Include prior connections on your mailing list

June 29th, 2009 by Alyson

Are you a second-career artist?
Did you do something else before diving into your art career?
If so, your previous life and connections may be more beneficial to your art career than you thought.

Keith Murray, Old Glory. Oil on canvas. 36 x 24 inches. ©The Artist

Artist Lanie Frick called me this week to confess a story that broke her heart. She had been in a different line of creative work before devoting herself to fine art. A few years ago, she decided to burn the sales receipts from that business. She couldn’t imagine that she’d ever need those again. Then she read my book and had a bit of a bad day. She realized that all of her previous customers’ names and addresses had been turned to ash. It dawned on her that those contacts could be very valuable to her now.

Lanie was right, and she wanted to share her experience in hopes that it might help out another artist. Perhaps it will help you.

Regardless of the type of work you did in another life, every contact you have made is valuable. And if your contacts purchased something (anything!) from you in the past, they’re even more precious. There was a reason they bought from you. Maybe a friend referred you. Maybe they liked YOU. Maybe you delivered on your promises. In the end, they trusted you. If you came through for them, they’re more likely to buy from you again.

This earlier contact is a connection to you and whatever else you may do with your life. It’s a connection to your art. You may think that your art would be of no interest to earlier contacts, but I urge you to think of it differently. Think of these earlier contacts as connections–however weak–that hold potential. If it’s true, as I’m fond of quoting, that everyone knows 200-250 other people, then you don’t want to neglect a single person with whom you have a solid relationship.

Not only do people who know and like you want you to succeed, they will also be disappointed if they hear about your work from someone else. And you don’t want to disappoint them!

KNOW THIS———-~> Connections, regardless of how insignificant they may seem, are critical to your success.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Are you including everyone on your mailing list? Or are you assuming–perhaps incorrectly–that certain connections are separate from your art connections?

DO THIS————~> Include your previous connections on your mailing list. Invite them to your openings, share your good news with them, and ask them for support. It’s all about cultivating collectors, which happens to be the name of the next online class that begins July 8. If cultivating collectors is on your list of To Do’s, take a look at the class content.

Tell us about your previous connections and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Artist Self-Promotions and Networking |

Stop, and then get to work

June 22nd, 2009 by Alyson

Do you ever find yourself looking for more information than you need?

Do you catch yourself reading and reading (and clicking and clicking) and never taking action?

Are you looking for the magic bullet–that one thing (as if there were one thing) that will propel your art career forward faster than you could have imagined?

Eve Wheeler, Washed Ashore. Acrylic on canvas. ©The Artist Inspired by the photograph Conch Shell Study 8 by lisilk on wetcanvas.com, which was offered as a resource for all artists.

Stop!
Stop gathering information, stop looking for something that doesn’t exist, and start doing.

There is no single thing you can do to “make it” in the art world. A successful career is the result of years of labor–both in and out of the studio. It is the sum of hundreds and thousands of actions, regardless of how small the actions seem at the moment.

It’s easy to get lost in the quest for knowledge. You search on the Internet, and one link leads to another. Before you know it, you can’t remember what you were looking for. This is a sign that you’re either procrastinating on taking action, or you aren’t focused on your goal. It’s also an indication that it’s time to stop gathering information and start taking action. There are two other signs that you have the know-how you need.

1) Messages start repeating themselves. It never hurts to hear something multiple times in order to learn it, but it does hurt to hear something multiple times and not act on or benefit from the knowledge.

2) You have consumed multiple viewpoints and maybe even conflicting advice. It’s useful to have more than one opinion about how to do something. Sure, this might create confusion, but it will also force you to make a decision about what’s best for you.

Don’t stop gathering knowledge forever, but catch yourself. If you find yourself getting lost in a sea of information and advice, it’s time to call forth your wise inner self and give it a voice: “I have the knowledge I need. I can get to work now.”

KNOW THIS———-~> You have the knowledge you need to accomplish a great deal.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Have the messages been repeating themselves? Are you hearing the same thing over and over again?

DO THIS————~> Stop looking for knowledge that you already have and then get to work. Listen to your wise inner self. If you get stuck, you can return to your information bank and review what you know.

Got a story to tell about gathering information? Tell us about it and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Art Career Goals and Success |

Ask for sponsorship

June 15th, 2009 by Alyson

There may come a time when you need to ask someone for a donation or in-kind gift.

Let’s say you’d like someone to sponsor an art opening for your organization. [ Side note: It’s easier to get sponsorship for larger, nonprofit organizations than for individual artists because (1) it’s a tax deduction for the donor and (2) more people show up at the events. ]

Erin Casey, Grace After a Windstorm. Porcelain. ©The Artist

Your first step is to get clear about what–EXACTLY–you want and need. You won’t get far with a vague request such as “We’ll take whatever you can give.” That’s not helpful to anyone. You must be specific that you need X amount, whether it’s cash or in-kind. An in-kind donation is a gift of goods or services (e.g. printing, advertising, food, beverages, live music) in place of cash. You might not get X, but you need to know and articulate that number.

Pinpoint any deadlines that you will have. When you request sponsorship, you must state your expectations clearly: “I need to have this in place by July 30 in order to get your name on the invitation.”

As you’re preparing your proposal, outline the benefits that the sponsor will receive in return for the donation. This is where you need to spend time. Sometimes people will give out of the goodness of their hearts, but it’s easier for donors to say Yes to something when it benefits them. This is why you want to ask for sponsorship from people and businesses that want to be in front of your audience.

Benefits might include any or all of the following:

• Listing or logo on the invitation
• Listing or ad in a program, brochure, and/or newsletter
• Mention in press release
• Name or logo on event web page or blog posting
• Name or logo on wall or table signage
• Name or logo in a catalog, which you can have printed just for your sponsors
• Display table for sponsor to promote products or services
• % Discount on purchase of art
• Acknowledgment in any spoken program at the event
• Free tickets to the event (number of complimentary tickets increases with giving level)
• VIP tour for a specific number of people
• Studio visit with cocktails

The benefits you offer your sponsors will depend on the level of the gift. Draw up a few different packages and decide which are appropriate for your target sponsors. If you are offered an amount less than your request, be prepared to reconfigure the package of benefits to be in line with the lower amount.

Incidentally, I suggest putting the request in writing. Send an email for the initial contact. Follow up with a real letter if you don’t hear back within a week in case your original email request was lost or filtered out of the inbox.

In addition to rewarding sponsors, you could also benefit from rewarding your buyers and collectors. Learn more about this in the upcoming Cultivate Collectors online class beginning July 8.

KNOW THIS———-~> You won’t get what you don’t ask for.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> The worst thing that could happen is that someone might say No to your request.

DO THIS————~> Ask for sponsorship for your nonprofit artist organization. Free money is never free. You should bend over backwards to thank your sponsors in every conceivable way–including a handwritten Thank You note following the event. You never know when you’ll want them (or their friends) to sponsor another event in the future.

Tell us about your experiences with sponsors and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Artists in Their Communities, Philanthropy |

Listen, read, act, repeat

June 8th, 2009 by Alyson

It’s been said that the four most dangerous words in the English language are “I already know that.” These words create a mental barrier that shuts you off from any additional information you might receive by listening. More importantly, saying “I already know that” closes the door on new experiences that could enrich your life and your art.

Christen Humphries, Winter Elegance. Oil on pergamenata, 39 x 27 inches. ©The Artist

As I tell students in my classes and workshops, it’s important to stop yourself before uttering–or even thinking–these words. When the thought crosses your mind that you’ve already heard something before, ask yourself one of the following questions.

–Am I living it?
–Am I doing it?
–Did I act on it?
–Will it hurt to be reminded of it again?

Consider the many ways we learn. We learn by listening, participating (doing), reading, watching, and teaching.

Let’s say you’re reading my book, I’d Rather Be in the Studio. It’s a reference book that walks you through the steps you need to accomplish certain tasks like writing a newsletter or starting a mailing list. You’re going to learn a lot by reading it, but even I (with my vast wisdom) can’t anticipate every question that might arise. In a class or workshop situation, you’ll learn from others’ questions and experiences. You’ll learn from dialog.

Likewise, you might read this Art Marketing Action newsletter each week. Others might listen to the podcast version. But the person who consumes both will have a more complete understanding of the topic.

If you think you’ve heard it all, think again. Or, better put, read it again or listen to it again. Participate actively in a discussion, and you’ll learn even more. Teach it, and you’ll become an expert.

KNOW THIS———-~> It never hurts to hear something twice.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Is your “knowledge” stopping you from learning more?

DO THIS————~> Listen, read, act, and repeat. Or read, listen, act, and repeat. Don’t let the four most dangerous words–”I already know that”–stand in your way. Keep gathering knowledge in any format you come across, and pretty soon you’ll be proficient in your area of interest.

A crew of us will be learning from each other in a Twitter book club that starts today. We’re reading “de Kooning” and tweeting about it. To join us, just sign up and follow along.

Share your insights about gaining knowledge and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Art Career Goals and Success |

Don’t neglect old-fashioned mail

June 1st, 2009 by Alyson

Postal rates just went up in the U.S., but that’s no reason to stop sending mail. It’s more important than ever to use regular mail in conjunction with any email messages you’re sending out. Let’s look at some of the reasons why you shouldn’t neglect buying stamps.

Deb Schmit, Highland Dreams Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches. ©The Artist

Above all, regular mail won’t be considered spam. People have all kinds of filters set up for their inboxes these days. You can’t be certain your email messages are getting through. While you might grumble about the reliability of the postal service, there is no doubt that it’s far more reliable than email.

Likewise, regular mail can’t be accidentally deleted. It doesn’t take much to get frustrated by an overflowing inbox and delete a load of messages at once. It’s harder to accidentally throw away a piece of mail.

According to the CAN SPAM laws in the U.S., you must provide an easy way for people to opt out of an email list. But . . . people on your contact list won’t opt out of receiving regular mail as they might with email.

Another thing regular mail has going for it is that it has a personal touch. Email messages are often sent in bulk and seem impersonal.

Real mail stands out. Everyone is relying on email these days! Email messages get lost in bundles of other messages in inboxes.

On the other hand, we smile when we receive a real piece of mail with art on the front of it. We delight if the mail contains handwritten notes or addresses. “Wow! Someone cared enough to personalize this!”

KNOW THIS———-~> Good old-fashioned mail should be a part of your marketing efforts.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> When is the last time you sent a mailing to your entire list?

DO THIS————~> Don’t neglect regular mail. Add postcards, thank-you notes, holiday cards, and “surprise” letters to your marketing strategy.

You can get more ideas for using regular mail this entire week and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

The Summer Blast Off class begins June 3. Stay focused and set priorities with us.

Posted in Artist Self-Promotions and Networking |

Remember

May 25th, 2009 by Alyson

It’s the annual Memorial Day issue, when I share reminders of what you can be doing to build your career and reputation and to sell more art. Let’s just get right into it.

Remember that you hold the key to your success. This is your life and your career. Don’t listen to anyone else’s definition of success. Instead, define success for yourself.

Constance Humphries, Untitled #2. Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches. ©The Artist

Remember that the studio always comes first. My job is to help you promote your work more effectively. Your job is to put the art first. Without your studio time, you have nothing to promote.

Remember that as fun as Facebook and Twitter are, they can also be time-wasters. If these social media platforms are cutting into your studio time, you need to rein yourself in and focus on the important stuff.

Remember that your artist statement is the backbone of your marketing efforts. Until you can articulate what your art is about, you will find it hard to write brochures, Web copy, grant applications, and press releases.

Remember that connections are important in any career. Your mailing list is your #1 asset, so expand your circle of contacts and use your list frequently.

Remember to be generous. We’re often scared to let our “secrets” out, but the most successful artists I know are also the ones who share information the most freely. You get what you give.

Remember to send Thank You notes. Real, honest-to-goodness, handwritten notes (with your artwork on the front) will set you apart from those who are only using email. They’re also guaranteed to brighten the day of the recipient.

Remember these four art marketing practices.
1) Artwork is always listed as H x W x D.
2) Use the Bcc line instead of the To line when you’re sending email to multiple recipients.
3) Always provide more than one way for people to contact you. Don’t depend solely on email.
4) The Internet audience is worldwide. Don’t forget your city, state or province, and perhaps even country when you email announcements and invitations.

Remember that you’re human. You can’t do it all. But you can look at the available options and prioritize. Figure out what is the best use of your time at any moment.

Let us help you set priorities and get focused in the Summer Blast Off class beginning June 3.
http://artbizcoach.com/classes/blastoff.html

KNOW THIS———-~> Every little step, every tweak, and every turn matters when you’re building your art career.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> How many of these reminders do you currently follow? What needs improvement?

DO THIS————~> Remind yourself what it takes to get to where you want to be. Print this list out and keep it nearby for whenever you need a boost or self-check.

What do you need to be reminded of? Tell us about it and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Art Business Practices |

Appraise an online gallery

May 18th, 2009 by Alyson

There are some fantastic art galleries on the Internet, which are run by people who genuinely care about their artists and want to help them succeed. Then there are Web galleries that are in it for the big bucks. They’re more than happy to take your money. They don’t advertise and don’t care much whether or not you make sales because they make their money through subscriptions.

Every day there are new opportunities to show your art online. Every day you have to make decisions about what is a real opportunity, and what is a waste of your time and money. How do you know which ones are legitimate? As with everything in your art business, the onus is on you to trust but verify the source. You can’t blame anyone but yourself if you don’t seek all the facts. Here are some things to look for when starting a relationship with an online gallery.

Diane Evans, Pieces of Dreams. Quilt, 57 x 57 inches. ©The Artist

ASK ABOUT EXPERIENCE
Create a mutual level of respect with the owners, but establish yourself as a professional looking out for your interests. Ask the owners how long they have been in business and what their experience is with art, sales, and online marketing. Ask the Web gallery for references or contact their other artists directly. Don’t trust any business that can’t or won’t give you a list of references–even if it’s for a previous business they operated. I’d want to speak with both a site user (e.g. an art buyer) and an artist.

Ask the buyers or users if they had a good experience with the Web gallery, and if they’d do business there again.

Ask the artists on the Web gallery how long they’ve been there. What are their sales like? If the gallery processes sales, have the artists been paid in a timely manner? Is billing done in a professional way? If the artists upload images and information to the site, do they find the interface easy to use? How often do the owners communicate with their artist-clients? How do the owners help the artists increase sales?

GET THE FACTS
How many visits is the site getting each month? How do they advertise and attract visitors? Ask for specific examples so that you can see the ads for yourself. How many people are on their mailing list (collectors, not artists!), and how did they go about acquiring that list?

AESTHETICS & EASE OF USE
Is the art displayed appropriately and handsomely on the site? Is the art prominent or is it hidden behind a bunch of words and poor design?

Do you like the work? Would you be proud to have yours shown next to the art on the site? What is the quality of the photography? Are all works credited with the artist’s name and title?

What’s the process for buying art? If you were an art buyer looking for a particular type of art, would it be easy to find? I’d caution against getting involved with a Web gallery that lists artists only in alphabetical order. After all, if I’m a buyer, how do I know if I want to select artists whose names begin with “M” or “T”? I don’t! I want to look at something I like, and I probably don’t care what letter their last name begins with. Take time to go through the ordering process to experience it from the buyer’s perspective.

AGREEMENTS
Read the agreement or contract carefully. What is the duration of your commitment? What is the payment schedule? What is your financial commitment? Are they charging you a monthly fee? Or a commission on sales? Think twice before entering into a contract with a site that is double charging you.

GOOGLE
Conduct an online search of the Web gallery’s name as well as those of the owners. Finding nothing is almost worse than finding bad news.

WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS
Consider your financial commitment and compare it to other possibilities. For instance, would it be wiser to invest in your own website or blog? Is your mailing list solid enough that you could do better by focusing on your current contacts?

Getting clear on your priorities and establishing boundaries is part of the Summer Blast Off class, which begins June 3. Join us for motivation, inspiration, and courage to move forward.

KNOW THIS———-~> The onus is on you to verify the credibility of and claims made by an online gallery.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Are you seeking all the answers needed to make an informed decision?

DO THIS————~> Appraise an online gallery by asking questions and assessing its components. Don’t leave money out of the equation! Participation in an online gallery almost always requires a financial commitment. You must weigh the opportunity with your goals and your resources. Asking questions is not a sign of distrust, but a hallmark of a responsible professional. Seeking answers is empowering. Turn down anyone who balks at your questions.

Share your thoughts about online galleries and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Art Exhibits Venues & Presentation |

Identify (only) the next action

May 11th, 2009 by Alyson

Clarity will help you get things done. When you’re fuzzy about what needs to be done, you tend to procrastinate. When you procrastinate, you create a backlog of tasks and overwhelm sets in.

Clearly define your tasks and identify only the next action for your task list.

Lisa Pressman, Seeds of Thought. Encaustic on cedar, 15 x 13 inches. ©The Artist

Instead of writing “Promote Exhibit” as a task, identify your next action for each area of promotions. “Promote Exhibit” requires many separate actions–it is not a single task. For example, you might have the following items as your next actions toward the “Promote Exhibit” goal.

• Design postcard for exhibit
• Write blog post describing exhibit
• Add new contacts to mailing list database

“Next action” means that the tasks on your list do not have a dependent action that must be taken care of first. Always ask yourself: What’s the next action?

Beside each item, you can also write what action you’ll take upon completion. Those three tasks above can be more detailed and might look like this.

• Design postcard for exhibit (next: send to printer)
• Write blog post describing exhibit (next: send link to blog post on Twitter)
• Add new contacts to mailing list database (next: print labels/upload to email management program)

Your task list might say “Deliver photographs to gallery,” but you know that you first have to mat, frame, and prepare the photos. Start by adding the first step to your list. You might write it as follows.

• Mat photos (deliver to gallery by 6/15)

This quick notation–deliver to gallery by 6/15–helps you remember when your project is due.

I consider myself a productive person, but nothing helped me get my task list in shape like working with productivity consultant Leslie Shreve. Leslie was kind enough to be my guest for The Road to Peak Productivity, a teleseminar in which she outlines how to use a task list most effectively in order to have a more productive day. Particularly helpful to me was the difference between Due Dates and Do Dates. Read more.

KNOW THIS———-~> Identifying your next actions will save you from procrastination and overwhelm.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> All of those little baby steps add up!

DO THIS————~>Identify only your next actions. You don’t have a studio boss that’s going to do this for you. You have to make hard choices and be bold with your responsibilities. The motivation must come from within you. Always ask this question: What is my next action for this project?

Give us your tips and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Art Business Practices |

Pack your presentation with meaningful content

May 4th, 2009 by Alyson

If you think you don’t have much to say about your art, you’re not trying hard enough. Good content is everywhere, but it has to incubate. If you have a presentation coming up, start developing your content immediately. Give yourself time to play around with it, to make mistakes, and to tighten up your slides and words.

Find last week’s tips for designing your presentation PowerPoint or Keynote slides.

Lisa Kairos, Gear Nest. Acrylic and mixed media, 12 x 24 inches. ©The Artist

Here are some tips for unearthing and refining your presentation content.

THOSE ANNOYING QUESTIONS
What questions are people asking you about your art? Every time someone asks you a new question, write it down–even if you don’t yet have the response to it. If they’re thinking it, someone else is bound to be thinking the same thing. You can turn what you might have otherwise considered annoying into a positive: free ideas!

PLAY OFFENSE
There’s a whole section in I’d Rather Be in the Studio! about playing offense–about taking charge of how your art is perceived rather than waiting for responses. You can do this in your presentations. Settle on the two or three most important things you want the audience to remember about you and your art. Build your talk around these points–citing them at the beginning and recapping them again at the end of your presentation. Use the time in-between to lay out your evidence and argument.

MINE YOUR BLOG
Blogging is a wonderful playground for gathering your thoughts. Just think of all those words you’ve written about your art! Go back to your best posts and the posts that received the most comments. Mine them for your presentation. Do the same with your journal writings and newsletters. (More free ideas!)

MIND MAP
A mind map is a way to generate ideas around a central theme. For instance, if you have a work that you know you want to talk about but don’t know what to say, start with a blank piece of paper. Put the title or an image of the work in the center of the paper. From the center, create branches for everything you can think of related to that artwork (medium, subject, mood, size, etc.).

Mind mapping is like brainstorming. It fleshes out a vague idea and shows you the many directions in which you could expand that idea. I begin almost every newsletter and blog post with a mind map.

There’s more on presentations and gallery talks in I’d Rather Be in the Studio! (pages 53-67)

KNOW THIS———-~> Content is all around you, but you have to pay attention to it.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Are you allowing enough time for your presentation content to incubate?

DO THIS————~>Pack your presentation with meaningful content. Start gathering your ideas the moment you have a date for your gallery talk, lecture, or slide show. Open up your mind to the questions that are being asked of you, the things other artists are saying about their work, and the possibilities that are inherent in the art itself. Keep your ideas in a single place–either in a notebook, a file, or on your computer. Gather, organize, refine, gather, organize, refine.

Give us your tips and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Writing the Artist Statement & Communication |

Design your PowerPoint presentation

April 27th, 2009 by Alyson

It’s great news that we no longer have to scramble at the last minute to have slides shot, developed, and masked. You can insert images into your digital presentations up until the moment you are introduced. It’s magic! It can also be tragic.

Leslie Sobel, Desert Passage. Satellite imaging, encaustic, and mixed media on canvas, 24 x 24 inches. ©The Artist

PowerPoint gone wrong is a hideous sight. Bad PowerPoint consists of incongruous colors, over-designed slides, too many slides, and, mostly, too much text. If there is too much text, you wonder what you paid for or why you’re there when the entire presentation is written out on the slides. You might as well have stayed home and received the slides as a PDF file in your inbox!

Here are some tips for designing and perfecting the digital presentation of your art.

DO start your presentations with a blank slide. I prefer black backgrounds, which serve the same purpose of the old silver tape we used to use when masking a slide. This blank slide keeps the focus on your art.

DON’T use a template design. There should be no design on the slides other than your art.

DO be consistent with colors and design throughout the presentation.

DON’T use bullet points. These are old school. For those of you who have seen bullet points in my presentations, I apologize! I’ve been removing them completely in the last few months.

DO avoid as much text as possible. I have begun using words mostly as graphic elements next to or on top of a handsome image (art or stock photography) when I introduce a major concept. These are usually single words or two-word phrases that take up about 40-50% of the slide area, which are there for impact. You don’t need words because you have your art!

DON’T put image titles next to the art. You shouldn’t care if your audience recalls the title. You want them to be entranced with the work itself–not the title.

This should be obvious, but I have to say it: DO use great photos of your art–the best you can muster. Don’t use cartoony clip art, which is another relic from the past.

DO get permission to use images, text, and music that aren’t your own as these are copyrighted materials.

DO practice with the remote control ahead of time. All remote controls are different, so you want to get a feel for the one you’ll be using. I use PowerPoint rather than Keynote and like to project the slides in the mode called “View Presenter’s Tools.” This allows me to see the next slide before I click the Forward button.

DO stage a rehearsal to project your images with the LCD projector you’ll be using. Color varies greatly on these machines, and you will be far more concerned about correct color than previous presenters who were just sharing slides with lots of text. On the projector, fine-tune the color as needed and use the keystone adjustment to tweak the projected shape into a perfect rectangle.

DO work on the words you’ll use to go along with each slide. There will be more about what to say in next week’s issue. Can’t wait? Check out your copy of I’d Rather Be in the Studio! (pages 53-67).

KNOW THIS———-~> The design of your digital presentation should put the focus on your art.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Is your digital presentation stuck in the past?

DO THIS————~>Design your PowerPoint presentation so that it puts the focus on your art. Remove all unnecessary words and eliminate template designs.

Share your thoughts and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Posted in Writing the Artist Statement & Communication |