IPIC 2015 overview

As anticipated, this year’s IPIC 2015 Conference was superb, with infectious enthusiasm running high in the US Photo Specialty sector and making for a great week of learning, sharing and fun!

IPIC 2015 was a breath of fresh air to all photo industry participants; the camaraderie, the enthusiasm, the positivity looking to a future full of new ideas, and of course the consummate professional delivery by IPI group staff and relevant keynote and business speakers addressing relevant NEW marketing content and ideas was simply uplifting!

With lots of new features and highlights for IPIC2015 like:

– The IPI Vision Project is a NEW photo retail business model designed by IPI Marketing Group for today, focussing on emotional marketing and experiential retailing;
– Two superb and relevant keynote sSpeakers: Dan Mann (The Mann Group) – Emotional Selling – the ‘Why’ of what we do, not just the ‘How’ and ‘What’ – speaking more to what we actually believe in, rather than just what we sell. Helps create a strategy for a more successful business by helping to set your own company’s vision and strategy, focussing on building a culture for customers that crave connections; Nadia Shouraboura (Hointer Fashions) – Lifted the lid on experiential retailing by reinventing the customer shopping experience through customer feedback, experimentation and embracing technology.
– The 100 Day Challenge helps set your business goals, identify your motivation, outline any obstacles, challenges and risks, and importantly helps you get organised and gather resources and plan your attack to overcome inertia and become wildly successful!
– How to get the best out of your IPI Marketing Collateral in the new MSP 2015 (Marketing Solutions Program – an In-depth content overview for veterans and newbies).
– Building a local culture through in-store education (including everything from turnkey preparation instructions, slide decks, marketing tools and course registration systems. (All are found in the MSP!).
– 5 Super Easy Ways to Collect Customers Not Fans on Facebook (along with how to measure the results of your marketing dollar).
– Innovative and fun sessions to take home and replicate in your town or city – such as: Instawalk creative mobile photography excursions – A social media sensation; The Alternative Board – Group networking and solution creation sessions; Elevator Pitch evolution – ‘Speed dating style’ helps business owners hone their pitch, identify and express to their potential customers the ‘Why’ they do what they do; Dakis Presentations and Break-out Sessions (online photo printing and kiosk software) – including customer success stories, the latest upgrade/product release, upcoming upgrades, and comprehensive training.
– IPI University Education Sessions across the whole week with informative and up-to-date sessions to assist IPI members to succeed in challenging times with some of the most talented and successful business experts in the industry;

And of course, the networking – a valuable, amazing, international idea exchange – that continues in the member forums, long after the conference is over.

This robust association of like-minded photo industry specialty retailers, pro labs and school lab owners and operators is SO FAR AHEAD of the curve, it’s just exciting to be a part of it! It’s what every lab owner needs every year, a moment in time to ‘work on the business, not in it’ – fresh ideas, fresh concepts and most importantly association with like-minded individuals.

IPIC 2016 is from July 11 – 14. Mark the date!)
– Stuart Holmes,
Independent Photographic Supplies (IPI’s A /NZ affiliate)