They say that 5% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. Is it because of their expertise?  Is it because they have more passion for the sport than the rest of us?  Work with me – there’s a connection I’m trying to make.

Well, in the same respect 5% of an organization does 90% of the work.  Now ask some of the same questions, because it is about their expertise and their passion.  Elena Hernandez is the Education Director for Dallas PPA.  She started beating me up almost a year ago to speak at their monthly meeting.  I was reluctant, simply because it meant two days out of the office, schlepping to the airport, dealing with the challenges of travel – but you don’t say “no” to Elena.  I finally gave in and couldn’t be happier that I did.  (Just the stories after the program made the trip worth it – I can’t repeat them, but what a funny night and Kevin and Richard – theres a sitcom in your hearts waiting to be born!)

I also couldn’t be prouder of my Dallas buddy, Ms Elena, because her passion for our industry is virtually unmatched.  Read her guest blog a few months ago and you’ll see what I mean about her love for the craft.  Spend a few minutes with her at any convention and you’ll understand her drive and quest to learn everything she can and share it with anybody who needs help.

This industry today was built by pioneers like Monte Zucker, Don Blair, Bill Stockwell, Rocky Gunn, Dean Collins along with Josef Karsh, Eddie Adams, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Herb Ritts, Alfred Eisenstadt and a dozen more icons I just can’t think of right now, but the people who keep it alive today are the unsung heroes, the Elena Hernadez’s behind the scenes.    The cool thing about the crew in Dallas is Helena’s dedication is joined by Margaret Bryant, president, Carsten,  Genie and at least four other people who share her enthusiasm and love for the Guild.  Sorry, don’t remember the names of everybody I met last night!

Last year I spoke at the Triangle Institute in Pittsburgh – Jerry and Bonnie Costanzo set the standard for behind the scenes support in that school/association…and where would the Texas School be without guys like Don Dickson and Doug Box?   Where would our industry be without guys like Corbell (who’s really a Texan hiding out in California!).  There are hundreds of other people in every association, organization and camera club in the country who like the Energizer Rabbit, just keep ”going and going” to make this industry stronger!

Okay, I’m getting way too sappy, but this morning’s blog is simply a big “THANKS” to Ms Elena for making me drag my butt to Dallas, but even bigger to her, Jerry and Bonnie, Don and Doug, Tony and a few hundred other people who are willing to work behind the scenes, put up with a lot of garbage and work so hard to make this industry better for everyone!

Thanks you guys – we sure do love ya!

“We can believe that we know where the world should go. But unless we’re in touch with our customers, our model of the world can diverge from reality. There’s no substitute for innovation, of course, but innovation is no substitute for being in touch, either.”

Are you in touch with what your customers want?  Or, are you providing what you think they need based on information that’s long since changed.  When was the last time you did your own informal survey to find out what your customers really want?  When you’re meeting with a client do you really hear what they’re saying?

When Bambi Cantrell asks a bride to tell her about her bridal gown, she immediately picks up two invaluable pieces of information.  First, the brand of the gown tells her how much the bride is willing to spend on something she feels is important.  Second, because Bambi knows gowns, the type and design of the gown will relate to the style of photography, being more traditional and conservative or more contemporary.

Then there’s Doug Box, who does a great demonstration about defining what you’re customers are really asking.  If a customer calls you and asks, “How much are your 8×10s?” What will you answer?  Most photographers just put a price out there.  Now, pretend you’re a baker and somebody calls and asks, “How much are your cakes?” 

Your answer is going to be preceded by a series of qualifiers:  “How many people do you want it to serve? What flavors do you want?  Do you want anything written on top of the cake?  Do you want it delivered or are you going to pick it up? Does anybody have a peanut allergy?  Do you want an ice cream cake or…and the list would go on and on.

Well, none of us are bakers, but  we know what to ask the person buying a cake.  Sadly, we sell short the customer we know best who’s calling for pricing on prints.   Why isn’t everybody asking all those same types of qualifiers?  Do you want just an 8×10 or did you know we have a special that includes other sizes?  How many 8×10’s would you like?  Does the image require any touch up – we have a terrific reputation for custom work.  Would you like a portrait sitting as well?  Would you like the image framed?  We have a full selection of frames and we’ll do all the work.  Is the image black and white or color?  The list of potential questions is extensive, but over and over again we too often fail to further qualify the customer and pull them into our entire “product line”.

Very few photographers, from commercial to children’s portraiture and everything in between, take the time to think about their product line.  Your skill set and the vendors you have available make up your “inventory” and thanks to technology, in the history of photography it’s the most extensive it’s ever been.

From the type of photography your skills allow to the thousands of techniques in Photoshop,  film vs digital and the hundreds of vendors offering you lab services, albums, frames, canvas prints, paper prints, slide shows, mixed media and hosting services – you have an inventory that beats Sam’s Club and Costco combined!   But, odds are you’ve never thought of them as your product line.

So, whether you’re headed to WPPI or programs like Skip’s Summer School later in the year, start thinking about the
diversity of the products and services you offer.  Before your next round of speakers take the time to visit their websites and look at the way they position their products and services.  Their programs will make a lot more sense if you know more about them. 

 Look at what everyone offers their clients.  When you walk into a program, the speaker you’re about to hear isn’t there just because they like to teach.  They’re on the podium because they’re successful and as trite and simplistic as it sounds, they learned a lesson from McDonald’s,

Would you like fries with that?