Century Color Labs

Since Facebook announced its recent purchase to acquire Instagram for $1 billion, the number of Instagram user: bellegb "City Sky"users skyrocketed from 40 million to 50 million and is currently growing at a rate of about 5 million per week! With that being said, whether you’re an Instagram user or not I’m sure you’ve at least heard of it by now! Instagram is a photo sharing app that allows people to shoot, edit and share photos with the other users where they can comment and like the photo as well as instantly upload the photo to Facebook and Twitter simultaneously. So how does that impact you, in the professional photography industry?!

user: girlsperfectionFrom all the articles and discussions I’ve read on professional photographers talking about Instagram they either love it or hate it. Many argue that this app will drive the want or need for professional photographers out of business. The other side of the case is professional photographers are using it to their advantage, some of them going as far as uploading photos from their DSLR and posting them to Instagram as a goal to see how many likes and comments they get. Professionals also commented on how they find themselves getting addicted to it because it’s so much easier to whip out their Iphone instead of their big bulky DSLR and they are satisfied with the end result. It’s no DSLR photo but it captures an audience regardless. So, why not use the app to your advantage?! Manipulate it and see what the consumer is looking for, or achieving thru the app. Take pictures; see what people can do for themselves and then one up them with your professional services. It’s important to know what and who you are competing with, even if it’s an app. You’ve got to bend with times and technology. These are just my thoughts… I’m no professional photographer that’s for sure… but I am an Instagram user ;)

user: Ucupz "skypainters" #indonesia How many of you are on Instagram.... and what's the outcome, love it or hate it??

Spring has arrived! So you’re probably wondering what does that mean.… Graduation time!! Between May and June there will be thousands of graduations which in turn mean graduation parties, invites, gifts and of course, thank you cards! There has always been a demand for announcements, invitations and thank you cards but why isn’t the supply coming from the photographers?!What a great opportunity for photographers to capitalize on selling these products. So, how come they are not?

The fact is very few Senior Photographers even promote graduation party invitations or thank you cards. Why? This is a question we ask all the time. Who wants a cheesy card from a local drug store when they can get a beautiful personalized card from their photographer with their image and personalized greeting. Growing up with an older brother and an abundant amount of male cousins, I know getting any adolescent boy to sit there and write a message in each card is parallel to pulling teeth. So, why wouldn’t they love the fact that they can have a personalized message typeset in and all they have to do is sign their name! Have you seen the beautiful graduation designs we offer? How about the beautiful graduation designs from our friends at Ashe Design! Instead of letting your customer settle for less, here is your opportunity to give them a card (announcement, invitation, thank you) that is made just for them!

It all boils down to good and proper marketing. Now is the time to take advantage of our $2 card promotion… that’s right a personalized card for only a $2.00! And if that’s not enough incentive, keep an eye out for another card special we will be running from May-June! Don’t let this opportunity to gain additional sales from those High School senior sessions pass you by. All that hard work from photographing seniors in the fall can still pay you dividends in the spring!

Promotions, contests, coupons… what gets a customer to buy?!  Promoting a business is an ongoing challenge especially for a small business. This is true whether you are just starting out or have been in business for years. The dilemma is always how do you get new and existing customers to buy?

Here at Century, we run special offers all the time. I mean, who doesn’t love a discount or getting a “great deal” on a product?!  As consumers ourselves, don’t we LOVE the feeling that we are getting a steal on a product? I know I jump on any opportunity of a sale or promotion, anything to justify spending some extra cash.

But what else can you do to excite customers…especially those who like a good deal. Here’s a perfect example! Right now we are running a contest on Facebook to give our new/old/prospective customers a chance at winning some of our new products for FREE! This is a great way to encourage “likes”, “posts”, “comments” etc. on our Facebook page and by doing so it enters the person’s name into the contest. Have you ever considered running a contest or promotion on Facebook? You can target customers who have used you by enticing them with a free Canvas or Cube Décor™ from a previous sitting. Or, how about running a contest that offers a free sitting for new customers and “likes” on your page?? Don’t know how to get started? While I’m definitely not the expert, I can share some ideas with you to get you moving in the right direction. This is the 2^nd contest we are running through Facebook and the ease of setting it up and creating it was pretty simple. Just be sure to follow Facebook’s guidelines for promotions and contests. Here is a link of do’s and don’ts on Facebook’s standards.

http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2011/07/running-a-successful-facebook-giveaway-or-contest/

Get your customer’s involved…run a contest…create some buzz…have some fun. And oh, by the way, don’t forget to sign up for our contest (ends March 25^th) and have a chance to win 3 of our exciting new products.  

This past Sunday, I worked my very first tradeshow at the CTPPA Convention. I really had no idea what to expect but Greg & Doreen, both tradeshow veterans, were great backup support.

When I got there I was pretty impressed by the casual, warm feeling of the room and how everything was set up. We quickly unpacked, set up our booth and waited for the trade show to open. This was, in fact, my first time actually seeing first hand one of our new products, the Cube Décor™.  I really liked the quality and look of the cubes!  So, I guess I wasn’t surprised when everyone else LOVED them as well! We got an overwhelming response to the Cube Décor™ and many of the other new products we had on display.  Once the items were in the hands of photographers, you could see the wheels turning just thinking of all the endless possibilities. It’s always nice to see that passion in someone’s eye.

While the new products were a nice conversation starter, it worked out even better for me. I finally got to start putting names to faces! I’ve been working at Century for over 4 years now and everyday I’m either working on customers’ orders or talking to them on the phone. There are very few whom I’ve actually met in person. It was nice to finally make a face to face connection. One of our customers, Peter from YC Photo Designs, invited Doreen and me into the Photo Booth with him to take some “fun” pictures. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Peter before, so I knew he was a jokester to begin with. Nothing builds a personal relationship better then cramming into a photo booth and taking silly photos.

By the end of the day, after all the fun, my feet were killing me! Four hours of standing in one area really does a number on your arches! All in all, my first tradeshow was a great experience, but the icing on the cake was Century Color was named “Vendor of the Year”. It was a great honor to receive the award from our friends at CTPPA.

I may not be a tradeshow veteran yet but a few more shows and I think I’ll be there!

As a young(er), single mother, I post a fair amount of pictures online.  Between Facebook and Twitter it’s safe to say all of my friends and followers know what my son (JT) looks like.  But, at the same time, if you were to walk into my house or see my desk at work, I have a myriad of products with JT’s picture all around me.  What I don’t understand is how anyone would think having a computer image of their kids is enough. But that seems to be the concern of many in our industry.

This conflict of hard copy vs. digital image needs some sort of balance; you know, a little of both “old” and “new” traditions.  I love the ability to sit at my computer and watch a slide show of JT through the years and I also love to see him on the walls in the house or the calendar on my desk.

So I got to thinking that maybe I have an advantage or a little better incite because I work at a professional photo lab and get to see many of these products first hand. I have the ability to physically touch and see a product to determine if I love it or not.  I’m one of those people who needs the full effect.  Think about it.  Nothing does a product justice like the product itself.

The bottom line is that most people are hands on and react to that which is in front of them.  They don’t understand how great something is until they can see it.  With all of the new products on the market today, it is more important than ever to have samples on display to turn your customers from “that sounds nice” to “I have to have that”.

 Do parents still want pictures of their kids to decorate their home and offices? My answer is 100% yes… I’m living proof of that!!