By Joy A. Kennelly
Since I'm awake and my mind is spinning, thought it best to unload a bit to help me unwind. Now that my events have ended I can breathe and catch you all up on the latest.
I wrapped up my part of pitching the Commercial Director to all the top production companies in town. I found it very interesting to meet all the different people I did over the phone and learn what it was they were looking for. My client still has some possibilities in the wings and it will be interesting to see where he lands.
For now, he's taking over the project which I think is a smart move because oftentimes once the formal introductions have been made it's nice to have the personal touch of the actual person interested in taking a meeting. People like to put a personality to the individual and even though companies like talking to me, they're more apt to respond quicker once the principal person gets on the line.
You just have to be prepared to take the good news with the bad when you do make the calls yourself, but it's worth it because then people might explain their reasoning behind their decisions a little easier. Good luck Trevor! Keep us posted!
I'm happy to announce I have found a couple of amazing assistants. I have known my friend Dianne for many years through our adoption connection; she worked at Holy Family Services as their head PR person which is where we first met.
Now that she's retired she has more free time and thinks it would be great to provide help to me on a part-time basis in addition to some of the other consulting work she does. I'm so honored to have someone of her caliber as part of my team. I can't even begin to tell you!
Now that I have an assistant, I'm back to working on Travel Tray and very excited to see what transpires as a result. I'll keep you posted. Dianne has already provided a great deal of assistance in just the short time we've been working together in this regard.
My other assistant, Lisa, is currently on an on-call basis, but I'm hoping she'll be able to free up more time because she's so on top of things I can rest easy knowing everything's under control when I turn it over.
Lisa recently helped me with manning the door for the 2nd South Bay Professional Connection and did an excellent job handling that responsibility. We'll see what she can work out with her schedule down the road.
What was surprising to me with some of the people who applied for this assistant position is that despite my request to have people fax over their resumes, the majority chose to email me. Even after I added in the ad, no emails. I guess we're living in a techno world where faxes will soon be obsolete, but still - give me what I asked for the first time and no one gets hurt. :)
That basic lack of following instructions made me realize that either my fax isn't working (not the case), or people just weren't good at following directions. In my line of work, I can't take the time to repeat instructions more than once and used this as a way of weeding out people. So, if you haven't heard back and sent me an email, sorry.
The few people I did have fax in their resumes were very qualified, but one lived out-of-state and the other held a full-time job. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I need someone who has flexibility and availability which my other two contacts do.
What is always interesting when working with someone new is their ability to provide help when you need it, how you need it. Recently in working with someone on a test project, I realized how often I had sabotaged my own previous efforts in working for people because I felt my way was better when really it wasn't.
Now that I'm on the other end of the requesting I realize how nice it is to have someone just do what I want, when I want it, how I want it. Very simple, but sometimes difficult for people to understand. I think I get it now though.
Helps to see things through another's perspective and be on the receiving end of not getting what you want when you want it no matter how well-intentioned the person is who's offering the help and no matter how many excuses are offered as to why they weren't able to handle the responsibility in the way I needed it.
Moving right along, if you want to read a run-down on the success of my recent South Bay Professional Connection, please click here for all the details. I'm hoping to have some pictures from the event to share soon. Also, to upload some of mine. Just realize they're not professional quality, but at least you'll have an idea of what went down.
I was very pleased with the quality of people who attended, the way people received the musicians, and the overall experience at the Ardmore in 705. I hope to have a wrap-up press release later on today to share too. I will begin producing our May event soon and am having fun putting this event together too.
Now that I have some assistance, I'm eager to take on more artists and build my own art portfolio since I'm starting to work with art consultants who are looking to buy quality art. Also, I'm expanding my relationships in the media and with galleries which is fun and will benefit all my clients.
If you know fine art artists who are looking for representation, please send them my way!
Okay, that's enough for now. Just know things are moving right along and it's a good day in the life of The Joy Writer PR & Marketing firm! You have a good one ya hear?
