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From time to time, Art-Linx gets a really great guest to discuss topics of import to our community. Paul Greican has been a full time profesional art photographer since 2003 showcasing at juried art shows around the country.
Be A Pro
By Paul Grecian
As exhibiting artists and craftspeople, there are many things beyond our control. Variables such as weather, national and international news, competition with other events, and even fellow exhibitors, can all impact our success at any particular show. Our job as exhibitors is to maximize results by doing the right things, controlling what we can control, and putting our best efforts forward. As they say in the sports world, leave it all on the field! This way when the show is done and we begin to evaluate how things went, we can eliminate our personal performance (the one variable we do control) as a cause of dissatisfaction.
The best way to guarantee that our own efforts weren’t the cause of disappointing results, is to “be a pro.” Being a pro has different meanings depending on context. The IRS considers someone being a “pro” partially by monetary achievement and partially by how you run your business. A show promotor considers someone being a “pro” based on how you run your business and your behavior during the show. It doesn’t matter whether you engage in your art or craft full time or part time, “being a pro” has the same requirements. Not only will professional behavior keep you in good stead with the show promotor, and the IRS, but will be your best chance of being successful financially. And ultimately, financial success is the goal.
Six and a half ways to be a Pro
1. Follow the Show Rules
First and foremost in being a pro is following the show rules. Show promotors and managers have worked out extensive rules which will guide exhibitors toward having a smooth running, successful event. Following the show rules will both garner promotor/management appreciation and fellow exhibitor appreciation. Your professional behavior will foster good relationships and create a reputation as someone who is serious and conscientious about their business. Following the show rules will also prevent conflicts which not only work against you but set an unproductive mood for then having to interact with customers. The more positive you can maintain your demeanor, the better the aura that surrounds you and your work.
2. Exhibit Your Work and Yourself Well
How you exhibit your work tells potential customers a lot about what you think of them and your creations. A neat and tidy booth with work exhibited to achieve maximal visual impact will both engage viewers and please show promotors and fellow exhibitors. We all have the responsibility to make a show look as attractive as possible. I like to think of my 10x10 as a traveling gallery. Booths should be easy to enter and pleasing to look at. If you work in 3D, make sure you haven’t created trip hazards and accidental knocks won’t cause a domino effect. Have work at different heights to create visual interest to your display. If you are a 2D artist, hang your work on attractive, simple backdrops, and consider not over crowding your walls. Space around artwork allows viewers to contemplate each piece individually. Display walls should be kept in good condition and clean. Don’t let the display detract from your art! Regardless of the medium in which you work, lighting is always important. With so many portable battery units on the market now, having lighting for outdoor shows is easier than ever. And of course every indoor event offers electricity, that is not any area to skimp on. You must have good lighting.
When setting up your exhibition space, every detail matters. Keep non-art-related items out of view. Visitors don’t want to see your lunch, or coffee cup, your cooler, or any of the myriad supplies you may need to set up and run your business. Having an attractive check-out desk for storing or hiding items is one good way of keeping things tidy and attractive. Consider too your chair, if you must sit. A seat that is high enough so that customers aren’t looking down on you and small enough to not be an obstacle are best. Your chair shouldn’t convey backyard barbecue or garage sale, but a place where serious creative works are being offered. This is your business, not a weekend at the beach.
Personal appearance also tells potential customers about what you think of them and your business. As professional artists, how we dress and present ourselves has to be a consideration. Artists should always be cleanly dressed. If demonstrating a messy creative process during a show, consider wearing a smock over appropriate attire. Your clothing choices should not become the main attraction of your booth; you want your work to be center stage. Consider what you would wear if you had a brick and mortar gallery and were greeting visitors to your store. Outdoor shows are challenging and comfort has to be a factor in choosing your attire, but unless grunge is your brand, a professional personal presentation is still a good idea.
3. Have enough work and make it your best work
This may sound obvious but it is true nonetheless. Professional creatives need to be productive makers. Customers expect that artists and craftspeople are engaged in regularly making new work. A booth that looks empty conveys the message that this isn’t a serious endeavor but maybe a pastime or hobby. Professionals are always creating, your booth should demonstrate your seriousness as a maker. When work sells, replacement pieces should be available to keep the display looking full (but not overcrowded). If you’re really have a grand slam of a show, and empty spaces are unavoidable, have small signs that you can put in the sold spaces which tell people of the sale; red dots and signs reading “sorry you missed that great piece” tell visitors you’ve been in demand instead of conveying lack of work.
4. Respect your customers and fellow exhibitors
People interactions are pivotal to financial success and presenting yourself as a professional. It all starts with respect. Respecting others creates reciprocity; you expect respect, give it to others. Respecting your customers means not being on your phone when they come in, a simple greeting that lets them know you are there for them but also allowing them to take in what you do. Keep your discussions about the artwork, you don’t know who else is listening. Regardless of the many thoughtless things visitors sometimes say, keep any conversation from escalating and bring it back to your creativity and work.
Being professional also means respecting your fellow exhibitors, especially your neighbors. Keep your work inside your booth (this also satisfies the “Follow the Show rules” dictum). There should be nothing about your display that impinges on your neighbors space or eyesight by passersby; this includes any display materials, your work itself, your chair, or even where you stand. If you are uncertain about if your display may cause a conflict, speak with your neighbor or show manager. As exhibitors, we all share the same space, both visually and auditorily. Keep sounds made inside your booth from becoming a distraction or annoyance to your neighbors. This means no loud music (your neighbors don’t want to hear it), discussions held at a reasonable octave, not using a speaker phone if you must call someone, and generally just keeping noise from becoming a point of contention. What annoys your neighbors may also annoy potential customers.
Securing your booth with weights and staking (where appropriate) is also an act of respect for your fellow exhibitors. It means you value their safety and their work in addition to complying with show rules and safeguarding your own work. Importantly, proper canopy weighting also helps prevent attendee harm and saves you from potential legal action.
5. Market yourself before the show
Show promotion has become more and more a shared responsibility of everyone involved. Yes, we all expect the show promotors to do their jobs and market the show strongly (that is a big part of what we expect for our show fees), but in the digital age, we all have the capability to broadcast the event and especially our involvement in it. Social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram), emails, newsletters and yes, even postcards, can all be part of a marketing campaign for each event in which you exhibit. Having a website that lists your show schedule is also a great way for people to plan on being where you will be. This isn’t just good professional behavior, it’s good art business. Everyone benefits from each others efforts here as well, it is truly a win-win.
6. Be engaged
I consider my first job at any event to be making contact with potential customers. Even if they don’t buy from me at the show, I want them to leave with a sense of who I am as an artist, and that I am a person they will want to interact with again. That can’t happen if I don’t interact with the people coming into my booth. My personal sales philosophy is more one of pull instead of push, but each of us must find the strategy that works best. Relationships and interactions are hard to achieve if you’re sitting behind your booth, lounging in a beach chair outside on the other side of the walkway, or out talking with friends. Professionals want engagement! It often takes more than one “touch” with customers before a purchase is made so don’t pass up the opportunity to make that first “touch.” You also don’t know if that non-buying visitor will follow-up with a sale on your website. That first impression with you then is critical.
6 1/2. Strive to Constantly Improve
Being "too professional” is not a thing. You should constantly strive to improve every part of your business. It’s what every successful business does. Evaluate your results after each show. Try to determine what went well and want needs improving. In what areas did you perform especially well? What did the promotors do well? What were the circumstances beyond your control and which ones should you have controlled better? Be honest with yourself, talk with other exhibitors, and make a plan to do even better next time. This is what professionals do.
At the end of a show weekend it’s time to take a breath and take stock of how things went. I create several show reports for myself to record what sold, my totals for the event, and notes to myself about what to do for the next show. Then, as in sports, I have to put that show behind me and concentrate on the next one. It’s not an easy task that we have being exhibiting artists and craftspeople, but having a professional practice is the best way
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