inside costco
Photo Centre products
aid business promotion Picture of success
By Kreta Chandler
SMALL BUSINESSES depend on marketing
collateral to attract new customers, to promote products and services, and to build customer relationships and loyalty. As they seek
new ways to break through the communication clutter and grab the attention of customers, many now turn to Costco Photo Centres
for new types of products and fresh ideas for
business applications.
“Costco photo technicians are completely
tuned in and bring the latest photo product
features and trends into my world,” says Tom
Walker, an award-winning photojournalist
specializing in oil and gas industry, aerial and
portrait photography in the Calgary area.
“With the help of Costco, I’ve been able to
lead the way with my clients. I used to o;er
only photo prints and a DVD. Now I include
a photo book every time.”
Classic Products Roofing Systems, a
metal-roofing company in Mississauga,
Ontario, recently created ;;een 2-by-3-foot
photo plaques of completed projects to show-
case in their o;ce. According to Norman
Wells, company president and a Costco
Business Member, it was easy. “All I had to do
was take the picture, give the camera card to
the Photo Centre [sta;] and they did the rest.
It’s a one-stop operation, which is exactly
what you want.” ;e company also re-prints
the images in portfolio-size photos for use by
its salespeople.
Costco Photo Centres do more than preserve memories: They can help romote businesses with a variety of products.
BRAND X; PHOTODISC
KRE TA CHANDLER
Realtors, too, are looking at new types of
personalized marketing materials. ;eir business depends on promoting their properties
and building client loyalty for referrals and
repeat business. Realtors can include Photo
Centre products in their daily job activities in
several ways. Here are a few ideas. • In homes for sale and at open houses,
display a photo book that includes photos of
the home and the neighbourhood during different seasons, as well as nearby attractions
such as a golf course or bicycle path; it helps
clients visualize living there year-round.
Leave a stack of 5-by-7-inch photo prints in
the home for clients to take with them. • In addition to calling on sellers with
expired listings to generate new business,
send personalized photo greeting cards to
your database of current and past clients, asking for listings and referrals. Because e-mail
usage has increased dramatically, there is a lot
less mail in mailboxes now, which gives your
card a better chance of being read.
KRETA CHANDLER
• For new listings, print 4-by-6-inch
photos of the property, add a label on the back
with contact information and have teenagers
distribute the photos in nearby neighbourhoods. Add a postage stamp
and mailing label, and it can be
on its way to potential buyers
the same day. • A;er a sale or purchase,
create personalized photo
greeting cards, framed posters
or calendars as thank-you gi;s.
and/or use photo prints for fundraising, as the
Calgary Zoo does.
Garth Irvine, the zoo’s gorilla keeper and a
nature photographer, donated his photo of his
c o t
GARTH IRVINE
Many of these ideas aren’t
limited to Realtors, but can be
used by other businesses such as boutiques,
interior design firms, bakeries, fly-fishing
outfitters, caterers, restaurants, child-care
providers, travel and tour companies, non-
pro;ts, churches, artists and more. ;ey can
use posters for retail and trade-show signage,
promote events with personalized invitations
“baby girl” Yewande
to the Calgary Zoo.
Over the past two
years, the zoo has
raised more than
$20,000 for gorilla
conservation by sell-
ing photo prints
made at the local
Costco Photo Centre.
“It’s quick and easy,” says Irvine. “And
when the zoo gets low on prints, I can order
more online, pick them up a;er work and
have them for sale the next day.” C
Kreta Chandler is an author, photographer
and customer-experience architect.
