Art by the lovely Amaneko.
1. Be polite, respectful, and detailed with your answers. If clients approach you wondering about the service you offer, make sure you’re helpful and polite when engaging with their questions. The more detailed you are, the better, as it helps your client make a more informed decision. Ask things like: “How can I help you? Is there anything you need? Would you be okay with this/that?” and so on. Never assume you know what’s going in your client’s mind, make sure you are as transparent with the information as possible. Avoid misunderstandings at all costs.
2. Communicate. If you struggle with updating clients in a timely manner, set up a schedule for yourself where you send updates weekly or monthly, depending on how long the delivery takes. Never let the client ask you first for an update, especially if you KNOW too much time has passed without an update, as that reflects badly on you. You need to be VERY proactive when it comes to letting them know what's going on. This is incredibly important. Clients are not just paying you for a finished result, the experience they have with the service you provide is just as important. Asking questions to double check, sending timely updates, and making sure your client is happy with how the process is going is vital. If you don’t know how to talk to clients or how to handle customer experience, polish those communication skills BEFORE you even think about opening commissions. Don’t play around with people’s money and time.
3. Be professional. If you are serious about making money as an artist and making it a career, then the way you handle yourself publicly will reflect on how much people would want to hire you. Don’t get involved with petty drama on social media, constantly complain about things, or generally have a negative vibe as that will drive potential clients away from you. If you have any public announcements to make, make sure you do them in a polite manner. If there are any misunderstandings, handle them privately and look for a fair resolution. Focus on showcasing your art, sharing your knowledge and talking about positive things that interest you instead.
4. Be honest and realistic. Don’t promise things you can’t deliver. The moment you tell a client you will do something, is the moment you are BOUND to do it that way, especially if they already have paid for it. Be very careful with your words and the things you include in your TOS, make sure you are being fair both to yourself and your client. Remember: Under-promise and over-deliver. That is the way to go.
5. Don’t harass clients or lie to them. Pretty self-explanatory, but don’t expect things from clients that you wouldn’t want someone to expect of you. The client didn’t tip? That’s okay, they PAID for your service, tips are not required nor are they an obligation on the client’s part. Don’t pester clients begging for tips, that is rude and off-putting, and WILL damage your reputation. Or in another case: You’re offering a ‘free’ raffle but then ask the person to pay in DM’s after they win? Absolutely abysmal behavior. Don’t be surprised if no one wants to work with you. Don’t set an expectation and then change it on a whim. That’s awful and scummy behavior.
6. Don’t advertise yourself without consent. Don’t go into people’s DM’s, streams, videos or social media to promote yourself on their feed, especially if they don’t know you. You’ll most likely be blocked for spam. Focus on what you can control instead: polish your social media presence and marketing skills, make fun, engaging content that will attract eyes and participate in trends. Fanart and fan projects are a fun way to showcase your abilities while doing something kind for the community, and potential clients will get a way to interact with your products before investing money.
7. While you are the rightful copyright holder of the art you create (unless the client purchases ALL rights), you still have to respect your client’s intellectual property. Don’t re-use assets or blatantly copy ideas/concepts they’ve given you in private to use with another client. You can get in trouble, especially if you’re working as a character designer or you’re creating bespoke designs for people, as you would not be offering 100% original content in your service. Be VERY careful.
8. Get direct feedback. Always look for ways to give a better service, politely ask your clients if there’s anything that you can do to make their experience even better. This will show clients that you care about them and they will give you valuable ideas that will help you improve. Something you can work on is setting up some form of Loyalty Program to reward clients who keep coming back or who refer you to other people. This is a way to establish a long term connection with clients that will make them trust you more.
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