Exercise: The Customer Focused Anti-Critique
Lesson 19 from: Art School Rehab: Finding Success Without Selling OutMegan Auman
Exercise: The Customer Focused Anti-Critique
Lesson 19 from: Art School Rehab: Finding Success Without Selling OutMegan Auman
Lesson Info
19. Exercise: The Customer Focused Anti-Critique
Lessons
Class Introduction
02:48 2Reprogram The Art School Mentality
05:35 3Roadblock 1: Art School Makes You Feel Guily about Making Money
09:22 4Exercise: Get Comfortable Charging More
18:41 5Q&A: Pricing
13:42 6Student Examples: Pricing
23:33 7Roadblock 2: Art School Gives You the Luxury of Working Slowly
12:34 8Exercise: Develop a Process for Getting Past Decision Paralysis
15:08Exercise: Develop Your Bread + Butter Product Line
07:47 10Student Examples: Brainstorm Ideas for Bread + Butter Line
08:35 11Q&A: Bread + Butter Line
05:27 12Roadblock #3: Art School Teaches That You Shouldn't React to the Marketplace
11:39 13Student Examples: Identify Opportunities Based on Marketplace Reactions
08:31 14Q&A: Identifying Market Opportunities
07:56 15Roadblock 4: Art School Teaches Your Criticism Not Confidence
05:34 16Exercise: The Anti-Critique
02:46 17Student Examples: The Anti-Critique
08:35 18Roadblock 5: Art School Teaches Your How to Talk To Your Peers Not Your Customers
06:19 19Exercise: The Customer Focused Anti-Critique
05:16 20Student Examples: The Customer Focused Anti-Critique
17:47 21Student Examples: Customer Focused Product Description
22:34 22Q&A: Customer Focused Product Description
05:40 23Roadblock 6: Art School Does Not Teach You How to Run a Business
17:09 24Exercise: Identify What You Need to Learn to Succeed at Business
04:05 25Student Examples: Business Road Map
28:15 26Reshaping Your Post Art School Goals
12:04Lesson Info
Exercise: The Customer Focused Anti-Critique
Now we get to phone a friend. Now we get to ask for help. You do not have to figure this one out all on your own, and you shouldn't figure it out all on your own. So one of the best ways to discover what the customer loves about your work is just to ask them. And so here are a couple of rules. Now we're gonna have our customer focused anti critique. So here are the rules again, we're going to focus on one piece of the time. We're gonna ask someone, talk about one thing instead of all of the things you don't. You can't ask your peers on this one because they're gonna talk tech, right? So you can't ask another Jewell or you can't ask another person's painting furniture. Even another illustrator. Um, you think about asking people outside of your peers and I wouldn't ask your family like it's gonna go one of two ways like your mom's. Maybe like honey, I love everything you do. It's great. Or if you are in my family, your brothers and sister are just gonna tell you like everything that's wr...
ong with it. Even though you just asked them for all the all the compliments. Me like really like this. This is what you want me to talk about. I love my siblings. Don't get me wrong but we're gonna stay away from family on this one. Here's the other thing. So this is meant to be positive. So take everything as a compliment. I assume that's how people meant it, because, ideally, that's how they meant it. You may not take it as a compliment because we're in green to think about it, work critically, but assume they're saying it as a compliment and again record their responses just for on a little tape recorder or something. Or the act that tape records things on your phone. And then again, repeat, this process is often is necessary. So you've got a new line. You've got some new work. Ask some people now, what should you ask them to give you guys a couple of questions because it's a really good jumping off point. Of course, you can ask them anything you want, but this is a really good place to start. So the first question is just what does it remind you of? And this is actually important because it helps you just gain some language for description. So what does it remind you of? And then the next question should be a usage question. So and that really depends on the kind of work, right? So where would you hanging in your home? What would you display it with? For art for furniture? Where would you put this for jewelry. What would you wear with this? Where would you wear it? Be really direct. Ask them very specific things. What is your favorite thing about it? Just ask them What's your favorite thing? What do you love most about it? And then ask them if anything surprised them because that's something that's also really important. Especially if you're selling online. You want to know if there are things that a customer finds surprising? So I was having a friend. Just model these so I could take a few quick pictures and she'd Onley seen them online. And like she goes to put it on, she goes. She's like I had no idea these were so light. It's really, like super surprising how light they are. That's important, right? If she's assuming they're heavy and they're not like that. Something that I want to talk about with customers. Now, if you really can't find someone to ask, you can turn these questions on yourself. But using a little technique that I like to call be your own biggest fan. And some of you may have seen this before. I have given this as an assignment, anything in other classes and really what it is is wearing your work or using your work or really interacting with your work. But turning off the part of your brain that reminds you that you're the one who made it. So you only get to think about it from the perspective of the user. And then you could ask yourself these questions again. So what does it remind you of? Where would you use it? How would you use it? What's your favorite thing about it? What surprised you about it? And I would recommend having these conversations in person instead of Social media. I know what some of you are thinking. Okay, cool. Here's my four questions that Meghan just said. So I'm gonna post a picture on social media on Facebook and ask these questions I'm gonna see what people say Really bad idea for a couple of reasons. First of all, they're not seeing your work in person. They're just seeing a picture. And if we can get the working person, that's better. It's not the end of the world to show someone a picture but Facebook. There's so many other things going on. If you want to interact with someone and you can't do it in person, send them an email. Remember, email that thing that we use before Facebook emails. Hey, can you take a few minutes just to tell me what you think about this peace? Be more direct and ask people specifically instead of just putting it out to the masses on Facebook? Because also, that just invites other craziness and people who are not following the ground rules. So we want to do this in person
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Usha
This class was so good - it's not just for people who went to art school, but anyone who has (or wants to have) a creative-based business. Megan's lessons break down the overwhelmingness of roadblocks and gives you tangible tools to get past them, shift your mindset, and shows you how to focus. There were so many elements to this class that were helpful, but overall I think if you feel like you're stuck, you overanalyze every decision, and feel like you want to move forward but don't know how, this class is for you. Thanks Megan, for helping me work on a plan to move me past my hurdles.
Kiki B
What a great class! Megan has helped me to really understand what my business goals are and how to achieve them, and has given me heaps of confidence to boot. This is going to be a great year for my creative business!
Kim S. Joy
I have owned this class for awhile and just decided to start it.... well I should have watched/taken this class years ago! I did not go to art school but follow that mindset. This was amazing. So much to learn and unlearn. The pricing and raising your prices what just what I needed. Thank you Megan for another wonderful class.