to someone who can help.” If not for this slight intervention, the caller
may have chickened out and hung up the phone!
The caller was transferred to a female sales representative who was able
to ensure her that no male would see her pictures (except the man she was
giving the pictures to). From there, my female staff member was able to de-
scribe the special, the consultation, and the photography process. By the
end of the call, I had another session prepaid and booked. This is just one
example of how training your staff to overcome objections and recognize
a client’s true needs benefits the studio as a whole.
Whenever I have a boudoir or glamour session on my schedule, I let my
staff know in advance. They know to stay away from the camera room and
not disturb me or my client. I want to make sure that my client feels safe,
secure, and in the most private or intimate environment possible. When my
client enters the front door, I have a female staff member at the front desk,
preferably the one who booked the session. The client and my employee
have already bonded, and this helps put the client at ease.
As I’ve mentioned over and over, you want your studio to be as profes-
sional as possible. Your employees are a key element to creating a profes-
sional work environment. I have high expectations for my employees, and
I outline those expectations in my employee handbook. Developing an
employee handbook is a long and difficult process. (My employee hand-
book is included at the end of this chapter for your reference.)
I review my employee handbook on an annual basis and make additions
or changes as necessary. It seems like every time I turn around, there’s an-
other security threat to our computer network, or some new liability has
cropped up in the news. I want to make sure my company is protected by
having the proper policies in place. After all, if something happens to my
company, each employee suffers.EMPLOYEES 87I review my employee
handbook annually andmake additions or changes
as necessary.