Yes, artists have brochures. Some are better than others. Most are a waste of paper because they’re poorly designed, flimsy, look homemade (in a bad way), have poorly photographed art, or are considered by their creators to be a magic pill that will solve all of their marketing woes.

The only reason I can think of to have a brochure is if you need to give the same information to a large group of people in a compact format. Maybe you’re sending a direct mail piece to your niche market (garden centers, the wine industry, women’s groups). Or, you teach classes and workshops and want to leave your schedule at targeted locations. Or you participate in a lot of art festivals and people are always asking you for something more substantial than a business card or postcard. All of these are good reasons to have a brochure.

Barbara Cowlin, Reed Calligraphy II. Oil on four panels, 24 x 20 inches. ©The Artist

Reread the first sentence in the paragraph above and note the phrase “same information.” If you have one body of work that you promote to one group of people and a separate body of work that you promote to another group of people, you need two different brochures.

Don’t expect huge returns from your brochure. Think of it as an investment–a way to put your name in front of people again and just one component (just one!) of a marketing plan.

Incidentally, I’m teaching a quick-and-easy marketing plan for your art at this month’s smARTist Telesummit.

When you create a brochure, or any marketing piece, always keep your audience in mind. Your brochure should do the following.

1. Describe what you do and your UQ (uniqueness quotient)–how you’re different from other artists. If you have a fascinating story or great sense of humor, use it!

2. Have only the best photography in it. If you don’t have good photos of your art, either get them or forget the brochure.

3. Explain what you offer the recipients. How will their lives be better if they sign up for your workshop? Why will they be happy they selected you to design their anniversary poster instead of someone else? Why should they purchase from you right now?

4. Include all of your contact information: Name, Address (or studio address), Phone Number, Web Site, and Email. If your art is available at galleries, include gallery information. If you have open studio hours, include those along with a map.

Even though three of these items are written text, the emphasis in your brochure should be on the art (#2): great work, the best photography, and images large enough to make an impact.

Artist David Castle sent out a handsome “Catalog of Original Art and Holiday Gifts” to his collectors’ list last fall. It’s a simple 8 ½ x 11” piece of cardstock with a 5 ½ x 8 ½” insert. It looks like he printed them himself, but it’s very well designed and printed on good paper on a high-quality setting. It has not only information about art for sale, but also his open studio schedule and a map of where to find the studio. David is allowing me to share his full brochure with you in today’s entry on the Art Biz Blog.

There will be more on presenting your art in next week’s newsletter.

If you’re itching to start 2009 with a bang, take a look at the New Year Blast Off class, which begins next week. Think about joining us.

KNOW THIS———-~> A brochure is an investment and part of a marketing strategy. It is not the answer to all of your self-promotion woes.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Do you really need a brochure?

DO THIS————~> Create a brochure for your art–but only if you really need it. As I said, you need different brochures for different audiences. Don’t try to put everything in one brochure. Instead, target the message. Hire a graphic designer to lay out the basics for you so that you can drop in new images or update text as needed.

Tell us about your brochure, give as a link to it if you have a picture online, and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Now it’s time to look forward.

Time to blast off! Yep, I’m going to use the “G word”: Goals. It’s goal-setting time. I’m certain this is not the only newsletter you’ll receive this week on setting goals. But I’m not going to ask you to create deadlines and action steps. Instead, I’d like for you to set intentions–intentions that form a vision for marketing yourself and your art in the New Year. Let’s start with a couple of big questions.

1. How do you intend to promote your art consistently? Last fall my mastermind partner challenged me to come up with a list of 100 ways to promote my business, and I succeeded. Now, I need to do something with that list. So, I select 2-5 ideas for promoting my business each month depending on the degree of difficulty of each item. It’s not a yearlong plan, but it works for me and it might work for you.

Amélie Gagné, Blue Hill. Painting, 24 x 12 inches. ©The Artist

2. How do you intend to bring in more money from your art business? This might require more detailed planning and actually putting a pen to paper, which is why I’m teaching “A Quick-and-Easy Marketing Plan” during January’s smARTist Telesummit. The point is to avoid a fuzzy goal like “make more money” and come up with a workable plan that helps you envision success.

After you’ve tackled these big questions, add to your vision by considering the following.

What will you do to become better known online?
What can you write a press release about? Of course, then you must distribute the release and follow up.
What technological skills do you need to learn or improve?
How many people would you like to add to your mailing list?
What cool or influential people in your community would you like to meet?
What printed marketing piece do you need to create or revamp? (I’ll have an upcoming newsletter on writing brochures, so be sure to look for it.)
How will you juice up your newsletters and email blasts so that people look forward to them? (Review pages 148-149 in “I’d Rather Be in the Studio!”)
What books do you need to read to help your career? A good one for a new beginning is Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit.
What organizations will you join or become involved with? What organizations or affiliations should you move on from? Sometimes we stay in situations because they’re comfortable. You need to recognize when something has served its purpose and is no longer challenging you to be your best.
What grants/honors/awards will you apply for? Hey, getting the application completed is a win in itself! Writing a grant application helps you get motivated and organized.
What galleries, exhibits, or other venues will you submit your art to?
Where can you save a wad of money?

Finally, a matter you might not have considered.

How will you improve your mindset so that promoting your art and making money as an artist becomes easier and more joyful? They say attitude is everything. How is yours? Are you in an emotional, mental, and spiritual place that allows abundance to flow? Or do you have blocks in some areas? It’s hard to get other people excited about your art when you don’t enjoy sharing it.

We’re going to work on mindset, routines, and intentions in the New Year Blast Off class, which begins next week. Think about joining us.

KNOW THIS———-~> There’s just something about this moment that is ripe for positive change.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Are you going to miss this opportunity?

DO THIS————~> Blast off in the New Year! Whether you call them goals, intentions, or visions isn’t important. What’s important is that you identify them–that you know where you want to go.

What is the single thing you can do, be, or change in 2009 that will move your career ahead the fastest? Tell us about it and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

What would it be like if the New Year felt . . . well . . . felt truly new?

This week’s action was first inspired by a previous edition of Rachelle Disbennett-Lee’s 365 Days of Coaching newsletter. She wrote:

I have what I call a Clean Slate week between Christmas and New Year’s. During this week, I clean my office, clean out files and cabinets, set up new files for the New Year and wrap up any loose ends. I also review my business and marketing plans and update them with my new goals for the New Year. And, of course, I make a new prosperity board that pictures what my goals and aspirations are for the New Year. Doing all this helps me start the New Year with a clean slate.

Hiilton McLaurin, Still December Day. Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 inches. ©The Artist

With Rachelle’s advice in mind, make this week after Christmas or even the next 10 days just for you. Don’t schedule outside appointments. This is your time to get straight with yourself. After you’ve carved out the time, consider the following as candidates for a good slate-cleaning.

Task List
What has been on your list for too long? If you’re procrastinating, do you really need to do it? If it’s not a definite Yes, it’s a No. If it is a Yes, take care of it. If you want to put highly productive habits into place, I invite you to register for the upcoming teleseminar with my personal productivity consultant, Leslie Shreve: The Road to Peak Productivity: Drive Greater Results by Living a More Productive Work Day.

Studio
What’s broken? What materials aren’t being used that you could store or give away? What emits negative energy and stifles your creative juices?

Filing
This is a biggie! Get those papers off your desk and off the floor and put them into some kind of system that makes sense. Set up files for the New Year. Recycle anything you don’t use or could find online.

Mailing List
Take all of those names and business cards you’ve been hoarding and add them to your database. This is so important that I’m offering an entire class on building and taking care of your contact list. Cultivate Your Connections starts February 11.

Artwork
Complete a piece you’ve been neglecting.

Correspondence
Write your Thank You notes from holiday gifts and send New Year’s greetings to those you missed before Christmas. (Or, if you’re like me, send New Year’s greetings just because it’s different from everyone else who sends Christmas cards.)

Computer
Back up your files and throw out old files you no longer need. Do the same for your Web site.

Supplies
Inventory your office and art supplies. What do you need to order that you’re running low on?

Personal Space
Tying up loose ends doesn’t have to be just for your art biz. Creating a more hospitable personal space will help you run your career smoothly. Clean out cabinets, drawers, and closets. Schedule a home pick-up for anything you no longer need. Donate and recycle. (See Get Organized class)

Errands
Tackle any after-Christmas returns or supply runs and stock your pantry with staples that make menu-planning easier.

KNOW THIS———-~> Tying up loose ends will give you a fresh start in the New Year.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> What will it feel like to tie up all the loose ends that you’ve been tolerating until now?

DO THIS————~> Tie up loose ends between now and the end of the year. You probably don’t have time to take care of everything on this list, so prioritize. Go through each prompt and write down some things you’d like to make happen. Then, look at your list and decide what you’ll focus on.

Tell us about tying up your loose ends, your year-end rituals, and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Although I’m originally from Oklahoma, we spent most of our Christmases in the Rockies. We packed up the car with all of the presents and made the long drive from the Sooner State to Colorado. Mom quickly learned that it was much easier to travel with unwrapped gifts than to wrap them ahead of time. When we arrived, we could just open gift bags and plop in the presents. Then, after we had our own house in Crested Butte (which we share with three other families), we kept the same Christmas gift bags there throughout the year. And we held onto them year after year after year.

Recycling the same gift bags over . . . um . . . probably 15 years or more . . . got to be a joke after awhile. The packages looked the same every year except for those that I brought. Mine always had to be different. My most memorable wrapping was the zebra-striped paper with hot pink ribbon. Not so Christmas-y, but très Alyson.

Don’t miss my annual blog post with the Bert’s Eggnog recipe. It’s a tradition you don’t want to skip.

And look for Monday’s newsletter on tying up loose ends before the New Year. You’ll want to think about joining us for the New Year Blast Off!

TIME OUT! Instead of thinking about what you still want to accomplish, consider acknowledging all you have done. Take time to write down your accomplishments for 2008.

This is an annual tradition that I started with the newsletter a number of years ago. I do it for myself, too. Those who record what they have gotten done during the year tell me it’s a powerful exercise.

It’s easy! Start now. Don’t try to do it all at once, but dedicate a page in your journal or a document on your computer. I recommend writing it all out by hand.

Here is an inventory of questions to get you started. In 2008 . . .

Lyndal Hargrave, Harmony. Driftwood, screws, and glue, 82 x 82 x 82 centimeters. ©The Artist Photograph by Carl Warner

How did you promote your art? (Check out I’d Rather Be in The Studio! for ideas. The Big Book Sale ends December 21!)
What did you do to enhance your online presence?
What technological skills did you learn or improve?
How many people did you add to your mailing list?
Who were the top ten cool or influential people you met?
Whom did you mentor or help out?
Did you create a new business card, portfolio, or other marketing piece?
What medium or skill did you attempt or master?
What did you try that was completely new?
What did you try that was uncomfortable, but helped you grow?
What worthy cause did you support in some way?
What new art events, galleries, and museums did you visit?
What resources did you discover?
How did you improve your studio habits?
What books did you read to help your career? What videos or films were useful?
What seminars/workshops/lectures did you attend or teach?
How did you enhance your office or studio environment?
What organizations were you involved with?
What grants/honors/awards did you receive?
What articles were written about your work?
What exhibits, grants, contest, etc. did you submit your art to?
Where did you save a wad of money?
What was the single best thing that happened to your art career in 2008?

After you’ve written everything down, give thanks. Be grateful for the energy you found, the people you came across, and the experiences you learned from. Then . . .

Celebrate!

KNOW THIS———-~> There will always be more stuff to do.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> If you don’t acknowledge your accomplishments, who will?

DO THIS————~> Acknowledge yourself for everything you have accomplished in 2008 and celebrate your wins. This is such an important exercise that I advise carving out time on your calendar. Think about joining me to kick up some group energy . . .

On Thursday, December 18, at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time, I’m going to do a short meditation, light a candle, and start celebrating my 2008 accomplishments. Care to join me? If you can’t join me on Thursday, pick a time that works for you, schedule it on your calendar, and show up. You don’t have to do the same spiritual preparation, but devise something that moves you mentally away from your routine and to a place of celebration.

Share your biggest accomplishment for the year and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

To begin, designate a space in your studio as the sales area and have a desk or comfortable place to write tickets.

Jackie Longino Davidson, Catnap. Watercolor on paper, 22 x 15 inches. ©The Artist

If you’re thinking about doing everything by yourself, please rethink that strategy. Tap someone else to take care of processing sales so that you can tend to guests. Your salesperson should wear a name tag that says “sales” under her name and should be aware of any leverage she has in negotiating a price. For instance, she needs to know if you are willing to go down, say, 20% on certain items, or if you are accepting payment plans and what those terms are. If you are firm on everything (as I think you should be), she needs to know that, too. This will free you up and keep you out of any negotiations in front of your guests. (Note: While I do not encourage any discounting, it may be appropriate if someone buys a lot. You need to be aware that this issue might arise.)

It is always to your benefit to take credit cards, but you should also be well prepared to accept checks and cash. Have a cash box with plenty of change. Keep a calculator and sales-tax information close at hand.

Give everyone a sales receipt. With this, educate your buyers about copyright by including a small leaflet explaining that you retain copyright to the work. Also, be sure to tell your new collectors how to care for the art they are purchasing and offer hints on hanging, installing, or framing.

Offer complimentary or low-priced gift-wrapping. You might declare “Today only! Free gift wrapping!” or “Free gift wrapping with purchases of $100 or more.”

Provide free delivery for large items and be prepared to help hang or place those works for your collectors. If buyers waver on purchases, offer to bring the art to their homes and find the perfect spot for it.

Set aside a table for business cards, brochures, postcards, and other handouts. Get creative to help people remember you! For example, our guest bathroom is painted shocking red. In it, we have a mobile from which hangs cards containing seasonal or inspirational quotes. The backside of each card says “Souvenir from The Red Bathroom . . . Please Take One.” Our visitors love the surprise of this special touch.

Put together a notebook of information about your work. Add your promo material, articles, writings, testimonials, and even sketches.

Place a guest book out and encourage people to add their names to your mailing list. Be prepared to tell them what kind of mail they will be receiving, be it invitations to openings, newsletters or e-mail.

Additional resources:

1. Blog post: Follow up on sales
2. Don’t miss The BIG Book Sale! Get 13 free bonuses with your copy of I’d Rather Be in the Studio! now through December 21.

KNOW THIS———-~> Being an awesome host(ess) means putting your guests first.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Whether you have two or twenty people as your guests, you’re still the host.

DO THIS————~> Be an awesome host or hostess! Put your guests first. As you are planning any event, consider these questions . . . What should you do differently in order to focus your energy on your guests? What makes them comfortable so that they want to stay longer? What can you do to engage them so they will stay longer? What can you do that will pleasantly surprise them so they’ll tell people about you and your art? How can you be different from all of the other open studios they’ll attend?

Share your hosting experiences and tips and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Preparations

Tell everyone you invite if your event is open to all. If it is, encourage
them to bring guests.

Inform your guests ahead of time about directions, mass transit options, and parking. Be specific about any parking fees, off-limits parking, and one-way streets.

Put out a sign or festive holiday flag–especially if your location isn’t easy to identify from the street.

Clear out clutter and anything unnecessary in the space. Even the usual furniture can be removed to make room for more people, but leave a few chairs in case someone comes that can’t stand for an extended period of time.

Jude Silva, The Braid. Netting, nylon, and waxed linen, 96 x 30 inches. ©The Artist

Put your pets away and make sure someone is watching your children. I don’t care how well behaved you think they are, pets and children will steal some of your energy. Focus all of your attention on your guests.

See that the bathrooms are clean and comfortable. Have plenty of toilet paper and clean towels on hand.

Designate a spot for coats and scarves.

Decide on snacks and beverages in advance. If serving alcohol, encourage responsible drinking and have non-alcoholic beverages (other than water) for designated drivers.

Dress nicely and look like the artist, but be comfortable. Wear a name tag if it’s at all possible that someone may show up that you don’t already know.

Your Guests

Make everyone feel welcome at your event. Introduce your guests to other guests, particularly when they arrive alone. Ask friends and family to help you with this.

Remember names as much as possible. When you meet someone, repeat his name out loud: “It’s so nice to meet you, David.” Then repeat the name silently to yourself several times.

Treat everyone the same. Every person that enters is a potential buyer or potential connection.

Assign a friend or family member to interrupt you when they notice that a well-meaning guest is monopolizing your time. You don’t want the other guests to feel ignored or unappreciated.

Handling Sales

Next week, in Part 2, I’ll cover sales (your sales table, sales help, paperwork, etc.).

Additional resources:

1. Newsletter from 2006: Mingle
2. Don’t miss The BIG Book Sale! Get 13 free bonuses with your copy of I’d Rather Be in the Studio! now through December 21.

KNOW THIS———-~> When you invite people to your home or studio, you’re the host(ess).

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> Who is the best host or hostess you know? Why?

DO THIS————~> Be an awesome host or hostess. You don’t have to go to great expense to make people feel welcome in your home or studio. You just have to genuinely care about them.

Share your hosting experiences and tips and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

“When you are in a state of appreciation and gratitude, you are in a state of abundance. You are appreciating what you do have instead of focusing on and complaining about what you don’t have. Your focus is on what you have received, and you always get more of what you focus on.” (page 357)

From a business point of view, showing gratitude is a key component of nurturing relationships. Building an art business is all about forming strong relationships–with other artists, gallery dealers, curators, collectors, and anyone else who might be part of your community. Take a moment to read last week’s newsletter on nurturing community in case you missed it.

Here are four ways to start giving that gratitude muscle a workout.

1. When you thank clerks helping you at the store (or anyone else for that matter), look into their eyes. It’s so easy to stuff your change in your wallet and mumble “Thanks” as you turn and walk away. Make a little extra effort and demonstrate a more sincere response.

Cedar Lee, Golden Leaves. Oil on canvas, 24 x 30 inches.©The Artist

2. Keep a gratitude journal. It can be separate from or part of your regular journal, but write down each day at least five things you’re grateful for professionally or personally. As you’re writing your gratitudes, really feel them in your heart. Look back over them and consider the role it has in your day or week.

3. When responding to an email inquiry that shows interest in your art, begin with “Thank you for your interest in my work.” Many people don’t take the time to write this simple sentence–preferring to jot off a response as swiftly as possible.

4. Write thank-you notes. Yep, notes of the handwritten variety. This, you may know, is one of my favorite business secrets. I learned it from my mother and saw it executed with perfection by the U.S. Senator I worked for. He always keeps a stack of correspondence cards on top of his desk so he can quickly write a note to someone. Your handwritten notes will set you apart from everyone else and go farther than email for helping people remember you.

Taking the time to practice gratitude isn’t a bunch of hooey. It’s a must for everyone trying to build relationships and an art career. Try it. I’ve witnessed the magic of a sincere Thank You over and over again!

( Additional resource: See Action 10 in I’d Rather Be in the Studio! for more about following up with people. )

KNOW THIS———-~> Practicing sincere gratitude opens you up to receiving even more abundance.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> When is the last time you wrote a thank-you note?

DO THIS————~> Exercise your gratitude muscle. Identify your weak points from the four items above and decide what you will work on. Do you think maybe you could send 5 thank-you notes a week for the next month? Or write your gratitudes in your journal every day for 28 days? Challenge yourself and start right now.

Tell us how you practice sincere gratitude and listen to the podcast on the  Art Biz Blog. For the last few days I’ve been posting about gratitude there and more is coming up.

Have you seen Affirmations for Artists? (Get the YouTube version while you’re there to plug into your blog.)

Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter and for reading it when you have time.

Thank you for reading my blog, following me on Twitter, and friending me on Facebook.

Thank you for signing up for my classes, buying my book and CDs, and asking me to help with your personal projects.

I started this business because I wanted to hang out with artists and help them out as much as I could. Little did I know that it would blossom into this amazing community of very cool people. I often list Art Marketing Action newsletter subscribers and individual clients on my gratitude list. I may or may not know you by name, but I am grateful for your presence and for your gifts to the world.

Thanks for hanging out with me!

Just like a blog, your art is the start of a conversation. If you had only an audience, you would talk at the audience, they would listen, and then they would go home. Picture an audience. Everyone is facing one way. They don’t see anyone’s face other than those sitting or standing next to them and that of the performer. Audience members might go home and talk about what they saw or heard or read, but they don’t interact with the creator.

Michael Lynn Adams, Fall in Edna Valley. Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches.©The Artist

In contrast, consider community. That word brings to mind a cozy setting where people are connected in some way. They might even know each other. The setting is more organic, with people looking every which way so that you can see many more faces.  You get the warm fuzzies being part of a dynamic community. Your art starts a conversation, community members respond because you’re listening, and you reply to their response.

But the conversation doesn’t end in the community. It spreads. Your community members take the conversation to their blogs and classrooms and coffee shops. In other words, they take them to other communities. Before you know it, your community is bigger than you could have imagined. All because you listened and responded.

( Additional resource: See Actions 12 and 13 in I’d Rather Be in the Studio! for more about sharing your art and building community. )

KNOW THIS———-~> A community is more valuable to you than an audience.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> What have you done for your community lately?

DO THIS————~> Nurture your community. Every week I nurture the ArtBizCoach.com community by writing this newsletter, recording a podcast, posting to the blog (and trying to keep up with the comments!), tweeting on Twitter, signing in to Facebook, responding to emails, sending Thank You notes, and more. And now I’m going to give you a list of ways to nurture your community. Download the list here. I can’t promise you’ll be able to download it forever, so you’d better get it now!

Tell us your thoughts about audience and community and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog.

Have you seen Affirmations for Artists? (Get the YouTube version while you’re there to plug into your blog.)