Premature Evacuation is a condition effecting many photographers around Australia.
It is a condition that seriously impacts your performance and your successful life in the viewing room, and many other areas in your business.
The impact of this embarrassing disease can effect the people you love as it normally leads to poor performance in your business which can then lead to dissatisfaction and stress in many relationships.
Symptoms of this disease are the constant use of the word “try” when you refer to any initiatives undertaken by you and your business.
I “tried” to call him, but he did not answer.
I will “try” to contact that lead you gave me”
I will “try” to call every client before their photo-shoot.
I will “try” do get some marketing done”
I will “try” to make time to meet you and discuss a promotional idea.
I will “try” to call all the leads!
I will “try” to get some clients!
I will “try” to sell them something.
I will “try” to get there money in full!
I have “tried” everything!
The minute we “try” we have made it ok to fail. It says that right now I feel as though I need to tell you that I am going to do something. Deep down though there is a little voice in my head saying “I’m just not comfortable doing that” or I am going to make myself so busy with other “stuff” that it will be ok for me to come back and say “I tried!!! But I ran out of time.
Ask yourself how many things did you really try. How many Businesses did you meet with to set up those strategic alliances. How often did you call. After rejection, how many times did you change what you presented???
How many times did you call that client to make that booking?? How many times before you gave up??
Far too many of us are out of there after the first call. If a business owner says “I need to think about it” too many of us believe that they are not interested and never initiate further contact for fear of being “pushy”.
The reality is that people in business are busy, and sometimes they cannot make a decision without clearing their head of all the other “stuff” that consumes them every day. Many are too busy and would take up your offer if you had of called again. Yet we translate their silence as a strong indicator that they are not interested, even though they never said that.
We evacuate way too early. We evacuate prematurely and never get the opportunity to book that client. We evacuate prematurely and never follow up on that lead to work with another business to cross promote our services. We were just about to talk to that person and hand over our card but we evacuated prematurely.
The fact is that everyone deserves to be photographed. If we truly believe in our craft and want to enjoy the experience… keep going. Keep at it longer. Take a “maybe” as a maybe. It is not for us to translate this to “they are not interested”. Pursue what you desire, again and again and again…
Never let Premature Evacuation effect your business. Keep at it. If something is not working, change what you are doing. It is the only way to get a different result. Change what you are doing until you get your desired result and hold back evacuating too early.