At KISS, we’re blessed with the best customers in the biz. Sometimes, though, they go above and beyond, and I wanted to let you know about one such case.

A couple weeks ago, Katie DiSimone emailed, asking for an album for a special circumstance. Her clients learned that the groom was diagnosed with stage IV cancer around Christmas. He was young and healthy–it was a shock to everyone. They only gave him around 6 months to live. They moved their Feb wedding up to Jan.

Katie not only refunded their money, but she went and shot the wedding for free.

She contacted us shortly after the wedding, asking how fast we could turn an album around for her. She’d decided not only to shoot the wedding for free, but she was going to pay for a KISS Book and wanted to know if we could get it done for her quickly because of his deteriorating health. I told her we’d get it to her as fast as humanly possible.

Everyone did everything we could to get the book to him, Katie asked about it on the 14th, ordered it on the 18th, we built it and overnighted it on the 21st. Sadly, we found that the groom had passed away on the 18th. While we grieve with the family, and pray for God’s gentle care; we also recognize the true love that Katie showed to her clients and hope it inspires all of you to look more closely at the relationships you build in your business.

Here’s Katie’s email from yesterday. There are photos of the book at her blog (linked)…

I just got Shannon and Greg’s album in the mail. I am in tears yet again. It is so incredibly beautiful. I am yet again made speechless by the KISS people. http://www.katiedisimone.com/blog/?p=2347

The voting was too close for us to ignore, so Passion Pink and Virgin White are both now available at the store. Swatch rings that are ordered going forward will have both colors. If you have a previous swatch ring and would like us to mail you the new colors, please email shaun@kissweddingbooks.com and he’ll hook you up! There may be a slight delay in books ordered with either white or pink, as we’re getting the covers stocked from our leather supplier, but we’re glad to be able to bring you these two awesome colors!

Thinking of all of you.

Get KISSed.

Kevin Swan Simple-Minded Director

KISS : The World’s Simplest Book Company

This is from Shane Snider’s post, on OSP:

A little backstory here:

I was really anxious to hear Kevin Swan talk about album sales at OSP South. I had been moving to a very simple a la carte system, and the album credit seemed to fit in perfectly and provide opportunity for more revenue after the wedding. After hearing him speak, I was hooked.

In December, after emailing Kevin about Kiss Wedding Books, I made the decision to get rid of all my other samples and go with Kiss. This presented a dilemma, since I had several really big books and a bridal show quickly approaching. In mid-December, I ordered my first Kiss book. I asked Kevin if there was any possibility of making the book in time for the show, which was only a couple of weeks away. He said probably not. I totally understood and realized it was a pretty ridiculous request.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and I get an email just several days after submitting my album design: “The little elves have finished early.” The book arrives just in time for my first after-show meeting today.

On the book: It’s beautiful and elegant. The leather is so soft, I want to put salt on it and eat it. It’s that tasty. There’s a great little canvas bag. No more packaging peanuts all over my house – they’ve made a brilliant little plastic packing mold.

I’m honestly just blown away by the customer service. I can’t wait to show the bride-to-be today. I feel like it’s the first day of my new, smarter business plan. No more BS… no more preview windows, frilly imprinting or anything else that slows down the ordering process.

Thanks, Shane; and if you do end up eating your KISS Book, I don’t think that falls under our replacement warranty.

Get KISSed.

Kevin Swan Simple-Minded Director

765-894-5536 Support Line

KISS : The World’s Simplest Book Company

Many of you have been getting boxes with our new, experimental packaging. Doodle Do has some exclusive video of our new packaging: Check it out! By the way, the Little KISSes tuck inside the 4″ top tier of the clamshell design along with all the other KISS goodies…

Talk about quick! Right after I posted the blast about Virgin White being available in a couple weeks, I got the info that it’s available now!

WOO!

Get KISSed.

Kevin Swan Simple-Minded Director

765-894-5536 Support Line

KISS : The World’s Simplest Book Company

WPPI

If you’re sick of the option-laden, complicated, overblown, time-wasting album industry, stop by and relax at the KISS Lounge at WPPI! Booth 615, baby; right next to Canon. Click HERE for details.

White Leather

WHITE IS NOW AVAILABLE! ORDER AWAY!

New Facility

KISS quickly outgrew our facility in Orange County, thanks to all of you! We’ve moved production to a 16,000 square-foot building in Utah–chalk full of shiny book-making equipment. New cutters and stackers will allow us to build many more (about 4x more!) books per day than we were doing in OC. We’re continuing to experiment with and improve our product, without raising our price! Obviously, those of you in OC who were used to picking your albums up, you’ll have to order shipping. Sorry about that!

New Packaging

Some of you have seen the new packaging already. We’re continuing to tweak it, but we’re glad you all have enjoyed it so far. Happy New Year, KISSers! Looking forward to an awesome 2009.

Get KISSed.

Kevin Swan Simple-Minded Director

765-894-5536 Support Line

KISS : The World’s Simplest Book Company

“The Kiss Arrival” … a bed-time story:

Lisa woke up one morning with eager anticipation written all over her face. She thought that day would never come, but alas it had finally arrived. The excitement bore butterflies that danced in her tummy. She wasted no time getting into the studio and started working away, all the while keeping one ear open to passing traffic. She could not wait. Constantly listening for those tires and that brake squeal. The hours were ticking away sooooo slow she just could not bare it. “Will it ever come?” she wondered. As the hours passed, the grin subsided and an heir of disappointment filled the room. Suddenly she heard her husband walk through the door uttering such sweet words, “Hey honey, there is a package here for you.” “How could she have missed it! ” she thought. As he handed her the beautiful brown box, she ripped into it with a frenzy. She suddenly stopped. “There it is.” she thought Her calm pause did not last for long. Her eagerness once more got the best of her and she started tearing away at the bubble wrap that enveloped the precious green yumminess.

(side note: Kids, whenever you are trying to unwrap a precious item you have been anxiously awaiting, take your time unwrapping it. Sometimes things are wrapped so well in bubble wrap it could take you a grueling 15 minutes to unwrap it if you are too excited. Take your time, as it could save you a whole lot of it. Now back to the story)

Suddenly, Lisa felt the soft green cover brush up against her fingers. “Ooh-la-la! It’s so soft!” she exclaimed. It was then that a calmness took over her demeanor. She found a comfy seat and placed the yummy green book on her lap. Slowly, she turned each page with such tenderness and care. With each page turn, her smile grew bigger and bigger. As she closed the book, Lisa thought, “It is everything I wished for. It is so beautiful”. Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, Lisa saw a beautiful print peering from the box that somehow remained intact. She pulled it out and it was a beautiful canvas print casing for the “the precious”. It oh so deserved another, “ooh-la-la!!!” It was such a sweet surprise and oh so chic. “All that sweet goodness wrapped up in even more sweet goodness,” she thought. “Yummy!”

As she danced around the studio like a little school girl she heard another door open. It was Janet! As Lisa ran to the door holding that precious green goodness behind her, she exclaimed, “I have a surprise for you!” Janet smiled ….

Two girls with cameras are now two girls with a Kiss (kids, put those naughty thoughts out of your head). Lets rephrase: Two girls with cameras are now two girls with a Kiss album.

The end.

By Lisa Lefringhouse

Thanks for KISSing!
Rachel : The Helpful Hottie