I'm in Oklahoma visiting my grandma, sitting on her driveway in the warm (to me) air, watching hoards of colored leaves falling out of oak trees as the wind blows, breathing in all this beautiful humid oxygen...
... Essentially, feeling grateful.
Grateful for everything, but you especially today.
So I wanted to give you something you could use -- like funds for the upcoming holidays.
I've told you relationships are one of my favorite ways to help my masterminders sell art, but without some guidance, I know that feels a little abstract, so I wanted to give you something concrete.
Let's call this my "Feel Good Follow Up Method". I haven't put a name to it, or broken down exactly how I do it before today. Consider this my early holiday present for being here!
We've all got people in our lives who have said they're interested in a particular piece, but when we give them the details, they disappear.
Maybe you've followed up once or twice, but quit after that.
Traditional sales advice says keep following up. Never give up.
(But you feel yucky doing that and don't want to keep bothering them.)
Honestly, I don't think this advice is wrong. I just think it's done from a pushy perspective that I, and many others, no longer resonate with.
So for the rest of the year while you're trying to earn money by launching ornaments or having sales, I want you to consider one more angle to your plan -- follow up.
And here's how I want you to do it:
1. Make a list of people to follow up with.
Make a list of anyone who's ever said something along the lines of "I'm interested in buying that piece." Maybe you laughed them off, never got back to them, or you did, but communication broke down somewhere.
2. Reopen the lines of communication with them
3. Stop trying to convince them to buy
Don't place any pressure on them or you to become a customer in any way. If you find yourself saying, "How can I get them to buy?," this exercise will most likely not work.
It's all about the energy! If you find yourself on the wrong side or feeling the pressure, open up new lines of communication with a few people who you think might be interested in your art in the future. This will help you see there's more than one way for the money to come in.
4. Rinse and repeat
Repeat contact with your list every few weeks or so. Find excuses or nice ways to do so.
5. Look for reasons to incentivize a YES or a NO.
At any point when you have a reason they need to make a decision, such as a show that piece is entering, or someone else who's shown interest, or a Christmas shipping deadline -- from a helpful place -- ask if they are still interested because XYZ is happening and you wanted to make sure they got first choice if they still want it. This will give you a yes or no.
6. Make the sale, Decide to keep in contact, or Decide to release
This way of following up works, it works well, and you'll never feel gross about following up again. You may even decide it's your favorite way to make money. 🙂
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Do the work & create your luck,
