October 20th, 2005
CCS
Winter Seminar In Las Vegas is January 9th and 10th,
2006
by Dana
Hill
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.
A preliminary agenda is now available and we ask your
feedback on this and on topics you'd like to see addressed.
We have left 2 break-out sessions "To Be Determined" in
order to accomodate popular requests made in the next
month.
Download
(695KB) the agenda .
Click
here
(654KB) for the seminar registration form with hotel rate
and contact information.
Deadline date to register
is December 2nd! Click
here
(654KB) for additional "what to expect" information
on the seminar. Make sure to check out
Allegiant
Air's non-stop flights!
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.
Brand
Your Sports Products!
One of the quickest ways
to build your business and increase sales is with referrals
and word of mouth. In the photography industry, your products
do this time and time again when sent or shown to friends
and family.
Now in the QP2 Sports Market, CCS has the ability to include
your business logo on your sports products, thereby promoting
your business at every impression. This
option is available by account, which means if selected,
your logo will appear on all products on all events, regardless
of the subject matter.
To take advanatge of this new feature, please keep in
mind the following issues:
Business Logo’s On QP2 Sports Market Products
• If activated on an account, business logo
will be applied to all products produced in QP2 Sports
Market. Cannot be turned on or off by individual
order number or product.
• Setup is $20 per account as well as per change
of logo.
• Logos should be TIFF files sized 2”x2”
at 250 DPI. Bottom align graphic towards bottom
of 2”x2” node.
• Submit logos to your Customer Support Rep.
• Allow 7 business days for setup.
You can view a gallery of branded products here.
Is Your
Sports Business on Target?
 |
Merchandising Sports: Are You The
Of Your Region.
If you are alive and breathing you’ve probably set
foot inside a Target store. With over 1,300 stores
in 47 states, Target has become the latest standard upon
which all other department stores are measured.
Why is that?
With their high-quality, stylishly designed items displayed
in a clean, organized and welcoming environment, Target
has become the benchmark for what all retailers strive
to be and has changed the way consumers think about discount
shopping. With their, “Expect More, Pay Less”
motto they present a fast, fun, and friendly experience
to everyone that enters their doors.
Can Sports take some pointers from Target?
If you are a Sports photomarketer and merchandiser,
do you consider your business to be the Target of your
region? Applying a little of the Target philosophy
to your business could go a long way to providing higher
sales and creating a great experience for your customers.
Uniforms
When shooting a league or team does your staff wear “uniforms”?
Several CCS customers have adopted a dress code for their
employees, especially when many of them are working together
on a large shoot such as an entire league. With
everyone wearing either same color T-shirts or polo shirts
with the business logo prominently screened or monogrammed,
it creates the appearance of professionalism.
Additionally, it makes it easier for other “team”
members to locate each other amidst a sea of multi-colored,
prepubescent little leaguers.
 |
On Location Store
In recent years several CCS customers have taken the step
of purchasing pop-up tents and having them setup at sports
photo shoots. These 10’ by 10’ tents
serve as a mobile store and as a central meeting place
for teams and parents. The “store” is
manned by employees who can make change, sell ice cold
soft drinks, and help to SELL all of the sports products
that are displayed under each tent. Even if
you don’t have a tent, it is imperative to display
EVERY product that you are offering. You can’t
sell what your customers can’t see, what they can’t
touch, or what they can’t evaluate as a product!
.
Retailing
Most photographers don’t usually consider a photo
shoot as a true retailing opportunity. In fact,
for most photographers, the prime concern is executing
a successful shoot in a friendly, on-time manner with
the focus on photography. However, retailing at
a sport shoot can raise your average sales by creating
the impulse buy of a statuette or a plaque once the customer
has the opportunity to see and handle the products.
Typically, we don’t often think of a sports shoot
as a retailing environment because most order envelopes
are completed before the athletes arrive at the shoot.
But for the parents that accompany their little MVP to
the shoot, there is still another opportunity to SELL
your products.
Helpful and Friendly
Think about it! Shooting a league is tough enough
with the logistics of staffing and equipment, and getting
the photography right. But look at it from the parents’
point of view. For many, it may be their first time
to have their child photographed. Are you prepared?
Have you overstaffed with helpers that can answer any
and all questions? Have you done everything you
can to make this a pleasant experience?
Re-signing a contract will, no doubt, be determined by
the quality of photography and the quickness of the turnaround.
But you will also be judged on how smoothly the process
proceeded, how helpful the staff was, and how professionally
the shoot was handled.
Fast, fun and friendly can be great words to guide you
in your next sports shoot. No doubt we can all take a
little guidance from Target and improve in areas when
retailing is the key.
Are you the Target in your region?
Party Photography Key - Be
"Politely Pushy"
by Darwin
Drake
Since the last newsletter article on
making
sales calls at your local schools you should have
had enough time to make at least three calls. With
some party events on your books, use the tips below to
maximize the events.
• After booking your event, plan on sending one
photographer per one hundred or so in attendance.
• When you dispatch your photographer, they
need the training to know that the students are not
going to ask them to take their picture. They will
need to be at the event early enough and dressed in accordance
with the party.
• Set up at the entrance, getting a photograph of
everyone coming in.
• Photographer must smile and have energy in their
approach to take the picture.
• Be assumptive, say "Get together I’m
going to take your picture", "Look this way
and get your picture ", or "You guys
look great get together". Notice I didn't ask
them if they wanted a picture. Can I, May I,
don’t work - be politely pushy and tell them
what they want.
• The photographer needs to be a part of the entertainment, so
don’t wait for someone to ask.
• Systematically move about the room trying to take
2 to 3 pictures a minute.
• Thank each person as you take their picture.
• Look for groups to arrange and announce
all the seniors, juniors, sophomores, footballs players,
band members, all the girls, all the guys, teachers, husband
and wife chaperones.
• Photographers also need to know how to break a
group down. Shoot a group of eight
people (four couples) - then -shoot the four girls,
the four guys, each couple, 2 to 3 other combos. That
would be ten shots of one group and not one duplicate
shot.
Shooting this way, you could experience sales typical
to ours:
Examples:
1 Large High School: $25.00 Pre-key
$1553.27
online
1 Small High School $75.00 Pre-key
$615.00
online
Immediately after the party, upload your images and
order your proofs to display at the school or club advertising
how to buy and where to find on line. Offer a prepay
postage envelope to send in your order
See sample of proofs to the right and prepay envelope
below.
If you need any samples of proofs, envelopes or how to
make a sales call please
email
me today or call 405-947-8747 ext 361
CCS Contact Numbers
by Steve
Foisy
Customer Support 800-750-0494
Monday – Saturday 8:00am – 8:00pm CST
Sunday 8:00am – 5:00pm CST
•
Option 1-Service Rep Support
For questions concerning order status, reorders, ordering
supplies, production inquiries, invoice questions, etc.
•
Option 2-Technical Rep Support
For questions concerning software usage, troubleshooting
or training, equipment rentals or assistance, photography
training etc.
An after-hour’s paging service is available for
emergencies of technical nature. If you reach our
after hours support voice mail (800-750-0594)
with an emergency, just leave a message with your name,
account number, telephone number, and the nature of your
emergency. A technical representative will be paged
and they will return your call within 30 minutes.
Please reserve this paging service for emergencies only.
Equipment Rentals and Orders 800-750-0494 option
2
Or, you can send an e-mail to equipment@candid.com for
camera rentals, and studio set ups. All requests will
be handled on a first come, first serve basis depending
on availability.
Marketing Material Orders 800-336-4550 ext
270
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm CST
For ordering marketing materials that are in stock
or to order seasonal items. Marketing pieces are
subject to availability by season, so please check with
CCS prior to committing to a particular marketing piece.
Accounting 800-336-4550 ext 248
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm CST
For questions concerning your account balances, weekly
bank drafts and Quicpics reconciliation reports.
New Product Requests 800-336-4550 ext 876
For status of new product developments and to submit
a new product request.
Sales Assistance and Training 800-336-4550
ext 232
For assistance with preparation of sales presentations,
sales call assistance, sales training by market, new market
development, etc.
Do You Have Questions About
Rush Orders Or Reprints?
Rush Orders
Need an order rushed? Rush orders can be done during
low volume times and should be submitted with one of our
supported software platforms. During busy printing
times, Rushes to orders may not be available or guaranteed.
Cutoffs for submitting rush orders is 12:00 noon, CST.
Code |
Rush Services
(Maximum Rush Charge is $375 Per Order #) |
Price
(Per Order Number) |
Minimum |
7603 |
48 Hour Rush |
25% of Order’s Lab Cost |
$10.00 |
7602 |
24 Hour Rush |
50% of Order’s Lab Cost |
$10.00 |
7601 |
Same Day Rush |
100% of Order’s Lab Cost |
$10.00 |
Reprints
If you have the need for an order to be reprinted because
of loss or damage during delivery by the USPS, Customer
Support can resubmit the order for you. These orders
must be reprinted as originally submitted and will be
billed to your account. Orders with manufacturing
defects created during printing and handling while at
CCS can be resubmitted by Customer Support at no charge
if no changes are to be made to the order. Any orders
with data/order entry errors created by the photographer
and that require alterations should be rekeyed by the
photographer through their QP2 or CORE Manual Order Entry
program. These reprints will be billed at the normal
price.
Does Photographing Students
With Drinks In Hand Put You At Risk?
by Blake
Whitney
 |
After being subpoenaed
in several different court cases to turn over photos of
Greek events involving alcohol at Texas Tech University,
Bruce Smith of Party
Time Photos decided it was time for a change in
policy. Rather than the Greek organizations of
Texas Tech deciding not to allow pictures at events
that involved alcohol because of the liability it was
causing, Party Time decided not to photograph anyone
with a drink. Instead, they provide a table next
to the backdrop where drinks may be set down and ask
that people hide drinks behind the backs of companions
or hold them out of view.
This policy has been in place for four years and has
worked to the delight of the University, Risk Management
officers as well as the Standards Committees for the
sororities because it reduces the liability for everyone.
Since the implementation of this policy, Party Time
has not been forced to provide evidence to any law enforcement
agencies.
 |
Bruce Smith does not believe there has been any negative
impact on sales because of his drink policy. If
anything, he believes sales have gone up as a result
of students showing the pictures to their parents who
buy some for themselves.
“This is a difficult policy to implement,”
Mr. Smith cautions, “but once customers understand
the reason behind the policy and are trained to set
drinks down, it gets much easier to enforce.”
It is important for the photographer to be aware of
drinks in people’s hands, and creative enough
to pose a photo to obscure the drinks. The photographers
must also be assertive enough to enforce the policy.
Occasionally, a Greek member over 21 will insist that
it is their right to have a picture made with a drink
in their hand. The photographers of Party Time
explain why it is in their best interest to put their
drink down, and if they refuse to, Party Time declines
to take their picture.
Thank you, to Bruce Smith of Party Time Photos for sharing
your experience as an example of how to proactively
adapt your business to your situation.
Lab Service Times for the
Week of 10/09 through 10/15
by Bo
Lewis
“I have this continual problem with the production
aspect of the lab”
“I sent this back to the lab to be redone and
I received it wrong again”
“Color, color, color! HELP!”
Have you had an issue with production that you felt
was not resolved properly? Do you have the same production
issues that continually happen?
Well, to borrow a phrase made famous by Harry Truman
“The buck stops here”.
If you encounter a production problem that you feel
has not been resolved properly then please call me
directly at 405-951-7372. We will work diligently
to resolve those issues and make the situation more
equitable for both parties.
Please remember that your first action needs to be
logging a call with your Customer Service Representative.
After that step please give me a call to discuss your
concerns.
Lab Service Times for the Week of 10/09 through
10/15
Developments
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