you’ve been carded

One more big thank you to Kotori Photo Jewelry for their recent giveaway! They’re offering a special offer to all Paperie readers to say thanks right back – $10 off the purchase of a studio package with the code PAPERIE through Friday, September 24th at midnight.

And now I have a guest / vendor post for you from Angie of Photo Card Boutique. Keep reading for the special giveaway!

Howdy Paperie Boutique Readers! I am so excited to introduce myself to you and can’t express my gratitude to Robyn enough. My name is Angie Sandy and I am the designer behind Photo Card Boutique. Mother of 3, lover of coffee, wanna be photog and all around computer nerd. My goal is to bring unique card templates to the market with a fresh style. I love adorable illustrations, rich textures and fun color combinations.

I am just over the top excited to give 3 lucky readers a $50 gift card to Photo Card Boutique and it’s easy to win! (See below.)

But that isn’t all! I am also including a 30% off coupon good until September 26, 2010. Simply enter paperie-boutique at checkout and the discount will be applied to your purchase (excluding gift cards).

So how do you win? You have four chances!

1. “Like” Photo Card Boutique on Facebook

2. Follow @PhotogBoutique on Twitter

3. Post the following on Twitter:
Win one of three $50 gift cards to Photo Card Boutique / photocardboutique.com / @PhotogBoutique from @paperieboutique – http://is.gd/fko7i

4. Post about Photo Card Boutique and this giveaway just once on any of the following – public-access Facebook account, public-access blog, public-access forum, or public-access Flickr account

Then come back and comment here that you’ve done so – each entry requires its own separate comment. (In simple terms: If you want FOUR chances to win, you have to do all four things listed above, and then make four separate comments telling us how you did them.)

Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 22nd. You can enter up to four times total. Post that you have “liked” the Facebook fan page, followed on Twitter, posted to Twitter (with link), and / or post the link to your Facebook, blog, forum, or Flickr posts – in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

ATTENTION: All links you post must direct to public-access accounts. We cannot verify links on private, friends & family only, or passworded accounts and they will not be eligible to win this item. If we have to subscribe to your feed, a website, or forum – or request permission to see them – your entry will automatically be disqualified.

You can enter / post up to four total times – one entry each for the four options listed above.

You have four chances to win, but only one chance PER OPTION – please do not post the same link multiple times. Duplicate links will be removed. Each entry requires its own separate comment to have multiple chances to win!

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 and thanks to Photo Card Boutique for kicking the week off with a bang!

P.S. NEW! Please follow our brand new Twitter and Facebook accounts!

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. If you are a photographer and are interested in having your packaging featured – or are a vendor and are interested in having your business packaging, marketing ideas, or photography-related products featured – please contact robyn @ this domain to be added to the posting schedule.

golden ticket

I’m so excited to have Stacey Duncan of La Pomme Design and Goldapple Photography back for another guest post (January 2010, October 2009)! Make sure to read all the way to the end, because one Paperie viewer will get very lucky this week!

It’s a pleasure to be back at the Paperie Boutique! I have received so much inspiration from this blog and from the generous souls who are featured on here, so I love that I get to be part of it!

I have spent several months developing my branding, my marketing materials, and really, my business, and have fallen in love with it. Last year was my first year in business, and I didn’t realize how important it was to really LOVE the business side of my business. I mean, as photographers, we love the photography side of the business, but there is so much more to it! Even if you aren’t a business-oriented person, as a business owner you have to be somewhat savvy (or hire someone who is!), and you can enjoy the business more when you develop it to your tastes.

After determining my ideal client, my market, my business plan, and it was time to let my branding follow accordingly. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, and I knew how my main competition is branded, so I knew how to NOT brand myself as well! My logo was my starting point.

I developed a brand that is elegant, timeless, and is adaptable to all different types of portrait photography. It is appealing to my ideal clientele, and I am absolutely in LOVE with it – which is the most important part!

When a client books a session over email/the internet, they fill out the info form and contract online and pay online. I then mail the client a welcome packet in an envelope from Paper Source. The welcome packet includes a general information brochure, an investment brochure (which is my full price guide), a client gifts card, a session card that is specific to their session type (maternity, newborn, engagement, etc), a personal note handwritten from me, a fashion wallet guide, a set of paper examples, and a couple business cards.

If a client wants to meet in person for a consultation, I will bring the physical info form and contract for the client to sign. I bring the exact same welcome packet, except I bring it all in a large Paper Source envelope with the forms.

Some of my other marketing materials include a gift certificate, referral card with personalized image wallets, and a personalized 11×17 wall calendar. I also print stickers for my welcome packet mailings, shipping labels for client purchases, and copyright stickers to put on the backsides of image enlargements.

I get so many compliments from clients about my marketing, so I know it is successful in that they recognize it and admire it. I actually did a family session last Sunday night for two graphic designers, and they both were thoroughly impressed with it, which I took as a WIN. It’s like when another photographer admires your work, you take that as a higher compliment than when a client admires it.

Many of you know I am the owner of La Pomme Design, The Photographer’s Boutique. I have taken all of my marketing templates and made them completely customizable, able to work with any branding, and a perfect jumping off point for photographers who don’t have the time, inclination, or knowledge to create a full marketing campaign. I have even included a couple templates that I know other photographers use that I haven’t incorporated yet!

Introducing the Goldapple Photography Premier Marketing Kit! The kit includes unflattened .psd templates of the following:

- Business Card (front and back) (ProDPI)
- 2010 Calender
- Copyright Sticker
- Gift Certificate (WHCC)
- Special Occasion Gift Certificate (WHCC)
- Information Card (ProDPI)
- Investment Card (ProDPI)
- Session Type Card (ProDPI)
- Notepad (VistaPrint)
- Post-it (VistaPrint)
- Paper Texture Wallets (WHCC)
- Referral Card (WHCC)
- Referral Wallet (front and back) (WHCC)
- Shipping Label
- Limited wording is included

The Premier Marketing Kit is on an introductory sale for only $48 through April 30, 2010, only at La Pomme Design. On May 1st, the price will go up to $68, so now is the time to invest in your business and create a solid marketing campaign!

Also through the month of April, use the code “PBROCKS*” in the La Pomme Design Shoppe and get 20% off your purchase – no minimum!

*This discount does NOT apply to the Premier Marketing Kit, but does apply to everything else.

And just because I love getting free stuff as much as you, here is your opportunity to win the Premier Marketing Kit!

Step one to win: Either subscribe to the La Pomme Design newsletter or become a fan of the La Pomme Design Facebook page.

Step two to win: Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

I want the @goldapplephotos & La Pomme Design / lapommedesign.com Goldapple Photography Premier Marketing Kit – visit paperieboutique.com!

Step three to win: Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 8th.

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

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account.

You have four chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your 1-4 separate links in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

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 everyone!

(P.S. If you win and have already purchased the kit, you will get a refund of your purchase!)

UPDATE The winner Sean Walker Photography has been announced here! Congrats and thanks to La Pomme Design and everyone who entered!

Thank you so much Stacey – you’ve been so good to the site and I know everyone appreciates it! Drop by and see her work at Goldapple Photography.

Don’t forget to enter the new Design Aglow contest (open until 11:59 p.m. EDT) if you haven’t already!

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).

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain. Check the sidebar – several new advertisers are joining us this week!

Good. Friday!

You might have noticed it’s been a little quiet around here this week. It’s spring break and between my ‘regular’ job, and hurricane advisories and tornado warnings occurring approximately every 15 minutes in my living room, something had to give! But to close off the week I have something to give…you!

Not only a new contest, but also a free download – so everyone wins!

This gift set for today’s contest includes:

• one Martha Stewart Crafts package of 8 champagne-tipped CD labels with 8 matching 5×5″ white and champagne envelopes (“includes handy alignment pad to ensure perfect label application”)
• one Martha Stewart Crafts 4.75×6.75″ photo-corner-accordion (cardstock construction with decorative front label and ribbon-tie – holds eight 4×6 photos)
• one baggie of 40 Paper-Source acid-free photo corners in Pool

How do you win? Easy-pleasey! Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Win Martha Stewart Crafts & Paper Source accordion + CD label set – visit Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog 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 item.

You can enter up to four times total – one entry each per public, non-private blog URL / Facebook / Flickr / Twitter account. Post the URL(s) to your link(s) in the comments for THIS ENTRY. Comment(s) must be posted here by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 4th.

You have four chances to win but only one chance PER LINK – please do not post the same link multiple times – duplicate links will be removed. And post your 1-4 separate links in separate comments to have multiple chances to win!

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 everyone!

UPDATE: The winner Susan B. Photography has been announced here!

In case you missed the free download for the 5×7 flat press card “baby girl birth announcement”, I now have a printed example of what they look like. I knew one day it would be the perfect fit for someone!

These announcements were designed for, and printed by, my favorite lab ProDPI.

And I’ve updated the post to include the template for the new card-back as shown in the photograph above. So if you’ve downloaded the front in the past, make sure to go back and grab the back too!

If you’ll scroll down in the right sidebar you’ll see a category called “free product downloads” with several links for more goodies!

To those who celebrate, Happy Easter weekend! See y’all next week!
-Robyn

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).

If you are interested in advertising with Paperie Boutique, please contact todd @ this domain.

Small wonders

Make sure you read ’til the end because there is another AMAZING (yes, AMAZING) give-away!

But since I’m a firm believer in “dessert first, main course later…” here’s another great packaging feature. Today’s guest post is by Carrie Small of Carrie Small Photography in Fayetteville, NC. You might remember that Carrie was featured here last August. She recently updated her packaging and it’s visual proof that lightning can strike the same place twice!

Appointment Reminder – sent out to clients after they send in their deposit to hold a session. The template came from Pink Ink Studios and is printed at my print shop as a folded bookmark.

Avery Notebook – holds my signed model releases, frames examples, and receipts. Purchased from avery.com [Note from Robyn: for more information about, and photos of, the Avery organizers see this previous Paperie entry]

“Flair for your Fridge” – used to seal the ribbons on my presentation boxes for my clients, I purchased them from somethingbluestudios.com. They are really magnets.

Copyright and Print Release – printed front and back press printed 5×7 card from my print shop. I add one to each presentation box. I purchased the template/wording from thepolishedphotographer.com.

High Resolution CD/Case – CDs are printed from CPQ, enclosed in a trifold 5×5 card from my print shop. The template/wording was purchased from thepolishedphotographer.com and includes copyright info, a signed print release, and printing recommendations. The CD hub was purchased at shop4tech.com.

Low Resolution CD/Case – I print the label for these CDs myself, and they are included free of purchased files. They are added to the presentation box with the clients images. Included is a the copyright information and terms of use for the photos. The CD hub was purchased at shop4tech.com.

Client Info Packet – includes a 5×5 Trifold Contract, Model Release and Price List (printed as a sell sheet from MpixPro) and 2 business cards, enclosed in a presentation envelope purchased from Paper Source.

Referral Packet – added to each client order. Includes a 5×5 flat press printed card containing my referral information. I print wallets of each order with my website information and referall information on the back of the wallets, and include them tied in a ribbon to the referral packet. They are then enclosed in a petal envelope from paper-source.com and sealed with custom stickers from Moo.com (not pictured).

Presentation Boxes – I purchase my boxes from Rice Studio Supply and enclose all prints in clear bags from clearbags.com. The box is then wrapped with a ribbon matching my branding and sealed with a flair for your fridge magnet from somethingbluestudios.com.

Calendar – printed from CPQ, I use this as my calendar for scheduling.

Thank You Card – this is a 5×5 print that I print after editing a favorite photo from the session – I try to do this the day after the session. It includes a thank you to the client as well as information on viewing the gallery when it is ready. I mail this in a 5×5 envelope from paper-source.com.

Thank you so much for coming back to share a follow-up, Carrie! Your work, and your packaging, are nothing short of perfection. You can catch Carrie to say thanks at her blog here.

Still with me? Good! Because here’s the amazing give-away coming up for one lucky reader!

Recently I was contacted by a regular reader, Tosha Francis, of The Captured Life Photography. This site has been a tremendous help to Tosha and her business and she wanted to “pay it forward”. So she is donating the “Studio Look Book – Basic” from Design Aglow ($175.00 value). I already have the download information. All you have to do is win it!

“Professionally written and graphically designed, our fully customizable template is divided into categories to help sell all your fabulous studio offerings, from everything from albums to wall galleries, specialty items, high resolution negatives and more. Our 30 page, 8×12 catalog template makes selling every single product your studio offers an easy and beautiful experience…simply insert your own product photo into our layouts.”

So exactly how do you win? That might be helpful information, no? Go to your blog, Facebook account, Flickr account, or Twitter account and post the following:

Win the @designaglow / designaglow.com Studio Look Book – visit Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog to find out how!

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 item.

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 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 26th.

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 everyone!

Don’t forget to tell Tosha “thank you” over at her blog, too! I ♥ my readers!

UPDATE: We have a winner! It’s Belinda Olsen Photography!

Congratulations Belinda and thanks to everyone who entered. More giveaways are in the works (including this current one by Photoflashdrive.com that runs through Sunday evening) – so check back!

And just a little FYI, you might want to make sure you check back in Friday. That’s all I’m sayin’ for now!

Last but not least… If you noticed things were a little wonky here earlier in the week, my amazing host (Hosting Matters) has been taking great care of us. They put Paperie over in its own space away from my other business and personal sites to make it even bigger / better / faster. I’ve been with Hosting Matters since 2001 and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. If you need a web host, check them out! You can get quite a deal if you say you’re from Paperie Boutique!

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).

café de photographe

The Photographer Cafe was given props on one of the recent WPPI Vegas recap posts. Now not only have they joined the Paperie family, but they also come bearing gifts in a guest post! So who’s ready for another give-away? Thought so!

Photographer Cafe strives to provide clean, practical, gorgeous products that will save you time and help your business shine. From album and card templates to marketing materials to a fun and inspirational blog, Photographer Cafe is here for you!

We are designating March as Marketing Month. To help you launch your efforts we are giving away our exclusive marketing set to two lucky Paperie readers.

The set includes: 1) a general purpose notecard, perfect for thank yous and general customer correspondence, 2) a sweet and simple business card template, 3) a bookmark template, a wonderful marketing tool that steps it up a notch, 4) a gift card template, and 5) an appointment card template. Choose from our Dreamy, Paris, or Fresh designs or our Basics Curves, Retro, or Contemporary designs.

Each is very customizable so you can change colors and modify elements to suit your brand. Check at least five items off your “to do” list with ease utilizing these fabulous tools!!

   Contemporary Marketing Set:

   Dreamy Marketing Set:

   Fresh Marketing Set:

How to win?

Post:  March is Marketing Month at PhotographerCafe.com / @PhotogCafe. Visit paperieboutique.com to win!

Here:  Your Facebook or Twitter account.

Then:  Post that (ONE) URL to your link in the comments for this entry. Be sure to be a Facebook fan of Photographer Cafe or a Twitter follower of @PhotogCafe (if you aren’t already!). Comments on this entry will be numbered in order of posting. We will randomly choose the winners from the comments below using Random.org. You have 24 hours to complete your mission. (This contest will self-destruct at 9:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 17th.) Ready, set, go!!!

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

Let’s give it up for Photographer Cafe and this amazing give-away. Thank you so much – there are going to be two very happy Paperie Readers tomorrow night!

UPDATE: Sorry this is a bit delayed! My maiden name was O’Something, so St. Paddy’s Day is very much a holiday around these parts. I’m very excited to announce we have our two winners – Jeanine Krupp and Selena Jetnarayan!

Congratulations to both Jeanine and Selena! And thanks again to Photographer Cafe, and to everyone who entered! If you didn’t win, don’t fret – there’s more amazing giveaways in the works so check back often!

Next time…it just might be you!

Pssst…don’t forget there’s still just over 24 hours to win the “Hello Kitty Photographer” window decal!

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).

the dotted line

I don’t make custom announcements very often because quite frankly, it pains me to have the one I love the most rejected. Here’s a (FREE!) baby girl birth announcement (view larger demo) that recently got tossed in the “nope” pile. I loved it too much to just throw on an external drive. It’s ready to print at ProDPI as a 5×7 flat press card. The ProDPI crop-guide is included as a hidden layer.

Text is customizable, but color and design are not. Fonts used are Freebooter Script and Helvetica-Neue.

If you plan to use a lab other than ProDPI to print this announcement, please make sure you check the design in their crop-guide template first! (This file is actually 7.25 x 5.25 inches, 300dpi.) Otherwise the stripes and dots may not appear as you would like them to.

UPDATE on April 2, 2010 – here is an example of this announcement as printed by ProDPI. I have added an additional “back” file (as shown in the photo below) so both sides – front and back – of the 5×7 flat press card can be submitted for print.

→ download link – card FRONT ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file — I do not provide technical support for this download)

→ download link – card BACK ← (please note this file was designed in CS2 and you must have Photoshop or Elements and know how to edit a .psd layered file — I do not provide technical support for this download)

If you end up printing these, please send me a product shot so I can see!

This template is ©Robyn Pollman, 2009. All rights reserved. It may not be copied, resold, made available for download or given away elsewhere, or redistributed without my written permission.