“Are You Ready for Some Football?”…NFL Plaques are Here!

December 3, 2009

Football season is in full swing!   Don’t forget to show your customers and staff the NFL plaques that are available through EQ Gifting on your APM kiosk.  What’s an NFL plaque?  Your favorite person and favorite team are combined together in an attractive frame.  With EQ Gifting, you can offer hundreds of photo gifts every day, but with that much selection your customers could use some guidance through the plethora of products.  Select a few to highlight through seasonal promotions like this one and score more touchdowns (a.k.a. sales)!

Advertising banner for NFL Plaques (ordered via APM kiosk's EQ Gifting)

Download this merchandising poster here! (more materials can be found on www.lucidiom.com/marketing)

With EQ Gifting, you can offer hundreds of photo gifts everyday – it’s so easy!  If you do not have EQ Gifting for your kiosk or website, email us at blog@lucidiom.com and we will get you started today!

(posted by Rachel)

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Video: How to make a minilab book

December 1, 2009

No double sided printer?  No problem!  We have some great little books that you can make with the MyPhotoBook kit and 8×6″ or 10×8″ prints…we call them Minilab Books.

You just need the covers and stapler/guide kit and you are ready to go!  Don’t forget to check our Marketing page for a poster you can print to advertise your new products!  Scroll down in this blog to read the entry and watch video about our other minilab product, the Smart Calendar!

(posted by Rachel)

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Go BIG or Go Home! How to jumbo size your display…

November 23, 2009

We had fun redecorating our training room here at headquarters in Virginia, and came up with some jumbo products that drew a lot of attention, so thought we’d share!

Lucidiom Training Room - Jumbo Display

Materials you will need:

  • Files from the kit posted here: http://www.lucidiom.com/support/tools_kits.aspx (even the pencil art is up there!)
  • 1 can adhesive spray
  • packing tape
  • wide format printer(able to print at least 24″ wide) – we used bond paper for wrapping paper and notepad, satin paper for all others
  • 9 pieces 20×30″ foam board
  • 2 pieces 30×40″ foam board (black)
  • paperclips & fishing line (for hanging) … a drill with small bit works well to make holes for hanging
  • the boxes are wrapped in wrapping  paper created on the APM kiosk (not included in download)…designs are available from Mrs. Grossman’s
  • 2 packs of plastic foam board hinges (sold next to the foam board in the handy office supply…you can also just use tape)
  • paper cutter or x-acto knife and straight edge

Jumbo Products

Flat Cards: for the flat cards, in real life are 4×8″…take one of the 20×30″ boards and cut into 3 10×20″ pieces.  Tape a third to each 20×30 piece, so you have 3 20×40″ pieces. Print files for the flat cards and spray adhesive them to the foam board.

Calendar: top and bottom are each 30×20″ … spray adhere prints to the foam board, then use fishing line to join the two halves…leave a space between.  We used some paper cutouts to mimic the wire bind.

Photo Book: If you do just one of these jumbo products, do the photo book…certainly won the most attention.  Each half is 40×30″, we printed 3 sheets of 74×24″ and folded them in half to look like 6 pages total.  We joined the two halves with plastic hinges, but they could also be taped.Start with the back set of pages, fold to one side and use packing tape to secure the page to the board along the fold.  Flip pages to the other side, repeat…do this with all the pages.  You can fan pages a bit, and with some strategically placed tape, create the page wrinkles.

More Jumbo Products

Folded Card: each face of the card is 20×30″…we printed the front and back, and one sheet inside, adhering each print to the foam with the adhesive. We used some foam board hinges to join the halves.

Notepad: Print 5 sheets of the notepad, staple together and tape across the top to the 20×30″ foam board. Print the black square file and fold over the top to mimic the top of the notepad.  We used wrapping paper (more like paper than photo) for this one, and for the pencil too.  Don’t forget to print out the pencil!  We cut out the tip and rolled it up and taped all edges, then stuffed with some paper towels for stability.

Wrapped Boxes: Graphics aren’t included in the download, but uses the APM Wrapping Paper product, printed out enough times to wrap a large box.

Have fun! Send us a picture of your jumbo display when you have it up!

(posted by Rachel)

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Posted by lucidiom

‘Tis the Season for Lots of 4×8 Cards!!

October 28, 2009

Christmas & Holiday Flat Cards

Need a boost of 4×8/8×4 card designs for your APM kiosks? We have a whole new pack of them! Over 100 exclusive designs for just $99 when you order by November 13th…delivered electronically! Price after that is $129. You need to have Folio and v7.0+ on your kiosk(s) for these cards.

>>> View the catalog to see all the designs. <<<

Download posters and bag stuffers to customize, a counter catalog to print, and a whole folder of premade sample cards to print and show off at lucidiom.com/marketing.

Ready to order? Contact your sales rep or send us an email!

(posted by Rachel)

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New 2010 Calendars Designs and Smart Calendar Assembly Demo

September 11, 2009

The new 2010 Calendar designs are ready for download through the Lucidiom Downloader tool (see Support page for more details).  The designs you had for 2009 have already been updated to 2010 as part of your v7 content update, but we have added 3 new designs and some new sizes in this set.  Watch Kesley show the new designs and products here:

The Smart Calendars Kesley mentions are our new product…printed on a minilab or dye sub, they are simply 6×8 or 8×10 prints, put into this clever wire system by Unibind.  Watch this demo for how to assemble a Smart Calendar:

Don’t forget to download the Harvest the Memories marketing kit to help you advertise Calendars and remind your customers about your Christmas card products!

Click here to download the kit (login required): http://www.lucidiom.com/support/tools_kits.aspx

(posted by Rachel)

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Steve the Easter Bunny!

March 19, 2009

Photo books aren’t always about just printing your pictures.  Most of the marketing we all are doing is focused on “print your beach pictures as a photo book” or “wasn’t that a great weekend, make a book.”  But sometimes, books are about storytelling.  Here’s what I mean…

From Joel Miller at MotoPhoto Avon: “Our best EQ story starts with a couple designing a book and ends with them adopting a baby.  Apparently for couples hoping to adopt children the best way to communicate with adoption agencies about what kind of environment and family the child we be adopted into is thru photo books.  Hopeful couples regularly print 20+ books to distribute thru the agency to tell their story.  We helped a couple design and print a book and were thrilled to know we played a part in making a family whole.”

From John Goodine at Elm City Photo: “Every year my two sons and I make our famous chili for the holidays.  And every year various friends and family members want the recipe.  So we decided to do a photo documentation called “The Chili Chronicles” and we’ve created a 6×6 pictorial book of the process.  This included photos and documentation of the three of us doing the shopping, donning safety goggles to slice onions, step by step ingredients, doing the Hakka War Dance to rid the kitchen of bad spirits, and revealing some secrets about Chili.  We all got some great laughs and some great gifts. “

And, to get around to the title of this blog…this one is from me!  Every year my wife and I throw a big Easter shindig.  We usually have about 20 kids and how ever many parents that equates to these days.  Last year, my wife (the beautiful and talented Nancy) wrote a little story about the Easter Bunny, who came by ahead of time to get his plans set.  Nancy caught him in the act and wrote a little book about the adventure.  We printed out a bunch and handed it out to the guests, who loved it and have already requested the next installment this year.

Steve the Bunny

Steve the Bunny

Now, my wife is not a professional photographer and she can’t figure out the white balance, but I guarantee you won’t even be thinking about the photo quality when you get into the story (which is very clever and thought up entirely by Nancy, by the way) and try to guess who is in that suit!  And that’s my point!  That is our business, the story, and that’s what is important here.

You have to see the book.  Follow this link to download the order file and pdf:  http://www.lucidiom.com/share/steve/easter/9971883680.order.zip (If you visit the Marketing Tools > Sample Kits section of lucidiom.com, there are directions on how to import this into Lab 50 for easy printing.)

The great possibility here is that you have a relationship with your customers and you can inspire them in different ways.  Profile a winning consumer idea in your next enewsletter, make story as a 4×4 flip book with store and product info on the last few pages, keep samples on your counter… share, share, share!

Any more creative photo book or storytelling ideas out there?  What are your customers putting in their books?  Comment on this blog, let’s hear some ideas!

(posted by Steve Jr)

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Posted by lucidiom

All You Need is Love (Valentine’s Day Inspirations)

January 29, 2009

The APM has a bunch of products perfect for Valentine’s Day…so dim the lights, light the votives, put on some Michael Bolton and break out the chocolates and get your staff in the mood…hey! not that mood!  The mood for creating and selling (jeez guys)…and get them to crank out some samples on your kiosks and printers. 

Here is the assignment.  Write each idea down and have your staff pull out of a hat the one they have to create.  Award the best one if they need some motivation.  For a variety of samples, put in multiple copies of each.  If you have any more ideas for samples, reply to this post.  If you tried this and it worked great, let us all know!  If it flopped, well, you probably did it wrong. 

  1. Photo cards for an elementary classroom…some of these that are in the kiosk even have a slit marked so you can cut and add a lollipop.
  2. Folded card and envelope for that special someone…use the inside cover to write (or copy) a poem.  Hint: the envelopes don’t need to always have addresses on them, type in a person’s name, make the font big and move it to the center of the card.
  3. 10×30 banner print for the high school age sweethearts…what better than a photo of your dearest to gaze at between algebra and PE? 
  4. Scrapbook page with a poem…there are some templates perfect for romance–just drop in a photo or two, add a message you’re done.  And duh smartypants, promote it with all those square frames you have collecting dust!  Show this to every man that walks in the store, you will have a sale.  It’s an easy gift–doesn’t require a lot of planning or thought, but it sure looks like it did!  (Perfect for the men out there!  ha ha ha)  And, slap a little John Donne or Lord Byron on there and it’s sure to make the wife cry!  (In a good way.) 
  5. Order up the teddy bear EQ Gift product with a lovey-dovey photo on the tshirt the bear wears. 
  6. Make up a photo book with a love quote on each page, so your customers have something to copy into that card or scrapbook page! I’ll make it easy for ya, here are 22 quotes that are perfect for this Hallmark holiday…from The Bard to Homer (Simpson, that is) and more…

She walks in Beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.
~Lord Byron

For you see, each day I love you more
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.
~Rosemonde Gerard

Grow old with me!  The best is yet to be. 
~Robert Browning

The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain singing to it.  You and you alone make me feel that I am alive.  Other men it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough.
~George Moore

I’ve fallen in love many times… always with you. 
~Author Unknown

What I need to live has been given to me by the earth.  Why I need to live has been given to me by you. 
~Author Unknown

I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes
~James Joyce, Ulysses

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Tell me how many beads there are
In a silver chain
Of evening rain,
Unravelled from the tumbling main,
And threading the eye of a yellow star: -
So many times do I love again.
~Thomas Lovell Beddoes

My bounty is as deep as the sea,
My love as deep; The more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.
~William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet)

One half of me is yours, the other half yours—
Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours,
And so all yours.
~William Shakespeare (The Merchant of Venice)

When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.
~William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet)

Hear my soul speak:
The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service, there resides
To make me slave to it.
~William Shakespeare (The Tempest)

I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! – and if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times, in life after life, in age after age forever.
~Rabindranath Tagore

Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.
~Emily Bronte

If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.
~A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh)

A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness.
~John Keats

Bart, with $10,000, we’d be millionaires! We could buy all kinds of useful things like…love!
~Homer Simpson

Come live with me, and be my love,
And we will some new pleasures prove
Of golden sands, and crystal brooks,
With silken lines, and silver hooks.
~John Donne

Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden.
~T.S. Eliot

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
~Judy Garland

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My Custom Thank You Notes

November 11, 2008

My son Joseph and I were recently given two beautiful gifts from friends–a cute little yellow and green striped hand-knitted sweater and an adorable orange pumpkin hat (it even has a green stem coming out of the top!!).  Well, a standard thank you note wouldn’t do (even though I have a load of thank you notes leftover from my wedding a few years ago that I would love to get rid of!).  So I turned to the APM.  (What else, I work at Lucidiom, right?!)  Well, I will post them so you can see how cute they turned out.  I even made a matching envelope for the one for the pumpkin hat.  Have you ever gotten a thank you note thanking you for a thank you note???  Just wait…

Thank You Note (Pumpkin Hat)

Thank You Note (Pumpkin Hat)

 

Thank You Note (Sweater)

Thank You Note (Sweater)

(posted by Rachel)

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Posted by lucidiom