What do you do when the economy blows holes in your business? You simply cover the holes with canvases!
Finished Wall
Heather and Dean Matthews, owners of Couture Portraits, didn’t sit still when they saw their average sales orders dropping 30%. Heather shared with us: “We live in the second largest banking center in the United States, and the crashing economy hit us hard. But Dean and I moved fast to adjust. We modified the way we priced and the way we marketed our products. We didn’t change prices; we changed options! And it worked.” The main change Heather speaks of is The Wall.
The Matthews’ studio had formerly displayed an entire wall of traditionally-framed photos to promote their photography business. They took those old pieces down and invested in five large canvases,all taken of one family. “The new display gave our customers a new idea,that they could order ‘by the wall’ and really make a spectacularly powerful statement. Today The Wall is our best seller!” Their studio now has a collection of thirty canvases for customers to view.”
The pricing for a group begins around $800, but most people order their mid-sized collection at $1,400, which consists of two 16″ X 20″ and one 20″ X 24″ portraits,a combination that fits well on almost any wall. Heather explains that families love the idea! “They are willing to invest more for The Wall.”
Sample Design
How does it work? First the customer comes in to view and select their favorite images and then Heather or Dean visits their home to measure. After seeing what the customer wants and the wall space they have to work with, they create two possible wall collection designs in Photoshop.
Heather tells us…”We recently built a Wall of eight canvases for nearly $10,000. When we work with orders of that magnitude, it’s imperative that we trust our provider. Canvas on Demand ROCKS! It’s the only company we use, because we know that when we send in an order it will arrive in days and be perfect… the correct color balance and cropped just perfectly. We feel like our customer service rep has become a personal friend, always giving us sound advice and providing us with boutique-style service. You don’t often find a company with wonderful products and terrific service, but those guys really pull it off!”
Couture Portraits’ average sales continue to rise, but even more importantly, their referral rate is sky rocketing. “We are creating what the soccer mom can’t, and when their friends walk into her home, they want to know who created that Wall.”
Canvas on Demand is very proud to be Couture Portraits’ canvas supplier. Tom, one of the co-owners, says, “Not only are they an awesome photography team, their business is a stellar example of entrepreneurial spirit!”
Heather is a second generation photographer who had a studio in South Florida for eight years. Five months after opening their retail studio in Blakeny Village Shops in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dean left the corporate world to join her. The Wall option has taken the studio beyond photography, causing Heather and Dean to grow in other areas as well. They have learned to have a vision for each order, to work with blended multiple images and sizes, and to use every ounce of their interior design acumen. You can learn more about this remarkable husband and wife team and their studio by going to www.coutureportraits.net.
Ever look at someone,whether they’re your own child or not,and feel a sense of Parental Pride? Well, I feel that way about Joe and Tom, the co-owners of Canvas on Demand. Joe is actually my son; Tom is actually 
