What is it with the recent influx of people messaging me asking me to commission them?

Like, I get that you're more likely than not broke, and don't want to / can't put money towards renting adspace on somewhere like, say, FA. I completely understand! But there are other ways to get exposure for your work and draw in potential customers.

Noting me telling me about all of the people you've done work for in the past year and how much experience you have as a commission artist is well and good, and some of the numbers people have been telling me about certainly are impressive! However, when the note goes from that to "You should be flattered that I'm offering my services to you," that's when the polite smile'n'nod becomes a flat, unimpressed stare. Maybe it's just me, but I'm simply not impressed by people who have to come to me to ask me to buy from them. I mean, if it's a friend, or an artist I've commissioned before that I really enjoyed working with, I have no problem! But the second it's some total stranger insisting that I should be flattered/honored/~privileged~ or whatever in their attempt to puff themselves up, that's when it starts getting kinda... Well, rude.

The same goes for people who note me asking me to commission them for services that I... Simply don't commission. Like I've had a few people-- all complete strangers, mind-- note me talking about how they've been looking through my gallery, and then they start asking me to commission stories from them.

Now, stories themselves aren't bad, and I have loads of respect for writers and the work they do! However... there is nothing in my gallery, or my favorites, or my journals -anywhere- that indicates that commissioning or collaborating on written works is something that I do. There is nothing that actually suggests I have any interest in that sort of thing (though I guess some folks might figure it out through my enjoying para-RP and stuff).

It kind of comes off like a door-to-door salesman showing up at my house, telling me he glanced in my living room window for all of maybe three minutes and then asking me if I want some sort of obscure guinea pig-washing machine. First of all, who says I even have a guinea pig, much less one in desperate need of a bath, and what the heck was in my living room that gave this guy the impression that I had any interest in guinea pigs at all? It's just a little perplexing.

Don't get me wrong-- When you're not particularly well-known, and opening up for commissions for the first time, it can be a little scary/overwhelming and it can be difficult to figure out where to start pulling in a potential customer base! Taking out adspace isn't always a viable option for everyone, so sometimes one has to start hunting for exposure another way. And in some cases, simply noting around and introducing yourself can be a great way to meet people, and get your name out there!

However... when you're noting people, especially total strangers, it helps to actually have something put together, something that introduces the recipient to who you are, what you're offering, and things like that. Both research AND presentation are key, especially if you're going to go the more personal route!

-- Before you note someone to offer your services, take a look through their page! Skim through their journals, their gallery/scraps, favorites. Have they ever expressed interest in the type of service you're offering? Have they ever commissioned anyone for that type of service, or do they even commission anyone at all? Check for any mentions of rough financial situations, assuming they're open about that sort of thing; chances are, if they're dealing with a lot of bills/medical stuff/employment problems and the like, they won't be interested in your offer!

-- When you note them, talk about yourself. Introduce yourself, what you do as an artist/writer/whatever. Explain why you're noting them, if you want (just be careful about throwing in life stories/drama/etc). How experienced are you? What are some examples of your work? It's best to have everything laid out in the first note, to avoid any confusion.

The biggest problem I've seen has been people noting me with just "Hey, I was looking through your gallery. Are you interested in getting _____?" It doesn't really explain a whole lot about why they're noting me, and leaves me with more questions than answers. If someone came up to me on the street and said "Hey, wanna buy _____?" I'd probably get a little freaked out and turn the other way, whereas someone who walks up to me, shakes my hand, introduces themselves and talks to me a little bit about their business is more likely to get a warmer response, even if I'm not particularly interested in what they're offering.

-- For the love of whatever god(s) you do or don't believe in, stay friendly, approachable, and PROFESSIONAL! You're presenting yourself as a business first and foremost, and you want people to feel comfortable enough to approach you and accept your offer, or at the very least keep you in consideration for the next time they're looking to have some work done for them; that's less likely to happen if you come off as demanding or rigid!

-- Respect the person you're noting! Talking about your experience as an artist/musician/writer/etc. can be a great thing, but using this to explain to them why they should be particularly honored that -you- are offering your services to them may ruffle some feathers whether you intend for it to happen or not! There's nothing wrong with having a sense of confidence in your work, and in fact can be a MAJOR point of attraction for your target audience, but confidence can often be misread as an inflated ego if you're not careful. Try to avoid insisting on how your target audience -should- be feeling about your offer. True, a lot of people would be flattered to receive an offer from someone interested in drawing/writing about their characters, but at the same time there are people who would feel that sort of thing can be a little pushy. It's best for everyone involved if you don't assume!

Idk, just felt like getting this out of my system since apparently everyone and their grandmother seems to be going this route, but... Most don't seem to know how to do it without making things awkward or even offensive. A bunch of little pet peeves really, haha. :P

I was going to make this longer and add some more to it, but boyfriend is home and we're going out to dinner so I've gotta run. I'll probably get around to updating this later, though! Make it more of a handy-dandy guide and less of a dumb rant.

~Kiha