32 PPMAG.COM
IN PERSON, ONLINE
EILEEN AND PHILLIP BLUME BRING IPS TO THE INTERNET
by Jeff Kent
BRIDGING THE GAPSUCCESS
Phillip and Eileen BlumePhillip and Eileen BlumePhillip and Eileen Blume
Eileen and Phillip Blume had run their pho-
tography studio outside of Atlanta for several
years when they realized their sales model
wasn’t working. Like many photographers,
the Blumes were intimidated by the idea of
selling directly to clients, so after each wed-
ding or portrait session, they’d put up an on-
line gallery, invite clients to log on, and then
hope for the best.
The images were good. The photography
experience was good. The sales were terrible.
The Blumes knew they needed to make a
change, and fast. They restructured over-
night, introducing in-person sales and a more
guided sales model. They couldn’t afford to
invest in a fancy display, so they used a lap-
top to host clients for sales sessions to re-
view choices and offer image selection help.
You’ve read this story before, so what hap-
pens next shouldn’t be a surprise. Sales in-
creased dramatically, then Phillip and Eileen
IMAGES ©THE BLUMES