Faux Painting for Profit

I get a ton of marketing questions from new Faux Painting Business owners.  Here is one Q and A I thought might be helpful to a lot of you just starting out and looking for ideas to market your faux painting business.

Hi Debra, 
 
 I will start out saying that I love your website. It is very personal as  well as helpful. I decided to write because you seem like you enjoy what  you  are doing and eager to help your fellow faux painters. I hope you don't mind  if I ask you some much-needed advice.
   
 I live in Northern Virginia and attempting to start my own business in the faux painting and decorating business world. Currently I am a full time mom and do real estate settlements part-time. For years, I have been faux  painting and decorating my house as well as friends. (at no charge!)

I get so  many  wonderful compliments and have been told for years that I should do it professionally. With the real estate market going down the tubes, my  children are older and my husband lovingly pushes me to pursue my  passion, I  figure why not.

Now, the big questions. Do you have any suggestions on  how  to get my name out there? I have had cards made up and have been sending  them out. I am also planning to do some local marketing.

I am hopeful that you may be able to give me some advice. Please, Please!

Best Wishes,

Laurie

 Does this sound familiar to you?  You found your passion and love to faux paint but…. how do you get business???

Here was my first answer to Laurie:

Hi Laurie,
Your letter is wonderful…like looking in a mirror 15 years ago.

You are starting in a business with exactly the same frustrastions I had.

First thing…you didn't mention a portfolio.  Do you have one?  (More on porfolio's in a later article)

Second… Do you have a local blind and drapery installer?  Make friends with them. Go into the shop and talk up what they do and what you do. Order a blind for your home and show them everything you do…and then pull out your portfolio.  Finally if they love your work…which I am sure they will…
    a. try to work on getting a small portfolio in their shop
    b. make sure they have a business card "stand" full of your cards.
    c. send them a thank you note for every referral and a gift basket or  plant for the big job referalls.

I made friends with the local Day Spa owner.  I found photos of Day Spas with faux finishishes and murals (from magazines and the internet) and put them into a small report folder with a cover letter and some samples of my personal work. She hired me to do the entire spa!  

Then I left a business card "stand" full of my cards and made up a few small report folder style portfolios.  These are the same size as a magazine and while customers are having a pedicure or in the waiting area…my portfolio is in with the decorator magazines. 

These ladies have money to spend, but are not looking for the most expensive Designers in town. 

I hope these suggestions help you with marketing your faux paiting business.  You can alwaysTHAT Painter Lady a question! :-)

Technorati Tags: Faux Painting Business, Marketing, Advice

This entry was posted on Monday, April 23rd, 2007 at 8:37 pm and is filed under Start Your Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.