You finally finished a spectacular mural that you’ve been working hard on, you believe you can go home and relax tomorrow but no. No you cannot. In order to keep these jobs flowing you need to market yourself with what you just completed and organize everything while it’s still fresh in your mind.
These are just some of the things that I think are absolutely necessary after finishing a mural.
Final deposit
Social media
Review
Website update
Paperwork
Inventory
Final Deposit
First off, have you been paid? Most muralists wont even leave the job before getting paid. I’m not that aggressive personally but if it’s been a couple of days and nothing has been sent then yes we will be in contact until I am. Unless they are paying by cash or check then being paid before leaving is literally the only thing that makes sense.
When you receive the final deposit make sure they get a receipt sent to them and a final invoice. Also keep a copy for your records. You can print it and file it however you like to organize. Invoice.com is what I use and they’ll usually store it all for you. You can only trust apps so much though so saving a copy to your computer isn’t always a bad idea. I’ll go over paperwork shortly.
Social Media
One of the first things I do is post to all my social media accounts. I like to share the project and get it out there when I finish to keep people interested and to show all recent work for other inquiries. Showing you want to work makes a great impression on future clients.
I share my work on my towns Facebook page which seems to get a lot of attraction and it helps me receive more local jobs. There are about 3 Facebook groups for my town and the towns near me to share my work on. Throughout the year I’ll post to their pages offering discounts for certain murals. It’s also good to get well known around your town so that when anyone inquires a mural, you’re easy to recommend.
If you make a Timelapse (highly recommend) of your mural, post to TikTok or your YouTube channel. These are both high traffic social media sites and people LOVE watching Timelapse videos of murals. I get comments all of the time about my videos and to keep sharing them because they’re so fun to watch. Here’s mine if you want to check it out!
Reviews
After completing a mural, it’s the perfect opportunity to ask for a review. That’s if you did good, if you pissed off your client then skip over to the next section.
If you got your job off of Thumbtack or another “job search” app then ask for a review through them if they offer it, I know Thumbtack has a section for reviews. If you didn’t get your commission through a platform then maybe it’s time you set up a business account on Google or Yelp and get reviews that way. You probably should do that either way because if you stop using one of the apps then there’s a chance you can lose all of your reviews.
Reviews are today’s way of guaranteeing more jobs. Everyone and their mothers look up the reviews to everything. The peoples opinion matter.
Website
Update those websites people. It’s important to keep your websites up to date. You could be working so much that your skills have skyrocketed but everyone going to your website can’t see that. People want to see your best work and you should want to show them your BEST work. Don’t overload your website though, try to keep it simple. No one wants to see your high school portfolio. They want to get in and out leaving with a great impact.
Paperwork
No one likes to do paperwork, not even cops. Luckily for us our paperwork isn’t so excessive. Make sure you have your contract, deposit slip, design mock up, final invoice, and receipts all together. You can organize them in files or on your computer, or however your artsy heart desires. I personally do both. Sometimes clients fill out everything in person so I end up with a physical copy. Then there’s clients that will send it through email so I’ll keep it saved on my computer. As long as it’s all somewhere for your records then you’re in good hands.
Photo credits to Pexels.com
Inventory
Last but not least, inventory. I have a clipboard hanging in my work trailer with everything I used the last of written on it. Then I’ll grab it whenever I go to the store and replace everything thats used up. If you don’t do it in the moment then just try to remember when you’re loading all your stuff to go home and write it on your inventory list for next time. It’ll make your life much easier rather than not knowing till you need it in the middle of a job.
This is everything that goes into the “aftermath” of a mural. You may run your business however it works for you but this is what I’ve learned over the past years that’s really worked for me. It keeps me organized and up to date with everything. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve slacked off after a job and come the next job I’m out of everything I need, I still have signed agreements laying around without a home, and its been weeks since the job and I still haven’t asked for a review. Then I’m backed up with current jobs while trying to backtrack my last ones.
Photo credits to Pexels.com
I have a downloadable “Printable Packet” supplying you with checklists for a successful business. “Inventory” checklists and “Aftermath of a Mural” are included. Check out the link below for more:
Printable Packet
Stay up to date with new mural articles and subscribe to my email for worksheets, forms, tutorials and drawings for free paintings. I appreciate all feedback and comments anyone may have as well! I’m here to help and communicate with you all to becoming better artists.
Please leave this field empty
Don’t miss these tips!
Email Address *
We don’t spam! Read our [link]privacy policy[/link] for more info.
Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.
Comentários