Feeling discouraged

[candidrachel]

Do you ever feel discouraged when your best laid plans don't go according to plan? I have a wonderful idea about taking photographs of elderly people in care homes and old folks homes. Natural, candid photographs of them reading, watching tv, playing cards, knitting, participating in a hobby or just gazing out of the window thinking their own thoughts.

I'd even accompany them on days out to the beach, Chelsea Flower Show, Nation Trust houses and so forth and compile coffee table books about their days out.

It seemed such a wonderful idea to take photos of themselves for lasting memories for their loved ones.

Its Mothers Day later on this month so I thought someone somewhere would take me up on the offer so I wrote to every single nursing home and old folks residence in our town (all 14) and haven't got one phone call!

Its not that I will be photographing the old people who would be sitting rocking in a corner, dribbling and being confused or even worse sitting on a comode. I want happy, smiling, cheerful photos that their loved ones will cherish.

I think the next plan of action is to take a trip to see them and bring some examples of what I mean by candid, "unposed" photos.

All I need now is COURAGE to get my backside off the computer chair and get out into the big wide world.

[KEP]

I think that's a lovely idea. Sorry to hear people aren't jumping at the opportunity. I bet you're right though... if you went in with some awesome shots to show them, I'm sure they'd come around. Good luck!

[ErikTaubman]

Every business I know gets inundated with mailings and chances are your mailing didn't even get to the right person!

Your next step, as you mentioned, is going to be making a stop (most likely several) to the individual locations and find out who would be the ultimate decision maker on something like this.

Privacy issues will most likely be brought up and they are valid concerns as many of these types of facilities are also medical facilities. I'm sure that the UK has their own version of HIPPA regulations which need to followed.

The idea is good, but will need to be tweaked. Something I have done well with is setting up a portrait station in the lobby on the weekends (with advanced promotion.) When friends and families come to visit, we do a quick 15 minute group/individual shoot. Just an idea for you.

Don't get discouraged. Every idea will eventually work - you just have to work through the obstacles.

Erik

[GadgetRick]

Originally Posted by candidrachel

All I need now is COURAGE to get my backside off the computer chair and get out into the big wide world.

That's what's limiting you right now. Forget about mailings, they're a waste of time, effort and (more importantly) money. How many mailings do you get on a daily basis? How many do you reply to?

You've got to get out, show people your work and just do it. Also, who are you marketing the service to? The elderly or their family? If it's their family, you need to get in front of them, not their elderly family members.

Sounds like a good idea though, just work it a bit.

[Jill H]

I agree - from my experience mailers are a complete waste of time. You need to actually go to the places. Have you got a portfolio of similar work you can show them? Ask if you can set up a portrait studio. You need to present yourself to them in person.

Don't be discouraged - grab your courage and go for it!

[candidrachel]

Thanks for the replies. I met a friend of mine in town for a coffee today and she shed a different light on this too. She said you know what Rach, there have been some high profile cases on the news about some nursing homes and care homes that have been physically and emotionally abusing their elderly residents and starving them and keeping the places unhygenic and so when your letter arrived they might have been a bit EEK what is this??? Could I be some sort of undercover reporter snooping around the place, checking to see if everything is above board and the residents are happy and well looked after.

She also said that its so much better ifI go in person and show my photos and explain catagorically that I am NOT some under cover snoop from Social Services "pretending" to be a photographer.

[MattG]

OK - this is more geared towards your marketing. Cold mailings look to garner about 1 to 5% returns on large campaigns - it is therefore unlikely that you would gain 1 sale through this alone irrespective of the quality of the mailer at your sample size.

Where you can boost this response is in following this up! I would suggest it is cheaper to call the relevant businesses, stating you sent through a letter offering your services. Ensure you ask who the correct person to speak to about this is up front - most people have only one power in business and that is to say no - find someone who can say yes before pitching.

Explain yourself clearly with intent and the benefits of this opportunity for them presented up front and ensure you are prepared to close the sale early. If they say they are not interested, then offer to come down to show your work and at this stage you will know with whom you need to speak, you are sure they are aware of your work and that they are available to see you. It is costly to travel for cold calls and unless you are very confident of your face to face sales skills, very difficult to find this out at the door.

Essentially I am attempting to communicate the following - targeted marketing such as this requires multiple contact attempts to optimise your returns. The mailing is NOT lost money if you do this. Your passion and need for business will carry you through - just do not delay and start acting on it now!

[LeeR]

I agree with your friend's notion that the nursing home may have some reservations about your intentions, but at the same time, I suspect the elderly do as well. A few shots like you are talking about would go a long way toward convincing everyone that your intentions are honorable.

[GadgetRick]

I still don't understand who your target customer is. I know you want to photography the elderly, however, are they going to be buying the pics or the family? I'm sure we all have experience with our cheap grandparents. Just not sure if the elderly will be into paying for such a service. Not to mention, many of them won't have the money.

So should you be marketing the service to the elderly or the families? I don't know as I don't know the details of your plan.

[winterstar]

Originally Posted by candidrachel

Do you ever feel discouraged when your best laid plans don't go according to plan? I have a wonderful idea about taking photographs of elderly people in care homes and old folks homes. Natural, candid photographs of them reading, watching tv, playing cards, knitting, participating in a hobby or just gazing out of the window thinking their own thoughts.

I'd even accompany them on days out to the beach, Chelsea Flower Show, Nation Trust houses and so forth and compile coffee table books about their days out.

It seemed such a wonderful idea to take photos of themselves for lasting memories for their loved ones.

Its Mothers Day later on this month so I thought someone somewhere would take me up on the offer so I wrote to every single nursing home and old folks residence in our town (all 14) and haven't got one phone call!

Its not that I will be photographing the old people who would be sitting rocking in a corner, dribbling and being confused or even worse sitting on a comode. I want happy, smiling, cheerful photos that their loved ones will cherish.

I think the next plan of action is to take a trip to see them and bring some examples of what I mean by candid, "unposed" photos.

All I need now is COURAGE to get my backside off the computer chair and get out into the big wide world.

I would have liked photo's of my grandpa that way before he got horrible. I think it's a great idea. You'll want to target the families though, rather then the old folks. Perhaps you volunteer to take some candids at the home, then have them framed and hung up, that way when families visit, hopefully they'll take notice and want to know how to get some of their loved one. (Leave a business card!)

The sad thing is, once the elderly go into old folks homes, or nursing homes, families often don't visit them.



Best wishes.