As I promised in Monday’s blog post, I want to continue talking about selling our art today. Making a living from your creativity is practically an artform all its own.
It’s not enough just being a great artist; you also have to create the proper service that will make you stand out. Frankly, I’m still mastering this! It’s hard. I’m also obsessed with giving excellent service.
Unfortunately, I’m still human, and, sometimes, I still make my clients unhappy. Last week, in fact, one of my clients was unhappy because my team and I sent her our proposal late. My lovely client didn’t understand that pricing a job is time consuming, especially if vendors don’t know whether or not the job is theirs. Nonetheless, there was no excuse for our tardiness.
Here are a few tips for creating not only your art but also a unique service platform that sells:
1. In general, clients want their work to be done ASAP. Often they’ll even try to give impossible deadlines. This is when you need to be extra careful. Never, and I mean never, commit to a deadline unless you know for sure it’s doable. If it’s not, be honest; tell the client their requested deadline is simply not possible. They’ll respect your honesty.
2. Punctuality should be one of your biggest assets. Be on time to every appointment. If I schedule a meeting with a client at 10 AM, I write 9:45 in my calendar. Be on time with your promises, too; follow up on all of your commitments in a timely fashion. The same goes for installing events; plan to finish at least three hours before guests start to arrive. This also means you’ll have lots of time to photograph the event. Being on time is a win-win all the way around.
3. Do everything you can to connect with your clients. The only way to give truly great service is to have a very clear understanding of what your clients need. Some clients need artistry and originality; others need a friend to share in the excitement of their event or someone they can confide in. Regardless of a client’s particular needs, make every one of them feel loved. Always be loving.
I think we sometimes forget that selling a great product and/or a great service is first and foremost about connection. People like to hire and work with people they like.
Dear Readers, can you be objective about yourself and your service? What do you think your clients like most about you? In my case, I think it’s my ability to listen.
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Categories: Blog, business advice, business strategy, giving clients what they want, good design, good work, pleasing your clients, Preston Bailey, service industry, Tips, trusting your art, trusting your work