Following up with collectors after promising them finished work
At a show last month I had a few people stop and talk about a series I'm working on, landscapes shot on film that I haven't printed yet because I'm still deciding on the final edits. A couple of them specifically asked me to send photos when the work is done. I said sure, took their info, and now I'm sitting here wondering about the right timing and approach.
Do you reach out the moment the piece is finished? Wait a week so it doesn't feel desperate? I don't want to let too much time pass and have them forget the conversation, but I also don't want to come across like I'm chasing a sale the second I walk out of the darkroom.
For those of you who've done this, what's worked? Email, text, something else? And do you just send the image or include pricing upfront?
What finally clicked for me on this kind of thing was reaching out way before the work is done. Like within a day or two of the conversation, just a quick thank you message with maybe a process shot or even a rough in progress screenshot. It keeps the connection warm without feeling like a sales pitch. Then when the final piece is ready you send that over and it feels natural, like a continuation of a conversation instead of a cold pitch out of nowhere. I used to wait until everything was polished and perfect before reaching out and by then the moment had passed. Starting the thread early made all the difference honestly.