Mike Walden - Walden Photos, Inc. - Ames, Cedar Falls/Waterloo, Iowa - www.waldenphoto.com

Bill and Chris,

Here are two that will hopefully be worthy of publishing

#1 - Two Days for Tots

After 24 years of running a 'Tuesday for Tots' special in our studio, we have now added Thursdays to the special, thus 'Two Days for Tots'. The special is that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have no sitting fees for individual portraits of children 5 and under. We then have the proofs ready in three hours and the packages ready in one day. We no longer advertise this promotion much, other than signs in the store. When we added the Thursdays to the special we ran two newspaper ads and that was it. The rest was done by word of mouth. Our Tuesdays book up several days in advance and now Thursdays are mostly full. We have had many mothers and grandmothers thank us for adding another day, to make it easier for their schedules.

We did have a few duds along the way in our experiments. We tried a 'Senior' day on Thursdays, but it was a disaster. We would offer a free sitting for anyone 60+. Well, they liked the free sitting, but they never purchased much. They virtually all said, "We just need a picture for the paper. Nobody wants a picture of me." If they spent $20.00, we were lucky. We tried other specials, but hands down, the best is to go after is children. Grandmothers will spend more on their grandkids than their own kids. I always smile when grandma comes along to help with the sitting.

#2 - Thank you cards

As more and more people are shooting their own senior pictures we started making all kinds of graduation announcements. For $20 we create a 4x6 graduation announcement with two pictures and whatever text they want. Then we have quantity breaks, depending on the size of the order.

Well, these kids also need to send thank you notes to those people kind enough to give graduation presents. So, we added a special where as long as they ordered 100 or more announcements, we would include 50 free thank you cards. So, if they ordered 100 or 1000, we would just give the 50 free thank you notes. Our average graduation announcement order went up from 75 to 130(approx.) and the majority of the orders require more thank you cards to be ordered. It is not uncommon now to see orders of 400 announcements and 200 thank yous. I don't think that I knew 400 people when I was in high school, but they do now. It takes minimal advertising, as once someone in a school does it, the word spreads like a wildfire, especially amongst the young ladies.

The image we stuff in envelopes and have on the counter is attached.

Jim Contoudis - Jack's Cameras - Philadelphia PA - 215-677-1050 ext 104

We started eBaying for customers over three years ago. We generate some $200,000 in revenue from just accepting our customers old stuff. We have been using eBay to unload old merchandise for over 10 years.

We did not invest in new employees to handle this new venture, we already had an employee shooting photos, making descriptions, answering questions and shipping goods so it was just an extension of what we were already doing.

We collect 30% of the auction as our fee, which pays for all EBAY fees and listing costs and any shipping material. We also charge shipping on all auctions which usually covers freight and EBAY fees, so generally you keep most to all of the 30%.

Some pitfalls are being careful in what you accept to sell. NO records, old camcorders, china, dinnerware, old clothing and anything that is broken. You have to study EBay to see what your going to try to sell will actually sell. DON'T take in items that you think might sell, - you're just wasting time and eBay listing fees.

After the auction is complete you hold the customers' funds for 3 to 4 weeks. You hold the funds just in case a problem arises with the item in transit or it just does not work.

Allen Showalter, President - PMA Dixie Division 2007 President-elect PMAI

Here's how the conversation went:

"Let's get all the photo specialists in the Southeast together for a big party"

"And let's have it someplace warm and beautiful and historic"

"And get Bill McCurry and Brian Wood there so we can write the whole thing off"

Even better, make it ridiculous cheap so everyone can go...like 25 bucks.

Even cheaper..do TWO for $25!

With that said, my Brothers and Sisters I present the following:

2007 Dixie Division Agenda

English Inn, Charlottesville, Virginia http://www.englishinncharlottesville.com/

Registration Fee: $25

Special: Register before May 15 for 2-for1 pricing. Yes 2 people may attend for only $25.00This includes the all programming, the reception Friday night, dinner Saturday night and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday.

The PMA Dixie Division wishes to express sincere thanks to these sponsors:

• Gold Level Sponsor: FujiFilm
• Silver Level Sponsor: Independent Photo Imagers
• Bronze Level Sponsor: Noritsu

Friday, June 1 4:00PM--6:00PM Registration and Photo Contest Entries, Sponsor Tables Open

6:00PM-7:00PM Welcome Reception Renew friendships, make new acquaintances, catch up on business-related issues and share the good company of your friends in the PMA Dixie Division.

Saturday, June 2

8:00AM Breakfast 8:45AM Official Welcome Allen Showalter, PMA Dixie Division President PMAI President-Elect

9:00AM to 12 Noon with occasional breaks.

The Opportunities and Pitfalls of Printing without Silver - Brian Wood--Owner of Photovision in Salem, Oregon, Chairman of the Board of IPI and PMAI National Chairperson for the United States.

Brian was one of the first labs in the country to install a digital photo lab back in 1999. He has recently added toner-based printers and will share what he has learned, both good and bad in the process. Let his experience help you decide the right direction for your photo business.

Best of DIMA 2007 Expanded and Updated - Bill McCurry

Bill expands on his popular DIMA '07 session nicknamed "33 Money Saving Ideas You Can Do Within 33 Hours of Returning Home". If you missed the Digital Imaging Marketing Association's 2007 meeting in Las Vegas this is your chance to get the best of Bill's wisdom and real world solutions culled from successful photo companies around the world in this new and expanded version.

McCurry is the author of several super business resources, including Guerilla Marketing For The Imaging Industry, Guerilla Managing For The Imaging Industry, Digital Guerrilla Marketing and the new It's Your People... Really!

He advises forward-looking imaging concerns including retailers, manufacturers and distributors. His sessions at conventions and conferences such as Photo Marketing Association, Digital Imaging Marketing Association and Professional Picture Framers' Association are among the best-attended events at those shows.

Noon - Lunch on your own

Enjoy the beauty of Virginia on your own. Skyline Drive, Civil War battlefields, museums, limestone caves, University of Virginia and antique shopping are all within an afternoon's drive of Charlottesville.

1:00--5:00 Optional Monticello Tour

Join us for a 40 minute trip by bus and then tour the historic home of our third President, Thomas Jefferson. Discover the true genius of an American original at the home of this statesman and inventor. Bring your camera as we browse the main home and gardens of Monticello. After seeing Jefferson's impressive home a French nobleman observed that he had placed his house and his mind "on an elevated situation, from which he might contemplate the universe."

1:00--5:00 - Optional one-on-one consultation time with Bill McCurry

Register in advance to meet Bill for a one-on-one business consultation.

Bill is a recognized expert and author in the areas of business finance, marketing, and staffing.

These 25 minute sessions are available on a first come, first scheduled basis for a nominal fee to PMA Dixie of $20.00.

Please complete the special section of the registration form and check the appropriate box for the topic you wish to discuss with Bill.

( ) Business finance and profits ( ) Marketing ( ) Staffing

Times will be assigned during registration on Friday afternoon.

6:00 Dinner at the English Inn--Enjoy some southern hospitality.

Sunday June 3

8AM Breakfast

8:45--10:15 Marketing Idea Exchange and Roundtable led by Bill McCurry.

Bring your best ideas and exchange them with your fellow Dixie Division members.

Break

10:30 PMA News and Notes

10:45 Dixie Division Official Business Session

11:00 Prize Drawings, Photo Contest winners announced

A preliminary draft of the registration form is available online at http://photoimagenews.com/dixie2007reg.htm