Chasing Classics

How do you like to receive feedback on your performance, customer service or craft?  Most businesses will utilize some form of a survey to solicit feedback.

I know, because I'm constantly receiving surveys, but unless I'm getting paid to fill them out, they usually get shredded or deleted. 

Guilty as charged.

I blame my time in the military where I was "surveyed to death."  It was a common tool used to determine command climate, shape quality of life decisions, "improve the customer experience" or in many cases rate my military medical provider (you know, the one I didn't pick...)

Now that I'm a small business owner, my perspective has changed as I'm constantly groveling for what I affectionately call the three "Rs":  Referrals, Recommendations and Reviews.  Let's face it, when your friend or many others recommend or give a thumbs up for something, we tend to trust them.

The next best thing to achieving the three "Rs" is customer feedback.  It's exciting when a client circles back to me later in time to tell me about the impact of my photography.  It's especially exciting when no surveys were involved and they just want to share.   

Let me tell you about some recent feedback I just received from one of my classic car photography clients.

This beautiful 1964 Corvette Stingray was one of many incredible classic cars I photographed while I was "garage hopping" during the Alexandria Garage Tour in June 2017.

Classic Car Art Display at the Sherwood Deli - April 2018

About a year later I printed the above image on aluminum. It was part of an art display in a local Deli that featured classic cars I had photographed in Alexandria. Subsequently, I used the same display again this year in another local business office. I finally brought the metal prints home to rest in May of this year, just in time to use them for a photography booth I was scheduled to set up at a local car show.

West Potomac H.S. 2019 Car Show

It was during that May 2019 car show that, Jim, the owner of the yellow 1964 Corvette Stingray walked by and said, "Hey is that my car?"  He immediately purchased the metal print and proudly displayed it on his windshield during the show.

A few weeks later, Jim entered his car in the Northern Virginia Corvette Club's 50th Anniversary Car Show on 2 June 2019.

He recently sent me an email with some great feedback:

"By the way, the 64 won best in class and best in show at our club's 50th anniversary show today!  80 Vettes from PA, DE, MD, and VA. Your picture played a role in the presentation."

Wow, that picture took awhile to make it home, but what a happy landing. Congratulations Jim, we make a great team!

Love Classic Cars? Check out my Classic Car Galleries  (this link will take you to the Laura Hatcher Photography website.)

Laura Hatcher is a retired Naval Officer, Mother, Harley Rider and Published Professional Photographer located in Northern Virginia.

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