Welcome to Issue 86 of McCurry Marketing Idea Exchange.

 Please send us your marketing idea as well as comments on those ideas posted by hitting your reply button or emailing to editor@mccurryassoc.com. You may offer free subscriptions to your colleagues by telling them to send an email to editor@mccurryassoc.com - Ask them to include their name, store name and city in the body of the email - privacy is protected, see below.

Please Enjoy, Consider and Profit from these ideas.

All the Best, Bill

This week: - Building the print relationship with digital camera customers

Idea 1) Don’t tell them how you do it, just show ‘em that you do it 
Vina Murphy - Linn Photo - Cedar Rapids, IA -  www.linnphoto.com

We do not promote the fact we have a 'super machine', all the customer want is to know is that we can fill their needs.  We will have a very extensive Christmas card program this year with lots of choices.  We will be promoting with instore signage, online and in the local newspaper.  We are looking for a sizeable increase over last year.  Another way we have increased the poster printing is with instore display prints.  When a new camera comes out we print sample posters and hang them around the store.  We use bright colored objects that show off the camera quality plus they find out we make great prints larger than 8x.  These are done on our Epson 24" printer not the d-lab.

One idea we have just started is putting a coupon for 24 digital prints free with each digital camera we sell.  I will let you know how it goes.  We also want to work more with bundles when selling the camera.  This might be a good topic for the future - "How to bundle". 

Idea 2) Get them hooked on prints when you sell the camera
Chris Lydle – Chris’ Camera Center South – Aiken, SC -  www.chriscamera.com

Inspired by Phil Gresham of Fotofast in Australia, we’ve been bundling each new digicam with the following: 

• Free prints for a year (punch card for 10 digital prints per month)
• Free 8x10s – 1 per quarter, and we give a punch card for what we would regard as our slowest photofinishing months
• Free admission to our Digital Camera Class “I’ve got my digital camera, what do I do now?”
• $10 off the purchase of Adobe Photoshop Elements

The coupons are printed as 4”x7” and stapled together. This promotion does more than bring people back into the store – it also makes it a lot easier to sell the digital camera.  

I made 12 composite prints 12”x18”, each with 10 photos, and displayed them in the front window so people could realize just how many images that is. On the counter in the digital camera sales area is a big sign that says “Free prints for a year” and spells out the program. Every 3 ½ x 5 sign for a camera says “Free prints for a year.” I’ve heard shoppers saying “let’s get it now – look at all the stuff they’re going to give us.” 

On redemption, we find that the typical user orders about 55 prints and gets 10 of them free. They are becoming ongoing visitors to the store, who truly believe that the normal workflow with digital cameras includes prints that last. A photo of the storefront featuring the year’s worth of photos is at http://www.chriscamera.com/south/freephotos.htm 

Idea 3) Share the excitement
John Kreidler  – Cardinal Camera  – Lansdale, PA -  www.cardinalcamera.com

For us the best way to increase digital processing has been through our digital class.

We started with Chris Lydle’s class and made some changes.  We give away Photo Finale with every digital camera we sell and we cover that software in the class. We are averaging 45 to 50 people per class.  When we do the class, I try to communicate our personal passion for making prints.  We know our customers may want to make prints at home, but I want them to see our quality and see how easy it is to order prints from us. What we are seeing is a dramatic increase in digital processing for the 10 days or so following the class. We are starting to trend flat to slight increase in overall processing. Our overall strategy is to raise awareness of digital services, not just printing.  Things that we are doing to do this are:

1. We have a large banner outside of our store touting digital prints as low as 29 cents.
2. We have used PMA's POP for promoting digital prints.  We have 3- 24x36 banners in our front window. As well as 8x10 counter cards.
3. We have 3 Lucidiom APMs - 2 are the large kiosk style.  We choose these in particular, because they are highly visible.  The smaller desktop unit just looks like a computer.  We find customers are tending to go to the larger kiosk units over the smaller desktop units.
4. When customers are dropping off film we make an effort to ask each customer if they would like a CD.  Even though we discount the CD we are seeing a nice dollar growth in this category.
5. An idea I have not tried, but am thinking about is a free digital enlargement when you buy a frame. 

 We would run this promotion from time to time for film.  A customer buys a 5x7 frame and we will make the print for free.  I think it would raise awareness of digital enlargement services, but I often struggle with giving things for free.

 All of this said, we have had success when we are excited about the service and have the ability to pass that excitement to our customers.

Idea #4 – Get to Chicago Next Week – Bill McCurry

     Industry changing and you’re not sure what to do next? Get to Chicago to find out. It’s next week, you can still get last-minute cheap airfares. The programs are designed to get you thinking of new ways to make money. The staff that has picked speakers and topics has done a super job. You’ve got frustrations? They’ve got some answers. You are not alone!

     Fall PMA is “co-located” with the Independent Photo Imagers (IPI) Buying Group convention, with Digital Imaging Marketing Associate (DIMA) and with the Professional Picture Framers (PPFA) – dates vary a little depending on the group – starting around Wednesday, October 20 and ending around Sunday, October 24. More info about PPFA/PMA at www.pmai.org or (800) 762-9287 – Info on IPI at www.ipiphoto.com or (304) 720-6482.

Shameless Self Promotion of Presentations Bill McCurry is giving in Chicago –

Making Money Cheaply

     Friday, October 22 – Part of PPFA – We’ll talk about cheap things you can do to increase your sales – and some of the expensive mistakes others have made. Many examples will be from professional picture framers . . . but the lessons are applicable to virtually any business.

New Revenue Sources For Labs and Retailers – The Ultimate Roundtable

     Saturday, October 23, 10:00AM - 11:50 AM – Part of DIMA – Got an expensive digital lab or thinking of buying one? How you gonna make that lease payment? Or pay for just the service contract? Answer: New Services and New Products. You won’t pay for a new lab with your existing roll volume. Come ready to thing out of the box and warmly embrace the new money making opportunities digital brings to you.

Marketing Idea Exchange

     Sunday, October 24, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM – Part of DIMA - It’s another DIMA and new ideas have been gathering for the upcoming Marketing Idea Exchange. It’s where you should be to hear what’s worked, what hasn’t, how you can leverage the experience of others. Who knows, you might meet someone new who can also help you with that unique problem you’ve been struggling with. Come to learn, to share and to grow your business.

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