Where to go? How to reach my potential clients?

[Sophie Ploeg]

Of course I know you're right....just need to tell the clients....

[Debra Jones]

As you know we are kicking a lot of the same roadblocks.

A very odd sort of phenomenon is happening lately. I have been doing those puppy portraits, a lot from friends I already had, but they were taking my brochures and sneaking them into vets offices where other artists had material. One of them put it in the holder of the only visible competition. She makes a glossy post card with a single sample picture and her name and Pet Portraits on the card. On the back is a description of her work, that she can take photos or work from yours and a phone number and address block. Last week this woman called ME. I think she is feeling me out to perhaps buy (that is the cynical side of me) her business or just pass on her pastels and oils. She said she is going to move out of state and apparently is not the most computer literate in the world so she believes her client base will be left behind. I have shut my mouth and listened.

I will be meeting her next week at my earliest opportunity and what I have already garnered from her is pretty valuable.

Aside from the previous good advice of making the statement about your price, she has made it clear that you DO have to wait for them to ask! If they don't consider it an issue, neither should you. She assumes they are buying something they want and she will provide it. Because I do not ever buy without making sure I have the best possible price does not mean that EVERYONE works that way. I do know these people who see things and buy them (not really my art so far but -) in the mall or online. I have had a friend who recently started a store on Amazon remark how surprised she was that someone will buy a $5 item and ship it for $30! I am not one of them, but I want to cater to them. I have to assume they know what they want.

This brings me to the thought that I got drummed into me lately. Unless I wanted my portrait clientele to be Indians on the reservation, I should maybe not paint many Indians. If I want to sell to wealthy successful people, I should begin working on wealthy successful people.

I have donated 4 or 5 portraits to schools and churches and not received ONE commission. All they have to do is call me but nobody does. They just send the cash to the charity. However the last friend who asked, said I was not putting a brochure or book out, I was going to SIT there at the event and show them what I did. I did a picture right through the auction. I actually had a bidding war going. The winner upgraded to the only double portrait I have done so far and I made a 200% profit over the price of the donation.

Something becoming very clear to me is to aim high.

I am also realizing that you are doing much more homework than I am. I have my little sample brochure which I thought would cover me, but I am now beginning to actually organize print-outs on glossy paper in a larger format as a real presentation book. I have had little luck meeting face to face, but it make much more sense to have it ready at all times, just in case.

I think the single stunning piece approach is also a real winner. I recently did an 18 year old girl with a simple white top. Although it is not a real wedding dress, I think it is a nice sample for bride shops. I have a few cowboys. What the heck, I think I will take a card or two to the local boot and saddle places for the horsie set and maybe even the horse show double up with a person and a horse. As Linda said, it is not really difficult to set up a print out and make many different single pieces specific to the general client type.

My point here to myself, is to start thinking that I have the value. I recently saw a really bad artist who was doing crayon drawings of local buildings, smile at my always-friendly mom and when she said "hi", opened his portfolio right there and made a presentation. It was beguilingly direct and he was not offended that she said no. They had a pleasant chat while I talked to the gallery owner. BUT this man is making a sale now and then.

Did I help or just ramble? It is a pep talk for me as much as for you.
dj*

[Michele Rushworth]

One of the best pieces of portrait marketing advice I ever got was written by our own Cynthia Daniel right here on the forum, a couple of years ago. She wrote that if you want to sell to wealthy people the subjects in your samples need to look wealthy.

That means having attractive people dressed in classic (not necessarily formal) clothes, posed in a setting that connotes wealth or at least classic taste. This could be as informal as a boy in a white polo shirt and khaki shorts posed in a nearby garden. On the other end of the scale it could be a beautiful woman in a formal gown sitting in a fancy chair holding roses.

Check out the kind of portraits displayed on the websites of the well established (and high priced) artists who show their portfolios on SOG. Look at what the people depicted are wearing and what the background is.

Debra, your work is wonderful and I know I couldn't create portraits as lush and rich as many of the things you have shown in the "open studio" threads. I think it's just a matter of marketing at this point, and yes, painting the right kind of samples.

[Karine Monaco]

Originally Posted by Tom Edgerton

Also, be sure to check out Calvin Goodman's "Art Marketing Handbook."

Hello Tom,

I am reading the business section's posts these days, and I wanted to check out that book you cited. But I cannot find comments about it on Amazon or other sites.

As I usually appreciate your comments on this section, I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit about that handbook ? In very few words, what is the content of that book, and why do you think it is worth buying.

Thank you very much in advance for your reply!

Karine

[Tom Edgerton]

Karine--

It's available directly from Calvin Goodman at 11901 Sunset Blvd./ 102, Los Angeles, CA 90049. The TEL is 213-476-2622, FAX 213-472-8785.

It's usually sold at the PSOA conferences too, so they might be able to tell you where it's available.

Michele, do you know how Mr. Goodman distributes this other than directly?

It is very comprehensive, describing not only how to market portraits, but also how to do business with galleries, etc.

Best--T

[Joan Breckwoldt]

I'm glad to see this thread come up again. Though I do a lot of searching and reading of old posts, this one has a lot of valuable info in it and I was glad to reread it.

Sophie, it's been almost 4 years since this thread and I would love to hear how your marketing has been going?

I'm donating my first portrait to our church silent auction on Sunday. It's posted on my website if anyone cares to see it. I'll report back how the auction goes.

I had 500 postcards printed up with my 'sample' image on it and I mailed out about 400. I'll have the remaining 100 postcards sitting next to the bid sheet for people to take home with them. Though I doubt 100 will be taken, it'll be interesting to see how many do get picked up. It's a big church.

My website is on the postcards so people can look at my prices, procedure, and other samples of my work. My goal is to send a postcard to my mailing list every 3 months. Advertising needs to be repeated to be effective.

Joan

[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