Where to go? How to reach my potential clients?

[Debra Jones]

The best idea is to raise them when you are JUST about busy enough for a rest.
In all things, it is a supply and demand situation. The best way to tell if your skill is increasing is to see how much the public is demanding you.
If you can keep up with your orders and you like the pace and income, you are just right. If you are a bit too busy, raise the pricing. One or two potential clients will not consider you but the rest will replace the income and when you get back to the same rate of production, your income will go way up.
It is not the BEST idea to arbitrarily keep raising prices without the equivalent demand.
It used to be hard for me to avoid the urge to keep discounting, but the client who sees what they want appreciates the simple and direct answer. I am much more comfortable with explaining my pricing is increased with added content... AND sticking with it!!

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Debra Jones

It used to be hard for me to avoid the urge to keep discounting, but the client who sees what they want appreciates the simple and direct answer. I am much more comfortable with explaining my pricing is increased with added content... AND sticking with it!!

It is so hard for me not to offer to paint portraits at a discount for friends and acquaintances. My main purpose of painting people is because I enjoy painting people, and I am still building my portfolio. Yes, I do like being compensated for my work (otherwise I would be painting for free), but it's more important for me to paint portraits that people enjoy and get those portraits in people's homes so I will get more commissions.

Rereading my post makes me sound like the worst business person ever. Why not just lower my prices if I think they're too high? Well, I would probably want to discount that! I must somehow think it's the 'friendly' thing to do.

I think this gets back to the main problem of being an artist who has a hard time valuing my own work. Hmmmph. I can certainly see how it would be better to have ONE price list and stick to it, I can see how it would be too complicated to offer this person or that person a discount, but maybe NOT that person a discount. This doesn't sound professional at all. (Michele, I have learned so much from your professionalism, you're probably cringing right about now.)

So, are there any reasons to offer a discount to a first time customer?

Joan

[Tom Edgerton]

I appreciate all of these comments...

I do see a problem with the notion of charging a basement-level price with the expectation that it will "get one's foot in the door." A lot of artists start this way, and it's a trap. Unless you live in a very large town, word gets around that you work cheap, and that you're susceptible to discounting for no reason if asked. Thus, people realize your price isn't really your price.

I've been at this long enough to know that--except for the advertising I think I have to do because I'm afraid not to--a very large percentage of my commissions will be word-of-mouth referral or repeat business. If you've given the work away at the beginning, you will fight for the rest of your career to overcome the stigma of a chronically too-low price because believe me, word gets around. And it's hard to change people's perceptions of you later.

Better I think to assess, as objectively as possible, where on the portrait curve you fit by looking at the prices of comparable artists (you can start here at SOG), and averaging those and starting there. If you're going to be painting people anyway, why not get decent money for it from the beginning? Better to charge as much as you can and still look at yourself in the mirror than to hamstring yourself by starting out too low. One side effect is that you will work very hard (and get better faster) if you are trying to be worth what you're charging. I scared myself this way when I launched the business and it actually was a very good motivator.

Factor in the "perceived value" aspect, where folks assume if something costs more it must be better whether or not it actually is, and you begin to see how complex it gets.

In regard to discounts, a good rule of thumb is to never, or at least rarely, give an "unearned discount." For example, offer a discount if someone will give you an unveiling party at their house and invite thirty of their wealthy friends. But don't discount unless you get something back for it.

Artists can be their own worst enemies when putting a value on their work. It's difficult to be hard-nosed about this--it's a learned skill--but your creditors will appreciate it.

(I think Debra's advice about raising prices is right on the money. I'd just add that occasionally you need to check for inflation. Several years ago I hadn't raised prices in a while, and I suddenly realized that comparable artists had left me behind because I'd been distracted by other things, like trying to be a better painter.)

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Tom
am so glad that you posted your wisdom on this thread. I have reread your words three times now and they make a lot of sense. The problem gets down to really putting a fair price on my work.

It is just hard for me to utter large sums, or even have them posted on my website, for some reason. I do feel my work is valuable, but on the other hand I am "just starting out" - though I'm really not sure how much that matters.

I am also afraid I'll price myself out of any potential business if my prices are too high. Though, as you so eloquently pointed out in your post, low prices can be a career-long trap.

And I think your comment on "perceived value" has a lot of merit in our society today. If something is priced too low, how can it be any good?

I am guessing many portrait artists have this dilema, thank you for your wise words. And I am now convinced that I should not be offering any discounts. (That was quick!)

Joan

[Tom Edgerton]

Well, I appreciate it.

I don't mean to sound as if I have all the answers...it's just that I've made all the mistakes and would like to see others avoid them if possible.

I had a breakthrough "flash" this past weekend myself: Any time I talk myself out of a job or out of asking for enough compensation, through my own insecurity, there always will be a less talented artist that would do it half as well for twice as much, and not feel guilty about it a bit. So that client is better off with me.

Best as always--T

[Sophie Ploeg]

Hi
Gosh, this is an old thread. I had not noticed it was brought back to life as I changed my email address and only check the old one once in a blue moon. But I updated my details on this site so I should now get notice of new posts. Sorry, I have just not been around.

Its interesting to read this thread again. It reminds me of my 'situation' 4 years ago and its interesting to re-read all the great advice here. A lot of it I can use all over again I am afraid.

4 Years ago I did loads of marketing, with your help and suggestions. I printed off cards, flyers, did the charity auction portrait I referred to earlier (clients loved the painting!) etc etc. Spent a fortune on a good printer and all the printing supplies. It paid back very little. No follow up commissions on any of my sales.

In the past 3 years I had my two children so my painting had to take a step back. Funnily I did manage to do a whole load of graphite portraits via a baby-forum on the internet. Got some follow up commissions from that as well. Good stuff. I did not market myself big time so it all went quiet again.

This summer I took up my pastels and brushes again and started painting like mad. Had planned to build a body of work that was good enough to take to galleries. Am still trying to do that. But in the mean time a few of these works sold (to the parents of the child in the painting, who were so kind to let me paint their kid) (one sold in an open exhibition) so my 'body of work' is still not big enough to go knock on galleries doors.

I found in the past that printing my own reproductions (giclees), greeting cards etc just does not work out. It costs loads and loads of time and hassle - time better spent painting.

I've just finished two commissions and sold a few paintings so feel like I am on a roll again. I plan to order some postcards from a printing company and use those to hand out and leave at shops, toddler groups and schools. With two small children I just don't have the time to design and print it myself. I try to grab every spare minute to paint!

So, marketing remains a BIG challenge.
I still aim to create some paintings that might be attractive to galleries (not many galleries sell children in art) and that keeps me going and helps me to develop my work. I hand out cards whenever I find a new toddler group to go with my own children but am aware that I don't want to come across as pushy.

So, this is where I am at now.
Thanks again for all the great advice. Its worth reading and re-reading and adjusting my methods now and then.

I better get some more cards and start marketing again......

Sophie
www.sophieploeg.com