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.

I'm not taking any prickliness personally

I'm not meaning to come off as terse.

Gotcha. I don't either. Sometimes I just want to keep talking about something, but I want to make sure I'm not coming off as glib or defensive or whatever. Especially in here, there is a wealth of knowledge I want to tap. Just sayin'.

Re: coming off as glib -- I do get that marketing is hard for most people; I don't love it myself. Also, my frame of reference is retail, where gauging someone's selling ability is part of the hiring process.

Oh, and contrary to you all, I give my e-mail freely, because I usually feel sorry for the poor sap who has to ask me for it, as I have been that poor sap many a time, and I know I can always unsub, and I am a master of the Gmail filter. So, someone with Ginger, me, Amy, and Bonny in a room would have a 25% success rate!

Heh. I should probably use a gmail address for on the street stuff.

This neighborhood is huge with the 'do you have a minute for the environment' approach. Sometimes I humor the down-trodden worker, sometimes I don't.