(coming soon)

October 6th. 2005

Do Your Customers See Online the Same Thing You See Online?
by Jack Counts, Jr.

All CCS customers and their staff should set their office and home computer resolutions at 1024 x 768 – no higher. Why?  Because it is imperative to SEE what your customers see to identify possible problems that people may have when ordering. 

A couple of examples of why you need to do this:  We had one customer using a header with a 1 megabyte image – it took FOREVER for any online customer on a dial up connection to see the proofs.   Another customer's header for his game day photos was TOO wide and customers could not easily see steps to ordering.  In both cases the CCS customer involved was using very high resolution computer settings and used only broadband themselves.  Therefore, they never "saw" or "sensed" the problem that existed for their customers.   

The point is that as a photographer, you must carefully go through what you post – from the typical customers perspective and BE SURE that there are no obstacles to your customers ordering online ordering online.

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CCS Says Thank You!!!

Many thanks to all of the CCS customers, employees and GS franchisees who reached into their wallets and their hearts to help out CCS customers, Joey and Debbie Fasullo. To date, $17,459 has been raised to help the Fasullos get their life back on track as they prepare to plan their future, post-Katrina. Of course, that same amount will be matched by CCS as a credit on their CCS lab account.

In response to the many inquiries about the Fasullos and their situation, they are now living in the Houston area and are unsure at this point—being so soon after Hurricane Katrina—where they will permanently reside, or where they will continue their business. “We don’t want to make an emotional decision,” said Debbie, “only to find out that it was the wrong decision.”
Though their home was spared major damage, their business no longer has customers. “New Orleans has become a ghost town,” remarked Debbie,”and there really is no point in us returning to a city where schools are closed, stores are closed and there is no photography opportunities taking place”.

We wish the best of everything to the Fasullos and know that they’ll be back on their feet in the near future. Any remaining contributions can be sent to CCS c/o Brian Speers.

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Multi-Pose Results Provides Multi-Dollar Increase
In a previous August newsletter article I wrote about the four individual poses taken of each football player at the University of Oklahoma Media Day.  At that time I had explained how Candid Color Photography had added two new poses to go with the two standard poses that they had done for years.  The idea behind this change was: if grads are more successful with multiple poses, then using the same model for sports might possibly produce similar results.

Pose #1

Pose #2

Pose #3

Pose #4

As of today, sales have totaled $3,629.95 which is an average of $75.62 per player from 48 orders.  Of those orders, 35% were placed by phone, fax, or mail and 65% were placed online.
 
Now to the additional posing: of the 48 orders received:
    • 38.8% ordered from one pose
    • 30.5% ordered from two poses
    • 22.2% ordered from three poses
    • 8.3 ordered from all four poses. 
This is significant in that the extra poses clearly drove sales by offering poses that had not been offered previously, and presented more choices to the players and their parents.
 
Additionally, of the orders received so far:
    • 50% were from the full-length kneeling pose
    • 58.3% were from the “portrait” kneeling pose
    • 44.4% were from the full-length standing pose
    • 41% were from the “football’ pose
Clearly, and especially looking at these numbers, offering multiple poses was a great decision since each pose was ordered from, nearly equally.  Pose #2 is by far the favorite pose, perhaps, because the face size is larger in this pose and this pose is more portrait-like.  But the other poses were nearly as popular.
 
But here is the best news of all.  Overall sales are UP 26.4% or $758 over last year’s sales.  But the really remarkable increase came in the average order.  In 2004, the average order was $45.59.  This year the average order is $75.62, which is an increase of 66% per order over 2004!!
 
This shoot, which was done speculatively, clearly validates the premise that more poses equal more sales.  Much like multi-pose grads, it appears that multi-pose sports shoots may also be the best way to go when shooting speculatively.

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Is the CCS Winter Seminar on your Calendar Yet?
During the second week of 2006, January 9th and 10th to be exact, the CCS Winter Seminar will be taking place at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. The CCS staff is already hard at work lining up guest speakers, planning an agenda, and checking out the winter landscape in Vegas for late night entertainment. You may book your hotel room by calling the Hard Rock at 1-800-473-7625 or the direct line at 1-702-693-5000. The room rate for the Candid Color group is $109 per night; single or double occupancy.
 
Prior to the CCS meetings the Consumer Electronic Show will be taking over the Las Vegas Convention Center from January 5-8.  If you have never attended the CES you are in for a treat.  Just slightly overwhelming in its scope, the CES has long been the place to see tomorrow’s technologies today.  Whether it’s audio, video, gaming, digital imaging, home theater, wireless technology, or mobile electronics there is something at this show for everyone.  Come a day or two before the CCS meeting and spend some time roaming the expansive trade show halls testing out the technologies that interest you.    
 
The CES Show followed by the CCS Winter Seminar is a great double-header!   Plan now to attend.  Look for additional information in upcoming newsletters.

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Grad Green Screen
by Brad Hurley

Giving grads more images to choose from has proven to be a very effective way of increasing sales.  We have done this in the past by double and triple shooting, and also by offering a tight crop of one of the poses.  How would you like to be able to offer your grads more than three images to choose from? 

We have been testing Green Screen software that allows you to shoot one posed

Click to enlarge.

portrait and replace the background with as many images as you want. This gives you the ability to market a product to your grads that is tailored to their college, by using a campus landmark as a background option. 

The background can also be a graphic that represents the school, like a school crest or logo.  Another option would be to add some excitement and creativity to the flag shot, by using a stylized image of the American flag or the state flag.  The options are endless.  The technology that makes green screen possible has improved dramatically in the last few years, and so the process can be automated to a high degree.  If you are interested in trying this concept, please call me to discuss the details (x 317).

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Party Pic Opportunity
by Darwin Drake

Looking for growth in your business?   Here is a proven market. With Fall here and the new school year in session, it’s time to book professional and high school party events now. I will be working with customers this year who are expanding their business or entering this market for the first time. Fall has opportunities but you must act quickly. In the high school and middle school markets, the best events will be the football homecoming. These parties normally allow all grades to attend, not just the junior and seniors. Schools may also have cross country, band, or a number  of other club homecomings, also.  

First, start with a phone call to the school  and have a list of questions ready. Do not sell over the phone. Politely ask, "What are your traditional parties this fall? Are they photographed? Who is in charge? What is the planning period of the decision-maker?"  Then, go to the school during the planning period to make your presentation.

Party photography is misunderstood at a lot of schools. I’m speaking about candid party pics, i.e  photos taken  where  the party is happening. The school should understand there is no obligation to purchase . The only commitment is to allow you to photograph and to display your proof sheets at the school for 12 days. After the deadline,  proofs can be seen on line. You would want to send a photographer for every 100 students in attendance.

By photographing the first events of the season, you are teaching these students how to be your customer. The schools will see how unobtrusive your photographers are. By the Christmas party season and other winter formals, the schools and students will expect you to be there. Of course by being at the events you will see many other opportunities, like posed packages and groups, to photograph.  

If I can be of assistance in booking schools, how best to build a sales presentation for the schools, sample Party Pics, sample proofs sheets, please email me today or call 405-947-8747 ext 361

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Projecting Images Leads To Excitement and Higher Sales/Hour!
by Jaime McKissick

Norman Party Pics has recently tested a new ingredient for photographing a few of their sorority’s functions.  They are using an LCD projector with a 20 foot tether to a digital camera that instantaneously provides a slide show for their customers at an event. 
 
The response has been great.  The girls are so eager to see their image with their friends displayed on the screen that they are waiting in line.  Easy on the photographer, it assures that s/he operating the projector doesn’t have to run around persuading greeks to get their picture taken.  However, the biggest benefit besides happy customers is that the sales per image shot have been better for the images shown on the projector than for the images shot by free roaming Party Pics® photographers.
 
Both Sarah Tarrant of Norman Party Pics® and Darwin Drake of Candid Color Systems shot events using the projector at Big Sis/ Little Sis parties.  Below are their results in comparison to the other photographers at the function who didn’t have access to the projector.

Big Sis Little Sis #1	Sales/Hour	Prints Sold/ Image Shot
Photographer #1	$111	35%
Photographer # 2	$188	44%
Photographer #3	$88	31%
Sarah Tarrant	$298	62%
Big Sis Little Sis #2
Photographer #1	$324	78%
Photographer # 2	$546	88%
Darwin Drake	$555	136%

There is still room for improvement in the logistics of the setup for an event photographed this way.  For instance, one problem caused by the projector is the limited mobility of the photographer.  With the photographer anchored at one location with a 20 foot radius this can potentially limit the number of party goers the photographer has access to and, subsequently, fewer Party Pics® shot.
 
Another problem is the safety and protection of the projector itself. 
At parties where there is alcohol involved there are always stumbling college students who can put the $2,000 projector in danger as well as themselves, if they get caught up in the video extension cord connecting the camera and projector.  Norman has decided that the best environment to use the projector is at Big Sis Little Sis parties where there is no alcohol, and the girls are already prone to creative poses which makes for an exciting slide show.
 
Both of these problems can be remedied by a technology innovation which allows for a wireless connection between the camera and projector.  This technology is currently available, but not at an easily affordable price.
 
However, these problems are minor when compared to the positive results achieved with the projector thus far. CCS is continuing to research affordable wireless solutions to make the use of the projector a successful addition to your Party Pics® business at your campus.

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More Sorority Party Pics Borders
The following sororities now have party pic borders available:
Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Xi Delta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Theta Phi Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Tau Beta.

Click images to enlarge.

New Wrestling and Scout Memory Mate Modifiers
Two new wrestling modifiers are now available in the Sports Market.  The design of wrestling Style 1 has a more "retro" feel and may be more suitable for older kids while Wrestling Style 2 may be more appropriate for younger kids due to the primary colors.  Our new Scout modifier has an outdoorsy feel reflecting their camping heritage.

  

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Click images to enlarge

Sizes Added to PPS
The following sizes have been added to the PPS market, as requested by customers using the LabPrints software - 12x12 ($5.74) , 10x20 ($7.98) and 5x30 ($8.66).  The 5x30 (shown left) was added to accomodate a high school senior product that CCS customer Don Swift was creating by combining multiple images in a vertical sequence.

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Why switch to QP+?
by Blake Whitney