That's a good point, Liese. She may not have known what she was signing up for when she agreed to work the event, I don't know. Again, setting expectations is key. ETA: As is keeping expectations within the parameters of the job description.

On this, I feel pretty secure. I described tasks for the event, in person, at a staff meeting. Then, the entire staff received 3 emails with encouraging descriptions. We then demonstrated the job on the moment.

The form we gave them to collect the information very clearly requested first name, last name, email address and pet name. At the top it said, email list and raffle entry form. I can't imagine that any of those slots seemed optional, least of all the email address.

I would bet that in this market, you will find excellent dog walkers who are more than happy to market. Seriously!

Absolutely this. The sad part is that some walkers are completely incensed that former employees are poaching their territories but they aren't willing to speak to their own clients about staying with them.

I really do understand people not wanting to be marketers. Goodness knows I would not want to work on an assembly line.

But, knowing that this was an event specifically geared to introducing themselves to potential clients, it doesn't make sense that this woman showed up to do a job she wasn't willing to do.

OH! I should add that the walker's supervisor made it very clear that he was not a talkin' kind of guy. He came early, learned to tie a wicked balloon (seriously, the dude has talent, and kept the behind the scenes stuff rolling. When the set up was done and the talking reached a crescendo, he scampered.

Total respect.

Yeah, if they knew what they were signing up for, then I'm at a loss for what the problem was. Maybe she felt compelled, who knows. You'll find that out when you talk to her, I imagine. I got nothin'.

As far as collecting the information, naturally not everyone you ask for will provide it, but that's why you ask lots o' people. The forms certainly sound straightforward. One name, no e-mail, two hours? That's just bad. Hell, I'd have called my friends and gotten their info. if I'd been too reserved to talk to people, which at some point in my life, I might have been. Something!

One or two quick things.

The first is to echo what a few folks have said which is that being a dog walker and doing person o person marketing are two very different skills and I would not be surprised at all to find that many of the folks are not great at doing the direct marketing.

Here is the other one. If your job was to be overseeing all of these people then that's all you should be doing. Your job is not to do the direct marketing. I go through this with the folks I hire to supervise on job sites. I tell them directly I should not catch them on a ladder or working with tools. Their job is to keep everyone else working at peak efficiency and they can't be doing that if their head is in the middle of a different job.

Here is the other one. If your job was to be overseeing all of these people then that's all you should be doing. Your job is not to do the direct marketing. I go through this with the folks I hire to supervise on job sites. I tell them directly I should not catch them on a ladder or working with tools. Their job is to keep everyone else working at peak efficiency and they can't be doing that if their head is in the middle of a different job.

This is a very good point, and one I need to keep in mind when doing this sort of event in the future.

I wasn't actually tasked with supervising anyone. My job was to design and decorate the event and then to show up and promote myself as the doggy lama, new Director of Training and Communications.

Partner made it clear, as we were refining my job description, that my role is not HR. The problem is, that role doesn't belong to anyone! The walkers' supervisor is the above-mentioned non-talking guy. He's great and does a wonderful job with the logistics...stuff that would make me insane.

I present as the one 'leader' in the crew that employees can bring their issues to, but it is not my job to fix them. I'm supportive, to the degree that I listen carefully and take their parts in whatever policy suggestions I can make.

The supervisory aspect of the event was simply that no one else was directing traffic and traffic needed directing.

As a result, I spent waaaaay more time promoting Partner's new venture...which I do strongly believe in...than I did my own stuff. In the end, I made good contacts and was glad to get my 'On' on, but it was an exercise in not pushing my own agenda when I really could have.

To point one, sure, but I think there's a big gap between not being good at doing direct marketing and not being able to get anything but a first name and a pet name in two hours walking around with a clip board. That's information gathering not a hard sell tactics, or even soft sell, really. I don't disagree with what you're saying, I just don't think what they were being asked to do required sales training or skills, especially, but I think scripts might have helped.

So, if you're speaking to my "find a dog walker who is good at marketing," yeah, I can see where that would be a challenge, and probably a shift in how the company operates. I still think there's value in teaching field associates how to market, but, some will be good some won't. Up to the company to decide how important it is.

Point two: yes, ideally, the supervisor will only be supervising. You have to get to the point where you have enough payroll and talent to make that a reality, which isn't always the case.

I feel like it's getting prickly up in here, and if I've contributed to that, I apologize. If I'm coming off as... something annoying, it's not intentional, and feel free to call me on it directly.

The one thing I know for sure is that people will always do something you never imagined they would do. It's the "But, Mommy, you never told us not to put beans in our ears" syndrome.

I do think that you have to make it as easy as possible for the non-marketing types. What about giving the dog walkers business cards with their names and something like "10% off your first dog walking?" Then when someone uses the discount, the dog walker gets the referral fee. That way, the dog walker could just hand a card to someone without taking much attention away from the dog or feeling pushy.

I know I'm increasingly reluctant to stop and write down my e-mail address at some kind of event. I'd much rather get something with the website on it, so I can sign up at my leisure. You could encourage people to do that being saying "If you sign up online and mention this festival, you'll be entered into a raffle."

I know I'm increasingly reluctant to stop and write down my e-mail address at some kind of event. I'd much rather get something with the website on it, so I can sign up at my leisure.

So much this.

I do think that you have to make it as easy as possible for the non-marketing types. What about giving the dog walkers business cards with their names and something like "10% off your first dog walking?" Then when someone uses the discount, the dog walker gets the referral fee. That way, the dog walker could just hand a card to someone without taking much attention away from the dog or feeling pushy.

This is the case, day to day. They have really cute cards that they can write their name in when they meet folks on the street.

I know I'm increasingly reluctant to stop and write down my e-mail address at some kind of event. I'd much rather get something with the website on it, so I can sign up at my leisure. You could encourage people to do that being saying "If you sign up online and mention this festival, you'll be entered into a raffle."

I designed a 'rack card' with all the pertinent info for folks to hand out. The graphics folks made it really attractive. My expectation was that for every couple of dozen cards handed out, the walker might get one address.

Years ago, a manager (of a retail shop) drilled into me that less than 5% of people who walk away without engaging will every make the effort to reengage.

Jen, I'm grateful for any and all feedback, so I'm not taking any prickliness personally. All the conversations we have seem to include some element of that!

Sorry. I'm not meaning to come off as terse. I'm typing from my phone while sitting in tech for a production of Into the Woods.

I know I'm increasingly reluctant to stop and write down my e-mail address at some kind of event. I'd much rather get something with the website on it, so I can sign up at my leisure.

So much this.

Ironically, I am of the same mind.

It may seem hypocritical, but I don't sign up for anything that isn't extremely local and very well known.

Since the company is strictly local (as in not even all of Capitol Hill) and we were approaching people with obvious dogs (as opposed to subtle dogs, I suppose) it seemed less intrusive to me.

Some folks that I addressed were not uncomfortable. I smiled and moved on. Others were extremely encouraging and grateful for the information.

Life. It is a mixed bag.