Getting back in touch for fun and profit

[Dien Rice]

I was meeting with an old friend of mine yesterday. I had actually called him up a few days ago, as I hadn't seen him in a while...

This friend of mine is a small businessman (he owns a small print shop and also a currency exchange business).

When I spoke to him, he commented, "I was actually thinking about you yesterday, because..." And he proceeded to mention an event he noticed, which reminded him of me.

That made me think, that's a good way to get "back in touch" with people!

You can call them up, or email them, and say... "I was thinking of you the other day, because..." And you can then mention something which happened, which reminded you of a positive experience you may have had with them in the past.

Everybody loves these kinds of reminders, of happy past memories...!

One reason why it's good to keep in touch with people is that, you'll find some of your contacts will lead to opportunities. In my case, I've found that a small handful of people I know have repeatedly led to income-generating opportunities. I've literally made probably over $100,000 (over time) from one friend of mine, thanks to multiple opportunities I've gotten through him. (These are often opportunities which came his way, which he couldn't take advantage of for one reason or another... so he introduced them to me, and I made a profit as a result...)

If you keep in touch and in regular contact with people you know from your past, those opportunities are more likely to come up... For one thing, it's nice to feel that you're popular! However, you'll also find it easier to find a "helping hand" when you need it, and more money-making opportunities will come your way, too...

Best wishes,

Dien

Right on Dien......I also like to stay in touch with former "Students" (people who paid me to be their "consultant" on some of my projects)

One guy I contacted last week to see what he was up to.....told me he now has 2 helpers in his Photo Biz.

He lives in a resort area and loves Photography. He contacted me a couple yrs ago and asked me if I knew of a way he could make money with his camera.

I told him to do, "Smile, your on Candid Camera"!

I told him I'd help him set up a WebSite where he could UpLoad photos and, his "Subjects" could go up and view the photos (he had taken of them) and...purchase them!

When I was living in the Aspen area there were photogs who were snapping photos of Skiers who were told they could go to their Photo Shop and purchase the photos later that day.

Also.....some yrs ago I visited Waikiki Beach and there was a guy there with a Booth where you could get your photo taken with a Life-Size photo cutout of a celebrity...for 10 bux (This was in the Polaroid days)

This gave me the idea of setting up a "Photog on the street" where a guy with a camera would approach a group of tourists and ask if he could snap their pictures.

Most people loved to have their photo taken in a place they were visiting, maybe for the first and only time.

He'd then hand them a card giving the URL of the website they could go see their photos......(and purchase them)

So.....my "student" has turned this little money-maker into an "enterprise".

Reminds me of when I got one of my Hot Flashes when one of my sons was getting married. I found that MANY people could not attend, for one reason or another soooo.....I thought, "Let's see. Why don't I set up a website where....I'd take come "candid" shots of the wedding and reception and post them up on my website....the evening of the wedding....so that those who couldn't make it would be able to see what went on.

Soooo.....I got the site set up and gave the URL on the Invitations and.... they LOVED it!

So.....I then contacted the owner of a local Wedding Venue who had a wedding almost every weekend. He felt he could get GREAT Promotional Value by offering "Instant Wedding Photos"....and he did.

I then proceeded to Sell the program to other wedding venues where someone on their staff would take the photos and upload and I'd handle the Web details.

I STILL have the domain (Instant Wedding Photos dot com)

So.....again...thanks for letting me bring some of "my stuff"....."Off My Memory Hooks".

Don Alm......

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by Don Alm

So.....again...thanks for letting me bring some of "my stuff"....."Off My Memory Hooks".

Thanks Don... Those are some great ideas! I like how everything is integrated with a website... It would make things very easy (once it's set up), and the website can do all the selling!

You reminded me of a few photography-based businesses I've come across in the past, in "touristy" areas in particular...

I also remember wandering down Waikiki beach, this was around 10 years ago, and there was a man with a parrot. He would approach people and encourage them to have a photo taken with the parrot on their shoulder. What a great souvenir of Wakiki - a photo of you with a parrot on your shoulder! Of course, you had to pay for the photos he took. I watched him for a while, and he seemed quite popular...

Another time, also around a decade ago, I did an advanced scuba diving course (3 full days, if I remember right), at the Great Barrier Reef, in Australia. Along with our group, there was a photographer hanging around, taking underwater photos of everyone while we were diving as part of the course. Lo and behold, on the last night, what was available for purchase? Of course, you could purchase photos of yourself, scuba diving, while you were on the course! It would have been some nice extra income, I'm sure, for the people running the course!

Lastly, again a while ago (I used to be more adventurous than I am now!), I went white water rafting (as part of a "tour"), this was also in northern Australia, near a well-known tourist town called Cairns (it's a common "starting point" to see the Great Barrier Reef). Well, as a glasses wearer, I couldn't wear my glasses, so it was fun, except that everything was blurry! At the end of the tour... Yes, photos were available! I bought the photos this time, because I didn't know when I would go white water rafting again, since it's a lot less fun, I imagine, when all you see is a big blur... Also, in the photos, I could see the scenery I missed out on...!

The photos were presented in a nice booklet...

I think what this shows is that, any "fun" touristy type of activity, can be "enhanced" with photos... and selling the photos can "enhance" the profits, too!

None of the guys above sold the photos through a website, but integrating it with a website (as Don has talked about) I think is the "smarter" way to do it... Also, if people at first decide not to buy, then "change their mind" later, they can still go to the website later to buy the photos.

Best wishes,

Dien