Everything I Know About the Art Business I Learned by Being a Delivery Boy As a young boy, one of my first summer jobs was being a delivery boy for a small local meat market. The meat market was located in Bay Head, New Jersey. By Head is a summer resort, on the New Jersey shore. It was a seasonal job that ran from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend. But to me it was the most important job that there was, since it was my first real job! What I learned about business from that small little job is important as it became the basis for how I conducted myself in business and especially the art business for the rest of my life. Whether you want to believe it or not, an artist is a small business. In order to be successful, an artist needs to think, act and conduct their “art business” in a professional and business like manner. Here are some valuable lessons that any artist can benefit from my experience as a delivery boy: 1. Show Up – The meat market needed me there for morning deliveries and afternoon deliveries. There were to be no excuses, like it was a nice beach day or that I had something else to do. They needed me and expected me to be there and on time, to make my deliveries. Why is that? It is because their clients expected their meat and groceries to be delivered at certain times, no excuses. As an artist, when you are told that you are needed at a certain time, a piece of art needs to be delivered by a certain date or that an appointment will be at “such and such” time, you need to be there. Sometimes artists seem to be in their own world and some artists are inclined to be on their own time, as if nothing else exists. This is not a good trait to have. Return that telephone call when you promised that you would do. Show up at that appointment on time. Be available and on time when you said that you would. It is a common courtesy and the other person’s time is valuable to them. 2. Shut Up – When you do show up, shut up. No one wants to hear of your problems, challenges and issues. They have a business or a job to perform and they do not want to get dragged into your drama. At the meat market the owners had about 3 months in which to make their money for the year. They needed to be focused, as they had a business to run and were dealing with their own problems with suppliers, fulfilling orders and keeping clients happy. Anything or anyone that would take them away from their mission was not valuable to them. As an artist, the potential buyer, gallery owner or art rep really do not have the time or the wherewithal to be dealing with your issues too. Keep it professional and impersonal. Remember, you really are working for them, not the other way around! 3. Help Out – I learned quickly that it is not good to stand around and do nothing, while I was waiting for the deliveries to be fulfilled and boxed. I learned to do a “little more” than what the job called for. By doing this, I was much more valuable to the owners.
Sometimes as an artist we are asked to do more than what our pricing calls for or what our time may allow. That is part of it and we should always to try to give good value for our time and efforts. Why? Over time, it will breed loyalty with your customers and with your clients. As a delivery boy, by doing this, I was helping to insure that I would be asked to come back and work there again for the next summer. 4. Be Flexible – I found out that sometimes you just had to be flexible with people. Sometimes, a client wanted a special delivery or that they forgot something and absolutely had to have it for a dinner party that evening (which meant a special trip). The meat market was located next door to a super market and many times you were asked to go over there and pick something up and include it in the order. Was that part of what a meat market should do? Yes, if at all possible and why not? The client could rely on us and we were helping them out with higher than expected service. As an artist, sometimes we are asked to do something that is considered to be an extra. Do you disagree, argue and shut down because of a request for extra service? If it is a reasonable request, why not do it? By doing this, it helps to build goodwill and repeat business. 5. Be Visible - I found out after my first summer that it is good to be seen by the client. By being in a wealthy resort town, most of the meat market’s clients had maids, cooks and other service personnel. When making a delivery I would be required to go to the “service entrance” or what is known as the back door. I did not meet too many clients or owners back there. At the end of the summer, when the end of season tips were being handed out, I found out quickly that the service personnel do not give tips! Be visible to the right people, whether it is gallery owners, art buyers or art reps. Be out there, engaging and someone that has a personality. Do not be a “faceless” artist. This also holds true of networking and being part of personal appearances too. On the internet, print and other promotions, be visible. This also should be true in all of the marketing of your art too! 6. Be Thankful – At the end of the summer I learned that I was lucky to have the job and I was paid very well for the time that I spent actually delivering meat. I learned to be thankful as I was able to afford but and to do things with the money that I earned, while my friends could not. For that, I was very grateful! As an artist, we should be thankful that we are able to do something that we love doing, that we can make money doing it and that we have the skill and creativity that most people want, but cannot have. We are all blessed and should be thankful to be artists. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Art Marketing Strategies provides to new and emerging artists who want to sell more art with the vision, roadmap, tools and support to market their art successfully in today’s competitive marketplace. John R. Math is also the owner of Light Space & Time - Online Art Gallery and John R. Math Photography. He can be reached by tel. 888-490-3530 or jmath@artmarketinstrategy.com