the dotted line

(Psssst…read to the end of this post for a chance to win fabulous prizes!)

Last fall I featured an amazing guest post by Heather James Photography. In it she shared her accordion price guide. She’s now designed that guide for you to use as well, and provided an amazing discount to Paperie readers. I’ll let Heather do the talking from here…

Last summer I found myself with a dilemma: I had an inquiry from someone who didn’t have internet. I found myself scrambling as I had built my business on an eco-friendly format and had nothing to send the potential client. I needed something that showcased my best photography, my pricing and most of all my passion for my work. I also needed a product that wouldn’t break the bank and was easily reproduced in small quantities. And so, the accordion price guide was born!

I love this piece and have had so many compliments and inquiries on what’s exactly inside that I’ve decided to release it as my first template in my shop for my new project, Brand by Heather James. This 10- panel accordion offers places for you to showcase images, provide information about you as an artist and your sessions, as well as a large section dedicated to pricing, packages and products. The photoshop template is both a fully editable and multi-layer and includes sample text direct from Heather James Photography’s guide that we currently use to help you get started.

I love this product so much that I want you all to have it as a part of your business brand. That’s why from now through March 31, 2010, take $10 off the purchase price of the template with offer code pbmarch2010. Be sure to visit our design site at thebrandproject.com and our shop at thebrandproject.com/shop for more details on this template and all of our other design offerings!

Thank you so much for sharing these, Heather! They look fantastic!

Today’s giveaway is a “Pink Boutique Packaging Set” courtesy of Paperie Boutique & HB Photo Packaging. Read on to see what’s included and details how to win!

The “Pink Boutique Packaging Set” includes:

• two sets of 2 still-shrinkwrapped 9×9x3″ boxes (4 total) by Making Memories (includes photo corners on top to hold 4×6″ photo – you can see it in use in my own packaging here – great for announcements, prints, and session albums 8×8″ and smaller)
• one 5×7 1/2″-deep Paragon Brown photo box from HB Photo Packaging
• one 5×7 1/2″-deep Pink Pearl photo box from HB Photo Packaging
• one 5×7 stretch ribbon loop in brown from HB Photo Packaging
• one 1.75×2.75″ photo frame by All Tied Up
• three 24″ strips of brown ribbon with pink polka dots / gold edging
• 1.5-yards of Martha Stewart Crafts decorative ribbon tape
• three .5-yard strips of 1/8″ stitch grosgrain ribbon in deep-brown/white, beige/brown, and white/chocolate
• one 25-yard roll of 1.5″ Bella Terra paper ribbon in chocolate from HB Photo Packaging
• one HB Photo Packaging “Professional Photography Presentation Packaging” guide

To win, it’s simple! Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

I NEED the “Pink Boutique Packaging Set” from Paperie Boutique & HB Photo Packaging / h-bphoto.com – visit paperieboutique.com for more!

Please note: The link you post must direct to a public account. I cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this promotion.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account. Post the URL to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 a.m. EST on Thursday, March 11th.

Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. The winning number will be chosen by Random.org, and the winner will be contacted within 24 hours of contest’s end to claim their prize. Good luck!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

totally sweet

Since The Album Cafe did their last feature here at Paperie, I get multiple hits in my stats daily looking for their products and coupon codes. So I contacted them again to see if they’d be interested in doing another guest post / promo. Luckily we all win because they said “yes!” Read on…


Hi everyone! We just wanted to share with you a SUPER CUTE new product we recently announced – Accordion Mini Book templates! These little books are the hottest thing out right now, and I can certainly see why – they are adorable! Our mini book templates are designed for printing at White House Custom Color, and we’re offering 20% off the entire store until Valentine’s Day so that you can try them out!

While you’re over checking out the new mini books, why don’t you grab our newest freebies!!

Don’t forget to grab the code at the bottom of each image to receive your “20% off entire order” through Valentine’s Day! And huge thanks to The Album Cafe for this promotion!

If you’re interested in having your own business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment).

P.S. Paperie Boutique was featured in the latest moo.com February 3rd “Photography special: Ideas to fall in love with!” Moosletter. Did you catch it?

put a ring on it

(Originally posted to Flickr forums in June 2009. Announcement template design shown below is by Diana Hall.)

Since I’m only taking packages at this time, most include either a holiday card or birth announcement selection. I have online galleries of the designs I offer, and each "client welcome kit" includes a paper sample packet. I use this card design to print on five different paper types (when my lab runs its annual press-printed sales, I stock up in bulk):

I’ve found that red changes the most between the paper types (because not all paper is “true white” before printing). This gives them a pretty good example of the color-shifts between their available choices. Two envelope paper selections are included as well. The back of each sample has the paper type listed:

I bring accordion albums along with me to the newborn (or holiday) sessions – they are filled with samples of previous clients’ flat and folded press items so they can see paper types and styles with the other designs I offer for their own birth announcements and Christmas cards:

Quick tip if you’re on a limited budget to start… Design your sample template with 3-4 identical “strips” either horizontally or vertically. Like basically fitting 3-4 bookmarks on a card — instead of designing an announcement or card here, you’d be designing a bookmark and then printing multiple ones uncut on one flat postcard. When they arrive, take a paper cutter and slice into your bookmark-sized strips. Voilà! Paper sample pack for clients, with 3-4 more times the samples for you to give out. (If you don’t know where to begin, I now offer a template for this at “Fit to Print“!)

P.S. Don’t forget the Moo.com code exclusive to Paperie Boutique viewers expires on August 25th, 2009!

showcase showdown

This is another guest post by Heather James of Heather James Photography in Princeton, NJ. I’m beyond excited that she’s sharing these here. The idea is nothing short of brilliant and the presentation is absolutely fantastic!

I have quite a long price list as most of us do. Typically, I’d email a potential client a few hyperlinks to various web pages that showcased my work, what my sessions are like, and what my pricing is. It has been a great way to get my information out quickly and in an eco-friendly way. Then I had an inquiry from someone who doesn’t have an email address. WHAT? I was completely in shock mostly because the person sounded much younger than my 75 yr old grandmother who ichats on a regular basis. I needed a way to sell myself, my work and get all 5 hyperlinks into 1 envelope without breaking my bank account. So the accordion price guide was born. The following was a must to have on:

1. get all of my pricing in.
2. share a few of my best images.
3. most importantly: share who I am and why I am a lifestyle photographer and get them excited about scheduling a session with us.

Once I set the guidelines in place, designing it was a breeze for me. I just went with my gut and created something I would enjoy looking at every day – and I do look at it just about every day! The entire front side is all about the session. The only pricing is my session fees and each panel discusses who we are and what we’re like. When I say we, I mean my husband and I, as we truly are a team in every sense.

The back is the nitty gritty stuff. All of my print packages, special collections and premium à la carte pricing. There’s a few photos scattered around both sides that showcase most of the types of sessions I offer. Its neatly sealed in a white envelope with a round 1.5″ sticker from zazzle.com with my logo on it.

I find now that I not only send this to potential clients who don’t have access to the internet, but I also give this to my clients with a thank you notecard and a business card at the end of each session. Now that their session is complete, it gets them thinking about the next step in the process and excited about their proofs coming!

Every 3 months, or when I run out, I update the photos on the card based on the season and am always introducing new sessions into my marketing. And I always send along a sample of any marketing piece I use a client’s images on to them. They get super excited and show all of their friends and family their 5 seconds of fame which is instant free marketing for me!

Thank you so much for sharing these Heather! Drop by her blog and say “hi“!

As mentioned previously…I’m working with a handful of photographers to add more guest posts to this site so it’s not filled with my ideas and photos/demos only. If you’re interested in having your packaging, marketing ideas, or products featured please contact me (my e-mail is in the sidebar and is robyn @ this domain – or you can leave a comment). It’s always fun to share and “pay it forward“! Not to mention improve your SEO in the process… Win / win!

boxy, but safe

Photographers are always on the lookout for proof boxes, and these were recently shared on Flickr. The “Semikolon; Photo Box” can hold up to 5×7 proofs (or even birth announcements or holiday cards).

“An exterior window displays a favorite photo, while the interior holds photos, stationery or greeting cards. It also includes a coordinating grosgrain loop for easy opening and an interior band to hold the lid open.”

And best of all, right now they’re on sale at the Container Store for $8.99! You can choose from a larger color selection at jennibick.com. Sam Flax has several colors on sale for $10 as well.

You can even hunt for matching frames and accordion albums.

know when to fold ‘em

(Originally posted to Flickr forums in June 2008.)

I sell accordion albums but it had always been difficult trying to help clients visualize what photo would go where. My ordering software allows them to pick the position of each photo, but without being able to “see” the layout it was difficult to translate from thought to order.

So instead I made the template above to help them understand what the numbers mean (click here to download it in full-size). Much less Advil required all around.

I also include the following text:

The top row is a flip-image of the bottom row.

I’ve also put in the fold lines for you on the images that will “face” one another in the accordion folds — so #2 and #3 face each other when wide open — #4 and #5 face each other when wide open — #7 and #8 face each other when wide open — #9 and #10 face each other when wide open — and #11 and #12 face each other when wide open.