Part of being a self employed artist is putting yourself out there. Ah, the dreaded sales circuit if you will. You have to reach out, say hello, show your wares and then throw out the little tid-bit of "Would you like to buy some of my snake oil?" Now bear in mind, Snake oil is not what we as artists are selling but after you receive so many No Thank You Notes you do start to feel that's what everyone thinks you are promoting.
For this article, No Thank You's, will be code for Rejection Letters. For me, the phrase Rejection Letter has such a sting to it that I had to change the name to something more kind and considerate, hence the name, No Thank You's. Capeesh?
Even after changing the name it can still be bothersome to get these but view the No Thank You Note as a part of the process.. You have to get some No's to get to the Yes'.
So without further ado here are few No Thank You's I've received over the years. The sender and company names have been removed to maintain anonymity.
THE STINGER
FIRST CONTACT - 2013
Hi!
My name is Kim Panella and I’m an hand lettering artist and illustrator seeking representation. I enjoy a limited palette however I am not restricted to such.
I have attached a few select samples of my work for your review. More samples are available at www.KimPanella.com.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
The NO THANK YOU Note
Who is this for?
I suggest you take the time to address me by name - otherwise I am left to assume you send the same email to many reps.
Not smart.
Regards,
In my defense, I addressed the email with "Hi" because I couldn't find an actual person at the agency to address it to but from here on out. Every email gets a name.
MY REPLY
Hi Name Ill Never Forget.
I do apologize. I am very new to this and sadly I have failed right out of the gate. Please accept my apologies.
I have applied for representation with only a few agencies and try to choose agencies where I find I might offer a unique view.
I realize time is very precious and I hope I haven’t killed any opportunity of being considered by you.
Thank you again NAME I'LL NEVER FORGET.
Best,
Kim Panella
Hand Lettering Artist | Illustrator | Designer
THE REP of AMAZING ARTISTS
Needless to say, after getting the email up there I decided to dig deep and find a name, any name to address future emails too.
FIRST CONTACT - 2014
Hi (Ms Rep Of Amazing Artists)
My name is Kim and I'm a hand lettering artist and illustrator living in the Orlando area. I am currently seeking representation.
I visited your website and didn't see an area with submission information and was wondering if you are currently accepting submissions.
Grateful for any information you may offer.
Best,
Kim Panella
Hand Lettering Artist | Illustrator | Designer
The NO THANK YOU Note
Hi Kim, Thanks for your email.
I'm not currently seeking new artists but I will keep you on file for future reference.
Kind Regards,
Rep Of Amazing Artists
SECOND CONTACT - 2018
Hi (Ms Rep Of Amazing Artists)
I hope this finds you well.
I reached out several years back and wanted to reconnect and share some of my latest work for consideration. My illustration and lettering style is highly detailed and whimsical with a sense of realism. Powerful in both black and white or color; perfect for editorial application.
I’ve had the opportunity to illustrate for Pilot Pen, Poopouri, Budweiser, Orlando Museum of Art and chalked the cover of Orlando Magazines Dining Awards publication last year. My most recent work can be seen on my site, minus the Pilot Pen work which is slated to hit February 1.
I would love to work with you.
Call me at 867-5309 or drop me a line at
SECOND NO THANK YOU
Hi Kim, Thanks for your email.
I rep another artist similar to your style - it would be a conflict of
interest.
Your work is lovely - best of luck to you.
* * * * *
Ms. Rep of Amazing Artists
a r t r e p
555.555.5555
MY REPLY
Hi Ms. Rep Of Amazing Artists,
I completely understand and appreciate your quick response.
Thank you for the well wishes.
Kim
The REP of COOL CREATORS
FIRST CONTACT - 2014
Hi Rep of Cool Creators,
My name is Kim and I'm a hand lettering artist and illustrator living in the Orlando area. I am currently seeking representation.
I visited your website and couldn't find an area with submission information and was wondering if you are currently accepting new submissions for consideration.
Grateful for any information you may offer.
Best,
Kim Panella
Hand Lettering Artist | Illustrator | Designer
The NO THANK YOU Note
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your inquiry. Your work is lovely and you are very versatile!
I don't have a hand lettering artist in my group, probably because many of the artists do some of this themselves if the project requires it. However, there are occasional times when a client is looking for something that is suited for someone who has a specialty in this area. I'll keep your work on file for these situations and would be happy to talk if this happens down the road.
In the meantime things have slowed down for me so I have not added any new artists for awhile. Instead it seems to work better for me to look outside the group when the project warrants it.
Again, thanks for sending your work along - I really enjoyed looking!
Kind regards,
Rep of Cool Creators
MY REPLY
Hi Rep of Cool Creators,
I hope this Thursday finds you well. I wanted to thank you so very much for taking the time to review my work and respond. I really do appreciate it.
Thanks for offering to keep my information on-hand. I would love the opportunity to work with you in the future.
Thanks again!
Kim Panella
Hearing No is the pits. Hearing nothing is the worst. Yet, never asking is a total loss.
It can be hard to keep your chin up but I hope sharing these No Thank You's help keep you motivated to keep pushing forward. Let the goal be to Collect as many No Thank You's as you can. Eventually you'll get a Yes Please!
Face it. IF YOUR NOT GETTING NO THANK YOU'S, YOU'RE NOT WORKING. Period!
Did this article give you hope to keep pushing? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a line.