Additionally, you'll find a heap of other free Walk The Talk webinars on a variety of topics and programs of interest to photographers over on Mark's YouTube channel.)

What to expect in webinar replay:

General overview
Slideshows
Sales apps + automations
Art Gallery
Pros, cons, alternatives + pricing
Resources

"Katrina did a very thorough presentation. I'll be watching this again."
- Jude Conning, Photographer

HOT TIP: If you're using the Chrome browser, be sure to add on the free Chrome extension: Video Speed Controller. It'll change your life! (You can speed up or slow down the pace of ANY video online using hot key controls or on-screen commands)

Intro to Pic-Time

Pic-Time is a beautifully styled, powerful online gallery, store / e-commerce and marketing platform for photographers - commercial, domestic, fine art...you name it.

Founded by husband and wife team, Nirit and Amir Karby, in 2010, Pic-Time integrates with pro photo labs all over the world.

Basically, by seamlessly combining contemporary design AND smart technology, Pic-Time helps photographers elevate, market and sell their work - in both digital and physical formats.

Nirit & Amir Karby quote about Pic-Time platform

Free Trial

Curious to have a poke around and get a feel for the system? Pic-Time offer a 30-day free trial to all new users.

Pic-Time Discount Code

Once you've done your free 30-day trial and want to officially sign up to Pic-Time, you can punch in my partner code to receive another free month of your plan.

Get one FREE MONTH of Pic-Time with code: KATFERG

P.S If you have a friend or colleague already using Pic-Time, they'll have a code of their own too so you can easily swap mine out for theirs if you prefer. No worries 👍🏼.

Furthermore, as a new user you'll be allocated a unique randomised referral code, which makes it super easy to share the love and be rewarded - should you feel so inclined.

Pricing & Plans

Head straight to the Pic-Time plans and pricing page to see the current pricing and to compare available plans (client galleries, art galleries, and bundles including both) side-by-side.

Client gallery and art gallery stand-alone plans both offer a FREE option for the primary purpose of providing an opportunity for users to continue to get familiar with the system.

The free client gallery plan can be used actively i.e. with clients and guests.

Presently a 15% sales commission is collected by Pic-Time on sales ONLY when utilising a free client gallery plan.

There are NO commissions once users are on a paid plan (nor during your trial period.)

Pic-Time pricing and plans info banner — **ABOVE:** For full detail of the current available plans and pricing for Pic-Time's products, click through to the pricing page and compare. (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

A Lab Near You

Pic-Time currently integrates their curated product selection with more than 30 professional photo labs and suppliers globally.

You also have the flexibility to self-fulfil any products you like, from any supplier you like.

Consequently, you're not 'locked in' to choosing an integrated supplier at all.

Integrate with one supplier, three, ten...or none at all.

Such is the power of Pic-Time: design and use it as best suits you and your clients.

For sake of limiting shipping costs, generally it may be best to choose a supplier in your country (though most ship globally regardless).

So if you find a swoon-worthy product from a lab half-way 'round the world that you just HAVE to have in your store...you can.

Pic-Time integrated print labs 2023 — **ABOVE:** Click through to find out more about the professional photo labs and suppliers currently integrated with Pic-Time, and the products they're fulfilling. (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

Set Up Help - A Formal Intro to Pic-Time

If you'd like one-to-one help getting your account and galleries set up, Pic-Time has a professional services team available to 'hand-hold' you through the process.

Pic-Time professional setup service packages and pricing — **ABOVE:** Pic-Time professional services detail and pricing (in USD) as at July 2023. Click through for full and current detail. (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

This optional paid service is for those who don't have the time, patience or propensity to use the free resources available to help them get started. (Scroll down to the 'Free Resources' section of this post to find out more.)

Utilising the professional services team is a great idea for those who want a fast-tracked, personalised option and / or those who learn best when doing or being shown 'in-person' (rather than by reading or watching video.)

Laptop on desk with old-fashioned polaroid camera — **ABOVE:** Head to the Pic-Time professional services page to get more info on how they can help you. *(SOURCE: Pic-Time)*

Gallery Migration - Switching to Pic-Time

If you're looking to migrate either a handful or hundreds of galleries to Pic-Time from an existing provider, the Pic-Time professional services team can do it all for you.

Sign up for a monthly plan and have your galleries migrated for $2 ea. Those on yearly plans can migrate for $1 per gallery and if you sign up for two years of any plan, migration is 50c per gallery.

If you have more than 300 galleries to migrate, you'll receive an extra 15% discount.

These are providers from which the PT team can migrate for you:

ShootProof
Pixieset
CloudSpot
Pass+
Zenfolio
SmugMug
Instaproofs

Your existing scene structure AND client email info can be included in your migration if moving from any of these providers:

ShootProof
Pixieset
Cloudspot
Zenfolio
Pass+

Find out more details in Pic-Time's general Gallery Migration Guide on their blog. And their migration-specific FAQ page in their online help centre.

If you're ready to get started (don't delay...the process can take between 4-6 weeks depending on your amount of galleries) you can jump straight in to completing your gallery migration request form.

Gallery Migration App - Celebrate Your Move to Pic-Time with a Promotion

Keen to let your clients know their gallery has migrated to a new home AND you've created a special offer for them to celebrate?

Check out the Gallery Migration App.

Pic-Time gallery migration app email and banners — **ABOVE:** Sample customisable email and banners for the Pic-Time gallery migration app (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

Pic-Time Store Help - Custom Setup

Laptop displaying Pic-Time store on clean, modern desk workspace

If you're feeling overwhelmed with the setup of your Pic-Time store, I've helped many photographers with this process and offer either a 'Do-It-With-You' or a 'Do-It-For-You' service.

Depending on your needs and budget, one of those offerings will help.

You can find out more about my Pic-Time store setup help offers, including pricing information, on the Photogeek Services page.

"I was experiencing a real dilemma with how to properly utilise my Pic-Time gallery with my preferred lab...Katrina was not only able to guide me through but also empower me with the knowledge to update and maintain the system on my own. Her service offering and pricing was within my budget and time frame, and she is also a great communicator. Highly recommend!"
- Shirley Hitschmann, Photographer

Pic-Time Setup help by Katrina Ferguson of Photogeek

Free Pic-Time Resources

There are a number of free, detailed resources to help the Pic-Time community set up and best utilise the platform:

PIC-TIME HELP CENTRE: an online searchable and ever-evolving knowledge base packed with step-by-step written and visual answers/instructions to all the most common questions.

Pic-Time help centre banner and search bar — **ABOVE:** The free Pic-Time online knowledge base is brimming with answers and visual step-by-step guides to help get you going and growing. (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

LIVE CHAT SUPPORT: Pic-Time users (along with their clients AND all gallery visitors) have access to live chat support directly in the platform. The support team are located all over the world. Consequently there's typically always someone available (though short wait times can apply during peak periods.) Furthermore, with access to both the system and the development team, the support team are able to locate and fix issues or help provide instruction etc. as needed.

Pic-Time support chat window and user Facebook group — **LEFT:** Pic-Time in-house live chat support is available to photographers, their clients AND any gallery visitors. (SOURCE: Pic-Time) **RIGHT:** The private Facebook user group is an informal place to ask the community informal questions and stay up-to-date with the latest information and developments. (SOURCE: Facebook)

'PIC-TIME COMMUNITY' FACEBOOK GROUP: Where PT users, support and development teams, and Pic-Time founders (Nirit and Amir) informally e-meet to discuss, question, research, problem solve and celebrate all things Pic-Time. As a result, the search feature is your friend (if you're thinking it...it's possibly been asked before!)

PIC-TIME YOUTUBE CHANNEL: A detailed webinar series and quick-step tutorials are hosted here - among other things - and are freely accessible at your convenience.

RANDOM HOT TIP:

If you're using the Chrome browser, be sure to add on the free Chrome extension: Video Speed Controller if you ever watch videos on the web. It'll change your life! (You can speed up or slow down the pace of ANY video online using hot key controls or on-screen commands)

Pic-Time YouTube Channel video option sample — **ABOVE:** A sample of some of the video resources available on the Pic-Time YouTube channel. (SOURCE: YouTube)

Smart Store

This is the Pic-Time feature that first caught my eye...and enticed me to switch from my previous gallery provider.

Knowing I wanted to use my online shop in place of In-Person Sales (IPS), I could see this offered the best online sales experience possible.

How does it work?!

The photos in your gallery AUTOMAGICALLY (not a word...but definitely a thing) populate into the products in your store.

So, significantly, your clients are experiencing their own photos as finished product mock-ups from the very first time they enter their gallery and store.

How's that for impact?

It helps eliminate the guesswork and helps clients envision their finished photo products.

It helps to sell ✅.

Pic-Time smart store online shop example products I — **ABOVE + BELOW:** Just like magic i.e. without you doing a thing, the photos you add to any online gallery automatically populate into the products of the adjoining online store. And if you want to control which set of photos are used, you can. Simply 'favourite' your preferred six images and voila! Automagic 😊. (PHOTOS BY: Katrina Ferguson)

Pic-Time smart store online shop example products III

As the photographer you can determine which images are initially populated.

Simply 'favourite' at least six of your best images before you send the gallery to your client/s.

Obviously, once your clients begin doing the same, their favourites will take precedence.

And you'd be wise to let them know about this feature. It offers them a great sense of control and ownership.

Pic-Time smart store online shop example products II — **ABOVE:** There's a wide range of products you can choose to offer and either have fulfilled by your chosen lab/s OR self-fulfil (you can also do a combination of the two. Along the same lines, you can opt to have products drop-shipped directly to clients/shoppers OR sent to you first.) Pic-Time also enables you to use your own product photos in the smart store. Upload them, designate the area you want the system to place your image/s, and it does just that e.g. the 'Floating Frames' examples above. (PHOTOS BY: Katrina Ferguson. Floating frame product photos are the Marilyn range by Atkins Pro Lab in Australia.)

Watermark Protection Feature

In January 2023 Pic-Time released a watermark protection feature that automatically adds AI noise to user's existing watermarks in the system.

It cleverly confuses the algorithm in AI watermark removal apps making it far less likely/possible for such tools to remove watermarks and photographer branding.

In other words, people can't steal your photos and easily dissolve the existing watermarks using third party apps. Hallelujah!

Pic-Time watermark protection feature example and before and after sample of how it works — **ABOVE:** How the Pic-Time AI watermark protection feature works. The first technology of its kind to be implemented in online gallery software. (*SOURCE:* Pic-Time.)

Sales Automations

Evidently, Pic-Time is more than an online gallery provider.

A large part of its power and effectiveness comes in the form of its vast range of sales automations.

Designed with different philosophies and objectives at their core, the diverse suite of automation apps can help increase sales, build traffic and brand awareness.

And streamline certain workflow tasks.

Sales Automation Apps

Sales automations include apps such as:

abandoned cart
post order promotion
anniversary sales
rolling publish
gallery visitor boost
the Simple Sales System (read more about that further down this page)
gallery backup systems
mini session sales

**ABOVE:** The Pic-Time automation app and campaign menu. Just some of what's available within the platform. (SOURCE: Pic-Time.)

Find out more about each of the different sales apps on the Pic-Time YouTube channel.

Additionally you have the ability to:

run general coupon apps
sell gift cards in-store
offer a print incentive
send pre-designed products to clients with a special promotion attached

Find out more about the Pic-Time sales automation suite HERE.

Pic-Time gift card automation app promo email and gallery banner — **ABOVE:** The digital gift card automation app allows users to purchase store credit for others or for themselves to use at a later date. Ideal for a wedding or baby shower gift registry. (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

Pic-Time Black Friday sale promotion elements — **ABOVE:** Sales automation campaign for Black Friday - part of the Pic-Time holiday app. Choose your discount and your promo copy to suit. (SOURCE: Pic-Time.)

Pic-Time mini session automation app promo email and gallery banner — **ABOVE:** The mini session automation app advertises and sells your special mini session offer directly from inside client galleries (or a special promo gallery you create specifically to promote your mini session.) Pic-Time sells the sessions for you and you can self-schedule or use something like usesession.com to help power the process. (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

Pic-Time Holiday sale automation app and sales campaign — **ABOVE:** Holiday sale automation app designed to boost your sales and profits just in time for the busy season/s. (SOURCE: Pic-Time.)

Slideshows

In 2021, Pic-Time released an in-house slideshow builder included free with all paid plans.

It's quite the game-changer given its ability to create slideshows in multiple formats including:

standard (2:3)
widescreen (16:9)
film (4:3)
mobile (9:16)

There are over 6500 licensed music tracks to choose from.

Other features include:

auto and self-designed beat matching
audio trimmer
watermarking
text slides
multiple image slide layouts
device-specific display options
download and embed functionality
slideshow sales

Got your own music you want to upload and beat match? Go for it ✅.

Furthermore, you can opt to sign on for unlimited 4K slideshow download capability for a small additional monthly fee.

Customise your slideshows with colour, text, your logo and a selection of layouts...and share on social media to help engage your audience and elevate your brand.

(NB: Pic-Time continues to support the display of slideshows created in SmartSlides and Animoto, along with video hosted on YouTube or Vimeo.)

You can find out more about slideshows in this feature announcement Pic-Time blog post and get 6 tips on how to make beautiful Pic-Time slideshows here.

Art Galleries

Pic-Time art galleries are for use in addition to your existing client gallery platform or as a stand-alone product.

Designed to provide a customisable online gallery and sales system for those wanting to exhibit and sell their photography, art galleries allow for video, audio and written artist statements and supporting material.

Users can customise their art gallery's colours, fonts and layouts. And offer their printed artwork as finished product - in a selection of sizes and finishes - crafted by a professional lab(s) and delivered straight to the purchaser's door.

Photographers can offer their work as open or limited editions and price to suit. Finished pre-designed products such as albums, books and calendars etc. can also be sold as is.

Art galleries include some 25+ elegant room views to help elevate the sales experience for users.

Photographers can share their finished gallery as a stand-alone site or integrated into their existing website.

Framed photographic prints by Katrina Ferguson as displayed in Pic-Time art gallery — ABOVE: Framed photographic prints for sale digitally mocked up into finished artwork using Pic-Time art gallery automation and included lifestyle room views. (SOURCE: Katrina Ferguson.)

You can utilise four of Pic-Time's popular sales automations in the art galleries: post order promotion, abandoned cart, general coupon app, and single-use coupons.

Find out more HERE.

The Simple Sales System

Photographer and educator, Annemie Tonken (of This Can't Be That Hard educational resources and podcast for pro photographers) first conceptualised the Simple Sales System.

Its aim is to bring the benefits of an In-Person Sales (IPS) system to an online platform by way of predictable and profitable sales.

The premise of the Simple Sales System (SSS) is this:

set up three packages (with a number of downloads and an amount of shop credit)
create a preview of the clients photos (by way of a watermarked slideshow and/or watermarked preview still images)
send to the client with a customisable limited viewing time e.g. 24 or 48hrs etc.
during or after viewing time, a package purchase must be made before the complete gallery and a la carte online store will open

Pic-time simple sales system workflow diagram — **ABOVE:** The basics of the Simple Sales System workflow. (SOURCE: Pic-Time)

Annemie has created a free educational webinar on the SSS for those who want to dive deeper into the strategy, and the Pic-Time team recently hosted their own dedicated in-depth SSS webinar with Annemie and a handful of photographers thriving with the system.

Watch the replay here.

The Simple Sales Blueprint + Discount Code

Annemie offers an in-depth course on implementing the Simple Sales System into your business ✅.

You don't neeeeed the course to use SSS but it certainly helps hand-hold you through the whole process including pricing, products, client communication, Pic-Time setup etc.

Find out more about the Simple Sales Blueprint here.

If purchasing the Simple Sales Blueprint course, you can utilisie the discount code KATFERG to receive $100 off.

Thank You

I hope this resource has helped you get a feel for much of what Pic-Time has to offer professional photographers and their clients.

Ideally it should point you in the right direction to further pursue any particular area or function of interest.

I'm not a Pic-Time employee, however I certainly am an enthusiastic user 🤓. (EDIT: And was made an official Ambassador in 2020.)

And I believe there's barely a photography business out there that couldn't utilise the platform in some way to elevate their business.

And add to their income.

Best of luck if this is you and you're now keen to sign up or start with a 30-day free trail.

And if it's not, you can strike Pic-Time off your long list of things to think about as a photography freelancer or business owner.

(And frankly, that's always a win!)

Get one FREE MONTH of Pic-Time with code: KATFERG

CONTACT KATRINA

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