AMA Marcon 2025: Candid Insights & Inspiration

Candid Color Systems at AMA Marcon 2025: Insights, Inspiration, and Innovation

Last week, our marketing team from Candid Color Systems had the incredible opportunity to attend the 2025 AMA Marcon conference in Oklahoma City. It was a week filled with insightful discussions, innovative ideas, and exciting new strategies that we can’t wait to incorporate into our business. As a company dedicated to helping photographers Book More business, Earn More money, and Work Less, this conference reinforced our passion for delivering top-tier photofinishing services and marketing tools that empower our clients to succeed.

Staying True to Our Core Values

At Candid Color Systems, our mission, vision, and passion guide everything we do. Attending AMA Marcon reaffirmed our commitment to helping our clients grow their photography businesses while maintaining a competitive edge in an evolving industry.

🔹 Our Vision: Everything we do is designed to help you Book More business, Earn More money, and Work Less.

🔹 Our Mission: We leverage over 50 years of expertise to provide superior photofinishing services, innovative marketing tools, and effective business strategies that help photographers boost sales and keep customers coming back.

🔹 Our Passion: As a full-service photo lab, we pride ourselves on being more than just a provider — we are a partner in helping photographers succeed, thrive, and navigate the competitive world of photography.

Key Takeaways from the Conference

Molly Brill: Crafting a Blueprint for Success

One of the highlights of our experience was hearing from Molly Brill, Director of Marketing Strategy at Paycom, who spoke about building a blueprint for success. Her session emphasized the importance of crafting marketing messages that are not only compelling but also deeply aligned with our company’s core values. A well-defined strategy and a clear, authentic message ensure that our customers understand and connect with our brand, ultimately driving stronger engagement and business growth.

Emily Cohen: Strengthening Client Relationships

Another standout keynote came from Emily Cohen, founder of Casa Davka, who delivered a thought-provoking talk on how we, as industry professionals, can cultivate stronger relationships with our clients.

She encouraged us to reflect on how we engage with our clients and ensure they feel valued and understood. Her message focused on the idea that clear communication, well-defined expectations, and proactive collaboration create better partnerships. By taking the time to educate clients about our process and listening to their needs, we can foster more productive, long-lasting relationships that benefit both sides.

This perspective aligns with our approach at Candid Color Systems — we believe in guiding and supporting our clients every step of the way, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to succeed in their photography businesses.

Meg Lewis: Unlocking Creativity and Embracing Uniqueness

We were also inspired by Meg Lewis, owner of Meg Lewis Fun House, who reminded us that every person has something unique, fun, and exciting to bring to the table.

Her talk encouraged us to tap into our creativity, break free from self-imposed limitations, and reconnect with the fearless creativity we had as children. When we let go of rigid structures and expectations, we allow ourselves to craft marketing strategies that are bold, imaginative, and truly engaging. This philosophy aligns perfectly with how we approach our work at Candid Color Systems, always pushing the boundaries of innovation to help our clients succeed.

Our Products at Marcon

We produced the Marcon bag that was passed out to all of the attendees and the 1Oklahoma trader cards! It is always fun to see our products in the “wild” 🙂 

How We’re Taking These Lessons Forward

Our experience at AMA Marcon 2025 has fueled our excitement and drive to continue supporting photographers with even more innovative solutions, stronger marketing strategies, and enhanced client relationships. Here’s how we’re putting these insights into action:

✅ Refining our messaging to ensure it remains true to our core values while being engaging, clear, and compelling.

✅ Improving client communication by setting expectations early, providing education, and strengthening our partnerships with photographers.

✅ Encouraging creativity in everything we do, whether it’s marketing, product development, or customer engagement, to stand out in the photography industry.

And, of course, we had an absolute blast at the conference! The energy, creativity, and knowledge we gained will help us continue our mission of empowering photographers to grow their businesses and achieve lasting success. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we implement these strategies in the months ahead! 🚀📸

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