Faux Painting for Profit

What to do if you aren't getting thing done in your Creative Faux Painting Business Life.

Tip 1:

Do you keep to-do lists? Do they help you manage your time?  Almost everyone keeps a list of things they must accomplish during the day, week and months ahead. The problem is… are they working for you?  

If you have a ton of lists floating around in your head or on your desk and still you feel like time slips away without you accomplishing your goals, then read on… Help is here. 

To Do Lists are only effective if you know how to use them.  They are only a tool to use in managing your time.  Great tools - like a great paintbrush - save effort and time, if it is used effectively.

Keep a list of all daily tasks you need to accomplish.  If you just can't finish the entire list… put the unfinished items on the next day’s list.  Do this at the end of the day while everything is fresh in your mind. Prioritize the list, keeping the most important daily tasks on top.  

High priority items are those that will make you the most money or keep your business out of hot water.  Calling clients, paying bills and taxes and keeping your calendar up to date, are far more important than reading trade journals, cleaning your studio or having the oil changed in your car.  All of these tasks are important, but can you see how they should be prioritized now? 

Those items high on the list are usually the jobs we don't like to do.  Do you tend to put off the items at the top of your list?  Learn to tackle these jobs first thing in your day.  Make it a point to tick off all those high priority tasks before you start working on any other task.  If you make this a habit… it will get easier.  

Do you know when you are the most efficient?  Some creative people are inspired in the afternoon or evening.  Of course… this is not regular business hours.  You must learn to do business tasks during business hours. 

Usually anything that has to do with managing your money should be done in the morning. Banks, accountants and billable clients are all available in the morning, or at least you can contact them and leave messages in hopes of a return phone call during the day.  Calling in the late afternoon, will not get you on their high priority to-do list.   

Tip 2:

Keeping your office in order.  I admit… I do have paper piles in my office.  Just a few.  One is for mail that hasn't been filed yet.  One is for notes about billings, client info and small tasks that haven't been added to the to-do list.  I also have a pile of design and trade magazines that need to be read. Otherwise, my office is usually very organized. 

I have a waste basket and shredder in my path from the mail box to the office area.  I try to hit this area every day, with my pile of mail.  Shredding and trashing all the junk mail before it hits my desk, keeps the mail pile pretty tiny.

When you hit the office, if something can be filed within 5 seconds… file it.  Don't keep it laying around in your way.  I have a file that is for upcoming bills.  I have 2 days a month I look at that file and pay bills.  Otherwise it is in the file cabinet, not out where I can loose a bill.

I learned early in my career years, to clean my desk every night.  Don't leave an unorganized mess for yourself.  The only thing left on the desk should be your list of things to do tomorrow.

Tip 3:

I talk too much.  I love to get to know each client.  I want to know some things about them and their lives before I start creating decorative paint treatments for them.  I do tend to get off subject… and it is a time waster.  I have learned to tell clients during our first phone contact that the first appointment should only last about an hour.  This should give us both time to get to know if we can work together and if the client can trust you to create something wonderful for them. If I go over an hour… it is usually my fault. 

I have learned over the years to read the fidgeting or anxiety a client may be having if I am taking up too much time.   

Tip 4:

Multitasking in your Faux Painting Business is an art!

During the time I have been writing this article, I have also moved the laundry to the dryer, gotten a cup of coffee and had a short conversation with my husband.  I didn't look at my other to-do list items, answer the phone or check my email.

Can you see the difference in multi-tasking with a focus and doing many unrelated tasks?  Yes, I did get up and do other things, but I got right back to my computer and focused on finishing this one task.  I didn't loose focus. 

If you find yourself working all day, and not finishing anything… multi-tasking the wrong way is probably the culprit.  Pay attention to your work habits.  

Don't try to work on twenty different projects in one day.  It is far better to start and finish one or two projects each day.  At the end of the week you will have much of your to-do list crossed off, instead of constantly adding the same tasks each day to a new list. 

Technorati Tags: time management, business, faux painting, painting business, business

When you are in the Faux Painting Business… you will run into many obstacles that aren't obvious when you start learning how to start your business.  One of the problems many Faux Finish Painting Professionals run into is - Should the artist be responsible for moving furniture away from the walls or faux painting area?

• Does anyone move furniture when on the job?

• Should you assist clients who needed to move a small or medium piece a few inches?
• How would you address the problem of moving big heavy furniture out of the room completely.
• How should your proposal or contract read since we are NOT insured to move furniture?

The answer is - Just DON'T do it.

I would make sure the client knows that they have to have it moved or out of the room. They'll find a way! Don't take the risk with your liability or your back.

You might enter this type of inclusion in your proposal or contract.

Requirements: Clear room of objects and furniture that can be moved, and move anything that is left, away from the walls, allowing a 4 foot access to walls for paint and ladders. Any access less than 4 feet may result in production delay or additional charge.

Or…

The client shall also see that all furniture is moved at least 4' away from the walls and that all painting areas are easily accessible by the painter.  The painter will not move any furniture greater in weight than 30lbs.

The homeowner could hire a local moving/storage company to move all the furniture completely out of the room, if at all possible, and back in at the end of the faux painting job. Little stuff can be moved by the client. These movers are bonded and they have insurance in case the furniture is damaged.

One of my faux painting jobs was for an entire master bedroom suite.  A huge 4 poster bed needed be moved to the center of the room.  The client chose to move the furniture themselves, and they broke a leg in the process.  Thank goodness this wasn't my responsibility.

Simply tell the client that you expect the room to be ready when you arrive. All the furniture needs to be moved and all breakables need to be removed. You must convey to the client that you are an artist and you are in their home to paint art, not to move furniture.

What if you arrive at the job site and the furniture isn't moved?  You either choose to leave the job until the contract provisions are completed or you can call the client and set up movers to complete the job.  Either way… never put yourself, your business or your back at risk.

Another thing that your client needs to be aware of… is electric cords. Just because they moved the furniture, computers and T.V. away from the wall doesn't mean you will gladly trip over the cords still plugged in. Keep yourself, your equipment and your client safe, they should get the point if you explain it well. 

Oh and charge them extra if they just don't get the point.

Make sure you check out our Faux Painting Business eBook. 

Faux Painting business advertising dollars seem to get listed at the bottom of the budget every time.  But wouldn't you like to have more business?  Isn't advertising your faux business important? 

Almost every town and city in America has at least one Home Show in a year. The attendees of a Home Show are looking for ideas and DIY projects for their home. You will be in the perfect position to showcase your Faux Painting expertise.

The cost of "doing" a Home Show can seem over the top, but if you have advertising dollars in your budget… this is the place to spend it. Advertising in a newspaper or local white sheet will not get you near the client prospects as will placing yourself and your samples right in front of the puplic eye.

A ton of interest in your artistic work and abilities will be generated, even at a smaller home town show.

Be careful of offering brochures, they will often just be throw away material in the end. Offer to mail them a brochure, if their is real interest… this will not be a problem.

Having a great looking booth with "walls" to display your work is a great idea. Also, if you can set up a video or slide show of homes you have done faux painting work in… this will give some WOW factor.

Along with showing off your sample boards have a drawing for a free gift certificate. Every one who drops the card into that fish bowl is a potential client.

Each card should include the name, contact info and also have a space or check list to fill in with the type of decorative painting they might be interested in. Of course you will only have one winner of the big ticket gift certificate… so what do you do with all those other names?

• Send out a small certificate to each contestant. This will get your foot in the door of many potential clients. Send out a card in the mail with the certificate and maybe also a discount if they book a job within a certain period of time.
• Free consultation offers - this will also get you into potential client homes and give them ideas in more than one area of their home.
• Follow up all mailings with a phone call within a few days. Make sure to have a conversation with the buyer and prequalify them as people who can or cannot afford your services.
• Call all your potential clients every year just befor tax season. In some cases your services may be tax deductable. Always as potential clients when they think their next home impovement project will be. This will give you the oportunity to be a part of their planned investment.

Using a Home Show as your advertising vehicle may be a wise idea.  Check out this article about advertising your faux painting business.

Marketing Your Faux Painting Business