Recognizing Your Staff...even when you don't have one!

First Byte:  First Bytes are 1-2 minute summaries and suggestions that tie directly to a specific blog post. I'm hoping they're helpful in expanding the topic of the post itself.

© Melpomene - Fotolia

I get it...you're a solo act in a business that's just getting started. You don't have any administrative staff, but here and there your spouse might pitch in as a second shooter or help you put orders together at holiday time. Now let's go the other direction - you've been in business for years and have a couple of second shooters, somebody who puts albums together and chases orders with your lab, maybe even a manager running the operational side of your business. 

Either way, there's no excuse for not recognizing all the people who help you run your business, reach more clients and keep your gray hairs to a minimum. You might not have a full time or even part time staff, but there are at least a dozen people in your life who are responsible for whatever sanity you have left.

There's a great little book called "A Carrot a Day" and it's all about recognizing performance. A quote by Dale Denton says it all:
              
"Nine tenths of wisdom is appreciation. Go find somebody's hand and squeeze it...while there's still time!"

The authors went on to write, "Don't wait until it is too late to show your appreciation. Society of Human Resource Management statistics show that 79 percent of people leave their jobs due to lack of recognition. Don't let your good people get away simply because you didn't take the time to recognize their contributions."

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Yesterday's post was about hosting an open house, even if you don't have a studio. Well, today I'm suggesting you thank your "staff", even if you don't have one. 

Look for ways to thank that wedding planner, venue, florist or another photographer who referred a client to you. Remember the UPS guy...in fact, in my old Rangefinder Magazine days we used to invite the UPS guy to our holiday luncheon. We saw him every day and often he went out of his way to get our deliveries to us on time. He really was an unofficial member of the company.

This is just a short post this morning - the holidays are right around the corner and you've got a whole bunch of people who have helped you this year, including your contact at your lab, album and frame companies. Maybe there's an editor who gave you a little extra ink in the local paper or a photographer who bailed you out when you had equipment problems. 

It's important to show your appreciation all year long and one great time to start is over the upcoming holidays. This is about showing appreciation and it can be as simple as just taking somebody out to lunch!

'People may not remember exactly what you did or
what you said, but they will always remember
how you made them feel."
Author Unknown