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Why are you not getting commissions?
Posted 14 years agoQuick rundown of some basic principles of selling. All of these can be combined. For example: TODAY I WANT TO DRAW DRUNK PEOPLE! FULL BODY PICTURES $5 OFF, I’M ONLY DOING THREE OF THESE, OFFER ENDS IN FOUR HOURS.
Liking: Be nice, be polite. Talk to people. Converse, laugh at their jokes, make them feel appreciated.
Reciprocity: Incredibly fucking powerful. Give someone something and they will repay you. An excellent study on that was Regan, 1971- They set up a false experiment, then during a break in the experiment they had two ‘subjects’ share a break room, one of them a plant. The plant got the subject a soda, and at the end of the study asked the subject for donations. The gift-receiving group bought more tickets more often than the control group. TL;DR version: I predict that many of the people you give freebies will get a commission. Freebies are amazing for this.
Scarcity and urgency: If something is available in limited numbers and/or only for a short while, it sells more. I recommend having three to five commission slots open, closing them whenever they are filled, and then opening commissions whenever you finish.
Deals: People love deals. Very simple. Whenever you want a commission, offer a deal. Also, always always tell people WHY you’re offering the deal. Never just lower your prices.
Tell them what they want: Often people don’t get a commission because they don’t know what they want. So, tell them what they want. Use pre-poses, themes - Draw your character drunk! Draw your character in uniform! Draw your girl as a boy/boy as girl! Draw your anthro as a human! - All of these give people ideas for something they might want.
Popularity: People want what they see other people getting.
Sex Sells: Well, duh.
If They’re Laughing They’re Buying: A lesser known but still famous principle. Here’s an idea: Next time you ask for commissions, don’t just post up a journal just like one we’ve seen before, draw a little comic too. Could just be a single panel- show yourself as a ridiculous little chibi with a fly coming out of your wallet or as a hobo with a WHIL DRAH 4 FUUD- raise awareness more, make people laugh, help them buy.
Ask: Ask for commissions. Don’t just say I’m open for commissions, ask for them. Say that you want to do a few this week, weekend, month, whatever.
Repetition: Ask often. People have very short memories. Remind people that you’re open whenever you can. On an art site or tumblr you are just one artist among a great many- make sure people know you exist.
Persistence: Not every attempt will be a success. This is normal and natural. If something does not work, try again a week. If you’ve sold 3/5 of a pose set, make a new set, don’t wait for the remains to go and get depressed if they don’t.
If you have any comments or additional tips please share- this is intended to be a work in constant progress.
So you got a commission
Now comes the hard part- getting a repeat customer.
Be friendly: I cannot stress this enough. BE FRIENDLY. More than once I have gotten a commission, been entirely pleased with the product, but decided before I even received any art that I would not commission someone again. I've had artists be brusque, be rude, act like they didn't even want to commission- all huge turn offs. You're not working retail- a commission is a one-on-one interaction between the artist and the commissioner. A business-like tone is generally not appropriate when discussing a commission. In your price list, yes, but when talking directly to a customer- NO NO NO.
Thank them: From the commissioners perspective, they are doing you a service- they are giving you their money. You're doing the bulk of the work, of course, but it's always nice to be appreciated.
Be responsive: Let the person know when you're starting, show them the sketch- ask if they want anything changed. When you start the details, seek feedback. You don't need to wait for it sometimes, especially when the commissioner is not being responsive themselves, but the fact that you ask is always a big point in your favor. When the work is finished, ask if there are any small details they want changed. If they want something big then ask politely for an additional fee- it's additional work after all. A personal example- I got a quick sketch. It's an awesome sketch, I just have one small problem with it- my characters mouth is open and it bugged me. I asked for her mouth to be closed or her teeth to be showing and was ignored. The price was great, the speed was fantastic- from payment to completion it was less than an hour - and other than this small quibble I love the pic. I will never ever commission this artist again because he ignored me.
When to pay: If you ask for pay up front you're safe, but it feels unfriendly and untrustworthy. If you ask for payment after you post it or send it it shows that you trust them and you have a chance to get a tip, but people can be assholes and stiff you. Cash on delivery is better, but sometimes things come up and the commissioner really can't pay- then you've wasted time for nothing. Best option in my mind is half up front, half when you finish just before delivery.
Set boundaries: If any issues come up, add it to your pricelist for the future- that way if it comes up again you can calmly reference that and hey! By approaching you they've already agreed! From the Be Responsive bit I mentioned alterations- some people can be micromanagers which would be a headache, so set out in your pricelist the number, timing, and severity of any alterations you're willing to do.
You're allowed to say no: Just please be polite about it. People can be weird- if someone approaches you for some bizarre fetish it's understandable why you might not want to do that, but if you call them names or flat out refuse then you've lost a customer forever. A polite "No thank you, I don't feel comfortable doing that" smooths over ruffled feathers. Even better if you add "What about your character doing X instead?" If they don't want it that puts the burden of breaking off the relationship on to them and if they accept you've got a commission!
Speed: People like speed. If you take a long time then people don't like it. Pretty basic. If you experience a delay it's wise to explain why. As long as it isn't "I was too busy playing video games" people will understand and generally forgive you.
Show off: Post what you've drawn. If the commissioner gets the feeling that you're not proud of what you've done they're probably not coming back.
Liking: Be nice, be polite. Talk to people. Converse, laugh at their jokes, make them feel appreciated.
Reciprocity: Incredibly fucking powerful. Give someone something and they will repay you. An excellent study on that was Regan, 1971- They set up a false experiment, then during a break in the experiment they had two ‘subjects’ share a break room, one of them a plant. The plant got the subject a soda, and at the end of the study asked the subject for donations. The gift-receiving group bought more tickets more often than the control group. TL;DR version: I predict that many of the people you give freebies will get a commission. Freebies are amazing for this.
Scarcity and urgency: If something is available in limited numbers and/or only for a short while, it sells more. I recommend having three to five commission slots open, closing them whenever they are filled, and then opening commissions whenever you finish.
Deals: People love deals. Very simple. Whenever you want a commission, offer a deal. Also, always always tell people WHY you’re offering the deal. Never just lower your prices.
Tell them what they want: Often people don’t get a commission because they don’t know what they want. So, tell them what they want. Use pre-poses, themes - Draw your character drunk! Draw your character in uniform! Draw your girl as a boy/boy as girl! Draw your anthro as a human! - All of these give people ideas for something they might want.
Popularity: People want what they see other people getting.
Sex Sells: Well, duh.
If They’re Laughing They’re Buying: A lesser known but still famous principle. Here’s an idea: Next time you ask for commissions, don’t just post up a journal just like one we’ve seen before, draw a little comic too. Could just be a single panel- show yourself as a ridiculous little chibi with a fly coming out of your wallet or as a hobo with a WHIL DRAH 4 FUUD- raise awareness more, make people laugh, help them buy.
Ask: Ask for commissions. Don’t just say I’m open for commissions, ask for them. Say that you want to do a few this week, weekend, month, whatever.
Repetition: Ask often. People have very short memories. Remind people that you’re open whenever you can. On an art site or tumblr you are just one artist among a great many- make sure people know you exist.
Persistence: Not every attempt will be a success. This is normal and natural. If something does not work, try again a week. If you’ve sold 3/5 of a pose set, make a new set, don’t wait for the remains to go and get depressed if they don’t.
If you have any comments or additional tips please share- this is intended to be a work in constant progress.
So you got a commission
Now comes the hard part- getting a repeat customer.
Be friendly: I cannot stress this enough. BE FRIENDLY. More than once I have gotten a commission, been entirely pleased with the product, but decided before I even received any art that I would not commission someone again. I've had artists be brusque, be rude, act like they didn't even want to commission- all huge turn offs. You're not working retail- a commission is a one-on-one interaction between the artist and the commissioner. A business-like tone is generally not appropriate when discussing a commission. In your price list, yes, but when talking directly to a customer- NO NO NO.
Thank them: From the commissioners perspective, they are doing you a service- they are giving you their money. You're doing the bulk of the work, of course, but it's always nice to be appreciated.
Be responsive: Let the person know when you're starting, show them the sketch- ask if they want anything changed. When you start the details, seek feedback. You don't need to wait for it sometimes, especially when the commissioner is not being responsive themselves, but the fact that you ask is always a big point in your favor. When the work is finished, ask if there are any small details they want changed. If they want something big then ask politely for an additional fee- it's additional work after all. A personal example- I got a quick sketch. It's an awesome sketch, I just have one small problem with it- my characters mouth is open and it bugged me. I asked for her mouth to be closed or her teeth to be showing and was ignored. The price was great, the speed was fantastic- from payment to completion it was less than an hour - and other than this small quibble I love the pic. I will never ever commission this artist again because he ignored me.
When to pay: If you ask for pay up front you're safe, but it feels unfriendly and untrustworthy. If you ask for payment after you post it or send it it shows that you trust them and you have a chance to get a tip, but people can be assholes and stiff you. Cash on delivery is better, but sometimes things come up and the commissioner really can't pay- then you've wasted time for nothing. Best option in my mind is half up front, half when you finish just before delivery.
Set boundaries: If any issues come up, add it to your pricelist for the future- that way if it comes up again you can calmly reference that and hey! By approaching you they've already agreed! From the Be Responsive bit I mentioned alterations- some people can be micromanagers which would be a headache, so set out in your pricelist the number, timing, and severity of any alterations you're willing to do.
You're allowed to say no: Just please be polite about it. People can be weird- if someone approaches you for some bizarre fetish it's understandable why you might not want to do that, but if you call them names or flat out refuse then you've lost a customer forever. A polite "No thank you, I don't feel comfortable doing that" smooths over ruffled feathers. Even better if you add "What about your character doing X instead?" If they don't want it that puts the burden of breaking off the relationship on to them and if they accept you've got a commission!
Speed: People like speed. If you take a long time then people don't like it. Pretty basic. If you experience a delay it's wise to explain why. As long as it isn't "I was too busy playing video games" people will understand and generally forgive you.
Show off: Post what you've drawn. If the commissioner gets the feeling that you're not proud of what you've done they're probably not coming back.
Do something nice
Posted 14 years agoRight now. Go find someone who is having a bad day and make it better. Today I felt like complete crap, but then I went to a grocery store. My cashier was coughing up a storm, it sounded painful, so I walked over to the pharmacy, picked up some cough drops, and tried to buy them for her. Apparently she could be fired for accepting gifts, but she had a huge smile on her face just because of the attempt and I felt better as well.
Rate how horrified you are by this
Posted 14 years agoAre you people aware of the level of my art
Posted 14 years agoThat is someone elses lineart, you know. I'm going to draw your requests as unicorns.
REQUESTS OPEN
Posted 14 years agoREQUEST A THING AND I SHALL SAVAGE IT
OWW FUCK
Posted 14 years agoI was eating these stupid gummy ginger candies and I bit drown and I think I cracked my canine.
:V
Posted 14 years agoBad week
Posted 14 years agoTroubles come in threes
Money
Posted 14 years agoAbout six months ago, my parents were forcing me to go out every single day to look for a job. I wasn't doing very good health-wise and was developing borderline narcolepsy. I was literally having to pull over while driving to take naps. This was a known issue. Then, I was far too sleepy to look for a job one day and decided to drive home. I got into a car crash, totaling my car and scratching the back bumper of the car I hit. Unbeknown to me, I had no car insurance. My parents were on vacation and the bills for my car insurance had not reached them. Being jobless, I could not pay said bills myself. My insurance had lapsed.
Damage: One totaled car. Points on my license and an accident, preventing me from getting any job involving driving for several years. 8000 dollars in debt to repair the car of the person I hit. It was a scratch. I have fucking pictures. But it was a new car and I had no insurance company to fight on my behalf.
Later, I received a job offer, the first reply I had gotten in a number of months. I had applied online.
Then, jobless, carless, I needed a new car to get a job. I found three cars within a week on craigslist for under 1000 dollars. My parents refused to allow me to buy them. They refused to drive me to the cars to allow me to test them. My mother instead kidnapped me under false pretenses and forced me to go to used car lots. It took four hours before I broke down and agreed to buy a car for 5000 dollars. A 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage, I believe? I had found the same car, same year, for 800. They had refused to allow me to buy it because they had concerns about the reliability of a car that went so cheap. Without allowing me to check it out, remember.
The 5000 dollar piece of shit broke down within three months. Engine died.
Now, I am moving out of my home. My very large, very comfortable home. I am moving in with two old well known friends. I had proposed that they move in with me, but my parents refused. They were concerned that we would make a mess. Instead, this home shall be vacant for the winter. When I was proposing that I stay the winter alone in this house they were asking 600 dollars a month in rent to cover utilities. I could not afford it as I only make roughly 800 a month. Now I am moving in with my friends in the home they are renting. Rent and utilities will be, for me, roughly 800 a month. My parents have graciously decided to loan me a few hundred each month for food and such.
For the next three months- the amount of time my house will remain vacant- the three of us shall be paying an extra 1800 dollars to a stranger.
Damage: One totaled car. Points on my license and an accident, preventing me from getting any job involving driving for several years. 8000 dollars in debt to repair the car of the person I hit. It was a scratch. I have fucking pictures. But it was a new car and I had no insurance company to fight on my behalf.
Later, I received a job offer, the first reply I had gotten in a number of months. I had applied online.
Then, jobless, carless, I needed a new car to get a job. I found three cars within a week on craigslist for under 1000 dollars. My parents refused to allow me to buy them. They refused to drive me to the cars to allow me to test them. My mother instead kidnapped me under false pretenses and forced me to go to used car lots. It took four hours before I broke down and agreed to buy a car for 5000 dollars. A 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage, I believe? I had found the same car, same year, for 800. They had refused to allow me to buy it because they had concerns about the reliability of a car that went so cheap. Without allowing me to check it out, remember.
The 5000 dollar piece of shit broke down within three months. Engine died.
Now, I am moving out of my home. My very large, very comfortable home. I am moving in with two old well known friends. I had proposed that they move in with me, but my parents refused. They were concerned that we would make a mess. Instead, this home shall be vacant for the winter. When I was proposing that I stay the winter alone in this house they were asking 600 dollars a month in rent to cover utilities. I could not afford it as I only make roughly 800 a month. Now I am moving in with my friends in the home they are renting. Rent and utilities will be, for me, roughly 800 a month. My parents have graciously decided to loan me a few hundred each month for food and such.
For the next three months- the amount of time my house will remain vacant- the three of us shall be paying an extra 1800 dollars to a stranger.
Talent
Posted 14 years agoDoes not exist. It is the combination of work ethic, the drive to improve, and the ability to self-assess.
Why are furries/artists such bad salesmen
Posted 14 years agogaragarhghh if you consider your art a goddamn financial asset then treat it like a fucking business. Sure, there are plenty of sales tactics that are downright scummy, but there are a ton that are just plain goddamn sense and easy to fucking do and nobody dooess theeemmmmm
and goddamn DIGITAL DOWNLOADS people. Piracy isn't scary it's free fucking advertisement look at the goddaaamnnn numbberrssss the increases in sales are fucking worth itttt
and goddamn DIGITAL DOWNLOADS people. Piracy isn't scary it's free fucking advertisement look at the goddaaamnnn numbberrssss the increases in sales are fucking worth itttt
Eat a book
Posted 14 years agohttp://cdn01.drawr.net/draw/img/217.....06jgTPnuw4.png
In other news, Ricosye/denkisiki/rikose is delicious.
http://cdn01.drawr.net/draw/img/217.....0fg4dXyHSM.png
http://cdn01.drawr.net/draw/img/217.....54wgZ7se95.png
Dose clothes UNF
http://cdn01.drawr.net/draw/img/217.....ecJzjwuRM7.png is the bestbestbestbest
http://drawr.net/user.php?id=21793&page=1 check it out
EDITT
http://denkisiki.blog98.fc2.com/
http://blog-imgs-31-origin.fc2.com/.....hrysoberyl.jpg fucking helllllll
In other news, Ricosye/denkisiki/rikose is delicious.
http://cdn01.drawr.net/draw/img/217.....0fg4dXyHSM.png
http://cdn01.drawr.net/draw/img/217.....54wgZ7se95.png
Dose clothes UNF
http://cdn01.drawr.net/draw/img/217.....ecJzjwuRM7.png is the bestbestbestbest
http://drawr.net/user.php?id=21793&page=1 check it out
EDITT
http://denkisiki.blog98.fc2.com/
http://blog-imgs-31-origin.fc2.com/.....hrysoberyl.jpg fucking helllllll
