Yesterday, I realized just how much I hate being a novice at something! I had an appointment with a consultant...working on a major life-altering project that I've never attempted before and I needed some help. All morning, I was dreading his coming and then I realized why...because I know nothing about the project I am venturing into. In this particular field, I am a novice. My head was full of questions, and yet I felt that I didn't even know what questions to ask! Where to begin? What should I be considering? What if I miss a major question that should have been asked and screw everything up by missing a major element? Can I ever do this? There were all the thoughts that were running through my mind.
So, the consultant came to our home. Jim was so, so nice and friendly, but I felt like crying. When we started, I could feel tears flooding up to the brim of my eyes (which I hope he didn't see!) and I said to him "I have zero experience with this project and I'm not even sure where to begin...." I felt scared and nervous and insecure.
He said the thing that I had been longing to hear, "Let me put your fears at ease..." Jim went on to explain how he would tell me everything I needed to know and help me to be prepared. He gave me a starting point, a few questions, and as we went along in discussing our ideas, he would help direct and give me a few tips here and there. Throughout our consultation, yes, I found myself sighing deep sighs (a sign to me that I am stressed), but by the time he left two hours later, I felt at least a little more prepared and ready to continue on with the next steps. A little more confident.
And how does this relate to our business specifically? Well, as soon as Jim walked out the door, in came a great potential client for a wedding photography consultation. I sat there reflecting on how I felt just two hours ago, and I realized that she might have been feeling a little bit of the same nervousness or fears about coming to our home for her first wedding photography consultation. We really have to remember that in this industry, almost every one of our clients is a first-timer! That's part of what we love about wedding photography! We strive to remember that when we communicate with them, to guide the consultation so that we cover all the major elements that need to be covered, attempting to address all questions in advance, and to simply put, "ease their fears." The majority of our clients are just beginning to enter what I call the "wild world of weddings" and we want to be there to help them along the way!
So, in short, it's good for all of us to be in the position of novice every once in a while, if not to learn something new, just to keep us humble and help us understand what our own clients are going through and how we can better meet their needs.
Think about it! Try something new and let me know how it goes!
Onward,
Julie
PS OK, just one picture...here's a sweet picture Damion took of the girls on Christmas...
