Yeah… I know… such a healthy way of being.

The past couple of months, I’ve really been working on not losing my mind over difficult people’s anger management issues.  When I get negative feedback, I’ll repeat to myself, “Their anger has nothing to do with me”.  This definitely helped me deal with angry people, but I have to admit that it didn’t fix my problem 100%.  I still needed something more.

I’m glad to report that last night I found something that helped me in dealing with difficult people.  I listened to the audio clip on Byron Katie’s blog called I Can’t Stand My Best Friend and it really gave me tips in dealing with angry, negative, difficult people.

If you’re not familiar with Byron Katie’s “The Work”, you can go visit thework.com for more information.  It might help you to understand the audio clip more fully. You can also download the Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet.

I really hope this will help you out too.

Here’s a video of me, Soniei, trying to explain the evolution and inspiration behind my contemporary Japanese art, canvas art, and art prints.

This video includes a brief explanation of how I left the 9-5 work world to live my dream as a full-time artist.

I care about my customers.  However, at times, I think I care TOO much.

Sometimes the customer’s disappointment is my fault, but I’ll do everything in my power to fix the situation.  Most times those customers will leave happy or return again for more business.  It makes me feel good to know that I’m trustworthy and I’m doing my best to satisfy my customers.

Other times, I get a customer whose problem I cannot fix.  The disappointment usually has to do with the post office delivery time.  I ship paintings within two days of receiving payment for the painting, and then the delivery is totally out of my control.  If a parcel is late, open communication is essential.  After I call the Post Office or US Customs, explain to the customer why the parcel is late, the customer is usually very patient.  However, every once in awhile the buyer will reply with a nasty email, usually with reasons as to why they will never buy paintings from me again.  Even though I know I can’t fix the problem and I had nothing to do with the slow delivery, I still feel horrible.

Again, I care TOO much.

There are those types of customers that you just cannot please, no matter what you say or do.  I have to learn how to deal with such customers, without getting knots in my stomach and losing my mind.  The illogical stress can’t be good for me.  So when I have to deal with these bad eBay buyers who are blaming me for things that are obviously out of my control, I’m going to start repeating to myself:

“Their anger has nothing to do with me.”

There’s a problem with the customer that’s much deeper than getting a late parcel in the mail.  My job is to make and sell art, not to fix people.

(You may also want to read How to be at Peace Around Negative People.)

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself; by the author, Chris Guillebeau.

This guide will help you learn how to start a small business and create personal freedom through self-employment!

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself!

Below, I share my tips and tricks on how I sell my paintings on eBay. For a view of my own eBay listings, please visit my eBay store.

1. Take at least 2 or 3 clear photos of your art. Include a picture of the front, side(s) and back of the artwork. If there’s a lot of detail in the piece, take close-up pictures.
2. Make sure that the background of your photos is attractive to the eye! You don’t want to take a picture of your artwork next to an opened garbage can. Image is everything, especially in the art world!
3. I definitely recommend that you select the “Gallery Plus” option (US$0.35) when listing your art. This is your first chance to impress buyers when they’re browsing for art.
4. Write A LOT of information about the artwork, but keep your eBay listing organized. You want the buyer to be able to find information quickly and easily. Information to include:
   • Title of the artwork
   • Artist’s name
   • Year
   • Size of the artwork
   • Weight of the artwork (optional)
   • Medium used
   • A description of the piece (may include which country the artwork was made, its condition, whether its an original piece, if a certificate of authenticity is included, etc.)
   • Colors (Here I always include: “Colors of painting are represented as accurately as possible, although colors may vary from monitor to monitor”.
   • Shipping & Handling (Include delivery times to different countries if possible.)
   • Discounts available (optional)
   • Sales Tax (if applicable)
   • Payment information
   • Refund Policy
5. The only way eBay buyers are allowed to pay sellers is through PayPal. Make sure you have your PayPal Business or Premier account all set up BEFORE listing anything on eBay. My advice is to sign up for a PayPal account now.
6. Definitely create an About Me page. This is where you should tell people who you are! Telling eBayers about yourself makes them more likely to trust you. Also, the About Me page is the only place you’re allowed to link to your website(s). So, take advantage of it!!
7. Feedback on eBay is one of the most important ways for people to see if you’re trustworthy.  If you don’t have any feedback, I suggest that you buy 10 small things on eBay.  Not only will you get feedback, you’ll also get to experience how eBay works.
8. I always leave feedback for the buyers, but I never ask buyers for feedback. If they want to give you feedback, they’ll leave it.
9. Try to ship the artwork within 2 business days of receiving complete payment.  Never ship your artwork without being paid first.
10. After the buyer has won an auction (or used the Buy It Now option), send an email to thank them and to let them know that you’re there to answer any questions they may have.  Opening the lines of communication right away makes the buyer feel like they can come to you with any question or problem they may have about paying and receiving the artwork.  This decreases your chance of getting negative feedback posted on eBay.
11. Reply to a buyer’s email ASAP.   (I try to reply to my art buyers’ emails within 12 hours).  Excellent customer service is one of the best ways to get an eBay buyer to come back and buy more of your artwork in the future. Also, it increases the chance that the buyer will refer you to family and friends.
12. If you’ve tried all of the above and you’re still not getting traffic to your listings, try a 99¢ auction with a reserve price.
13. The more artwork you list on eBay at one time, the better the chance of someone “bumping” into one of your listings and finding out who you are as an artist.
14. In each listing, put an image (or image gallery banner) of all your other works of art.  If an eBay buyer doesn’t want to buy the art in that particular listing, they might see another piece they would like to buy.
15. Get an eBay store.  I personally like the basic subscription, which is only US$15.95/month.   An eBay store will provide you with a mailing list.  USE THIS FEATURE!  It’s an easy way to remind people of how fabulous your art is.  You don’t even have to write anything, just present beautiful pictures of your artwork!  Inspire their eyes and their souls.
16. Try using social networking sites such as twitter, facebook and youtube.
17. Have an blog with a link to your eBay store.  The more content you put out on the Internet, the better your chances of getting new visitors from search engines such as Google.
18. Last, but not least…. Create a niche. Sell artwork that is unique and different from the rest of the artists on eBay.  For example, my niche is selling contemporary Japanese calligraphy paintings.  A niche is probably one of the hardest things to come up with, but it is definitely the thing that helps me out the most as an eBay seller.

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money; by one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau.

“If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.” – Soniei, Full-Time Contemporary Artist

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money!

Here is a sample of the Certificate of Authenticity I make for each original painting I sell online.

Things to include in your Certificate of Authenticity are:

• The title of your painting / artwork.
• The artist’s name and year the artwork was created.
• The country where the artwork was created.
• Total height, width, number of canvases, single canvas size (weight is optional).
• If the painting is an original (or print, reproduction, etc.).
• The medium used to create the painting.
• Certificate ID (I use the eBay Item Number for the Certificate ID, but you can have your own numbering system).
• I always include “This is to certify that the painting with the above specifications is an authentic original painting created by and purchased from Soniei’s Contemporary Art“.
• Then I sign my name, add the current date, and I stamp my Hanko (Japanese signature stamp) for an added touch.
• On the bottom of the Certificate of Authenticity, it’s always good to put your logo and website address (mailing address / phone number is optional).

Although this sample is on a white background in order to make it easier to see on your computer screen, I print my certificates on beautiful printing paper that I buy at the art store. The type of paper you use for your Certificates isn’t really important, but try to find paper that matches your personality and your artwork.

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money; by one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau.

“If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.” – Soniei, Full-Time Contemporary Artist

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money!