Where to go? How to reach my potential clients?

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Sophie,

I just read through all the posts on this thread and I thought I would throw in my idea. I am working on my first commission of a beautiful little girl, I want to tell you how I got it.

I was at my son's cub scout meeting and I saw the cutest 3 year old girl. I walked up to her mother and told her I was starting out in portraiture and I would love to paint her daughter. She was flattered and loved the idea, I went to her home a couple of weeks later, took some photos and now I'm just about done with the photo. I told her that if she didn't like the painting she was under no obligation to buy it. In fact, it was HER idea to buy the painting. I told her I was just trying to build a portfolio.

Once the painting is hanging in her home I'm sure I'll get other commissions from the people that see this one. Plus, she and her husband have a son . . . .

The church I belong to will show artists' work. Not all the artists that are featured even live in town so I'm sure not everyone that exhibits at our church are members. With the holidays approaching you might look into having a 'booth' at a Christmas or Holiday market of some sort, if your town has one. You could have some of your portraits displayed and brochures or cards to hand out.

Also, many schools and churches hold silent auctions and you could donate your services, or a portion of your services. It would be a way for a lot of people to see your work. These are all in my plans but with two kids I don't get that much time to paint.

The place that I take my kids to get their hair cut has had the SAME photographs (of children) up for YEARS! If I had some samples of my work I feel sure they would display it, and I would offer them a small percentage of any commissions I would get. There is also a lovely cafe in my neighborhood that is cafe/gift shop and the walls are usually covered with oil paintings for sale. A couple of portraits hanging in a place that is frequented by moms with disposable income can't miss. The portrait I'm working on now will be a Christmas gift for dad.

Since you mentioned you had read some of the other posts about this subject, you have probably read about the 'unveiling parties'. Seems to me that word of mouth is the best advertisement. After my current portrait is finished, I'll paint a couple more portraits and then have some kind of 'showing' - at church or I'm sure I could talk a friend into hosting a showing of my portraits at her house.

Good luck and I hope these ideas are helpful,

Joan

[Sophie Ploeg]

Hi Joan,
So sorry for not responding sooner - been away for a while.

Thank you so much for your wonderful indeas! I will keep them all in mind.

I have since hung some cards on memoboards and such (but far from enough, still find it terribly scary to go out and ask) and had one phone call (!) from somebody who wanted to know how much a portrait would be. Unfortunately it was 'a bit more than she expected' so I don't expect to hear back from her.

I very much need to go out 'there' more often and scatter my cards around. I have donated a portrait commission to charity months and months ago and the winner of the auction has only now contacted me. I'll be starting that portrait soon. Hope it will lead to more...

Thanks for all the wonderful advice - I am sure I'll keep them all in mind and try to reread often.

[Leslie Ficcaglia]

Sophie, I too became tired of hearing, either explicitly or in their voices, that my prices were too high for those inquiring about my services, so I added my bottom line price to my brochure. It saves everyone's time, and prospective clients' composure, if they know up front what range of commission fee we're talking about. Good luck with your commission! I've had two people bid on commissions at auctions and have heard from neither; apparently this isn't unusual.

[Sophie Ploeg]

Leslie, thanks so much for your reply. Yes, I thought that as well, better put my minimum price on my cards next time....
Just had the first meeting with the auction winners. I was not expecting them to take me up on it anymore, as so much time has passed since the auction, but I am happy to do it, as it will be good PR to have a portrait hanging on their wall. We're now in the stage of picking out photos, or maybe making them. This is the tough part.

Thanks for the tips.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Sophie,

I have a suggestion that you might find helpful when talking about prices. I think that if you have someone who calls you then that is great! Direct marketers hope for only 1-2% return on mailers. My suggestion would be to try and NOT tell them the price over the phone, to try and meet with them and show them the quality of your work. I live in Houston and people pay over $1000 for a photograph at some of the photography shops in town. There is so much more involved with painting a portrait, this may need to be explained to the potential client. If nothing else, you've shown them your work and made personal contact and maybe at a later date they'll come around to thinking a portrait is 'worth the money'. Or maybe after they shop around, they would come back to you after they realize the going rate for portraiture.

I do understand it's difficult when someone is on the phone and they ask you outright what your prices are. I suppose the right answer would be to hedge, but I doubt I could do that. Maybe you could give them a wide range of prices over the phone if they insist. I think the goal of the phone conversation should be to set up a meeting where you show them your portfolio.

I hope this helps, I used to do free-lance graphic design work and I think the same principles apply. When I got a call from the yellow pages, my goal was to set up a meeting and get to their office and show my portfolio. I also never told anybody "I don't know" when they asked me some technical question about printing, etc. I would always tell them I needed to check and then I would get back to them. I always had to guide the client and practically TELL them what they wanted, I found most of my clients knew almost nothing about having brochures printed and letterheads and logos designed. 90% of it for me was acting like I knew what I was doing.

Good luck. Keep posting, I enjoy hearing how you are doing. What do you mean by "making pictures" with this latest commission you have from the auction winner. I've thought about donating a portrait to an auction (or part of one???). I would like to hear how it goes.

Joan

[Sophie Ploeg]

I am impressed with all the warm and supportive posts here. Thanks again Joan. You gave an excellent idea about NOT telling prices but trying to get a meeting. I totally understand what you mean. After all, the woman who called has seen my card on a memoboard with a (detail of) ONE painting on it. She might or might not have looked at my website. Seeing originals is always a different experiences compared to seeing things on the web. I so wish she'll call back....

Thanks for your encouragement on the auction commission. with 'making photos' I meant 'taking photos' I suppose (my English....forgive me it is not my mother tongue).

I donated (to a children's charity in the UK) a portrait commission in september and only heard from the auction winners last week. The couple want their two children painted ( I donated a single portrait, so they've upgraded and will pay me the difference). No time for sittings, so photos will have to do. They had a few photos for me to look at, but I told them they were not sharp enough. They said they will take some more when they have the kids together (one is in boarding school so hard to get hold of). I offered to take the photos myself (I would prefer that) and they'd keep it in mind. I am now going to wait for whatever they come up with and see if I can work from that. I realised during my visit (not much experience here ) that they (as your former clients) knew nothing about the whole thing and I could have been much more confident and insistent on what I want and need.

I'll post my work as soon as I have something!
Thanks again for your kind encouragement.

[Michele Rushworth]

When a prospective client contacts me, I encourage them to look at my website first. It has several samples, an outline of my procedure, and my price list on it. If I didn't have a website I would tell them my pricing on the phone.

If they are still interested, then I go see them with my portfolio book and I bring one or two original paintings. I think people who are unfamiliar with painted portraiture are often surprised at the prices and I don't really have time to go see people in person for whom it's a financial impossibility.

I've also never seen any photos a client took themselves that would be adequate as reference for a portrait painting.

Your time is your most valuable resource. I'd recommend you screen all prospective clients by letting them know your prices up front, and paint only from the very best reference that you shoot yourself.

[Mike McCarty]

I had the good fortune recently to sit in on a marketing discussion with Peggy Baumgaertner.

It was her practice, when responding to initial contacts (whether on the phone or in person), to find as quickly as possible a point at which you could speak the phrase - my prices start at $$$. After speaking this phrase you should remain silent, listen and observe how the recipient deals with this information. More often than not they will give you, whether verbal or through their body language, an indication as to whether you should continue the discussion or get on with your grocery shopping.

Now, she would say, lets all say it together - my prices start at $$$ .....

[Sophie Ploeg]

Great info here Michele and Mike. thanks!!
Michele, I know....photos taken by the clients are probably not so good. I have still much to learn as my commissions so far have been long-distance and hence, with photos from the clients. Here is an opportunity for me to photograph and compose myself, but I don't want to insist. I suggested it to the client and will wait their response. One day...I am successfull enough to turn down bad photos....till then I'll have to be creative with the reference photos I get.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

Mike....indeed,...my prices start at $$$...suppose it is the best and most honest way. I like Joan's suggestion though. Making sure they see what that 'high' price is for...

[Michele Rushworth]

One day...I am successfull enough to turn down bad photos....till then I'll have to be creative with the reference photos I get.

The only way you'll get "successful enough" will be to create your very best work every time, and that will be with your own, top quality reference photos.

Weak reference can only produce weak paintings, even in the hands of the best artist. Getting the best reference is by far the most important step in being able to create your best work, and hence build your career. I can't state this strongly enough: don't waste a single day working on a painting from reference that is anything but terrific.

You can easily learn how to take great reference photos by studying the photography threads on this site, or get a couple of photography books from the library. It's not that hard to learn, nor do you need special equipment, but doing it right will make all the difference.