Painterly Ponderings: 2nd Edition
June 6, 2023
Hey! It’s your local Jacksonville, North Carolina window artist here. I have some more thoughts to share. Well, it’s really just about saying “thank you” and showing appreciation.? These thoughts and ideas came from some of my most recent teachers, and I am excited to share how I put this learning into action.
Appreciation goes a long way.
I have been raised to always say thank you, and show appreciation for others, but this also carries over into business. R. Scott Riggs , over at Coastal Community College, shared with me how a simple “thank you” card can go a long way. We spoke about this during one of our sessions together, when I met for business counseling. He said this is a way to show appreciation for past commissions or past customers that bought some of my artwork.
Side note: Business counseling is a fun, informative, and FREE resource offered at the Coastal Community College in Jacksonville, NC. This resource is available for small business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs. This may be offered at your local community college. Make sure to check their website, or call and ask.
“Let all your thinks be thanks.” – W.H Auden
Level Up.
I decided to take this “thank you” advice a step forward, and use some knowledge gleaned from? Martin Brossman 's?“Marketing for Artists Series” webinar. Mr. Brossman shared the idea of providing something of added value for customers, especially for those repeat customers. I combined Mr. Riggs’s and Mr. Brossman’s advice, and decided to extend appreciation to a repeat customer. I created a hand-painted floral design, on canvas in their favorite colors. This local business was very appreciative, and loved their thank you gift. It took me about 3 hours, and gave me a chance to learn how to create a new design.
I am not saying you have to hand make something for every client, but do what is within your capacity to do. I plan on sending thank you cards to other local businesses for past projects. A lot of people don’t hear “thank you” that often, so it could really go a long way. As Mr. Riggs explained, it’s a small gesture that can have a big impact on relationship building. Any career or job I have held, relationships have always been the most important.
“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care
―?Theodore Roosevelt”
If you have made it this far, I thank you for giving me a few minutes and entertaining my painterly thoughts. It is always more fun for the writer when there is engagement, so if this article resonated with you, be sure to leave a comment, like and/or repost. Maybe share how you show appreciation in your business or relationships OR an example of how appreciation had a positive impact on you.