#mentortip

[drsarahmcaleer]

Like all good artists, designers and makers I looooooooove tools - what about you? . Here's a handful of lovely metal stamps posted by @michelegradydesigns! . Love, Love, love! . #toolporn #michelegradydesigns #whatsonthebench #mentortip #rePLANOLY

[drsarahmcaleer]

GDPR has been set up to protect the personal data of any EU citizen. But what is this personal data? . Well here’s 20 (out of 40) ways I’ve identified (in no particular order) in which YOU might be collecting personal data that could ‘identify’ an indivual within your art or maker practice… . 1. Contact Form On Website 2. Enquiry Form On Website 3. Custom Order Intake Form - physical sheet of paper or on website 4. Job Book-In Sheet - physical sheet of paper 5. Someone giving you their business card - yes this is now considered 'personal data' 6. Giving away a freebie / lead magnet on your website 7. Newsletter sign up 8. Comments section on your website or blog post 9. 'My account' section of your website 10. The ‘add to cart’ section of your website 11. The ‘order’ page of your website 12. Cookies (not the chocolate biscuit ones) 13. Google Analytics 14. Facebook pixel 15. Other website statistics - my wordpress website uses jetpack 16. Those like/share promotions on facebook / instagram 17. Ads on facebook / instagram 18. Sharing a photo of one of your clients or someone wearing your jewellery 19. Sharing a photo of another individual whom you don’t know 20. That jar you keep at a fair to collect names and addresses in . So what do you think? Pretty scary right? So have you started tackling GDPR? . #gdpr #gdprcompliance #makerslife #artistslife #mentortip

[drsarahmcaleer]

FACT: If A Person Buys A Piece Of Your Art, They've Already Bought Into Your Story . In our bid to constantly chase down new clients and new followers on social media, we often take our eyes OFF the actual prize - PAYING CLIENTS & CUSTOMERS! . The ACTUAL real-life people who have ALREADY taken the step to BUY a piece of our art! Do you have them - paying customers that is? . Have you ever sold a piece of your work? Do you know who these people are - paying customers that it? Are you building a relationship with them? . Statistics tell us that its much EASIER to be selling to EXISTING clients than it is to find NEW ones and I can tell you from over 25 years in business that this is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo true. . So don't delay, start today!! Acknowledge the clients that you already have, client love, they've already bought into your story!!! . #golddustclients #reallifeclients #clients #dreamclients #mentortip

[drsarahmcaleer]

A silver and gold box-brooch I made many many moons ago. . Still a lovely piece showing my love for box construction, container forms and geometry mixed with organic shapes. . This also shows my design style where I can't 'leave surface alone' - i either decorate it, drill into it or set stones in it - I don't 'do' plain and simple, lol!! . But I rarely make brooches anymore - simply because my CLIENTS don't wear or ask for them. Whilst I like making them - and they are like a mini piece of sculpture - there's really no point if nobody is going to buy the piece! . I don't see the point of it sitting looking pretty and collecting dust on a shelf! I'd much rather someone was out wearing my work! . #brooch #makewhatsells #makemoney #changeyourmindset #mentortip

[drsarahmcaleer]

Let me introduce you to one of my (many) mantras - what I call GOLD-DUST CLIENTS! . HINT! These are NOT your fans or followers you are constantly chasing on social media or trying to get onto your email list! .  These are the ACTUAL real-life people who have ALREADY taken the step to BUY a piece of your work! . These ‘buyers’ (or customers, clients, tribe - whatever you want to call them) ARE your admiring fans. They aren’t the voyeurs who stalk your content on facebook or instagram but NEVER buy anything. . These are the people who have purchased a little ‘piece' of YOU (ie. your art / designs / product) so that they can share your story. . AND these are the customers that you WANT to come back for more. . Buying Clients Are Gold-Dust - They Have Already Invested In You! So Treat Them Well! . #golddustclients #reallifeclients #clients #dreamclient #mentortip

[drsarahmcaleer]

Totally love ALL of @jo_hatty 's fabulous sculptures! . All made by hand and cast into bronze. . Love her stylistic figures and how they stand on the block bases she carves! . These ones have been freshly patinated and are ready to be launched into the world!! . #bronze #sculpture #artistslife #visualinspiration #mentortip (at Bangor, County Down)

[drsarahmcaleer]

Always looking up! . You know I like to take photographs as part of my own creative practice - and I'm always looking for 'interesting' visuals and different angles. . Looking UP is one of my favourites - so many bizarre shapes and forms. Like this photo of a circular balcony with its domed skylight. We were sitting having coffee underneath this and if I hadn't looked up I wouldn't have noticed it! . And isn't it so true of life too - always look up cause you don't know what you're gonna find! . #lookingup #lookingup_architecture #alwayslookingup #findyourwhy #mentortip (at The French Rooms)

[drsarahmcaleer]

So Who or What Is A 'Client’ Anyway For Artists & Makers? . It sounds like a stupid question really, but its NOT a straightforward answer. . FIRST you have to decide WHAT to call them - client, customer, audience, following, collector, fans, tribe, applicant, buyer, consumer, patient, patron, shopper, believer, purchaser, prospect, clientele, user, representative? . What aligns with your art or maker work and business - what sounds the most authentic to YOU? . SECOND you have to understand the DIFFERENCE between the following 4 types: Dream Clients, ‘Actual’ Clients (I call these the Gold-Dust’ers), Fans & Followers AND the voyeurs! . So check out my explanations and read the full post on my blog - link in BIO! . #findclients #dreamclient #golddust #artistslife #mentortip