Entrepreneurial Etiquette

[watergirl]

Hi, I'm here for some advice! I'm a painter, la la la. I usually work in theaters, but just finished doing my first mural for a family's kitchen. They are friends of a friend/acquaintance that I work for.

If I were to send them a happy looking card telling them it was great to work with them, and I hope they enjoy it for years to come, and here are some of my business cards, please share them with anyone who is interested in having me do some work for them...

Would that be tacky? I'm not used to this schmoozing aspect of things... It was a great experience for them and me, I was very lucky to find such an easy bunch to work with...

If someone painted a mural for you and sent you such a card, would you be pleased or think "What a money hungry #%&!"

So, if anyone has any suggestions for a polite way to ask for referrals, suggestions are welcome! And how long should wait to send such a card? A week, a few days? How many biz. cards to enclose, maybe 5 or 6?

EEEP! I was sooooo nervous about the whole thing, but they love it and I'm really pleased with it, too. Happy holidays, I'll be away from lit from tomorrow afternoon till late Sunday, so I'm gonna have to neglect my own thread that I'm starting - sorry!

 

[Limbhugger]

I don't think it is tacky. After all, you are promoting yourself and there's nothing wrong with that.

I would not however (PERSONALLY) include a bunch of cards.

I would send them a thank you card with one of your business cards inside. I wouldn't ask them to recommend you. The reason is it is already assumed that they will.

By having your card they can give your name/number out to anyone they come across looking for the same type service.

Make sense?

Hugger

 

[watergirl]

yay!

Yes, lots of sense - mmm. I'm so bad at this stuff! Agggh! I know I have the talent & the skill as a painter, it's the interpersonal schmoozing that I'm just like... oh god, nerves.

Eeeek!

 

[Parklife]

Asking for referrals should become second nature to you... it's not tacky, it's a way to get your art out there.

I'd suggest including 3-5 of your cards. Flat out asking for referrals may be a bit much but prompting them to share your card with anyone who might be interested would be appropriate.

"Just wanted to let you know how much of a joy it was to work with you. It's not often I find such great family to work with. I hope that you and the visitors to your home enjoy the mural for years to come!!

If you know of anyone else that may be interested in tailored artwork, please feel free to give them my card.

Again, I appreciate the patronage and please keep me in mind for any other work you may need."


or something along those lines. Referrals are the best source of business. I'd send a thank you card within the first few days of finalizing your transaction.

 

[Mysty61]

I would definitely send them a note, and your cards. You have given them something of substantial value and asked for nothing in return. The best way for you, or anyone, in a service type business to gain additional income is through referrals. No way should you be embarrassed, nor should it offend them. If it does offend them see it as a learning experience, and know they are takers only, and do not have enough upstairs to appreciate what you have given them. Do not be basheful and undersell yourself. Good luck and my compliments for seems to have been a job well done.

 

[Bobmi357]

There is nothing wrong with sending them a thank you card and tossing in a few of your own cards, "just in case".

Another thing I would do is go out and buy yourself a small REGULAR camera to record the work as it progresses, build a scrap book that you can show to future customers of works completed and in progress so they can see the quality as well as whats entailed in having a mural like that made for them.

I too have problems with the talking to client part of the job, but only when trying to convince people to go with my company. I'm a software engineer, not a salesman, so I lack the smooth talk and need to rely more on demonstrated abilities rather than slick talk to get clients to sign on.

 

[SexyChele]

I agree with everyone else. Sending along a thank you note (keep it short and sweet and not overly gushy - you want to be professional here!) and a couple of your cards is not out of line at all. I've had people who work for themselves and are attempting to get their businesses off the ground do this and I don't think they are money hungry or #(@*$*s. I think they are smart business men and women who are trying to live out the American dream. And yes, there have been times when I've passed out business cards I've received from people whose work I was especially pleased with. Why not pass along more business to them if I'm pleased with the work or service they've provided for me?

I agree with Bobmi - getting an inexpensive camera to take a few pictures and keep a scrapbook is a good idea. You might also want to ask if people are happy with your work if they would mind being a reference for future customers. Again, I've volunteered to give references, and have been happy to do so. (As long as I don't get, like, 20 phone calls a day, I'm cool with it!)

If people are happy with your work and your creativity, never be timid about promoting yourself. Don't go overboard, but it is perfectly proper to thank a customer, ask them to refer your work to others, or even ask them to be a reference. After all, the worst that can happen is they won't pass out the cards and they will refuse to be a reference. But I guarantee they will appreciate the card!

Oh, and congratulations!

 

[quickfoot]

It is not tacky to do a follow up with a request to share your name after you finish a project.

I'm also a small business owner (web/graphic design and marketing), any time you get a chance to network is great.

If nothing else send a thank you card with a couple of your business cards, they'll get passed around.

Most our business comes from word of mouth advertising.

 

[watergirl]

thanks

Thanks to all for the encouraging words... I do have a nice portfolio of my theater work, and I have a digital camera. I took pictures of this mural as we progressed - I did two small watercolors for the family, and then got input from them (daughter likes xyz, son really likes yellow flowers) and had them go through lots of photo research I provided of southwestern landscapes.

I took pictures of the watercolors, and then of the mural itself as it went along... I painted it on canvas, it's about 8'x8', and then installed it by stapling it to their wall and then adding inch & a half trim molding to frame it in. And I took a picture of that - they insisted on taking a picture with me and their daughter in front of it. I charged them $500 including materials, which I'm sure is low, but it's my first house/private home type work, so.. yeah. Not hideously underbid, but I think if I do this again, I should charge a separate fee of some sort for the design process.

I think I live in a good area for this kind of work (near DC & Baltimore) and it's just going to take a lot of nerve for me to try to work into more of this stuff...

Thanks all for the advice on the thank you note - it's very very much appreciated!

 

[Bobmi357]

Re: thanks

Thanks to all for the encouraging words... I do have a nice portfolio of my theater work, and I have a digital camera. I took pictures of this mural as we progressed - I did two small watercolors for the family, and then got input from them (daughter likes xyz, son really likes yellow flowers) and had them go through lots of photo research I provided of southwestern landscapes.

I took pictures of the watercolors, and then of the mural itself as it went along... I painted it on canvas, it's about 8'x8', and then installed it by stapling it to their wall and then adding inch & a half trim molding to frame it in. And I took a picture of that - they insisted on taking a picture with me and their daughter in front of it. I charged them $500 including materials, which I'm sure is low, but it's my first house/private home type work, so.. yeah. Not hideously underbid, but I think if I do this again, I should charge a separate fee of some sort for the design process.

I think I live in a good area for this kind of work (near DC & Baltimore) and it's just going to take a lot of nerve for me to try to work into more of this stuff...

Thanks all for the advice on the thank you note - it's very very much appreciated!

Watergirl,
What you need to do now is to go back and think about all the time you spent on that particular project. Try to come up with a number of hours spent engaged in making that mural, then take that number and divide the 500 you got for it by the number of hours spent. That will give you the hourly rate you got working on that task.

When I first went into the business (custom website design, custom programming and our specialty, internet retrieval agents), we made the mistake of offering "packages" for flat fees. That seemed to make sense for a while, until I had a client that spent a WEEK a whole blipping week making me rebuild buttons over and over again because he didn't like the colors. Suddenly I realized that in this case I was working for less than minimum wage. Goodbye flat fee packages!!

Now days I give potential clients an estimate of time to complete as well as a total price. They are told that any overages in time will not incur in any additional costs UNLESS they ask for something that wasn't in the original scope of work. And even then, I warn them that what they are asking for will cost them X dollars extra.

Its very important when you're working for yourself that you do not under pay yourself. I've seen a LOT of people that fail to figure in their time and screw up the business and their lives because of it.

~Bob

 

[midwestyankee]

Watergirl,

Asking for referrals is de rigeur. Do it or die. Your satisfied customers will be happy to spread the word for you because you have enlarged their lives for them. And having a few business cards around simply makes the task even easier for them.

The net has opened the world to independent professionals who choose to market their skills, knowledge, and expertise. Even better, many of these independents network through the net and give each other untold amounts of support through online discussion groups, local groups that meet in person, mastermind groups, and so on.


PM me if you wish, and I will be happy to direct you to a couple of online marketing resources for independent professionals. You'll see that the sales end rarely comes easily to most of us who work independently, but is a necessity for all of us.

I'd love to see a picture of the mural you did. Any chance of your posting one?

 

[watergirl]

sure

Thanks for the advice... I'm seriously thinking about making the jump from painting other people's designs for theater sets & backdrops to doing murals for people... I'm not into doing faux finishes, but murals are pretty kick ass things to do.

Here's the picture of the mural, and there are things about it that I think are kinda weird - but this is what the family wanted, and they love it, so woopee! I think the wrought iron fence says 'old english garden' not southwest usa, but hey, what do i know?

Thanks for the advice - the encouragement really does help!

 

[watergirl]

and

woops - double post

 

[DevilishTexan]

Hi, I'm here for some advice! I'm a painter, la la la. I usually work in theaters, but just finished doing my first mural for a family's kitchen. They are friends of a friend/acquaintance that I work for.

If I were to send them a happy looking card telling them it was great to work with them, and I hope they enjoy it for years to come, and here are some of my business cards, please share them with anyone who is interested in having me do some work for them...

Would that be tacky? I'm not used to this schmoozing aspect of things... It was a great experience for them and me, I was very lucky to find such an easy bunch to work with...

If someone painted a mural for you and sent you such a card, would you be pleased or think "What a money hungry #%&!"

So, if anyone has any suggestions for a polite way to ask for referrals, suggestions are welcome! And how long should wait to send such a card? A week, a few days? How many biz. cards to enclose, maybe 5 or 6?

EEEP! I was sooooo nervous about the whole thing, but they love it and I'm really pleased with it, too. Happy holidays, I'll be away from lit from tomorrow afternoon till late Sunday, so I'm gonna have to neglect my own thread that I'm starting - sorry!

Not at all absolutely not. When you own your own business you are your best marketer so you BETTER do what you can to be creative and find ways to build your business! I not only ask my customers for business but repeatedly! But remember, when someone sends you business to reward them in some way. A motivated client is your best client. Good luck.

 

[midwestyankee]

Re: sure

Thanks for the advice... I'm seriously thinking about making the jump from painting other people's designs for theater sets & backdrops to doing murals for people... I'm not into doing faux finishes, but murals are pretty kick ass things to do.

Here's the picture of the mural, and there are things about it that I think are kinda weird - but this is what the family wanted, and they love it, so woopee! I think the wrought iron fence says 'old english garden' not southwest usa, but hey, what do i know?

Thanks for the advice - the encouragement really does help!

Great work! I rather like the iron fence - gives it a slight touch of surrealism. I wish you were in my area and that I could afford such a thing for my house. I'm sure you will do just fine once people start seeing what you can do to make their homes into places of art and beauty.

 

[Limbhugger]

WG,

That is good stuff there! Our house is dekced out in "old west" theme and that mural would like great in our dining room!

My nephew is an artist I'm always encouraging him to do use it his talent for more lucrative means. One thing he does do on occassion is pencil drawings from people's photos. He really enjoys using a pencil and does AMAZING work with it. Unfortunately he only does it for family/friends and if he charges it all it is usually just enough to cover the cost of having the drawing framed/matted.

Keep the fire bunring WG.

Hugger