It’s all in the follow up.

The follow up is significantly overlooked

What do I mean by follow up?

I mean taking further action after an event, after you have already done something, after you have made a move of some sort.

There are many reasons why artists don’t follow up.

• They may think hearing crickets equates to a definitive no.
• They may feel like they are being pushy or imposing themselves.
• They may not want to appear desperate. Hello, nobody does.
• They may not know how to follow up.

In my experience following up is key to getting the things you want for your art or getting closer to them.

Some examples to make my case...
 

EXAMPLE 1

I have been working with a talented artist in the EVOLVE program who lives in a remote part of Australia. She is limited with access to galleries that would be able to show and sell her work. She has been diligently researching suitable galleries around Australia and together we formed an email introduction, discussed image selection and key documents. In our discussions I always reminded her of following up.

‘If you don’t hear back, which is highly likely, leave it a week or two then follow up.’

A couple of weeks ago she began hitting send, planting seeds, as I like to call it.
She was getting a little disheartened, not hearing back from many galleries. She was working her way through follow up when a seed sprouted. A gallery in Melbourne responded to her email and thanked her for the follow up. They want to see some more of her work.

Without her follow up, her initial email introduction would probably have been lost in the black hole of emails.

You may be asking, 'what’s in the follow up Amy?' It’s as simple as ‘Hello xxx checking in that you received the email I sent last week.' 
 


EXAMPLE 2

Working as a gallery assistant for 16 years, I have witnessed firsthand the power of the follow up. It gets artists exhibitions.

All things being equal, meaning if the artwork is exceptional and sellable, it will more likely be the artist that asks for the exhibition, and follows up, that will get the opportunity, rather than the artist that waits to be chosen.  

Of course, this is not always the case. There are many people making incredible work that don’t ask for the opportunity and will be invited. These are usually experienced and established artists. Their work and their reputation speak for itself. If you are an emerging or early career artist who hasn't yet built a profile, introduce yourself when your work is ready and, you guessed it, follow up in a week or two if you don't get a reply. 

 

EXAMPLE 3

A few years ago, I got all my ducks in a row and introduced my work to a dream gallery. No response. So, I followed my own advice, and followed up. I got a response almost immediately. Not the one I was looking for. Something along the lines of, ‘Your work is very impressive, but we are not looking for new artists at the moment.’

You get a little down when you get these sorts of emails, but I really wanted a response from them. If I am still admiring the gallery in a year or so, I will reintroduce my work when I feel I’ve got some killer stuff. For better or worse, I don't interpret a 'no' as a 'no'. I interpret a 'no' as a 'not now'. 


 
EXAMPLE 4

I am currently amid my FRESH EYES writing program for artists, heading into Week 3 with a fantastic group. Quite a few artists enrolled directly due to my follow up. They expressed their interest to me, either during the challenge sessions, on Instagram, or in conversation. If I didn’t see them sign up, I reached out and reminded them.

Early on in my artist mentoring days it felt very unnatural to do this. I didn't want to come across as the pushy broad. I am much more comfortable with it now. I know the value of what I offer, and the reality is that people need reminders, often more than one.


 
 
Consider these other situations

Someone gets in touch on Instagram and loves your work or your workshop. You don’t have any available work or any available workshops. What do you do? You grab their details and note down their interest. When you do have something for them, you follow up.

You have been knocked back from an art prize or an artist residency. That is not the end of the line. Regroup, revise, get some outside eyes on your submission, new images perhaps and you go again. This is a form of follow up.


For me follow up is about clarification, I want a clear yes or no.
I don’t want to die wondering.
It’s about showing your keenness, that you really want it, that you are invested.
It's about getting on people's radar. 
Following up is more work, but it's how you make things happen.
 
My question to you - where have you neglected the follow up? What have you dismissed as 'oh well, I didn’t hear back, or I didn’t get in, that door is closed forever?'

Life isn’t perfect. There could be something from a month ago, or even a year ago, that you could follow up on this week.

My follow up tips - be easy going, show your keenness, use people's names and spell their names correctly. 

Let me know how you go!

Amy x