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Usually you will find professional faux and mural painters dressed in paint splattered clothes. But… to dress for success… you will also need a  professional wardrobe to go visit client prospects and attending any business meetings.

Choose either nice slacks and a professional looking top or blouse. If you have shirts with your business logo already, dressing in this is very acceptable.

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•  Wear creative clothing - clients expect you to have a little color in your wardrobe. Just don't go to the extreme… this will look unprofessional.
• Make sure your clothing is good condition
• Shoes should also be in excellent condition
• If you have to take your shoes off… please have on presentable socks, or clean feet.
• Don't wear heavy cologne or perfume.
• Hair should be polished looking and makeup should be subtle.
• Nails need to be trimmed and clean.
• Smell and look clean.  It is often difficult in the summer months not to smell "sweaty", but try your best.
• Smile… and make sure your smile looks good.  No bad breath or food in your teeth should ever be visible.

Your professional briefcase or portfolio carrier:

 I use a briefcase similar to this.  A tad bit artistic looking and not masculine.This case also comes with a shoulder strap and plenty of room for all your portfolios and other necessary equipment.

• Ask to set your briefcase down in certain areas. Don't pick a polished dining room table. Suggest sitting at a kitchen counter or breakfast nook table. This will allow you to show your portfolios and sketch or take notes in comfort.
• Take something to hand to kids. They are always curious about what is in the bag. Ask Mom or Dad first, but it's always fun to occupy the kids so you can get on with your presentation and not be interrupted repeatedly.
• Pens, pencils, sketch pad, note pad, calculator and measuring tape
• Camera
• Business Cards
• Magazines and Faux or Mural Books
• Portfolio
• Sample Boards
• Paint chips or fan cards.
• Invoices/Proposals
• Day-Timer or Calendar
• Envelopes to hold clients paint chips, fabric swatches, pictures or other small items your prospective client might hand you to help with their project.

Technorati Tags: dress, success, business, professional, clothing, unprofessional, briefcase, portfolio

One small step for women…one giant leap for business professional.

It can feel like the biggest lump in your throat you have ever experienced… standing with your sweaty palm on the door of an interior design business, thinking about throwing up instead of trying to look professional.

All I can say is - Put Your Big Girl panties On - and get over it.  You will never get clients for your new painting business if you don't get a thick skin and a professional attitude.

In this episode of Two Painters In a Pod - Podcast… (See below for podcast link) I teach you to think like a professional artist and not a beginner. You know the saying - Fake it, 'till you make it! Well it is so true, you have got to give the impression of a successful knowledgeable professional painter if your going to command professional fees.

The portfolio is given a tiny bit of air time… all tho we will be doing an in depth podcast about portfolios in a later episode.

Getting your business published in local newspapers is cheap advertising… Like FREE!  Your will get some great ideas on how to make this happen.

Continue to Self-Educate.  Getting really good at your chosen profession and what it will mean for your business.

Give yourself time to succeed.  You must have patience and money coming in from other avenues.

Budget for Tools.  You must have some professional looking tools and equipment. Looking professional in your dress, your transportation and your tools is a path to successful entrepreneurship. 

Technorati Tags: start business, faux business, mural business, how to,

Faux Painting Business clients can make me cry! Yes… sometimes I can get so frustrated with customers because we aren't speaking the same language.

You may think that the faux painting or mural you have just completed is perfect, but the client isn't happy. So what do you do? Fix it! Never - Ever - leave a client unhappy with your work.

Tawn and I discuss in this podcast some of our nightmare jobs and what we did when the client wasn't happy with the outcome of our work.

Included below are photos of some of the jobs we refer too in this episode of the Two Painters in a Pod - Podcast.

Have fun and please leave comments below.

Debra talks about Faux Painting Marble Walls.

Tawns Amazing Faux Painting on 3 Story Walls

Fixing an Underwater Mural for Boys Room only took the addition of this little truck.

This is the before or first go at painting for a little girl.

This is the after picture. We didn't think it was as cute as the first painting, but we aren't the client either! Be careful to listen and give the client what they want.

Technorati Tags: faux painting podcast, two painters in a pod, faux painting business, bad customers