Re:educating the masses

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Posted by Kenzi on April 11, 2000 at 18:28:10:

In Reply to: Re:educating the masses posted by Natasha on April 11, 2000 at 15:01:00:

I have to agree with Natasha. We do have to do what the customers
want and bear with it. Think of photographers or illustraters who
want to do fine art but pay their bills photographing soup cans, or
drawing pictures of tomatoes for grocery store ads. The crappy
uncreative stuff pays for you to be able to perfect your craft and
allows you some leeway when you want to spend a little extra time
doing something creative for a friend (and not getting paid for it).

I guess you have to ask yourself if you are willing to do this. If
you are doing henna in the US and your clients are American youhave
to accept that a certain percentage of them think of henna as a
temporary tattoo and nothing else. You may never change their
attitudes and beliefs so let them get their one design and while
doing it, talk about the history or the magic or the beauty of
traditional henna. Leave out books or binders of clippings showing
traditional uses of henna. Friends of the client your are hennaing
will be hanging around, looking through the books and may get
inspired.

You can even turn around what they ask for with a suggestion, like a
guy says, "I really want a skull and cross bones on my bicep", and
you can say, "I have a skull and crossbones design based on the
legends of Kali blah, blah, blah". Or a woman says, "I want a rose
on my ankle" and you say, "roses don't show up well when done in
henna, how about an anklet of intertwined daisies which are a symbol
of blah, blah, blah". Or suggest a design you saw on Xena. That way
it's not too confrontational, but you are guiding them into new
areas, helping them explore their own creativity.

Another thing you can try is instead of asking them what they want,
guide their choices by asking where on their bodies they want the
design, and then make suggestions, show them pictures. "Oh, you want
a bracelet...how about this geometric band? You want something more
feminine...alright, here's a lovely ivy pattern and we could run a
strand down your hand like this." Don't even ask them if they have a
design in mind, avoid open ended questions but rather guide them
toward letting you do something creative.

I remember Catherine once told me that she used to give free (or $1)
finger rings just to entice people and that most of them ended up
getting their whole hands done. You could try that, or a variation
of it. Once they see what is possible they will probably be
delighted.

Good luck.

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Re:Kenzi has great points!!! Eve 14:54:33 4/12/00 (0)

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: I have to agree with Natasha. We do have to do what the customers : want and bear with it. Think of photographers or illustraters who : want to do fine art but pay their bills photographing soup cans, or : drawing pictures of tomatoes for grocery store ads. The crappy : uncreative stuff pays for you to be able to perfect your craft and : allows you some leeway when you want to spend a little extra time : doing something creative for a friend (and not getting paid for it). : I guess you have to ask yourself if you are willing to do this. If : you are doing henna in the US and your clients are American youhave : to accept that a certain percentage of them think of henna as a : temporary tattoo and nothing else. You may never change their : attitudes and beliefs so let them get their one design and while : doing it, talk about the history or the magic or the beauty of : traditional henna. Leave out books or binders of clippings showing : traditional uses of henna. Friends of the client your are hennaing : will be hanging around, looking through the books and may get : inspired. : You can even turn around what they ask for with a suggestion, like a : guy says, "I really want a skull and cross bones on my bicep", and : you can say, "I have a skull and crossbones design based on the : legends of Kali blah, blah, blah". Or a woman says, "I want a rose : on my ankle" and you say, "roses don't show up well when done in : henna, how about an anklet of intertwined daisies which are a symbol : of blah, blah, blah". Or suggest a design you saw on Xena. That way : it's not too confrontational, but you are guiding them into new : areas, helping them explore their own creativity. : Another thing you can try is instead of asking them what they want, : guide their choices by asking where on their bodies they want the : design, and then make suggestions, show them pictures. "Oh, you want : a bracelet...how about this geometric band? You want something more : feminine...alright, here's a lovely ivy pattern and we could run a : strand down your hand like this." Don't even ask them if they have a : design in mind, avoid open ended questions but rather guide them : toward letting you do something creative. : I remember Catherine once told me that she used to give free (or $1) : finger rings just to entice people and that most of them ended up : getting their whole hands done. You could try that, or a variation : of it. Once they see what is possible they will probably be : delighted. : Good luck.

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