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05-08-2004, 09:48 PM
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#1
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Juried Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Gainesville, GA
Posts: 1,298
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Thanks for your feedback
Thanks, Tom, Joan and Chris -
This has certainly been a learning experience! I guess I will send the b.c. with a note. That sounds low key and not irritating to anyone. The price increase idea will have to be for next year sometime at the earliest.
I appreciate your help and experience in these matters.
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05-09-2004, 10:09 AM
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#2
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SOG Member '02 Finalist, PSA '01 Merit Award, PSA '99 Finalist, PSA
Joined: Jul 2001
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 819
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Chris has made a vital point. We expend a lot of energy trying to bring home these "soft" commissions--putting way too much time and energy into keeping them alive--when, believe me, you do not want to go through painting a portrait for a person who had no real interest in the project to begin with. They will invariably be your most critical, least available, and most fractious clients. They will make you hate the work, and will never do anything afterward to advance your career through positive referrals etc.
Better most always to just walk away and concentrate on making the genuinely interested parties happy. These clients are where the real gold lies.
Best--TE
__________________
TomEdgerton.com
"The dream drives the action."
--Thomas Berry, 1999
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05-09-2004, 02:24 PM
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#3
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Juried Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Gainesville, GA
Posts: 1,298
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More learning experiences
Thanks, Tom -
To contrast this frustrating experience, Iast month I did a pencil drawing for a mom that, after I made one minor adjustment as requested, she was very happy with. And she will want three more done in the future. That experience was so rewarding for all concerned.
I hope I don't run into too much more negatives, but I guess I had better be prepared.
Like today - Not a people portrait, this time, but a house portrait: the woman wants her house done so she can have cards made with the watercolor sketch on it. She was supposed to have told me what time of morning the sunlight would shine on her roses, which she wants to be prominent, but she didn't remember to. I came by last week, and had to ask her to move her car out of the way of the front door so I could take photos. I wasn't satisfied with the first set of shots, so called ahead to let her know exactly what time I would come by today. And, waddayaknow, the car was there again, and it was too early to ring the doorbell and ask her to move it!
Besides contracts, which I now plan to use on ANYTHING commissioned, are there other ways to limit this sort of irritating experience?
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05-09-2004, 05:10 PM
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#4
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SOG Member '02 Finalist, PSA '01 Merit Award, PSA '99 Finalist, PSA
Joined: Jul 2001
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 819
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Ring the doorbell and make 'em move the car. The yard man would. The plumber would.
Part of avoiding negatives is to insist on being treated like a professional. This is not always necessarily verbal--it's in the attitude you convey. If you run a tight ship on your end by keeping scheduled appointments, preparing adequate contracts, communicating clearly both personally and in writing, and generally doing what you say you will do and not doing what you say you won't, most clients and potential clients will respond to you with respect. You don't have to be humorless and stiff, just straightforward and firm when firmness is needed.
Ninety percent of the people I work with are exceptionally nice and personable, even fun. But I learned a while back if I act like "hired help," some folks will treat me that way. Subsequently, I've found that if I expect respect (and extend it) from my side, and I don't get it back, that's someone I don't want to work with and I diplomatically decline the job. Any project that smells bad at the beginning smells worse in the middle and won't get better later. Trust your initial impressions.
Better to work part time until your business picks up than to work for obnoxious people who will spoil the work for you.
Best--TE
__________________
TomEdgerton.com
"The dream drives the action."
--Thomas Berry, 1999
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05-09-2004, 10:24 PM
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#5
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Associate Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 504
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Great response!
Tom,
What a great response. I agree with you that it's all about respect, in probably just about any professional relationship (and personal too). Here is my questiont though, HOW do you respectfully decline a job once you've shown up and seemingly shown up because you are interested in the job. I'm not saying I would feel forced to do the job, just want to know some of the good ways of getting out of it without offending the client. I wouldn't want to offend a client and have that person 'bad mouth' me.
Not like this is a big problem for me, just wondering!
Joan
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05-10-2004, 08:26 AM
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#6
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SOG Member '02 Finalist, PSA '01 Merit Award, PSA '99 Finalist, PSA
Joined: Jul 2001
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 819
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They're not a client until you've signed a commission agreement. Until then, you are involved in a "pre-commission" give-and-take. If you discuss the aims for the piece--what they have to have and what they're flexible on, and the same for you--what your procedure and business practices are, price, size, and so forth, and you get a really bad vibe off of them, or basic disinterest, uncooperativeness or what have you, you can simply say:
"You know, the more we've discussed this project, the more I realize that our objectives may not be in sync. I just may not be the artist for you, and that's all right. But if you feel later that something has changed and you still want to pursue it, I'd of course be interested in discussing it with you then."
This is a graceful exit. And occasionally, when I've shown this kind of dipomatic backbone, a difficult prospect has suddenly realized that I'm not the proper target for their bad day, or that I'm not going to suffer their ego just because they think I should, and they've turned around and gotten serious about the project and become very cooperative and willing to work out the sticking points.. Not often, but hey, it's happened.
You're not married to someone just because they showed interest in your portfolio. You both have to get something out of working together.
I know sometimes the wolf's at the door. But it's part of "business Zen." Some of the best advice I've gotten was from a professional salesman, who told me the attitude you hold in mind is "I'd like your business, but I don't need it." It keeps you from looking desperate, and telegraphing to someone that you can be taken advantage of, or at the least, that you're not worthy of respect.
Best--TE
__________________
TomEdgerton.com
"The dream drives the action."
--Thomas Berry, 1999
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05-11-2004, 05:52 PM
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#7
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Associate Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 504
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Graceful exit
Thank you Tom for your eloquent response, what a graceful way to get out of a potential commission once one senses it won't be the best experience for all concerned. I will file that one away for future reference.
Joan
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