| Digital Pix has a membership in an
organization called the Photo Marketing Association, or PMA. We
have been active in PMA since 2000, when it became clear that
the analog photo industry was threatened and was soon to become
obsolete. While the best path to the digital world was obscured,
the need to make the transition was crystal clear. Many
companies failed to find a successful path. Digital Pix was one
of the lucky companies that did, and much of the success is
attributable to the availability of great industry resources and
good timing. PMA and its offshoot organizations provided those
resources and guided the timing. We have memberships in
several related organizations, namely DIMA (Digital Imaging |
Marketing Association), PSPA
(Professional School Photographers Association) and AIE
(Association of Imaging Executives). It is difficult for a
school photography company to survive
without an active knowledge of industry information provided
through these valuable associations. They provide information in
a number of ways; through conventions, publications, conferences
and periodic newsletters.
We attend the annual US PMA convention and attend all
educational sessions that directly apply to our company niche.
We participate in roundtable discussions and are active
participants in surveys conducted industry-wide. We receive and
read periodic newsletters from all of these organizations. |
We have also attended AIE sponsored
functions in Minneapolis, MN and Monterey, CA. The latter
conference was organized and hosted by a company called 6Sight,
which is devoted to the study of technology advancements. Its
mission is to keep members aware of changing technologies in
advance of their introduction into the marketplace, hopefully
giving us up to three years time to transition.
Lastly, we have taken every opportunity to mingle with other
industry executives. We have saved many thousands of dollars
from recommendations received at these functions. Being in the
right place at the right time is not a matter of luck; rather it
is a result of just being in a many places as you can reasonably
be. |
