Comments on: You're Missing An Opportunity If You Don't Contact The Client When You DON'T Get The Job! http://skipsphotonetwork.com/2009/11/customer-follow-up-when-you-didnt-get-the-job/ Marketing Consulting for the Photography Industry Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:58:01 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Dmitri http://skipsphotonetwork.com/2009/11/customer-follow-up-when-you-didnt-get-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-297 Dmitri Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:04:36 +0000 http://mei500.com/blog/?p=1699#comment-297 I think a lot of clients use that,"can't afford you" line even if it's not true. Most people wouldn't say how your work is not good enough compared to other photographers or photographers charging the same price. I think a lot of clients use that,”can’t afford you” line even if it’s not true. Most people wouldn’t say how your work is not good enough compared to other photographers or photographers charging the same price.

]]> By: admin http://skipsphotonetwork.com/2009/11/customer-follow-up-when-you-didnt-get-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-296 admin Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:22:41 +0000 http://mei500.com/blog/?p=1699#comment-296 I agree with everything you said, except, "every time you get feedback it takes you down a different path, any other path but the true one." You're absolutely right, people will not get into personal issues and they will often sugar coat their answer, but I've also found that just the effort to contact them becomes a positive experience. You didn't just disappear in a shower of rejection, but cared enough to follow-up. Thanks for the comments! I agree with everything you said, except, “every time you get feedback it takes you down a different path, any other path but the true one.” You’re absolutely right, people will not get into personal issues and they will often sugar coat their answer, but I’ve also found that just the effort to contact them becomes a positive experience. You didn’t just disappear in a shower of rejection, but cared enough to follow-up. Thanks for the comments!

]]> By: G.E. Masana http://skipsphotonetwork.com/2009/11/customer-follow-up-when-you-didnt-get-the-job/comment-page-1/#comment-295 G.E. Masana Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:49:53 +0000 http://mei500.com/blog/?p=1699#comment-295 Problem with asking for that feedback is that people will white lie in answering to save face or to not hurt your feelings or to not feel embarrassed by the true answer. If it was your body hygiene or bad teeth or obvious hairpiece (not that any of these apply to me!), for example, that turned them off, they may be reluctant to tell you that, telling you instead that their "mother's friend recommended another photographer that they couldn't turn down" or some other bogus answer, and off you go thinking that was the definitive answer and you'll still encounter the same problem, but every time you get feedback it takes you down a different path, any other path but the true one. The better way to conduct research is to not conduct it at all, at least, not verbally. Look for other clues via behavior and circumstances. For example, when a phone inquiry ends with "I have to speak with my fiance to find out when we can make an appointment", my "research" is not based on that being a fact and listing "uncertain schedule" as one of the major reasons people don't make appointments, which in turn might lead me to determine their schedule availability earlier in the phone call. Instead, I understand it's the excuse they create for not going ahead with an appointment, meaning that they've decided against making an appointment, and understanding it to mean that, then leads me to examine what happens during the phone call that makes them decide they're not going to make an appointment. Problem with asking for that feedback is that people will white lie in answering to save face or to not hurt your feelings or to not feel embarrassed by the true answer. If it was your body hygiene or bad teeth or obvious hairpiece (not that any of these apply to me!), for example, that turned them off, they may be reluctant to tell you that, telling you instead that their “mother’s friend recommended another photographer that they couldn’t turn down” or some other bogus answer, and off you go thinking that was the definitive answer and you’ll still encounter the same problem, but every time you get feedback it takes you down a different path, any other path but the true one.

The better way to conduct research is to not conduct it at all, at least, not verbally. Look for other clues via behavior and circumstances. For example, when a phone inquiry ends with “I have to speak with my fiance to find out when we can make an appointment”, my “research” is not based on that being a fact and listing “uncertain schedule” as one of the major reasons people don’t make appointments, which in turn might lead me to determine their schedule availability earlier in the phone call. Instead, I understand it’s the excuse they create for not going ahead with an appointment, meaning that they’ve decided against making an appointment, and understanding it to mean that, then leads me to examine what happens during the phone call that makes them decide they’re not going to make an appointment.

]]>