Where to go? How to reach my potential clients?

[Sophie Ploeg]

Hi! Scott - how's your Dutch? Nice to hear from across the Channel. I've never heard of anybody working with an agent, so am surprised to hear they do exist in Holland. The restaurant idea might be good, although I rarely look at the art in restaurants......but you never know.
And indeed.....a fine dinner should take hours and hours.....there's no better night out.

Leslie, thank you so much. Yes, I think I should make cards (with one picture of my work, or more?) and leave them at shops or so. I have been too shy to do so, up till now! I once had a deal with a frameshop who would put cards (and paintings) up for me in his frameshop. But his framing was so bad, and his service appaling, so I let him go. Shame, as it might have been a good deal!

Thanks for all your advice! I'll take it to heart.

[Leslie Ficcaglia]

Sophie, I make my own cards and can change the picture on them as I choose. I select a painting which will give me a good detail of the most important part, so that even though the image is quite small it shows my work and style. Some paintings are more complex and lend themselves less to this than others. For maximum impact on a small card, one painting, or a detail from one, is enough. I also have brochures - one has a mixture of adult and child portraits and another has only children, so I can target my audience - and I leave one up by my cards. The idea is that the brochure is for looking at, the cards are to take. I used to give a lot of the brochures away too but found that I got no return so have become more stingy with them since they're expensive.

[Sophie Ploeg]

Thanks Leslie.
I am going to force myself to go out next week and drop off some cards at shops and such.....scary...but gotta do it!

Thanks all!

[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.

[Carol Norton]

[QUOTE=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.

Sophie, Leslie is right. Listing your prices saves your time and theirs. I am in the process of creating a mail-out that lists 2007 prices next to 2008 prices. Clients can see that they have to sign a contract before Jan. 1 to take advantage of the old price scale. After posting my bottom line prices on my website, all I have to do is refer an interested client to the site. End of discussion. Most artists on this site do the same. Another benefit is that you won't feel the obligation to award anyone a "special deal." The information is there in plain sight. It also gets people to look at your paintings again and lends professionalism to your business.

You can do it. Go for it.

[Michele Rushworth]

I know of someone who got a used version of Calvin Goodman's book through Amazon, though it was a 1985 edition so a lot of info is out of date. I don't know if it's available except directly from Calvin.

[Tom Edgerton]

Carol's right...publishing a price list, or at least an entry level price, keeps you from wavering when someone tries to negotiate a reduction. Some folks just always do. They're not mean, they're just made that way.

Remember too, that when you raise prices--which you should do at some kind of regular interval as your skill accrues--you will always leave a segment of the market behind. You can't be all things to all people, pricewise. You're running a business.

A plumber doesn't come to your house and ask you what you'll pay to fix your pipes.

[Karine Monaco]

Thank you Tom for the quick reply!

I am glad everybody starts to talk again in this thread. Looking forward to hearing fresh and new information about Sophie and you all.

Thanks again,

Karine