Century Color Labs

This is a perfect example of listening to your customers.

Storytellers Photography just completed their first “Pet Lovers” calendar contest and it all came about when a customer came in to have her dog photographed because her groomer wanted to produce a calendar. Joan Genest thought that was a great idea and wanted to get involved, so she partnered with the groomer, solicited other pet focused businesses in the area for sponsorship and launched the Pet Lovers campaign, which also benefited the Ct. Humane Society.

Joan told us that they marketed the event through mailers to their own customer list and the lists of the other 16 sponsors. They also posted information on their website, blog and Facebook page. Of course, once people started bringing their pets in to be photographed and they told their friends the event really took off.

All images were posted on ImageQuix via Storytellers website. Visitors paid $1 per vote, with all  proceeds going to the Connecticut Humane Society. Participating pet owners paid $25 for their session fee ($15 went to CHS) and chose the pose they wanted to be posted for voting and the calendar. In total, they photographed 49 pets (3 cats, 1 rabbit and 45 dogs).

Entries were open for six weeks, March 1 – April 15^th and then voting was open for six weeks, May 1 – June 15^th. In true marketing fashion, two weeks before the event closed for voting, an email was sent to all participants stating the time frame and who the top ten pets were at that point in time. Joan said that on some days they had 50 visitors to the site, and even now, weeks after the contest has closed, people still visit the site.

When all was said and done, this event raised over $4,000 in votes for the Ct. Humane Society, not to mention the $735 from the sitting fees and additional proceeds from the sale of the calendars, which will start in October!

Joan stated that they received “a lot of good exposure” from this event due to the number of people who visited their website, blog or Facebook page to learn more or cast a vote. She said they would definitely do this type of promotion again, but next year “we’re doing it with children. If people love their pets this much, they love their children even more.”

Good luck guys and congratulations on a very successful and creative promotion!

Note: Charitable fundraisers like this require State approval and the completion of several forms.