I can’t believe December 1st is just days away. Didn’t summer just end? I recall having conversations with our photographers about the importance of this last quarter and now it is almost over.
Thanksgiving just passed and before we know it will be the holidays and then 2012. How did that happen so fast?
Every year around this time, I start to feel the pressure of the end of year. We only have one more month until the end of the year to make our plans for next one. Accomplishing this in one month is not easy; especially knowing that come December everyone is looking to cross things off of their to do list, not add to them.
Here is what we have been doing with the little time we have left:
1) We sent out one last email blast and mailing for the photographers in our group that had one prepared before Thanksgiving. After that, people are focused on trying to complete all their projects and not start anything new until the New Year.
2) Gathering all new imagery to add them to the websites we are featured on – including our own – so that come the New Year we are starting off fresh and not needing to devote time to uploading and editing.
3) Make one last round of calls for portfolio shows locally and in NY for upcoming shows in the New Year. If we can get on the calendars now for the New Year, we are that much farther ahead. If we wait until January to start making those calls it wont be until March is some cases that we will be able to get an appointment. Once January hits, people like to get organized and most often ask us to call back in February.
4) Encourage those photographers that are in the middle of redesigns of their portfolios or websites to push for completion by year end. There is nothing like a new portfolio or website to start off the year.
5) Create our year end reports for each photographer. These reports include a review of all of last year’s marketing plans and an evaluation of how much was accomplished. We offer insights into trends we experienced and trends we are foreseeing. We review how much new work was created and how much business has grown. As well, we create new plans that we will use as a road map for new year.
Even though the end of the year is coming soon, we always look forward to this time of year. We like to joke that come December, no one wants to hear from Heather Elder the rep. We get to push pause on the sales part of our business and concentrate on the marketing and business side. We get to evaluate what works in the office and what doesn’t. And, we get to look honestly at whether or not the efforts we put forth have yielded the results we had aimed to create. If they are not, we make the changes needed to start off the new year in a better position.