12.02.2019

Work slows down in the holidays. Might be busy for the "family portrait" pros but the corporate world goes missing quickly after Thanksgiving. I have a sure fire promotion you can try....


I've looked back over the billing for the last decade and I'm here to tell you that the trend amongst big, corporate clients, is to disappear right after Thanksgiving and to re-appear a bit after the first week of January. Predictable. Like clockwork. Off the radar and not spending a dime...

We've tried to goose up the last month of year (each year) by increasing promotions, sending out more e-mails, popping up on LinkedIn with outstanding creative content, and even calling people for lunches.  Not virtual lunches; actual lunches. It never works. But I think I've got it figured out this year; it's not about them, it's all about me.

In our business when you get too busy to handle new work, or you have dramas of a personal nature, that's when clients emerge from hibernation and show up in herds and hordes, ready to collaborate with you. If you are too busy with existing work, or too occupied with helping your parents or relatives, you'll have to decline the new work and hope the disappointed clients will call again, later. So there is a correlation between being busy and having the clients call you. It's almost scientific. It's called, "The Law of Unwanted Attraction." 

This week I'm going to try and spoof the law of unwanted attraction by getting to a task that I've been procrastinating on for too long....That will make me "too busy" and serve to attract the multitudes.

Part of my fence had seen better days and needed to be replaced. I hired our yard guy/handyman to do the job. His part of the job did not include painting the new fencing once constructed. I assured him that I would take care of it, thinking I would hire a painting company to spray of a few coats of paint that matches the existing fence and quickly be done with it. But now that I've come up with a way to potentially fool the universe into flooding me with business I've decided that I'll paint it myself. With old fashioned brushes...

I'm heading to the paint store as soon as I finish writing this blog. I've got a sample of the last paint drying on a board on the floor so I can match it all up. I'll order two gallons to start. Today and tomorrow are supposed to be perfect painting days = dawn-to-dusk sunshine and temperatures up near 70 for highs.

I've checked Studio Dog's schedule and she's clear to help out by keeping pesky squirrels at bay. 

But don't get too excited. I know exactly what will happen when I have on my new Armani painter's outfit and my Cole Hahn painting shoes are just right. I'll dip the brush into the first can of paint and then the phone will go nuts with texts, e-mails and direct phone calls begging and cajoling me to do "emergency" photo assignments. It's as predictable as washing the studio Bentley then leaving the top down in order to summon rain...

How can you help? Well, if you've read, "Tom Sawyer" you know just how much fun fence painting can be. Right? It's a blast. And, for a small donation to my Patreon page you too can share in the fun and games of painting Kirk's fence. The cost? Marginal. I would normally charge myself $100 an hour to paint the fence but.....if you come over with a brush and some cold beer to share I could let you enjoy painting with me for only $50 an hour. And, bonus!!!! I'll buy the paint. Sound good? Let's start in the morning around 10 a.m. Okay? See you then! 



9 comments:

MB.Kinsman said...

Sorry, no IBIS in the brush is a deal breaker for me.

George said...

So, let me get it straight...you'll pay ME $50.00 an hour to help you paint the fence. You see, I never read "TOM SAWYER".
If I've confused anything, please excuse me as I'm a bit dyslexic and may have misread.
Looks to me like it's about a 20 hour job that's a lot of fence .. let me know what kind of beer you like.

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Aw George... Nope, you just send that $50 per hour to my Patreon account (kidding: non-existent) and I'll sort it all out.

Greg Heins said...

Aunt Polly is your CFO.

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Greg......idle hands.....come on down....we've got a brush with your name on it. KT

Kenneth Voigt said...

A wood fence is a total waste of money.

Kirk, Photographer/Writer said...

Came with the house 20+ years ago. Keeps out the deer. Looks fine. Needs paint every once in a while. What's your beef with wooden fences? Don't tell me you'd rather look at chain link.....

Kenneth Voigt said...

They have to be continually re-purchased.
RE: "had seen better days and needed to be replaced"
Hate chain link; have to bite the bullet and go for masonry for privacy or steel/aluminum picket for animals.
Kenneth Voigt
San Antonio

Not THAT Ross Cameron said...

You’ll have to watch the original Karate Kid to get your brush stroke technique down pat. And then wash & polish the car - wax on, wax off :)

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