Double Smiles Month for PPA Charities
Ready to help a child smile? It’s easier than ever with PPA Charities’ Double Smiles Month for Operation Smile. Now your $240 donation will save TWO smiles, not just one!
A small group has issued a challenge to all PPA members to help raise $25,000 by the end of 2011. This “PPACH Leadership Circle” pledges to match, dollar for dollar, all PPA member contributions up to a total of $25,000! Plus, that $240 donation earns you the title of PPA Charities Operation Smile Studio (and all the resources that come with it). Learn more about this charity, the challenge and how you can help: www.PPAcharities.com
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Imaging USA 2012: Big Ideas for Photographers in the Big Easy
The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans will host an international convention and trade show for professional photographers, January 15-17, 2012.
ATLANTA, November 4, 2011—Professional photographers require education and inspiration to thrive, and Imaging USA has what they need. Registration is open for Imaging USA 2012 (www.ImagingUSA.org), the world’s longest running professional photography conference featuring three full days of intensive artistic and business education January 15-17.
It’s that art and business education combination that helps make Imaging USA such a powerful presence in the photography industry. Not only do attendees find the help they need to improve their photography skills, but they also learn how to make more money with it.
“If you are a professional photographer—or want to be—you cannot miss the opportunity to attend Imaging USA. It will do more for your career than any other show,“ adds Don Dickson, president of Professional Photographers of America (PPA). “With so many speakers and programs, it’s amazing what you can learn here in a matter of days.”
Photography classes focus on different specialties and “tricks of the trade” geared towards improving business and photographic skills and use of technologies. Some of the industry’s biggest names appear as instructors, including Joyce Tenneson, Mark Bryant, Ed Pedi, Julieanne Kost and more.
Classes run all day with breaks in between so attendees can visit the Imaging EXPO, a trade show where hundreds of the industry’s leading vendors showcase their products. “It feels as though you have the opportunity to talk to almost everyone in the industry at one show,” notes Dickson.
No description of Imaging USA is complete without a nod to the abundance of photographer-to-photographer networking opportunities. “Imaging USA can feel like a family reunion on top of the education and inspiration,” says Dickson. “I have friends from all over the world that I enjoy visiting with each year at Imaging USA.”
Other notable features of Imaging USA 2012:
- Annual Photography Exhibit—Open to the Public. One of the world’s largest annual photographic exhibits will be open to the public and there is no charge for admission.
- Special Events. A full slate of exclusive events featuring everything from award galas to a dance party with Fifty Amp Fuse.
- Pre-Convention Photography Courses. Imaging USA will offer three days of in-depth pre-convention programming for an additional fee (from classes on the business of photography to hands-on workshops that allow photographers to work with several different pros, one at a time).
- Specialty classes for sport and event photography. Imaging USA includes an educational track customized for sport and event photographers.
- Evidence Photographers International Council Education and Certification Class. For an additional fee, attendees can participate in EPIC courses to learn about forensic and crime scene photography.
Registration is open to all professional photographers and several options are available, including full-convention and one-day passes. A special Join & Go promotion includes a free full-convention registration for new professional active members who join PPA prior to the show. Thinking about joining PPA? Don’t forget to include the Source Code CTPPA when applying online or on the paper form (top right hand corner). It is very important that you include this code as CTPPA receives a commission for each “coded” application.
This money is added to our speaker budget so we can continue to bring quality programs and speakers to you and your fellow professional photographers in Connecticut. For more information about Imaging USA or to register for the conference, visit www.imagingusa.org or call 800-786-6277.
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Join PPA & Put the Bite Back in Your Business
Ever feel swamped? Don’t stay mired down by the demands of business. Join Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and go free* to Imaging USA in New Orleans. Don’t forget to include the Source Code CTPPA when applying online or on the paper form (top right hand corner). It is very important that you include this code as CTPPA receives a commission for each “coded” application.
This money is added to our speaker budget so we can continue to bring quality programs and speakers to you and your fellow professional photographers in Connecticut.
Running a photography business is tricky, especially by yourself. That’s why over 22,000 photographers have turned to PPA for protection, inspiration, exclusive product deals, trusted education, and other critical resources needed to run a more successful business. In fact, PPA even pays for $15,000 of equipment insurance for eligible members via PhotoCare!**
And there’s no better way to experience the benefits of PPA firsthand than by attending Imaging USA, the photography conference and expo where you can dream big, snag big deals, and cash in on big ideas.
Get ready to sharpen your business skills and creative edge so you can swallow your competition whole…when you join PPA and go free to Imaging USA!
Don’t forget to include the Source Code CTPPA when applying online or on the paper form (top right hand corner). It is very important that you include this code as CTPPA receives a commission for each “coded” application.
This money is added to our speaker budget so we can continue to bring quality programs and speakers to you and your fellow professional photographers in Connecticut.
*Offer includes one Imaging USA 2012 convention registration when you join PPA as a new Professional Active member. This offer includes regular Imaging USA programming only and has no cash value. Offer available to new members only.
**You must first join PPA and then opt in to PhotoCare Equipment Insurance to enjoy this benefit. PhotoCare is available to U.S.-based PPA Professional Active and Life members only. Restrictions apply. Eligible members must opt in and maintain active membership to receive coverage.
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The following is copyrighted to PPA and written by PPA staff. It was previously published in the December 2011 Professional Photographer magazine issue, and it can only be republished by PPA affiliated organizations. When republishing the article, you must include this statement: “This article was previously published in Professional Photographer magazine and can only be republished with permission from Professional Photographers of America.” Any other reproductions may not be made without express written consent from PPA.
See the Difference: PPA’s Crusade to Help Consumers See the Light
By PPA Staff
Want to start a spirited conversation with any professional photographer? Just ask them why…when the bridal gown costs a fortune, the senior trip down-payment is looming and the baby needs new shoes…should John and Mary Q. Consumer pay someone to take pictures? After all, Uncle Bob has a really nice camera and his shots from the Grand Canyon were fabulous.
Yet when confronted with the “why a pro” query, many PPA members admit they need a little help articulating the value of a professional photographer and that’s why PPA launched the See the Difference campaign. “The idea grew out of talking to our members,” says David Trust, PPA’s CEO. “In every survey, every one-on-one conversation…somewhere along the way, this lack of the consumer’s understanding of professional photography came up as a concern.”
Working from Both Angles
See the Difference is part direct marketing—online pay-per-click campaigns that drive consumers searching for wedding, senior and family photographers to PPA’s online Find-a-Photographer database—and part marketing tools designed to help members leverage the message in their studios, online and in presentations.
From videos for key target markets to specialty landing pages, as well as a customizable brochure and side-by-side comparison images, the marketing tools focus on a few main points and help consumers actually “see the difference” between an amateur shot and an image created by a professional.
“Some of the side-by-side comparison images say it all,” says Therese Aleman, PPA’s director of marketing and communications. “We took a few basic concepts like lighting, posing and composition and showed how a professional photographer uses his or her skill to change the entire appearance of the image. It’s hard to imagine a bride looking at some of these and not opting for the professional’s work.”
Arming Members with Tools to Win
To date, PPA has allocated over $100,000 to the advertising campaign and plans to continue its online presence in 2012. “A traditional awareness advertising campaign would have been cost-prohibitive, but online advertising helps get the most bang for our buck and has the added benefit of driving interested consumers to the Find-a-Photographer database,” says Aleman. So far, the ads have generated about 79 million impressions and almost 70,000 clicks to the PPA landing pages.
PPA also plans to keep adding to the marketing tools, and Trust believes that will ultimately create the most value around the campaign. “We view the videos, side-by-side images, brochures and landing pages as arrows in a quiver,” Trust explains. “The more ammunition we give our members, the easier it will be for them to help consumers see the difference a professional photographer makes and, in turn, help elevate the whole industry.”
This article was previously published in Professional Photographer magazine and can only be republished with permission from Professional Photographers of America.
PPA members can access the See the Difference tools here: http://www.ppa.com/benefits/see-the-difference.php
Visit the specialized See the Difference landing pages for consumers here:
· www.ppa.com/weddingphotographer
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