We recently sat down with Michael Caro, Senior Director of Customer Experience here at Pictage, to discuss their most frequently asked questions. If you didn’t know, the Customer Experience department is the Pictage call center, staffed with approximately 30 representatives waiting to answer your calls as well as your client’s calls. They are open Monday through Friday from 6am-5pm PST and receive approximately 400 calls a day. They can be reached at 1-877-PICTAGE. Below are the top three reasons photographers need assistance, hopefully this information will save you a future phone call! CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FAQs 1. I need to replace some of the images in my event. How do I ensure that the right images are replaced and the process is completed quickly? Step 1.
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3 Keys to Financial Success
We would like to welcome Pictage Chief Financial Officer Kevin Rubin to the Pictage Blog as he shares his financial advice with the Pictage Community. Whether you have a new photography business or have been in business for many years, the current economic climate makes it difficult for small businesses. In this post Kevin brings it back to the basics, setting a solid foundation for your business to sustain financially in any climate. If you have any follow up questions or suggestions for future topic from Kevin, email them to blog@pictage.com or leave a comment below. From Kevin: Many of today’s small businesses face the same age-old difficulties of controlling cash flow, justifying expenses, negotiating favorable deals with suppliers and vendors, balancing quality and costs,
The Value of Community
We would like to welcome Pictage CEO Jim Collins to the Pictage Blog today as he shares about “The Value of Community.” Jim, along with other executives and members of the Pictage Team, will now be regular contributors to the Pictage Blog… other guests will include CMO Simon Anderson, CFO Kevin Rubin, Senior Director of Customer Experience Michael Caro, and more! From Jim: I was talking to Mike Colon not all that long ago and he mentioned that he thought the primary benefit of working with Pictage for any photographer was the community. I’ve had some time to think about it and I think he’s right. Here’s why. You’ve chosen to be a professional photographer. That’s your living, your path. We all know that a lot
The Pictage Community Forums: Are you there yet??
My first week at Pictage, I spent most of my day browsing the Pictage Forums trying to get a feel for Pictage and Pictage photographers. As I read thread after thread I was amazed at the sincere community that was available within the forums. I noticed the questions posted, the instant genuine responses, the ability to candidly share to a group of people that truly understand, the opportunity to showcase images with peers as they critique and affirm, and so much more. I learned later that the Pictage Forums are designed to let you learn, network, and grow within your community and industry. They are convenient, insightful, and beneficial to all members, whether just starting out or seasoned veterans. As a member of the Pictage
How Brides Pick their Wedding Photographer
I thought it would be fun to share the results of a survey we just ran to brides searching the new Pictage Photographer Directory. The goal of the survey was to get a better idea of what drives a bride’s booking decision. First we asked for some general information. Of the brides searching the Pictage Directory; 75% have already booked their venue 75% plan to talk to three or more photographers before booking 1 in 3 expect to book a photographer they found on the Pictage Directory Now came the fun part. We asked the brides to rank the most important criteria in choosing their wedding photographer. Here is what we got back: 1) Style and quality of the photographer’s images 2) Price 3) Digital
The Power of the “Parent Book”
One of the things we do at Pictage is a LOT of testing, which allows us to gain insights like these: 1) You sell more prints when customers view full size vs. thumbnails 2) Site background color (black or white) has no impact on sales 3) Folders have a MAJOR impact on sales Recently we completed a test designed to sell more coffee table books to parents. Here is what we found… During the January coffee table book promotion we changed the words “Coffee table book” to say “Parent Book” on half the marketing emails to parents. We were able to easily identify parents because every visitor must indicate their relationship to the event. From this data we can target marketing messages to specific types of guests
Tip of the Week with Mary and Justin Marantz!
Shooting Wide open with fixed, fast lenses Justin & Mary have one of the fastest growing studios on the east coast! They are also the leaders of our very own Harford PUG! Their work has been featured in Brides magazine, Grace Ormonde and La Bella. Mary and Justin founded The Portrait House in 2006 as a worldwide fundraising mission to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity. Recently they launched justinmarantz.com– It’s a blog. It’s a website. It’s a blogsite!! Check it out! Do you have a really great fixed lens and you’re not sure how to get the most out of it? Justin tells us how to really use your lenses to the best of their ability!
Tip of the Week with Justin & Mary
Business Cards Together, Justin & Mary form Justin Marantz Photography in Hartford, CT. It is one of the fastest growing studios on the east coast! They are also the leaders of our very own Harford PUG! Their work has been featured in Brides magazine, Grace Ormonde and La Bella. Mary and Justin founded The Portrait House in 2006 as a worldwide fundraising mission to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity. What do clients think when you give them your business card? Mary and Justin Marantz have customized their marketing materials to ensure that they stand out from the crowd. What does your card say about you? Video Produced by Cinematic Studios.
Tip of the week with Melissa Jill
It’s Monday again, and time for another Pictage Tip of the Week! This feature is where we bring you photography, business and Pictage tips from some of our top photographers and PUG leaders. Special thanks to Cinematic Studios for the filming and production of these clips. Melissa Jill was a sophomore in high school when a camera was first placed in her hands and she was hooked! She never imagined that as a Philosophy and Christian Ministries major at Azusa Pacific University in CA, that she would one day create for a living. She always thought of art as a hobby until a friend, David Jay, started and grew his successful studio in Santa Barbara, CA. She started her business in the spring of 2003
Tip of the Week with Joe Buissink!
It’s Monday again, and time for another Pictage Tip of the Week! In this feature we bring you photography, business and Pictage tips from some of our top photographers and PUG leaders. Special thanks to Cinematic Studios for the filming and production of these clips. Joe Buissink started his professional photographic career 12 years ago. His unique style redefines wedding photography and has its roots in Fine Art. His passion for photography began with landscapes, nudes and evolved into the observation of people in some of the most emotional and special days of their lives, such as weddings. Joe’s photography is about capturing the moments and capturing the essence of each person in those moments. Are you true to yourself? Are you true to your