Artists have to make a living somehow, and one way to do so is by taking on art commissions. However, this can pose an issue for artists since clients typically have specific expectations of what they want to look like. The most successful artists will know how to take those expectations and make them a reality while staying within the budget of the client. Here are some tips for artists taking art commissions.
8 TIPS FOR ARTISTS ACCEPTING COMMISSIONS
Timing Matters. Be responsive and follow up on your leads immediately.
Timing is key, be responsive and follow up on your leads immediately. Knowing when a lead is ready to buy will help you close more sales.
Don’t hesitate to lay out your terms.
If you are someone who is easily intimidated by other people, you might struggle with the idea of talking on the phone or Skype with someone who has a tone in their voice that makes you feel intimidated. Or maybe you feel this intimidation all the time and you just don’t know how to deal with it. Well, you are not alone. Many people struggle with this, and here are a few tips I have for coping with it.
Ask for compensation upfront.
Many writers, bloggers, and content creators feel that if they aren’t earning enough through ad revenue or aren’t making money through sponsored posts, they should ask to be paid upfront. This is a tricky thing to do, and there are a lot of reasons why asking for payment upfront may not be a good idea.
Know what is asked of you.
Answering a sales pitch when you enter a store or business can be daunting. You’ve been bombarded with sales tactics throughout the day, dwindling your willpower to nothing. But, if you can figure out exactly which sales pitch they’re using, you can stop them from going through with their sales pitch.
Cherish your loyal and good clients; manage the challenging ones.
Dealing with difficult clients is never easy. It’s hard to know how to address their complaints, correct their mistakes, and make them feel appreciated and valued. But it’s even harder when those difficult clients become regulars. Some clients can become so problematic that you change your ways, avoid taking on more of their work, or close down your business.
Know your market.
Knowing your market is one of the first steps in running a successful property maintenance business. Start by researching your competition, including customer reviews and services offered, and study the market to determine where the greatest opportunity lies. Your target customer may be homeowners, business owners, apartment complexes, or property managers, but knowing your market will depend on what your plan is for running your business. Once you know your customers, you can design a marketing strategy to attract them to your company.
Have a method for pricing your work.
A method of pricing your work may simply mean you have a method you use for pricing your creations, whether that is by project, by skill, or by the hour. Whether you charge a flat rate, hourly, or project basis, having a method helps you keep track of your work, keeps you on task and budget, and helps you keep track of your sales and income.
Provide a good experience by sharing your process.
Providing a good experience to your customer starts with providing a good experience to your employees. Likewise, providing great service to your customer starts with providing great service to your employees. Providing a good experience to your employees starts with providing a good experience to your employees.
Creating great experiences means sharing them. And there is no better way than by letting your fans know how you work. For example, I follow a number of designers on Instagram, and I am always amazed by the variety in their work. Each has its unique style; it’s interesting to see which project or which type of design they are working on. It’s fascinating to see how different designers approach the same challenges. There are similarities, of course, but things get really interesting when you start talking about why they do things the way they do.
Taking commissions and being an artist are two completely different things. Many painters claim to want commissions, but very few artists are actually cut out for them. However, if you’re convinced it’s what you want to do, be sure to enter a few competitions beforehand. This will give you feedback about your work, which you can then use to improve your skills, and will help your secure commissions.
