Industry Insider

Participate in The Super Monday Bonus Pack

2010-02-16T18:47:09Z

We want to invite Corporate Members to partner with us as PPA launches this year's Super Monday Program. Nearly 100 photography studios across the country will open their studios and share their knowledge with hundreds of local photographers.

As an exclusive benefit you are able to participate in this event and promote you and your products at these studio classes across the country--the only cost to you is offering a coupon or giveaway!

Each participating PPA Corporate Member will provide a coupon, a special offer or small item that we will include in the bonus package given to each photographer attending the programs. In addition to your exposure to all the attendees at Super Monday, your logo will also be included in our e-mail marketing campaigns.

If you would like to participate please e-mail cpearson@ppa.com. Include:

a description of your coupon or special offer
your logo (high-res EPS or JPEG format)
your web address (URL)--we'll link your logo to your site

Then send us 500 copies of your coupon/giveaway by no later then March 15th.

November Industry Insider

2009-10-14T19:08:27Z

Welcome to your business "Honey-Do" list, a real and essential part of keeping your business in the minds of photographers. By now, you've probably dabbled in Facebook and Twitter, but have you dug into what really works for marketing, PR, and your company's image in these areas? That's where your list comes in. The following three articles give you a series of pointers and steps for starting, growing, and maintaining your social media presence with Facebook and Twitter. Scan through these easy-to-read, easy-to-use ideas...and get doing!

Scott Hersh
Director of Sales and Strategic Alliances

Twitter's Block Or Oh My Aching Tweet Tooth

2009-10-14T19:06:51Z

"50 Ideas for using Twitter for Business"
For one thing--and it's a good thing--Twitter works best when it's not all about you. So how about asking a question when nothing's new with you, or to show you're listening? Hit the link to find lots to talk about, plus tools, techniques, and strategies for maximizing Twitter. Get the full story >

Twitter: Blogging So Micro Even CEOs Can Do It

2009-10-14T19:05:23Z

"How to use Twitter for Marketing & PR"
You can wield the power of Twitter from anywhere in the world. Limited to 140 characters or less per communiqué, your updates needn't tax your brain or your schedule. Twitter lets you monitor your company and public opinion about your brand; build a following and brand awareness; keep in touch with the media; announce events and special promos to a large audience; promote and update info about your company's conferences, webinars and newsy goings-on; cultivate valuable relationships, and much, much more. Get the full story >

A Coctail Party for Gazillions

2009-10-14T19:03:33Z

"10 Practical Tips for Facebook Fan Pages"
As founder and CEO of Sprout, a tech company offering "social media solutions," Carnet Williams has a vested interest in the promulgation of Facebook, et al. And every reason to share his expertise on making Facebook work for your business. (Sprout's client list includes such brands as Sony Pictures, REI and Toyota.) You've got to appreciate the fine, real-world examples she includes, and the way she effortlessly demystifies the fine points: "Think of your fan page as a cocktail party..." Get the full story>

September Industry Insider

2009-09-22T22:36:16Z

From the time we are small, we are taught to think of others first. That way of thinking and acting--from sharing toys to volunteering at a charity--can (and should) transfer into your business and marketing practices. You want prospects to feel that you are working for them, that you created this product just for them. There are ways to get this message across honestly, but you have to be careful with your placement, wording, and even your ability to back up claims. We've gathered articles to help you think of others first, sending that right message in the right places.

Scott Hersh
Director of Sales and Strategic Alliances

...And Some of the Best Advice on I-Advertising

2009-09-22T22:32:24Z

"Online Marketing's Creative Worst Practices"
The Internet marketing paradigm is unlike that of any medium that preceded it. Its potential is too huge to gauge, and the opportunity to harness it too important to blow. Ken Liebeskind and the experts he quotes tell you how to make the most of your company's advertising via e-mail, social media, video, in-game, mobile, banners, widgets and virtual worlds.

Get the full story > http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/23797.asp

On Task, On Target

2009-09-22T22:29:02Z

"10 Traits of Successful Messaging"
The World Wide Web is a noisy place, says marketing pro Bill Jacobs. "Consequently, marketing messages today must be razor sharp to cut through the noise and be compelling enough to immediately hook prospective customers." How? Start with Jacob's examples of messages that work, then starting at the top tier of management, build what he calls a "messaging architecture," with a foundation based on enterprise statements that communicate your company's overall value.

Get the full story > http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/23569.asp

You Sow, You Reap

2009-09-22T22:24:56Z

"Charity Marketing: Growing Your Business Through Charitable Giving"
It's no secret that charitable giving is an excellent way to develop a powerful network and to win over customers. But you've probably not explored the topic as meticulously as executive marketing consultant David Frey does here, beginning with ways your chosen charity is ready and willing to support your business's development. Suspend your cynicism--we're not talking about milking human kindness, we're talking about helping it flow. Read all Frey's creative yet practical suggested marketing and publicity strategies.

Get the full story > http://www.frugalmarketing.com/dtb/charity.shtml

August Industry Insider

2009-08-20T21:05:05Z

"Engaging" customers is a popular buzzword now. We don't want to market to customers; we want to connect with them and get them excited. But to do that, we need to know our customers, whether they come in a store or on a website. We need to keep our eyes and ears open--and plan accordingly. Truthfully, many of us barrel into campaigns without fully planning ahead, sometimes because the research is hard to find or we don't know where to look. Hopefully, these articles will help eliminate that hurdle. Read on to learn about planning marketing in general, how to recognize and woo online customers, and pitfalls to avoid in social media. Put it all together, and you'll have a better plan for engaging your own customer.

Scott Hersh
Director of Sales and Strategic Alliances

Invite your best customers to the Imaging EXPO--and win a free booth!

2009-08-19T20:32:32Z

You could win a free booth at Imaging USA 2011!

You're going to be at the Imaging EXPO...why not share the love with your best customers? Do so with the Free EXPO passes, and you'll be on your way to winning a great prize!

What's in it for you?

Bring more qualified traffic to your booth.
Gain more customer love--who doesn't like getting freebies?
Win prizes for bringing in the most customers with those Free EXPO passes.

How it works
It's easier than ever to invite others to the Imaging EXPO (and get closer to those prizes), thanks to the unique link we've created for you:

Go to www.ImagingUSA.org/exhibitor2010/#expopass to get your custom link.
Share your personal link with everyone you would like to see at the show--e-mail it, tweet it, blog it, post it on your website, and even print it if you like.
We track click-throughs from all the links and find the three companies that bring in the most Free EXPO traffic--it's that simple.

What can you win?

First Place: One free 10' x 10' booth at Imaging USA 2011
Second Place: $1,000 credit toward any Imaging USA 2011 sponsorship package
Third Place: A Bronze Corporate Membership

Ideas to consider
To help you get started, we have created graphics, sample promotional copy, even a customizable html e-mail template--just visit www.ImagingUSA.org/exhibitor2010/#expopass to download. And here are some additional ways to distribute your Free EXPO passes:

Do you have a company fan page on Facebook? Create an event at your booth and post the Free EXPO pass link in the invitation. Remember to send the invite to all your fans.
Are you on Twitter? Tweet about your upcoming visit to Imaging USA, and invite your followers to meet you on the EXPO floor. Use the #ImagingUSA hashtag and your tweets will also appear on the homepage of www.ImagingUSA.org.
Blog it. Talk about your upcoming trip to Imaging USA, new products you will have on display, and any show specials you are running. Mention your booth number, and be sure to include the Free EXPO pass link.
Are you on LinkedIn? Update the "What are you working on" section of your profile with news about your Imaging USA exhibit.
Add one of the EXPO pass graphics to your website.
Add your unique link to your personal e-mail signature. You could say, "See me at booth #XXX at Imaging USA. Get your free EXPO pass here: LINK."
Include the link in your e-mail newsletters.
Design a simple EXPO invitation that you can include in your outgoing orders and invoices.

What are you waiting for? Start inviting your customers today!

Engage!

2009-08-18T16:07:33Z

"A Dynamic Strategy for Wooing Online Consumers"
Know thy online customer, says Chris Marriott, vice president and global managing director for Acxiom Digital. Use the cyber "ears" (Web clickstream data) available to you to truly listen to every customer's preferences. "We've long had the capability to record what a consumer clicks on in an e-mail and what he or she does subsequently on a website," says Marriott, citing data that shows that marketers who use Web clickstream data enjoy a four-fold boost in performance.
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/24010.asp

Lose the cyber-baggage

2009-08-18T16:06:08Z

"8 Social Media Sins to Avoid"
In a nutshell it's worth the time to crack open: Good strategy results in viral, but viral is not a strategy • What someone says about you is more important than what you say about yourself • What's in it for the customer? • Money isn't the best social currency; relationships and knowledge are • PR is great for news and launches, but social media creates the ongoing and sustained interest between news and launches • Buying advertising space on social media sites doesn't return a quarter of the value you could be getting • Social media is a strategic amplifier for your campaign, not the entire campaign. The authors of this nourishing nutmeat are Chris Aarons and Geoff Nelson, cofounders of Ivy Worldwide, nee Buzz Corps.

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/23906.asp

Questioning the wisdom of the conventional wisdom

2009-08-18T16:03:06Z

"Marketing in a Recession: What do the Stories Really Tell Us?"
The conventional wisdom: The companies that come out of a global recession on top are the ones who keep throwing money into their marketing efforts, while their competitors are slashing their advertising budgets. Well, Christian Shea, principal of the marketing agency P4MV, got to wondering, who says so, when did they say it, and is that still or always the case? Skip over the labored details of his search for enlightenment and the grad-student white-paper source-citing, until you get to Shea's well-reasoned answers.

http://www.marketingprofs.com/9/marketing-in-recession-what-do-studies-really-say-shea.asp?adref=znnpbsc4369

July Industry Insider

2009-07-27T14:00:00Z

When you hear the phrase "survival tips," e-mail campaigns and blogs probably aren't the first thoughts to spring to your mind. Instead, you might remember a Boy or Girl Scout camping trip, your dad teaching you to change a tire, and so on. But in business, marketing and its many forms are just as important to survival as knowing which berries you can eat in the forest. As we've mentioned before, smart marketing is key in the current environment, and there are many low-cost ways of communicating to your customers. But for that communication to pay off, it needs the right approach, the right words, the right look. Learn specific methods for smart marketing by browsing the articles we gathered, including what to do with your corporate blog, what NOT to do with your e-mails...and how they impact your customer relationships and (ultimately) your sales.

Scott Hersh
Director of Sales and Strategic Alliances