Guys, I want to share a little encouragement with you all today. As an artist you are working for yourself, just as I am,
and I know that there are days when it’s just plain tough to get up and persevere. I think we all get into a slump
every now and then, so hopefully this little personal anecdote will give you a renewed perspective on where you are
right now. It’s a story from this year, from my personal experience.
My customers can be split into two main groups: artists and commercial art galleries. At the beginning of 2011 I
realized that while my customer base is strong in the artist department, it would be nice to land a couple more
gallery accounts. So, in January I went to work preparing new marketing materials and practicing a 30 second
sales pitch that I thought would do the trick.
Over the course of the past 3 months I personally visited at least 6 galleries per week, explaining my services and
handing out materials. Many told me they were not interested, others told me to call later and schedule an
appointment (that’s just a way of saying “no” without having to really say it), and a few listened to what I could offer
and seemed genuinely enthusiastic about it.
However, by the end of March I had ZERO new gallery accounts. Ugh. I was totally disheartened and wondered if I
was doing the right thing. I was questioning my own abilities to run my business. As many of you know, it’s really
easy to slide into a whole world of self doubt when you are running your own show. But it gets better so read on…
It was just at this time that I happened upon a quote that said “If you go to get something, then don’t come back until
you get it.” In the same book another quote inspired me: “Fear is not overcome by thought, it is overcome by action.”
It’s amazing how a few well timed words can totally change your perspective on a situation. So I got up and went
back out there.
This time I picked the biggest gallery I thought could benefit from my services, and decided I was going to return
every few days until I landed the account. I wouldn’t stop until they at least gave me a chance. I brought in samples,
all the information I had, followed up on everything I said I would, and got to know at least five different employees
before I convinced them to try my services. I quote the manager of operations: “you know what Chris, I really
appreciate your persistence. I’m going to give you a chance at our next giclée.” Boy did that feel good!
In the process I had discovered they were currently shipping everything to New York for scanning and printing, and
they confessed they weren’t always happy with the colors - that’s insane! I knew I could save them a bundle and
still give them premium quality and kept pursuing them until they understood this. I was encouraged and lifted out
of the slump by the mere fact that I got up and took action. One thing led to another and small successes became
bigger ones.
I say all that to say this:
As an artist you may be in a similar situation. It’s easy to become disheartened when the economy is so slow and
so many people are struggling to stay afloat. You may think “who on earth can buy my art at a time like this?” But
keep working diligently on creating the best work you possibly can, and don’t get discouraged when things don’t go
as planned. Don’t give up. Find ways to remain positive - read books, hang out with friends, spend time with family.
The doors will open when you are persistent, patient, and know within yourself that you are creating consistently
high quality work. Quality always sells to those who appreciate it. Find people who appreciate the quality of your art
and focus your efforts on building relationships with them - they will become collectors, but you must take a long
term approach.
So, get out there and make some awesome art - and tell me all about it as you progress. Maybe I can use your
story in a future issue of ArtBoost!
Chris Kennedy is the owner of PrintThatImage.com, a specialty fine art printing company located in Fort
Lauderdale, FL. Chris works with fine artists, galleries, and art publishers to develop custom archival print editions
that perfectly match their business needs. He can be reached at 954-353-1095 or by email at
chris@PrintThatImage.com.
This Article Copyright © 2011 Chris Kennedy, All Rights Reserved.
and I know that there are days when it’s just plain tough to get up and persevere. I think we all get into a slump
every now and then, so hopefully this little personal anecdote will give you a renewed perspective on where you are
right now. It’s a story from this year, from my personal experience.
My customers can be split into two main groups: artists and commercial art galleries. At the beginning of 2011 I
realized that while my customer base is strong in the artist department, it would be nice to land a couple more
gallery accounts. So, in January I went to work preparing new marketing materials and practicing a 30 second
sales pitch that I thought would do the trick.
Over the course of the past 3 months I personally visited at least 6 galleries per week, explaining my services and
handing out materials. Many told me they were not interested, others told me to call later and schedule an
appointment (that’s just a way of saying “no” without having to really say it), and a few listened to what I could offer
and seemed genuinely enthusiastic about it.
However, by the end of March I had ZERO new gallery accounts. Ugh. I was totally disheartened and wondered if I
was doing the right thing. I was questioning my own abilities to run my business. As many of you know, it’s really
easy to slide into a whole world of self doubt when you are running your own show. But it gets better so read on…
It was just at this time that I happened upon a quote that said “If you go to get something, then don’t come back until
you get it.” In the same book another quote inspired me: “Fear is not overcome by thought, it is overcome by action.”
It’s amazing how a few well timed words can totally change your perspective on a situation. So I got up and went
back out there.
This time I picked the biggest gallery I thought could benefit from my services, and decided I was going to return
every few days until I landed the account. I wouldn’t stop until they at least gave me a chance. I brought in samples,
all the information I had, followed up on everything I said I would, and got to know at least five different employees
before I convinced them to try my services. I quote the manager of operations: “you know what Chris, I really
appreciate your persistence. I’m going to give you a chance at our next giclée.” Boy did that feel good!
In the process I had discovered they were currently shipping everything to New York for scanning and printing, and
they confessed they weren’t always happy with the colors - that’s insane! I knew I could save them a bundle and
still give them premium quality and kept pursuing them until they understood this. I was encouraged and lifted out
of the slump by the mere fact that I got up and took action. One thing led to another and small successes became
bigger ones.
I say all that to say this:
As an artist you may be in a similar situation. It’s easy to become disheartened when the economy is so slow and
so many people are struggling to stay afloat. You may think “who on earth can buy my art at a time like this?” But
keep working diligently on creating the best work you possibly can, and don’t get discouraged when things don’t go
as planned. Don’t give up. Find ways to remain positive - read books, hang out with friends, spend time with family.
The doors will open when you are persistent, patient, and know within yourself that you are creating consistently
high quality work. Quality always sells to those who appreciate it. Find people who appreciate the quality of your art
and focus your efforts on building relationships with them - they will become collectors, but you must take a long
term approach.
So, get out there and make some awesome art - and tell me all about it as you progress. Maybe I can use your
story in a future issue of ArtBoost!
Chris Kennedy is the owner of PrintThatImage.com, a specialty fine art printing company located in Fort
Lauderdale, FL. Chris works with fine artists, galleries, and art publishers to develop custom archival print editions
that perfectly match their business needs. He can be reached at 954-353-1095 or by email at
chris@PrintThatImage.com.
This Article Copyright © 2011 Chris Kennedy, All Rights Reserved.
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Fear is Overcome by Action...
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