On not acting like a commodity
When you buy bread, do you expect to get an email from the bakery the next day to ask if you liked the loaf and maybe some pictures of the baking process? Not really, even though it would be kinda cool to me to have such a bakery where I live. But the point is we don't expect businesses selling such commodities to reach out to their customers and actually build connections with them. But when we go shopping for something we really like, maybe a new guitar or when visiting a flea market - especially if you are the kind of person that values the story behind a used watch or some peculiar doohickey - we take our time to build a connection with the seller. Think of the one kind and knowledgeable sales person at your electrics store that you go to every time you want to buy a new computer, that helps you with any software issues you have for free, even though the store owner would want them to charge you for it. That's a lasting connection.
But I think artists tend to sometimes forget that, when you sell a work of art, it's much more personal for the buyer than buying a bread or even a new computer, yet many of us never really take time to further build our connection with the people who have shown genuine appreciation for our work. Blair Enns in his book The Win Without Pitching Manifesto talks about the idea, that each Euro or Dollar bill that you receive for something you did is an "Appreciation Certificate" and a such should be cherished not just for the monetary value of the paper stock but for the emotional value of the connection you have made with the person. Why then not build on those connections and make monthly or biannual update emails for everyone that ever bought your work. Let them know how you are doing and let them know that, by buying an original art work or print or maybe just a T-shirt from you, they have bought not only the material product that they liked, but made a lasting connection with you and your personal brand. Maybe send them some behind the scenes footage of an exhibition you were part of or of your creative process. Believe it or not, many buyers would actually like to hear from you. Of course no-one likes to hear boasting or get spam in their mailbox, but the fact is they didn't just buy the painting, the sculpture, the drawing - they bought into a glimpse of your creative process. Most of the time, they will appreciate your initiative to build a lasting relationship because without that, it really becomes hard to distinguish art from dull commodities like generic store brand bread.Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://survivingart.com/2018/10/29/on-not-acting-like-a-commodity/