user: bellegb "City Sky"

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??

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!

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.  

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!

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!!

This is not just how our society works, its how we all work. We see someone with answers that we like, someone we feel we can trust , a source that seems stable, and so we follow them. Its as simple as that…right? But what makes us view someone as being trustworthy?

   Whether you trust your business partner to be fair, trust your doctor to take care of you, or trust your friends to stand by you, trust is the benchmark for our decision making. We TRUST that we are making the right decision when we feel that the one who told us to make that decision knows what they are doing. But when that fails, we are not happy. Gaining trust back is something that takes a lot of time and effort. So how can we gain the trust of others?
 

               A little research turned up these tips for finding a trustworthy person:

1. Keep appointments and be on time.Particularly with business arrangements this is vital. No one wants their photographer to cancel on them or to show up late. It can give the impression that there may be a lack of respect for the other person’s time. Respect and Trust go hand in hand.
2. Keep promises. If you meet with your prospective client on Monday, saying that you will be contacting them the following day, calling on Friday is not acceptable. Help them to feel that when they need you to follow through, you will.
3. Be honest with your clients, and they will be honest with you. They will share their budget with you and then you can figure out together if you are able to offer something within that price range.
4. Be compassionate and interested in them. Let them tell their story. Show interest in your clients, not just in what they may buy. If they feel connected emotionally with you …it fosters trust.                  
5. Make sure your website conveys trustworthiness.  At Stanford University, they did a study that found several things that promote credibility and trustworthiness. The first is: make it easy to verify the accuracy of the information on your site. Offer supporting material and links for the information you present.
6. If you're running a business, show that there's a real organization behind your site.Give addresses, phone numbers, and contact information, affiliations such as the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce.
7. Give your credentials and highlight your expertise. Do this in an "About" section of the site. Explain why people can trust you. Let people know who the real people are that run the site.
8. Make your website useful to visitors. Give information, tips, help and anything else they need to know should be easy to find on your site. Update your information frequently. Don't let things look stale and out of date.
9. Respond when you are contacted. Don't ignore people.

The people mentioned at the outset of this blog are all trusted by the general public because they have made a good name for themselves. You can do the same! Be the photographer whose words are golden and trustworthy.

Here is another resource for how to ensure a good online reputation

http://www.ehow.com/how_4582384_ensure-good-online-reputation.html

Most of us will agree that when we want information about a topic or a service provider we will look them up on the internet. It’s our number one source for information. So ask yourself; what can I do to make myself more findable?

There are thousands of books, articles, workshops etc. all teaching about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Each with lots of information about what you can do to make your website more findable. We know the volume of information out there can be overwheming.  

So here is a recommendation for a source we use and have found very helpful www.hubspot.com.  A great way to start is using their free “website grader”.  Just type in your website address and they will send you a report of how your website grades for SEO. This report is a great way to learn about your website and how to make yourself more findable by Google and other web browsers... even more importantly Customers !

So find out your grade and learn what you can do to make it better.

                                                                                 Happy Blogging

A little research shows us what  other countries say! In Bulgaria they say a word meaning “cabbage”. In Germany they say “cheesecake”, which sounds much more appetizing then cabbage to me! And in most Latin American countries they say “Whisky”. But in Thailand they say “Pepsi”.  And my personal favorite, In most French speaking countries they say “marmoset” . In this case I think the word just makes people laugh.

As photographers you may have your own word that you have people say. Regardless of how you go about it, your job is to get a good photograph of them. People love to smile.

So how do you get your smiles ?

 As we ponder what “we are most thankful for”, time and again we come back to the same answer…You our customers.

 It is our sincere hope that we have provided you with nothing less than the highest quality products and customer service and that your business was able to flourish this past year. 

We have many new and exciting products and promotions coming this year… and we can’t wait to tell you about them!

Until then … we wish you all the very best.

Here is the List of Winners :

We will contact you all soon via E-mail with your personal redemption code to use .

Thanks to everyone who entered . Keep on the watch for our next giveaway happening soon !