Do you have a guide? 5 ways to learn how to talk to your customers.

I am a do-it-yourselfer. If there's something that needs to be done, I'll get in there and do it. Sometimes I don't even know how to do what needs to be done. But, I do it anyway.

Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. And, the times that it doesn't work, can often result in mistakes.

Now, mistakes aren't necessarily bad. It's how we learn. However, wouldn't it be easier to let someone else make the mistakes?

That's where a guide comes in. Wouldn't it be great to have someone walking ahead of you, who has already been on the path? Your guide can point out where the pitfalls are. Your guide can help you navigate along the path.

Your guide can save you time, money, and effort by helping you stay on the right path. Wouldn't that be valuable to you?

So, how do you get one of these guides? Well, here are five different ways:

1. The first and most obvious is to simply ask someone. Of course, it goes without saying, that as shy artists, we are unlikely to do that. I know I would have a difficult time walking up to another artist and asking them to be my mentor.
2. Another way is to just start talking to other artists. We often have downtime during shows when there are no customers around. This is a good opportunity to just talk. And, by asking some questions, you can get a lot of information.
3. Not quite as good is the observation method. Just sit back and watch what you're booth neighbors do and try to emulate it.
4. Join an artist group. Art associations will often have guest speakers talking about the business of art. Absorb as much information as you can.
5. Lastly, for the truly shy amongst us, there are always books. There are many many books out there talking about how to sell, how to communicate, how to get rid of shyness, how to relate to your customers, how to talk, how to act, how to dress, and the list goes on and on. My book, "The Shy Artists Guide to Dealing with the Public", is one of these.

Now, if you're truly serious about changing the way you deal with your customers, I would recommend doing all of these things. The more information you expose yourself to, the better you'll be able to find what works for you.

Tell me what methods you've used successfully. Leave a comment below.