084: What I learnt from my Art Director this week

On learning from clients…

Specific knowledge for the Children’s book business

I always use my meetings with clients to ask questions to help improve my illustration business ? It’s

One question I tend to ask is, ‘How did you find me?’

And my clients tend to say ‘Instagram’.

I also ask which pieces made them think I could do the job.

How it works is, they ‘discover’ you and put you on a file.

Then they need to wait for an appropriate ‘text’ to come about.

And when it does they contact your agent.

Also agents go and show clients your work, and I believe that if the clients already have you on a file that’s helpful. Or agents bring attention to your clients and they look at your instagram.

Insights

I think there are table stakes to start getting regular work in children’s books.

• An agent (adds credibility, visibility and bumps your name up a list)

• An instagram account with 60-100 pieces (to show consistency and commitment to the craft)

• 3-5 Standout pieces. (one piece can get you multiples jobs)

• Availability

My agent and pros tells me that that’s just the initial phase breaking into the industry, after that the client work is enough to keep you going. In either case for this year my plan for social media is to share work in progress and published work, rather than creat new work for instagram.

My gut tells me to do new work. ‘Next year’, I tell my gut!

Quest:

1. How can you make this information work for you? What other insights can you glean?