I have been negligent regarding posts to help make you money lately. But here comes one. I have image software aplenty, but I do occasionally rally to try and review software packages that interest me. I haven't decided if I will buy this one, as my own commercial applications are now passe' when it comes to most people pictures, unless they are newsworthy or have stock photo potential. But this software package--not really new by a long-shot--but it was new to me as I ran across the ad for a trial that popped up on my new laptop.
Here is what I am thinking. This collage-making software will take a folder of digital images and automatically spin them into a cool seamless collage layout in a fairly random fashion. I don't pretend to understand the algroithms used, but if you don't like the first one or first ten or first however many, you've only to spin it again and you'll have a different layout. This can be both good and bad. I see Easter promotional opportunities to advertise and draw in business for those who care to try. But be sure to use the desired resolution images when you do--because the software will not be able to repeat the same collage if you don't. You and I know there is some unwritten law in the cosmos that if you cannot deliver any particular pose of picture or choice because of closed eyes or whatever--it will invariably be the one the end-consumer will want to buy.
So do due diligence and try it out and get your ducks in a row before you make any promises. But here is the link. It is free for thirty days. The images resulting from the free trial will have a software ad emblazoned across the bottom. You can crop that off if you choose your collages carefully before showing them. If one doesn't lend itself to the cropping, just make another, and another until one suits you. Then crop it and show. I think it will be a no-brainer for kids and flowers and Easter pictures. Here is one I did just for grins.
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/cambridge/projects/autocollage/
To market this, you can run an ad in a local newspaper, but if you have a good direct mail piece for previous and/or likely customers, this is where I would concentrate by doing an email blast with an attachment that automatically opens. If you don't have such a list, you should work on getting one now. You may be able to try social media ads for this as well. Narrow by geography and socioeconomic identifiers as such media allows.Narrow it down to a finely targeted audience and feature one collage. Keep the message simple with a link to the details of the offer.
You can make bucks by selling the collage at a low price to cover the ads and other expenses--or build in some profit, but if you work it right, you can even offer the collage for free and take a lot of nice pix and bank or print reorders. Display low-resolution proofs with watermarks over them online using services such as www.dotphoto.com, which will take orders, process credit cards, and deliver the pictures and send you the profit that you build in above their charges.
I recommend something along the lines of what I have posted. Another thought is to make up some stock photos of bunnies and chicks and flowers--but I beg you not to exploit such animals by turning the kids loose on them indiscriminately. Be humane. Were I live, the first spring wildflowers are popping out in abundance. Make up a folder of macro images of these and maybe an Easter Lilly or two and you'll be on your way. Using Autocollage, you can have a folder ready with the Easter motif images and then just copy the folder and label it with the clients name--and then drag and drop client images into the folder.
The software does the rest. It allows you to choose the number of images to use--so a couple of different folders might be good. As always, three choices is a good way to approach the market. One nice but pricey, one basic buy very cheap, and one priced in the middle which is the obvious best value. Allow enough prints for parents and grand parents and maybe a couple more. don't go too big. Dotphoto.com has a lot of aftermarket products including books, calendars, mugs, etc. which can make you a lot of money by making the point of sale purchasing easy. Take time to set up a free web site via dotphoto or someone else if you don't already have one.
But be careful when you use a third-party site as their ads will reveal your base pricing and savvy customers may cut you out of the picture--so to speak. Just use commonsense when you offer the links to your clients.