Lasting Impression Marketing

When I give out my business card to people, it’s merely as a follow up. It’s kind of like a small personal policy of mine to at least have had a conversation with the person in question before I hand over a business card.

I don’t see the point in handing out business cards indiscriminately.

A lot of people will simply take your card for the sake of taking it  – kind of similar to clicking the button that says “do you want to become my facebook friend?” – they do it so they wont offend you.

The whole purpose of a business card is to give the person you are dealing with a reference to contact you.

Chances are; they could have already taken a few business cards from other people within your industry.

So if you are going to use a business card then aim at making your mark. Make your business card stick out.

I like to create and use my own quotes on my cards. In my opinion, I don’t see the point in stipulating that I am an artist because people will pick up on that from having seen my art… and/or it would have been mentioned in our conversation. As I mentioned before, I don’t like giving out my cards for the sake of handing them out.

My motto is: if you are going to use a business card, then at least use one to get a giggle, a frown or a tear. Use it to get a response. Use it so your prospect will remember you.

As an artist, I don’t rely on using a business card to generate business. People either like your art or they don’t. A business card won’t really make a scrap of difference when it comes to making sales – In other words I don’t see it as a uselful promotional tool.  I see a business card in my industry as nothing more than a “stick-it-note”. It’s so the person who is genuinely interested in purchasing some of your work will have something on paper to remind them on how to go about contacting you.

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Breath

There always seems like we have a million and a half things we need to do. So rather than get all flustered and overwhelmed, simply stop, take 5 minutes out and just… Breath.

Sounds stupid right?

But try it. Give yourself permission to stop whatever it is you are doing and think of nothing for 5 minutes. And concentrate on breathing.

It is a great way to super-hydrate your brain… so to speak.

Try it, and see if you don’t fall back in love with the day again (wink)

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Patience

I make sure that my studio is stocked, reasonably organised and feeling slightly fresh when I start each new piece of work. If it’s an intense project like the one I just completed 48 hours ago (4 week project), then I tend to rinse my brushes and shut the door for at least 24 hours.

I very rarely even pop my head in the studio for at least 24 hours unless I have left my ipod behind.

So I fairly much just drop everything and walk out for a day or so. I just need that space, that feeling of not being committed to anything that requires any level of creativity.

That is why having a blog is such a great leveler. It allows you to document during recess, so to speak.

I don’t like the idea of trying to force my art. While I will spend some time during my short 24 to 48 hour break prioritising my workload and flicking through my reference material files for the next independent project, I don’t make any big plans. It’s not often that I don’t feel like starting again after a couple of days.

But if for any reason I “don’t feel like it” then I won’t force it. I don’t see the point in trying to create for sake of it. In other words, I don’t speak for the sake of speaking.

With each project I learn something new about myself in regards to my own ability and inability.

Those close to me would agree that my lack of patience at times could be referred to as my Achilles heal. But I have become quite good at understanding that patience in essence is an active strength an artist must be equipped with in order to produce good work. I do believe I have become quite good at concentrating into agony when it comes to producing my art.

As for all other areas of my life, well… I guess I can honestly say that my patience is getting much better than it used to be (wink).

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Stomping On Your Fear Of Failure

I once read a quote that said something along the lines of…

“An artist can’t really fail, because to be an artist is a success in itself”.

So in other words, the decision to be an artist is quite a brave one. It’s quite a bold move. It deserves admiration.

Some believe it’s not really their choice to be an artist anyway… it’s  an obsession that can’t be controlled.

In regards to failure…

It’s my belief; that you can only really fail if you stop doing what you do.

Energy V’s Profit

Let’s move our thoughts from the common goal that many artists wish to achieve for a moment, and that is to produce salable art.

I think the ultimate reason why an artist may quit is because they did not succeed in reaching a certain level of energy in their art – and not because they can’t sell their work.

I have tested this theory consciously. I discovered that my greatest frustration as an artist was in the struggle to develop a good level of energy when producing a piece of art. It was sometimes a battle because the piece wasn’t going in the direction that I wanted it to. It didn’t inspire me; therefore it had no real level of energy.

I think this is the biggest personal fight an artist has to contend with.

I also discovered something else; I was looking at my art, as I was producing it, through someone else’s eyes. Right there is the biggest cause of failure – trying to produce art in accordance to someone else’s expectations.

Working through some other persons expectations and not your own could well be likened to working with a fear of failure.

Note: Some commission work is based on the buyers input. But if it becomes the buyers project, then you have a real challenge. Avoid getting stuck in any project that does not inspire you. To produce something that doesn’t really have your heart in it, kind of goes against the whole philosophy of being an artist.

Don’t Fear Failure

So how do you remove this fear of failure?

It’s kind of simple really: Relentlessly work at maintaining your natural expression without expectation of applause, money or fame.

The problem for a lot of us artists is that we tend to complicate things. We live in a society that has raised us to believe; that if we don’t see an instant return on our efforts then we obviously aren’t doing it correctly or were simply not cut out for our chosen duty.

The thing is… you can’t really fail as an artist if what you are producing on the canvas matches the message in your heart. You can only really be measured by your commitment, not by how many trophies or ribbons you have.

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Are You Sick Of Giving Your Art Away For Free?

Right from the beginning I have always tried to portray high value on my work.

When I first started out I was selling my work for $100 or less and sometimes more.

But even then I always portrayed a sense of value. By doing this I never really had the concerns of friends and family wanting a discount or even some of my work for free.

Don’t get me wrong; I have given a few of my paintings to family members as gifts. But I did this willingly without being “asked” for a freebie.

Value Your Work

By portraying a high value on my work, it helps to give the impression that it would be rude to ask for a free painting or even a discount.

Let’s face it, we love our friends and family and we would do anything to help them out. But that isn’t any reason why you should be at a loss (cost of materials, time and energy) just because dear old Auntie Martha is your auntie and would love it if you could give her one of your new paintings at no cost when you didn’t really want to.

I have a family member who has actually purchased 3 of my paintings, which of course now hang on the walls of his home.

The people who visit his home know that he paid for those paintings and a result this has made my work even more appealing.

I once had a painting that was hot off the easel (so to speak) and I sent a letter out to my collectors before the paint was even dry.

Within hours I had generated some interest from the people of my collector list and some very keen to buy the painting. At the time I happened to be on the phone to a family member and mentioned the interest I was having in this very painting.

She asked to see it. So I sent her my website link.

She rang me back within 2 minutes and told me NOT to sell that painting to anyone. She loved it, wanted it and was going to pay full price for it or even more if she had to in order own it.

Present Your Art Well

While I personally think I produce great art, I also “let people know that I produce great art” in the manner that I talk about and present my art (Confident? Arrogant? Perhaps. But you have to be a self- promoter in this industry).

This adds considerable intangible value to it. I make sure that family are aware of the value of my art. I’m not rude or arrogant about it, but I make it known.

Additionally, I never say things like “Gosh that painting didn’t turn out like I wanted it to. Oh well, I’ll have to try again” – at least not publicly (wink).

If you are prone to doing this you are essentially openly devaluing your work. Remember what rolls off your lips becomes your reality.

So if you are really disappointed by a piece of work, don’t just hand it over a family member for free if you don’t really want to. Paint over it and try again because if you do hand it over for free they’ll never really get to appreciate the value of your work.

Paying The asking Price

There are a couple of ways that you can begin to end the whole hassle of dealing with family asking you for a free painting.

Once way to address this issue is to tell them you are trying to build up a collection for when you have an exhibit.

However, tell them that if they are prepared to pay you for the painting, they will be essentially be helping you out with the costs associated to setting up an exhibit – therefore you can afford to be a painting short for your exhibit because now you have some money to cover to initial set up costs.

If for some reason they don’t see the same value in your work as you do and therefore do not want to pay your asking price, then explain the value they will be contributing towards your exhibit and how many people will potentially coming to view your work.

This could well give them sense of pride, especially if they love you, as they should.

So the big points to be remember here are…

Talk about your work in manner that adds perceived value to it. This will help your friends and family attach a monetary figure to your work.

Avoid giving your work away if you do not feel comfortable doing it. There is nothing wrong with giving a family member a gift in the form of a painting. But if a family member or friend asked for a free one, say yeah no problem, I’ll give it to you for free if you buy me the equivalent value in paint materials or a contribution towards some promotion or exhibit costs.

Also, hang your art proudly in your home.

If your art requires frames, then have them framed and hang them in your home. Some artists struggle with this because they constantly want to make adjustments to their work because they are looking at it so much.

By hanging your art in your own home you are essentially telling people that your work has significant value.

Be Your Own Fan

Avoid being an amateur commentator of your work also. If people say, “Oh that is a nice painting,” don’t say things like, “yeah its okay, I would have liked it to be a bit better in parts but it turned out okay”.

Tell them you agree with them and it was such a joy to paint, I can’t wait to get it out into the public’s eye.

By doing that you have added significant value to your artwork.

At times you can feel a little vulnerable because you have not yet “completely” established that reference value in your work.

So one point to consider is to keep busy with exhibiting your work. You’ll remove a bit of the domestic interest and expectation in your artwork and be able to focus more on the buying public.

It will get easier to say no when you have experienced some  sales. The reason for this is that you will have firm proof of the value of your work because the general public are  paying you for it.

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You Gotta Be Confident

What is confidence? My personal interpretation is predominantly derived from something I tell myself when the moment requires it, and it’s this: “I got big enthusiastic faith”.

Having a lot of faith and being enthusiastic may be the simple way of explaining confidence. But of course there are many actions and beliefs that make up somebody’s self-confidence.

Be a Finisher

One thing that will eat at your self-confidence is knowing that you have a list of projects that were started and never finished.

While this may sound counter productive, I always recommend you finish a project, regardless if you are completely aware that the outcome may not produce the results you had intended.

It doesn’t matter how tedious the job or project becomes, you have to finish it.

When you do finish, the tip then is to avoid focusing too much on the outcome and the result you did or didn’t get. Just make sure you acknowledge to your self that you completed the project.

Do + a willingness to make mistakes + Accomplish  = Confidence

Do You Think You’re Groovy?

Nothing will eat at your self-confidence like bad self-talk, such as putting yourself down all the time. Speak to yourself well. Stop telling yourself what you are not or don’t have.

Most of us know that advertising and many aspects of the media insult us enough (wink); you don’t need to add to it. Avoid focusing on what you haven’t done and simply get it done. You will be surprised at how much personal satisfaction you will get from just being a finisher.

I have finished many projects that were complete flops. But as I sit here and write this now I am happy with myself for at least finishing them.

Yeah sure, I was really discouraged by the failure of a few of those projects. Some of my failures really knocked the wind out of me and left me feeling quite flat for days, even weeks. During that time of feeling quite despondent, I thought I’d never have the courage to get up back up again. Fortunately, time (and desire) allows us to reflect and put things into perspective.

Despite my failures, I realise how important it is to my longevity as a “doer” to make sure I finish each project regardless of the outcome or result.

Personal Responsibility

I will never forget the day one of my first mentors started our first official meeting by writing on a white board, “Responsibility”.

He then went on for half an hour, explaining to us that we cannot truly operate any type of business and be successful until we decide to become responsible for absolutely everything in our lives.

It was then I realised how much as a society we point the finger at circumstances, people and events as being the culprit for holding us back in life.

Apart from it being vital for any success in your life, taking personal responsibility for everything in your life gives you are real feeling of confidence. Things really do begin to materialise when you become accountable for your own journey and success.

Where Simplicity Can Help

I once had a discussion with a fellow artist who explained to me that she felt intimidated when approaching the canvas to commence working on a new painting.

This type of intimidation can be reduced greatly if you simply do some solid preparation work.

So in other words, if you paint dogs… go take a lot of photos of dogs. Get familiar with the different angles, shades, colours and character.

Then do a series of sketches. Determine how you are going to use the space on the canvas. In other words, get your blueprint plan together. Instead of just having a photo of one dog, consider having your sketches close by to refer to. By doing this you can break your work down into smaller chunks and not get so overwhelmed with having to complete a painting based on just one small photo.

Don’t Be Afraid To Get It Wrong

I know from experience that your confidence will grow when you can eliminate the fear of getting things wrong. And when you do get it wrong, avoid brushing it under the covers. Expose it for what it is: a real genuine attempt that didn’t go to plan.

Just being confident is ok, but you will really feel the power of your confidence when you out it into action.

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