Teri Welch - Forrestfield Photos - Perth, Western Australia www.forrestfieldphotos.com.au

Hi Bill,

Here are a few for you, should keep me out of debt for a while?

We got some gift cards in from our local wholesale card place www.waterlyn.com.au (there are a lot of wholesale companies who even supply stands if you have the room).

We ordered some really nice gift tags, gift bags, and wrapping paper. When a customer buys a gift we offer a gift wrapping service and show them the cards. Saves the customer going to the newsagent, buying the card and paper which can add quite a considerable amount to the cost of the gift.

For an extra few dollars spent on a card in my store not only do I get the little upsale but I keep the customer very happy by wrapping the gift for them.

Bill Fogel - Dodd Camera - Cleveland, OH, USA - http://www.doddcamera.com

When I was in college I, along with three friends, entered a local bike shop.

We had been in the store for less than a minute when the owner yelled from across the store for us to "get out and come back with your parents!" Since we were all in our early twenties ordering us to shop with our parents struck us as ridiculous and condescending. But, it was his store, so we shrugged and walked out.

Twenty years have passed and I have become an avid cyclist. I recently purchased my fourth bike, and it wasn't cheap. My three friends have also continued with cycling. We have all purchased multiple bikes over the years. And, of course, the accessories that go with the sport: helmets, clothing, tires, water bottles, etc. Then there are new parts for the bikes and the service fees for putting those parts on. Over the years my friends and I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on cycling.

The store owner that kicked us out that day has not seen one cent from us. In the time it takes to say eight words he cost himself about $50,000 . . .and counting! Not to mention the many negative reveiws we have given that bike store over the years.

It was about six years ago that a college student walked into my store for the first time. he was studying photography, and was eager to discuss anything related to the topic. I spent some time talking with him, offering what advice I could. From time to time he would bring in his work, which I liked very much, and we would critique it. He made purchases over the years, but nothing major. mostly ink jet supplies, and the occasional accessory.

Eventually, he graduated and began working for a company that takes school photos all over the state. One day he walked into my store and asked for a quote on two dozen pro level lenses. It turned into a $27,000 sale, the largest single sale I've ever had.

The bottom line is that most young people expect to be ignored, or chased out, by specialty retail employees. But, by showing some interest (and respect!) in students you may find some of your most enthusiastic and loyal customers.

Marvin Meister, Meda Inc. Photo Center - Los Angeles, CA, USA

We have been giving a coupon for free digital prints with every digital camera sold. The return ratio was very poor, even though the prints were offered free. So we changed the presentation.

Now, the coupon is in an envelope with a printed thank you note to the customer, thanking them for their purchase and offering assistance with their new equipment, as well as the free print coupon.

The resulting return is much better. Making the coupon part of the thank you seems to add value to the package.

Thanks to all the savvy retailers at the IPI Convention who have jumped on the educational band wagon.

One immediate past president of PMA, who shall remain nameless, figures he's now taught about 2,000 students who have often become customers. Even if they never bought anything else from him but the classes, he figures tuition alone is north of $40K. Not a bad return on his $97 investment in my Digital 101 Lesson Plans.

More than a thousand camera stores, photo finishers, schools and universities have licensed the original Power Point presentations I created back back in 2003 and have been updating ever since.

As Bill McCurry has often said, "why reinvent the wheel?" I've already done most of the work for you.

That anonymous user I cited earlier, the one who now feels he's had about 2,000 students. He figures the average tuition was $22.50 each. That would be a $45,000 return on his $97 investment - not to mention the additional sales from his students. And students will actually come up to you and thank you for sharing your knowledge with them after each class!

OK, that's a long winded introduction to the fact that I now have lesson plans available for Digital SLR cameras, the fastest-growing segment of the digicam industry. And one nice thing about DSLR owners - they buy extra (profitable) goodies.

Here's a bonus page where you can not only find out more but download a free sample!

September 10-11 PMA Canada Exposition 2009, Toronto, Ontario Info

October 22-24, 2009 PDN PhotoPlus Expo Jacob Javits Center, NYC, NY, USA - info

November 10-12, 2009 - 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference being held in the Monterey Conference Center, Monterey, CA, USA. www.6sight.com

February 19-23, 2010 - PMA '10 kicks off in Anaheim, CA. Conferences begin the 19th and the trade show begins the 21st.