Valhalla, NY—Fujifilm North America Corporation launched its Finding & Growing New Markets contest to provide owners and employees of independent photo retailers, labs and studios in the U.S. with the opportunity to share ideas that enable businesses to break into new markets and drive sales of creative photo products.
The company believes independent photo retailers are uniquely poised to break into new markets—partly because they’re able to provide a level of service mass retailers are not perceived as providing, and partly because they’re perceived as delivering very high quality photo products. Plus, independent photo retailers are frequently better than mass retailers at building relationships with their customers and with other local companies that can lead to new photo product business opportunities.
“Photo specialty retailers are known for their expertise and creative problem-solving. There is significant opportunity to build their photo business by creating photo products and services that solve a problem, present an opportunity or fulfill a need for local businesses,” said Joellyn Gray, director of Marketing, Imaging division, Fujifilm North America Corporation. “For example, a photo calendar with local planting information may become a new product and a new source of revenue for a local garden center. This contest is a way to gather these ideas and share them across the country.”
Whether the idea was already part of a successful photo promotion that increased revenue or is a new idea that has not yet been promoted, all entries are encouraged. Fujifilm is sponsoring the contest to support professional photofinishers in sharing their knowledge and expertise.
Submissions will be evaluated for their potential to generate sales, creativity and how easily others can replicate the idea. One grand-prize winner will receive a cash award of $2,500 and two first-prize winners will each receive $1,000. The winners, as chosen by a panel of business and marketing experts, will be announced in early August. Each winner will also receive public relations and professional marketing support to help promote their winning idea.
The contest is part of the Fujifilm Business Builders service that is open to Fujifilm business partners and to businesses that specialize in the printing of photos and photo specialty items. Fujifilm Business Builders provides access to a variety of financial calculators and decision-making tools, profit-generating techniques, webinars on industry topics and actionable market research to help tap the growth opportunities in the photo printing businesses.
The Finding & Growing New Markets contest runs now through June 30. For complete details regarding contest rules, prizes and giveaways, and the official entry form, visit PhotoBusinessBuilders.com.
