PMA Magazine - Connecting the Imaging Communities articles from October 2007

PMA Magazine - Connecting the Imaging Communities archives from October 2007

What's in a blog?(Newsline)
October 1, 2007... Blogging isn't just for teenagers or techies--companies are using blogs, too. Authenticity and a conversational tone are key, as well as a constant flow of new and interesting material, including photos and videos. And customers will tell the...

Tell me about it.(growth of consumer service blogs)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Consumer service blogs are growing, as well. Through Angie's List at www.angieslist.com, consumers can share their service company experiences with more than 500,000 Angie's List members across 124 cities. Angle's...

Data watch: a closer look at the photo book customer.
October 1, 2007... Photo books were the most popular type of custom photo products among U.S. consumers in 2006. Ten percent of U.S. households with digital photos ordered at least one photo book, according to the 2007 PMA U.S. Digital Imaging Survey. An...

What the duck.(Connections)(Cartoon)
October 1, 2007... HAPPY HALLOWEEN. I'M NOT A TRICK-OR-TREATER YOU DINK. I'M A TORTURED ARTIST. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NOBODY UNDERSTANDS MY WORK. IT'S DARK, MOODY AND VOID OF LIFE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YOUR LENS CAP'S ON. ...

Print 2.0: Larry Lesley, HP Imaging and Printing Group, discusses the digital ecosystem and how HP plays a role in many markets.(Business & Marketing)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HP Co., Palo Alto, Calif., held its "Print 2.0: Extending the Power of the Print" event in New York, N.Y., Aug. 28-29. At the event, PMA magazine discussed the role of HP in the online, retail, and home printing...

Social media marketing: as more and more people share information online, marketers must focus on small but powerful groups.(Trends & Technology)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Paul Gillin is author of the new book, "The New Influencers: A Marketer's Guide to the New Social Media." In it, he explains how companies must learn to reach consumers where they are--online. Gillin tells PMA...

Team effort: systems-based sports photography helps Sportography score 1,000 percent sales growth.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fast facts Company: Sportography Inc. Founded: 1986, purchased by Gregory Eisen in 1996 Headquarters: Brookfield, Conn. Full-time staff: 25 Whether talking about sports photography, school...

Glimpse the future: with a compelling slate of speakers and events, 6Sight is not to be missed.(Connections)(Alexis Gerards view on conference)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... This is as close to time travel as you can get without a DeLorean. If you want to know what the future holds for the imaging industry and the role your business will play in it, you need to be at the 6Sight, The Future of Imaging Conference, to...

Taking on the world: split from its black-and-white segment and now owned by Oji Paper Group, the Ilford Imaging color business emerges stronger than ever.
October 1, 2007... The Ilford Corp. entered the world of imaging way back in 1879, and for many decades has been synonymous with the very highest-quality photo papers. Until recently, the company made black-and-white paper at a manufacturing plant in Mobberley,...

Spreading the enthusiasm: future Image Senior Analyst Paul Worthington explains how your best customers can grow your business through photo sharing.(Viewpoint essay)
October 1, 2007... To study the behavior and psychology of the most active and popular photo up-loaders, Future Image recently surveyed members of Webshots, one of the top photo- and video-sharing websites. To hone in on the motivations of the key...

Strictly business: making good photos is only part of being a successful photographer.(Business & Marketing)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Steve Uzzell travels the globe as a freelance photographer and speaker. He has worked for National Geographic, Newsweek, TIME magazine, and clients such as Apple Inc., Ford, and Hyatt hotels. His website at...

Made for television: Spot Runner offers affordable TV advertising for small businesses.(Business & Marketing)
October 1, 2007... High prices and hassle have typically left TV advertising a less than viable marketing plan for small retailers; but Los Angeles, Calif.-based Spot Runner Inc. (www.spotrunner.com) has revolutionized old ideas in the advertising industry. ...

Group dynamics: customer segmentation can help retailers reach right market.(influence of customer segmentation on retailers)
October 1, 2007... If you don't understand the details about customer segmentation, you're most likely letting customers--and sales--slip through your fingers, says a marketing expert. Neil Portnoy, vice president, Consumer Durables, for Claritas Inc., San...

Who's on your list? W.B. Hunt discusses how it turns customer databases into sales increases.(Business & Marketing)(Company overview)
October 1, 2007... Experiencing double-digit increases in sales to new customers has become a regular occurrence for Melrose, Mass.-based W.B. Hunt Co. Inc. d/b/a Hunt's Photo & Video (www.huntsphotoandvideo.com). The company, established in 1889, credits data...

What a complement: Fran Gray highlights importance of intertwining photography and framing.
October 1, 2007... As both a specialty framer and professional photographer, Fran Gray, MCPF, combines knowledge, experience, and expertise from two industries into one. The photography and flaming industries don't often overlap beyond a business relationship;...

Third time's a charm: the anonymous consumer experiments with photo kiosks.(Connections)
October 1, 2007... As a rookie to the specialty retail scene, the AC didn't know what to expect as she approached the Columbus, Ohio, store. She was on a mission to make prints from some of the 600-plus images stored on the 1GB memory card from her slim...

Bulking up for profit.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You know the old aphorism about giving away the razor but making money on the razorblades. That philosophy seems alive and well in our corner of the retail world, with a prime example being inkjet printers and ink...

Consumer at play: interactive merchandising display company MTI offers products to help sales staff and track customer behavior.(Trends & Technology)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For 30 years, Merchandising Technologies Inc. (MTI), Hillsboro, Ore. (www.mti-interactive.com), has been building interactive merchandising displays for consumer electronics retailers. Today, two of its primary...

Seeing green: professional imagers ramp up efforts to be environmentally responsible.(Trends & Technology)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Protecting the environment is a hot topic these days. In fact, it seems to be the topic, no matter where you turn. This year's Academy Awards, for instance, highlighted its "green" efforts; and in July, Live Earth...

Inspire more: now owned by a former photo retailer, CAMEO Style offers high-margin alternatives to traditional prints.(Business & Marketing)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As a photo retailer for about 18 years, Ravid Butz has been through the glory days of film and was among those fortunate retailers for whom the transition to digital went smoothly. In fact, Butz developed a digital...

Flickr fascination: Glynn Lavender, retail operations manager of Camera Action Camera House, joins online photo sharing community centered around his own town.
October 1, 2007... Do you remember the days when specialty retailers controlled how people saw their images? Besides some keen amateurs who developed and printed their own negatives, specialty retailers controlled people's pictures. We offered them a few size...