tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post8950075950702005381..comments2024-03-07T11:47:12.092-05:00Comments on Photo Business News & Forum: Vacation - Do You Reveal Your Whereabouts?John Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16941161605443479300noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-6932987289287816452008-08-13T10:05:00.000-04:002008-08-13T10:05:00.000-04:00Great advice, John. It also works if you've got pl...Great advice, John. It also works if you've got plans in town as well. I just told my assistant to never tell folks "I have dinner plans" or "I'm going to a party" etc. My advice was, "I'm sorry but I'm already booked!" Clients feel like they're getting blown off if, god forbid, you've got personal plans that might trump their assignment. It's not paranoid. It's good business sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-51790246189594909192008-08-07T13:49:00.000-04:002008-08-07T13:49:00.000-04:00I like to let certain clients know that I'll be tr...I like to let certain clients know that I'll be traveling to an area with photo potential but I don't volunteer the particulars of why I'm going and I can always say, "it's to shoot." I've picked up a few jobs that way. <BR/><BR/>And yeah, for a one-person operation why have a land line at all these days?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-71768789331412602202008-08-06T20:50:00.000-04:002008-08-06T20:50:00.000-04:00I do the same thing now after missing many assignm...I do the same thing now after missing many assignments for just that reason in my "single-guy" days. Now, "married guy with kids" I can't afford to miss any assignments, so I forward all the calls from my business line to my cell phone which is always with me. Unless I'm in some location with a lot of ambient noise like a restaurant, they never know I'm gone!Brian Mchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02189397678837826555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-49673101600390836592008-08-06T15:09:00.000-04:002008-08-06T15:09:00.000-04:00And most importantly, if you do leave an away mess...And most importantly, if you do leave an away message..MAKE SURE TO CHANGE IT BACK when your home. This recently happened to me..not good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-16871174032997395902008-08-06T14:48:00.000-04:002008-08-06T14:48:00.000-04:00You get to go on vacation?Thanks for reminding me ...You get to go on vacation?<BR/><BR/>Thanks for reminding me it's been more than a year since I last got away.<BR/><BR/>Need to fix that.<BR/><BR/>But your 'system' is really a good idea. I've always taken the exact opposite tack; worrying that if I'm not picking up on the first ring, work is going away.<BR/><BR/>I'd tell clients exactly when I was leaving, exactly when I was returning, where I could be reached in the meantime, etc.<BR/><BR/>Next time, I'm not telling that I'm leaving.Will Sebergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13967585289950943161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-44588078728653214612008-08-06T11:31:00.000-04:002008-08-06T11:31:00.000-04:00I wish I had the time to actually take a vacation ...I wish I had the time to actually take a vacation and had the problem you are talking about. Seriously, I have been dealing with this problem for years and your solution is precisely the best approach.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-27559693258297642812008-08-06T10:47:00.000-04:002008-08-06T10:47:00.000-04:00In my shop we're ALWAYS in town.When I schedule va...In my shop we're ALWAYS in town.<BR/><BR/>When I schedule vacations my staff tells the clients that I'm booked on another job and that's it. If there is an emergency, my staff contacts me and I'll get back to the client.<BR/><BR/>I think that John is right about not flaunting one's vacation plans. I think that the clients have more piece of mind knowing that "you're around".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-80152075870607416442008-08-06T10:14:00.000-04:002008-08-06T10:14:00.000-04:00This summer I got married and went on a 10 day hon...This summer I got married and went on a 10 day honeymoon to Guatemala. I work solo so I had a very trusted friend keep my calendar. My regular clients know my rates and really don't ask anymore. <BR/><BR/>Further, shortly after returning my faithful clients got a nice 5x7 print in the mail of a Mayan Ruin with, of course, a short hand-written note thanking them for their business. By doing this I was also able to show them a different visual style than the usual corporate work that they usually see.Lux Umbrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908542420243470755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-28981566828726537232008-08-06T09:31:00.000-04:002008-08-06T09:31:00.000-04:00It isn't fear based... but reality. If you aren't ...It isn't fear based... but reality. If you aren't there to give an estimate the client will look somewhere else. You might lose an assigment cause you are gone for a week. This way you can keep your vacation and your client with a simple answer. <BR/><BR/>I am not quite there... but I will be using this when the time comes.Camere Photographyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00181414425778790447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-36198942407640217012008-08-06T05:22:00.000-04:002008-08-06T05:22:00.000-04:00Seems kinda fear-based to me, if you always have t...Seems kinda fear-based to me, if you always have to worry about what a client may or may not think.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Everyone needs a break. Just keep it to yourself. But to fear what a client may or may not think seems silly to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-60311685059144991642008-08-06T03:37:00.000-04:002008-08-06T03:37:00.000-04:00Looks like the newbie (me) has "linking" issues. ...Looks like the newbie (me) has "linking" issues. Huzzah!<BR/><BR/>http://trockstock.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7553278593406733377.post-33533920916711298672008-08-06T03:16:00.000-04:002008-08-06T03:16:00.000-04:00Absolutely the most pragmatic advise I've read in ...Absolutely the most pragmatic advise I've read in a long time. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com