We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caitlin Dellinger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Caitlin, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Keeping creativity flowing can be challenging at times. When I get busy with orders, I am so focused on getting things done, that my creative side sort of goes on pause. If I think of a new idea, I make sure to write it down in my notes to visit later and then expand upon the idea. When I have more free time, I get inspiration from traveling, talking to friends and family, social media, museums and TV. I’ll post me working through a new idea on my Instagram stories and get input from my followers. This helps so much in taking a new concept in the right direction. Getting input from my followers has been so helpful for new products that I’ve launched, some of which have become my most popular sellers.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I own Pet Portraits by Caitlin, where I paint custom portraits in a wide range of subject matter and mediums. My main focus is pets, but I also do a lot of bridal, family portraits, homes, etc. I paint in watercolor and acrylic.
I love what I do because it helps people celebrate the special moments in their lives, as well as heal from a significant loss.
I am very excited about the new custom bottles that I recently added. I hand-paint custom-themed Champagne (and other) bottles for weddings, birthdays, graduations, etc. I recently did a Taylor Swift-themed bottle for a client that was going to her concert. The possibilities are endless with these and they are so much fun to do! A complete show-stopper!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Being consistent, having amazing customer service and attention to detail.
Social media is the main way that I have grown my business. Being consistent at posting and engaging with your audience is so important for growth. It builds trust with your customers and gives them the confidence to work with you.
I strive to give the best experience possible to my customers. Since I don’t advertise, word of mouth and repeat business are very important to me. I want them to be so happy with my work that they just can’t help but tell their friends and family! One way I try to do this is by giving myself plenty of time to get the order done, but getting it done earlier than I have told the customer. This is always so impressive to the customer. It doesn’t always happen, but I always have an order done in the timeframe I provide to them. If you make a mistake, always fix it. Offer free shipping or a discount. There are little things like that that make a huge impact on the customer’s experience.
Attention to detail is also very important to me. I try to get every little detail possible into a painting, especially when a customer makes a special request to include a small thing I may not have known was important to them. Recently, I had a customer that ordered a pet portrait. She requested that I paint a very tiny heart-shaped birthmark on her pet’s lip that I wouldn’t have known was there. I did that, and it made the painting that much more special and a true representation of her pet that had passed.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client loves their pets and family/friends and wants to commemorate the special moments in their lives. They are thoughtful and want to give a custom and meaningful gift to their loved ones. Whether it is a new pet, the loss of a pet, a wedding, graduation, the purchase of a new home, the birth of a baby or even the loss of a family member, I want to be their go-to person to memorialize the moment. I have so many amazing customers that come to me for all of these.
Contact Info:
- Website: petportraitsbycaitlin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petportraitsbycaitlin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petportraitsbycaitlin/
Image Credits
The Taylor Swift bottle. Photo Credit: Ashley Fondon (@ashleyrfondon)
