value in these newsletters . . . Bill is working with Harold Lloyd to help craft the best Sunday Breakfast session PMA has ever seen. Harold will be speaking on “Am I The Leader I Need To Be?” . . . . If you own or manager (or ever want to effectively manage) a business you need to be in Harold’s Session Sunday morning February 15 . . . You’ll discover ways to increase your effectiveness and your team’s performance. No excuses - - - you better show up!

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