Americans are suddenly more clued-in to their need for digital storage solutions (we blame the Flip HD). Here’s how to sell ’em…
1. Don’t hide your memory. Keeping cards and external hard-drives back behind the counter or under lock-and-key will slow down sales. Merchandise storage products with shelf-talkers right next to digicams.
2. Include a storage-pitch in every sales presentation. Ask every camera or print customer, "How are you handling all your digital files at home?" "How are you backing up all these priceless images?"
3. Partner with online providers to offer customers free "in the cloud" storage, and use the service to offer a variety of high-margin print products.
4. Offer to do it ALL for them. Market a total scanning/back-up/archival-printing service to your customers at a premium price. Tell ’em to bring in ALL their memory cards and shoeboxes, and you’ll take care of the rest.
5. Consider promoting photobooks as an annual archiving tradition. This May, Shutterfly promoted special photobooks to "Commemorate a Great School Year." Customers are looking for a reason to go through and "finally do something" with all those image files on their hard drives…a family "Yearbook" could be just the inspiration they need.
