Another business asset: Brian Noble, one of the top idea generators in our industry, has shared with us his excellent brochure about passports. It's another way in which he helps his customers while helping to build his business. You can view it or download it here. To download it, right click on the link and select "save file as" to save the file to your own computer. Thanks, Brian

Idea #1 - The ultimate coupon for every coupon book

Mike Walden, Walden Photo, Ames, Iowa (www.waldenphoto.com)

   We have three coupon books, one included with purchase of film SLR, one for digital camera and one for all other. The first coupon in every book says:

Idea #2 - Making Money In Digital

Rich Reed, Reed's Photo Center, Walnut Creek, CA

   O.K. we all know how hard it is to sell digital and compete. Even with PRO buying group prices memory cards are butchered. So for enhanced margin, we have an employee on staff that does "memory recovery". All Promaster Memory Cards come with lifetime warranty and free recovery when purchased at Reed's Photo Center. If a customer brings in a memory card bought elsewhere we have a $10.00 minimum recovery fee for small cards and $25.00 for large cards. We do up to several cards daily now.

   As word gets out we can expect to add it to the lab services. This program has great benefits to everyone:

1. Customer Service
2. Profit Center
3. Gets them into Your Store
4. YOU find their "Lost Images" (that they lost on their cards).
5. You're The Hero
6. No cost to do it except the time
7. So far we have been 100% successful!

Idea #3 - Privacy

Note From Bill McCurry:

   You don't need more marketing hassles, but Robin Williams is bringing you one. The R rated thriller, "One Hour Photo" is due out in theaters with a limited release August 21. Some movie reviewers have called Williams' a "psycho who stalks a family after living vicariously through their photographs". Not really the image most one hour labs want.

   McCurry's Recommendations:

   1. If you don't have a shredder, get one today. Have a firm, unbending policy that any pictures that are not delivered to a customer that have a human being on them are shredded. No exceptions, period! Shred it or get fired!

   2. Enforce copyright laws with your own employees. Many production areas are full of prints from customers' negatives. These can be scenes, pets, hobbies or people. It appears these are done without the express knowledge or permission of the photographer. Be realistic and advise your employees this isn't legal and they must come down. (If you argue "ethics" or "privacy" issues you could debate it all day. If you state the simple legal fact that we all know the photographer owns the copyright so our having their picture without permission is illegal. Tough for the employees who don't know who the boss is to argue the facts.) Your employees need to know you have zero tolerance for extra copies, regardless of their motivation or desires.

   3. Tell your customers you value their privacy. Ritz is now advertising that security and privacy of customers' pictures are important to Ritz. You can bet it is important to your customers as well. Is it important to you? Do your employees know that? Do your customers know that?