A Short Course
in Art Promotion
To sell your artwork you must first promote it
What You Will Learn With this Short Course
• Promotional Tools• Web Sites• Traffic• The Media• The Marketplace• Promotion• Making the Sale• Link Resources• A Plan of Action
Caution!
• Anyone who tells you they will make you into a successful artist is fooling you
• Run, don’t walk away from them – More often than not there is a fee attached to this claim
– Absolutely no one has the ability to make someone into a successful artist
• What this course can do for you is provide some insight and offer some tools to allow you to create your own success
• It really is up to you• The Promotional Formula illustrates the components of a
promotional plan that you control– The process can shape your destiny
– That’s real power at your fingertips
The Promotional Formula
The formula that can create opportunities for artists
Promotional Tools
• You will eventually want to produce most of these items
• Use your tools and with promotional efforts, all roads should lead potential customers back to you
The Media
• The tools I’ve been discussing are designed to use the media.
• Media in this fast paced era are constantly changing but the major categories are represented here.
The Marketplace
• It isn’t enough to produce art; you must package it and bring it to one of many markets available to you.
• There are many choices, many opportunities.
The Promotional Formula Helps Create Opportunity
• Build the tools you are shown• Use your tools within the media
channels available to you• Gain exposure to the marketplace
through use of your tools and channels
• Opportunity awaits
Opportunity is a doorway to artistic success
There Are Many Tools to Help You Sell Art
Promotional Tools
• Every one of these is a significant tool which will be used to help customers focus on your art, your life.
• You will appreciate the doors these tools can open when you start using them.
• They don’t cost much to create, and the payback is unlimited.
Are you using all or some of these tools?
You Need a Toolkit
• Your professional image is only as good as the general public perceives you
• You need tools to make your image shine• Do you have a business card?• A business card is a tool• It will be up to you to get comfortable with
the tools I introduce you to and utilize the tremendous power and opportunitythey represent
But First…
• Ask yourself these statements:• Does your art appeal to or work with human nature?• Does your art explode in your viewer’s mind?• Is it the right time for this art?• If the answers are obvious and simple to understand,
you’re probably doing the right thing• Do your ideas appeal to human nature? Things that
stimulate people to respond are love, sex, anger, joy, humor, etc. How do your viewers react to your art?
• Does your art create a WOW effect or strong physical/emotional response in people?
• Timing is important. Many artists “ahead of their time” reached great success – after they were dead.
Business Cards
• This is probably the single most important tool you can own
• A business card though, no matter how nice is a throwaway
• No matter what size or type of business card you like, you need them
Business Cards (Cont)
• What should be on your business card?• Your name of course• Phone number probably• An email address for
certain if you have one • Maybe a picture of your
art or a title that describes your art?
• What you really need though, is a web site address
Jill JohnsonLeather Artist
123 Silicon Rd., Los Angeles CA 90001(310) [email protected]
www.sparklee.com
Jill JohnsonLeather Artist
123 Silicon Rd., Los Angeles CA 90001(310) [email protected]
www.sparklee.com
This is your billboard. Be creative!
Get those cards made or ordered and get them into your tool belt!
Press Releases
• When should a press release be sent? • It costs nothing to produce and submit a press release
(PR)• Create and submit them often as editors may just be
looking for what you wish to tell them about • Find out who writes about art in your local newspapers
and contact them with the press release you write
Press Releases – An Example
• A Press Release is usually one page
• Keep it simple, direct and to the point and make sure you include all contact information
• Provide a catchy title• Make first paragraph about
the benefits of your offer• Second paragraph should
be about you• Details are best kept to last
paragraph
Brochures and Flyers
• Vitally important to the health of your art career and your ability to get your message across in a visual manner
• This flyer was printed using my little ink-jet printer, PowerPoint and about an hour’s worth of time
• Only a few were needed so why waste money on commercial printing?
Brochures and Flyers (Cont)
• This is a 3-panel design to tell a bit about myself, and direct interested viewers to my web site
• Printing costs have come way down in recent years thanks to digital technology
• There are hundreds of ways to use these products
• They fit a #10 business envelope or can be used as a self-mailer
• Tape the open edge, type up a mailing label and place a first class stamp on it. Voila; traveling salesman!
This panel forstamp and address
Brochure - outside
Brochure - inside
Folds
Postcards
• Postcards may be reasonably produced ($95 per 500) through sources such as http://postcardpress.com
• Give them out or mail them to anyone you think might need one.
• Provide an e-mail address on your card • Postcards are usually 4 ½” x 6 ½” or 6” x 9”.• Postage is a bit less on the smaller size and far
less than first-class postage on a letter. Put your best work on one side and a way to contact you on the other. Visual impact? Instantaneous!
• Postcards are one of the best tools to use to introduce you to new customers and buyers of art. They are an excellent reminder to send to your existing customers as well.
• If you’re an illustrator, postcards are a very effective way to get the attention of art directors and editors.
• Don’t discount seasonal reminders either. • The U.S. Postal Service offers a postcard service through their website
http://usps.com . Click on the Send Cards and Letters feature.
Blogs
• Blog stands for a combination of two words; web and log.
• Blogs began as link-driven sites, • You use blogging much as you would participate in a
news group. • Consider this a networking tool.• Every article written for the blog should also be
published on the web to article directories also, with your link included as a resource box.
Articles
• Articles that you write about yourself and your art can be a goldmine of referrals if the topic is interesting.
• Editors are always looking for articles of interest that cover any variety of items.
• Write an article about yourself and submit it to local publications that may just be looking for a little local color.
• Articles are a form of Public Relations called “public interest articles” which are done every day in the various media markets.
• Many of the articles you see posted on the internet or in magazines are just thinly veiled advertising for the particular product or service a company or person is offering. Why not do the same?
People Want to Hear What You Have to Say!
Friends
• No matter what you produce or where you go, tell your friends and keep them informed.
• This is the best, cheapest and most effective form of advertising and promotion I know of.
• Friends tell friends. • There’s a good chance that if you have a pleasant experience at a
restaurant for instance, you’ll tell 5 friends. • If the experience was bad, you’ll tell 10! • Keep your friends in the loop as they have
friends, too. • You just never know from which direction the
next opportunity will arise. Are you in an art show? Tell your friends.
eZines and Newsletters
• When a person visits your website, you need to be able to capture their e-mail address to begin a relationship with them.
• If you ask them for their e-mail address to stay in contact with them and they agree, it’s called opting-in.
• Sometimes people have to be prompted to opt-in with a promise of something; perhaps an offer of something free or more information only you can provide.
eZines and Newsletters (Cont)
• You have the opportunity to start a relationship with your visitors that will allow you to promote your art to them again and again
• You can create customers who will buy from you, but can become lifetime friends who will in turn tell their friends and others about you
• It just doesn’t get much better than that. • And the beauty of all this is that it is FREE. • It usually takes several visits before a person buys into you. • Did I mention that it was FREE? It really works. • You have the power to create the sort of success as an artist that
others only dream of.
Mailing Lists
• Mailing falls into two categories worth keeping. – Actual street addresses – email addresses
• I suggest caution if you’re considering mailing lists. • Rental lists are not always targeted to the people you need to reach.• Developing a good mailing list is vitally important to your success,
but it is a long-term objective. • The key is to value your list and never screw with them. • Customers or potential customers need to be kept informed often
through effective communication. • This is your target market we're referring to here.
Web SitesWeb Sites
A Brief Word About Web Sites
• When it comes to art web sites you have a choice– Build one yourself– Use a web art gallery service site-building “wizard” to help you build one
• The results are different but the goal is the same– Get your art in front of your potential customer
• Why are the results different?– A personal web site allows you more creative
freedom– A web art gallery service uses pre-existing
formats• Which is better?
– It’s a matter of distinction– Personal web sites are a bit more difficult to build, but usually cheaper– A web art gallery service provides templates to build with and more
instantaneous exposure for your art– Wizards may be used for both– Both methods require you to promote them to work effectively
Web Sites – Background
• When customers browse the Internet, what they are seeking is information.
• Information is the number one product available on the web.– People seek a solution to a need, a desire unfulfilled. – Your goal is to put yourself in the path of these seekers and
offer up your wares. – Seldom, unless your art is actually present such as at an art
gallery or show, will you sell directly to your customers in a personal manner.
• Web sites do not promote themselves
Web Sites – Background (Cont)
• The steps you take to create a web site will happen in this general order with a few exceptions: – Find a web site host– Register your domain name– Build a web site– Submit your site to search engines and index directories– Promote, promote, promote
Find a Web Site Host
• Web hosting services range from free to a few dollars a month. • Be selective; they all offer more or less the same thing • What you’re interested in is how easy it is to use them. • Web site hosting by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is done with space
usually allocated to your e-mail account. – You may have one or several accounts. – Most accounts allow up to 10 Megs of space per account (free), which is usually
enough to post your personal web site and add some pictures. – 10 Megs can rapidly be used up though, demanding that you move your service
to a professional web space provider (not free). • The primary thing that eats up memory space on a web site is images. • Since all of us artists are in the image business, it is vitally important that
you are aware of size limitations (memory) of your service provider. • Web hosting services are plentiful on the internet and prices as well as
space allocation (memory) vary widely. • Shop around!
– Make sure ISPs are reputable and have the services you need such as email addresses, storage space, tools to use, marketing aids, etc.
Find a Web Site Host (Cont)
• There are “soup-to-nuts” services like http://artspan.com or http://absolutearts.com that cater to artists.
• Paid web hosting offers more “bells and whistles” in terms of tools and services. They offer more capacity in terms of memory needs. – http://networksolutions.com or http://simplenet.com are examples of low-
cost full service web site hosts. – They even offer free domain name registry and site builders if you sign up
for one of their plans. – Most web hosts will not offer transaction (payments) or e-commerce
capability with basic plans (these require a 3rd party), but will offer to set up the means to allow you to make those connections if you wish to add things like shopping carts, etc.
• Warning!: Don’t put pop-ups and banners on your site just because the service is lower priced or FREE. The cost difference to get a real site you can customize is very slight, so don’t trash it up with stuff that has nothing to do with you or your art.
Register Your Domain Name– Who Do You Want to Be?
• Registering a name for your site is easy. • What is not so easy is what to call your site.• What you are doing when choosing a name is renting the
use of that name on a yearly basis. • I prefer to use a suffix of .com versus the other sort
which could be .net or .org or .us or others. – The .com suffix is usually easiest to remember as it is the most
common.
• Many web hosting services will provide domain name registry for free or very little cost.
• Some will even offer free domain transfer services if you already own a domain name.
Register Your Domain Name (Cont)
• When registering a domain name don’t include any spaces.
• Hyphens and underlined spaces work, but they are harder to remember.
• Domain names take a couple of days to become active Many commercial sites have numerous domain names that all point to the same web site (URL). – While you don’t necessarily need this when you’re just starting
out, it is worth considering as a promotional tool many have used successfully.
• Your domain name will remain inactive (parked) until you’re ready to put it to work.
Build a Web Site Art Gallery
• A web site art gallery page has these general components:– Index page – Gallery page(s) – Artist Biography page – Artist Statement – E-mail links
• This section will differ with respect to your personal web authoring tools (Dreamweaver, GoLive, etc.), and whether or not you choose to use site-building software (called wizards) offered by your web hosting service.
Things Not to Do
• If you really want to annoy your visitors, put the following features on your website!:
• Loud, annoying or repetitive music
• Excessively long image download times
• Information that is out-of-date• “Flash” animation• Non-standard text link colors
(Blue is a good choice) • Conflicting text / background
color combinations • Frames• Poor or non-existent
navigational aids
• Too many gadgets• Dead-end and/or “orphaned”
pages• Complicated URLs• Too many styles of type fonts• Automatic browser window re-
sizing• Poor or non-existent contact
information• Pop-ups (Not on an art site!)• “Mousetrapping” your visitors
so they can’t leave (involves programming)
• Broken links
Text
• Good clear readable text is important• Since type is an art form itself, it’s very
tempting to show how artistic you are by using an artistic type font.
• Many of those artistic fonts are not very readable, though.
• They work great as a headline, but for body copy in a paragraph, they really suck.
• Add poor color choice such as red text on a green background and you will actually be encouraging viewers to leave as quickly as they can!
• Look at these examples on the right• Which do you think are more readable?
Text (Cont)
• Over-emphasizing too much is a bit like SCREAMING all the time!!!
• Keep the viewer focused on the message and make it easy on the eyes
• Linking is the holy grail of the net• If links don’t work reaction ranges from annoyance to
outrage to utter despair • Your links are the “glue” holding everything together on
your site• Not only must your links be rock solid, but navigational
beacons such as back buttons (also links), or text instructions must be readily apparent and easy to use or you’ll lose your audience
• Make your navigation simple
Publish Your Site
• Getting your site onto the internet is easy through your web host or ISP.
• Every site hosting service will have detailed instructions on how to get your site posted to the internet.
• If you’re using your web host’s site-building software, you’ll be there in no time!
• Getting ranked high is a distinct challenge.• Who doesn’t want to be on the first browser page that
appears?
Search Engines
• Search engines use Robots or Spiders to analyze (crawl) the web in search of new or updated pages to add to their index
• When publishing your site, you will be required to enter a complete URL web address
• When the spider finds your site, it will record all the text it finds on your site, then it will note all the various links you have. This is called indexing
• Submitting your site to the search engines needn’t be a chore
• Do it automatically through services like selfpromotion.com
Getting Traffic to Your Web Site
• How do you excite your readers and compel them to visit your site?
• Promotion is the name of the game. • Unless you’re made of money, you must be creative. • People are generally going to visit your site by these
main avenues:– You told visitors about your site – Someone followed a link to your site – Someone was looking for you or your work – A visitor stumbled into your site by accident – Your site was listed by an index or search engine by a
specific subject
Viral Marketing
• Tell everyone about your website and what you offer • Print business cards and/or postcards and give them out
like candy • Put your URL as part of your signature line on every
e-mail you send. • Add a catch phrase such as “Artwork that bites back!” • Viral marketing is virtually free and very effective. • A good rule of thumb on promotions is not to offer them
too frequently. • Send out your newsletter every quarter or once a month• Offer promotions no more than four times a year.
Friends Tell Friends
Give-away’s
• One very successful promotion I’ve used again and again is to give something away
• Charity functions often run auctions to raise funds• Everybody wins, and you can sometimes take the value
of the donation off your taxes
Testimonials
• Everyone loves a good testimonial, and they lend tremendous credibility to your web site
• A testimonial from a satisfied customer is priceless. Get one. Get many
• Include a link on your site with a form that allows your customers to give you their vote of confidence
• This works for almost any type of product • There’s every reason to believe there are customers for
the types of things you do whether it is a product or service
• Create a new web site that is fun and exciting to go to and people will beat a path to your door
• Can you make your art fun? Interactive?
Associations
• Associations you belong to often need funding • Donate a portion of profits at times for artwork sold to
members in exchange for e-mail lists of members • Often the association will do advanced promotion for you
via e-mails or newsletters to members, knowing they will get a percentage of the return
• Everybody wins on the transaction• Generally you will be among friends who support your
similar interests • If you don’t belong to an association, join one!
Specials
• A special should be just that • It could be just about anything such as a print or a one-
of-a-kind craft hand-signed by you• You normally sell for it $200, but is now offered for $100.
Get the idea?
A Subscriber Or Customer-only Event
• This concept works best with your existing customers• If you send a special e-mail with a link to a separate
page you’ve created for this event, you could do just about anything
• The “special page” could have a percentage off or a coupon for instance
• Make it special and don’t do it often or it cheapens everything
“Exclusive” Offers / Limited Time Coupons
• This type of offer would go out to a select group of your best customers
• Offer something special only to the. • This offer works really well with limited edition artworks
or one-of-a-kind items• You’re an artist – get creative!
Follow-up Offers to Customers After a Sale
• Once a customer has made a purchase, they should be placed in a separate category
• They are much more likely to purchase other offerings you may have in future
Free Drawings
• Offer a piece of art for free to all subscribers• Pick a date far enough out to encourage new visitors to
opt-in, and soon! • Once the drawing occurs, talk about the happiness of the
winner in your next newsletter
Referrals
• Encourage referrals and offer something of value such as a percentage off on every referral confirmed
• Many businesses do this regularly – it works!
Collateral materials
• Any type of printed material you use for marketing and promotional purposes is referred to as collateral
• Mailing labels, brochures, business cards, invoices, and on and on are collateral
• Make certain your URL and important contact information is on all of them
• Your URL is an invitation to come and visit
Voicemail
• Yup, even your voicemail message can carry a quick little message about your URL
• “Sorry I’m not home, but until I call back, you can see what I’m up to at XYZ.com”
• No, I don’t use this method, but some artists do
Promotional Items
• Advertising specialties are inexpensive items like pens, notepads, refrigerator magnets and the like can be used as giveaways at various times
• They should always have your name and URL • I've even cut up pieces of old watercolors I've done and
put my URL on them as giveaways at art shows • People will take them if they're free!
Your Car
• Don't forget to put your URL on your car • Vinyl letters are readily available or can be custom cut at
most vinyl sign and banner shops for just a few dollars • You can become a form of rolling advertisement just like
taxis and buses if you wish
Your Knowledge
• You may be the resident expert in your particular field of knowledge. Offer it up !
• Every tip and trick you offer can relate directly back to your artwork
• Consultation fees are nothing to sneeze at either • You could be asked by others to participate physically or
virtually with others of like interests• Your skills may be in demand in a classroom setting • Many cities have adult education classes where people will
pay to learn what you know • Your web site will then become a learning tool and your
student’s potential customers or promoters of your work
Google AdWords
• Purchasing highly targeted advertising in key areas on the web is another approach you might consider using
• Remember what I said earlier about people searching for information on the web?
• They do so with words, and if your ads have these same words in them, search engines will find them
• Look into this great little service offered by Google • It may be just what you need • They can also track your ad to determine if it is really
effective
Affiliates
• I’m lukewarm when it comes to affiliate programs for art sites
• A person with a product to sell creates a website and then they recruit affiliates to market it for them
• Many affiliate promotion efforts end up being relegated to the category of Spam
• Can you make money with affiliate programs? Yes you can
• Amazon.com offers an example of a successful program for instance. Most of the rest fall far, far short of this
Link Exchanges
• Link exchanging involves you sharing links with websites that have compatible products or services to yours
• A link may be a logo (image) or just a URL (text) placed as a courtesy on each others sites
• If you were a metal sculptor, it may be advantageous to have your link on a site offering foundry services
• If I were a plaster manufacturer for instance, I would want to have my links on sites that use plaster products and vice versa
• Be discerning with linking though• Try and link to reputable art-related sites • Communication is a two-way street • Links can drive customers to you and if enough of them
come, search engines take notice and will improve your overall ranking
Networking
• Become part of a network community where your profile or web page will interact with others in the community
• There are a lot of networking web sites for socializing about niche topics, or business interests
• Choose several networks to join and make sure all of them mention each other
• Networking via social and business networking sites is an excellent way to draw interest in you and your work
Expand Your Media
• Could a short video or audio of you producing your art or talking about it help others get familiar with your work?
• You bet! • These "clips" are very easy to make and most servers
will allow them to be posted on your site • Get a video camera and script a talk or get a friend to
help • If you come across as an amateur or are too goofy, it
could just backfire on you
FAQ's
• Could you answer a few general questions about your art that you keep getting asked over and over?
• For sure! • Offer up some info by responding to frequently asked
questions in the form of a FAQ
eBay
• eBay is often not the best venue for your art, but it does serve a purpose.
• If you want to view eBay as a resource to get your stuff seen and drive people to visit your web site, it might be worth considering using eBay as a “loss-leader”.
• People who cruise eBay are buyers for the most part, so put your offer up for sale of you’re serious, and make sure links back to your web site are prominent
Media
• Well, here’s our friendly diagram again
• This group of boxes represents media
• The tools I’ve been discussing are designed to make use of the media
• Media in this fast paced era are constantly changing but the major categories are represented here
• Let’s take a closer look
• You’re going to be spending a lot of time sending and receiving email.
• Keep your email address simple and easy to remember • Put your email address on everything you produce that
will be seen by others • Don’t send SPAM! • Create files of your art contacts and customers separate
from other contact files • These lists are very valuable to you and you’ll refer to
them often
(Snail) Mail
• Physical mail these days is often referred to as snail-mail; a reference to its slow speed to be sure
• When you start shipping artwork you’ll learn to appreciate the U.S. Postal System
• While I don’t always use them, the USPS is important.• Look into all your options such as UPS and FEDEX • Shop around; shipping is a very competitive industry
eZines
• eZines represent a form of media that is rapidly growing as an accepted means of conveying large amounts of information.
• While eZines are word-centric, there is plenty of room for pictures and graphic treatments
• Write articles about yourself and post them for free with eZine services. Don’t forget your web URL
• If you find ezines that need a bit of creative imagery, approach the author and see if you can collaborate
• This field is underutilized due to its newness
News Groups and Talk Forums
• News groups and talk forums were forged over the internet by groups of people with similar or compatible interests.
• Groups share interests, find out information and vent their likes and dislikes. • Groups with similar interests like to share ideas and information. • Use the opportunity to indirectly bring up your interests and corresponding
web site. • Don’t hard-sell folks who get enough of that already • People will take an interest in you and visit your site. That’s what you want.• Type in news groups or art forums on your browser and see what comes
up by topic. – I have yet to find a topic that wasn’t covered somewhere. – Niche markets are what you look for here.
• Locate art-oriented newsgroups, join the on-line discussion and gently slide in remarks about your art and interests to create interest among others.
– No one wants to be hit with a hard-sell approach in a group commentary format, but there’s lots of room for lively discussion to allow you to bring up topics related to what you do.
• Go. Seek them out. There are far too many to mention here.
Telephones and Cell Phones
• Your telephone and cell phone represent a matter of personal choice as to which number to use when you wish to be contacted.
• Always answer your phone professionally and don’t use those stupid pre-recorded voice-overs and music intros.– All they do is drive people away.
• People either want to talk to you or hear a simple message in response if you’re not available.
• Think about how you react when calling a business. What do you wish to hear?
• People don’t like to get the runaround, they don’t like to wait, and they prefer to get right to the point for the most part.
• If you’re going to be a creative professional, then act like one. ‘Nuff said.
Groups and Associations
• Groups and associations are a mixed bag when it comes to media– They represent the most fluid medium of all – talk.
• Groups and associations support networking and people love to talk.
• Associations represent a unique opportunity to sell art in a focused environment. – Associations have events, communication, newsletters, lunches,
meetings, fund-raisers, the list goes on and on.
• Find out what their focus is and get with the movers and shakers at the top of their ladder and cater to their needs.
• If you give something to a local YMCA fundraiser (another group), they know who gave it to them, and your name is plastered prominently on the program somewhere.
• Everybody wins, especially you. • Give freely of yourself.
The Internet
• The Internet is one of the greatest and most versatile of all mediums in that it can both entertain as well as convey messages written, spoken or visual.
• Everyone wants to swim in this pond but it makes it hard for artists to get noticed.
• That’s one of the reasons I wrote this course. • If you decide to cast your art into these waters, you’d
better have some bait. • That’s called promotion, and you’re going to
get very good at it if you wish to succeed.
Other New Media
• This box represents the dramatic changes that occur as new forms of media become available to you.
• What will they be? Video? Audio?• It’s anyone’s guess. • Remember cassette tapes…? • Stay informed about all forms of communication media.• An artist can’t afford be an island
Web Site
• The web site as medium is about as versatile as the net.
• Show your work, write about yourself, provide information to read, and even supply video files of you at work.
• What do you want to show? It’s up to you.
• This is your stage, your show.
• Sometimes adding features like videos or content related to what you do is a “capture” method of holding your viewer’s attention.
• A web site is a tool to direct other people to go see.
• What you put there is up to you, but if you go to the trouble to direct them there give them something for their time.
Flyers
• Flyers represent a medium you can produce yourself on very short notice using your computer and simple programs like Word or PowerPoint as I illustrated earlier.
• You’ll produce many kinds of flyers over the years in both black and white and color.
• Produce only what you need for a show or event, and don’t rack up huge printing expenses on items you’ll only end up throwing away.
• They’re cheaper than postcards if you’re not mailing them, and if you do need to drop a few in the mail, they can be folded and sent without an envelope in most cases.
The Marketplace
• The Marketplace is our third and final block of components we need to discuss.
• It isn’t enough to produce art; you must package it up and bring it to one of the many types of markets available to you.
• There are many choices, many opportunities.
The Marketplace (Cont)
• This diagram is an actual depiction of what choices are available when I produce a painting.
• Look at the options available to you.
• You can sell a piece of art one time for a certain price.
• Or, you may decide to make limited edition prints of your art and sell them for a slightly different price.
• This price will of course be multiplied by how many you actually sell, less production costs.
Decisions, Decisions
• You’re going to be exposed to many choices as your art career progresses.
• What do you want to do? • Do you want to sell your art many different ways, or sell
many paintings one way? • It’s an interesting consideration as you will see.
Art Galleries
• Art galleries are what the public is most familiar with. • Art galleries are a boost for your ego, and represent a very substantial part of the
marketplace. • They are not the primary market you should be focused upon. • For every one gallery you get into, there are 50 other opportunities to sell art.• When approaching galleries, you should always supply these items:
– A cover letter– A business card– Your artist’s statement– A resume– Your bio– Samples or image files
• Don’t just send this information out arbitrarily. • Do your homework and see if the galleries you’re interested in even cater to the type
of artwork you produce. • Promotional packages cost money, so don’t waste your tools or time. • This is more difficult if the galleries are distant, but even so, the internet can often
provide insight into the type of art these galleries show, as they often promote shows over the internet.
• Roll your sleeves up and do some (virtual) legwork.
eGalleries
• No one said your images need to reside in only one place on the internet.
• Many outstanding galleries catering to specific and general markets exist on the net.
• Art.com is one of these for instance. • These are huge art purveyors who categorize art and artists and
have very impressive art galleries which viewers may navigate through.
• I am lukewarm on these large “group” galleries in general because it is easy to get ‘lost in the shuffle”.
• If you choose to participate on these sites you must put forth just as much promotional effort as you would have to for your own site.
eGalleries (Cont)
• Additional exposure to promotion can work in these galleries, and there are fees you usually have to pay for each “upgrade” to the next level of service.
• Unless you’re promoting your own interests or offer something radically appealing, it’s going to be difficult to draw a distinctive difference between your creative talents and anyone else’s.
• The key benefit is additional exposure. Nothing’s wrong with that.• They can provide a “home” for your art; a place to send your
interested potential customers. • Try them. There’s no reason your art can’t exist in more than one
place.
Niche Markets
• Niche markets are filled with highly focused buyers who are interested specifically in what you do. Examples of these are niche markets cater to:
– Airplanes– Pets– Locomotives– Religious art– series art– cartoons– reproductions– western art– giftware– and on and on.
• These markets often have association events and shows of every description.
• Also check out specialty publications like the Artist’s and Graphic Designer’s Market that come out every year for sources of niche markets.
Business Art
• 80% of all businesses are small business owners. • They like and appreciate art, too. • Many businesses such as restaurants, hotels, banks and offices have wall
space available and free for the asking when it comes to art. • If you choose to show your art in this manner, make a professional
presentation to the decision makers in charge and make yourself shine. • A portfolio of your work is a good idea for your presentation, but I’ve seen
artists achieve success by leaving a CD or flyer of their work• Business people are busy and if you can portray yourself as professional on
a CD, so much the better. • I recommend a verbal intro, a business card and a flyer to accompany the
CD as well. – Follow up your presentation in about 3 days
• All artwork should be of the highest possible quality and your name and email or web site address should be easy to find.
• Put a price on your art if you wish and rotate the images regularly.
The Public
• The public is essentially the whole market you will cater to.
• They are an integral part of the marketplace, because they look at art, buy art or know people who do.
• Never discount the public, they may not always have good taste, but they know what they like and don’t like.
• Find a need and fill it and they’ll beat a path to your door.
Collectors
• If you get a serious collector interested in your work, you can often have your art pre-sold before you ever produce it.
• There is no tried and true method for finding these collectors except to expose your art as much as possible.
• Go where the money is.• Many collectors populate niche markets. • Cater to your collectors and always give them more than
they asked for. • You won’t regret it.
Wholesale
• Some artists actually create art for other artists or other markets.
• The greeting card market is an example of one of these opportunities.
• Not all of Hallmark’s artists have their own line of art. • The print market or housewares industry may be
considered wholesale markets as brokers and other middlemen purchase images on a wholesale basis and those in turn are used to apply to other printed items or products.
• Once again, Artist’s and Graphic Designer’s Market is a good source of contacts to seek out.
eBay
• What can be said about eBay? • The products are generally on the lower end of the pricing scale, but
the market can be ravenous. • Prints seem to do better than originals on eBay and that’s probably
due to the bargain hunters who dictate the market prices. • One of the best ways to use eBay though, is to offer inexpensive
images as “teasers”. • Link the image and related information to your web site to entice
people to visit so that you can sell them something of greater value. • eBay is an opportunity driver rather than a place where serious
artists can sell their art. • Give it a shot. What have you got to lose?
Network
• Any network opportunity is open-ended. • You just never know where communication will go or
what may happen as a result of having made a connection with someone.
• There are too many network opportunities to mention here, but the ones that come to mind are – YouTube– Facebook– MySpace – Linked-in
• Be cautious, but keep an open mind.
Architectural Art
• People love their homes and will pay to have you embellish them.
• Architectural art ranges from sandblasted or hand-fired/painted tiles for floor and walls, to trim around the doorway.
• Wall décor and ceilings can be painted, embellished or have things applied to them like tapestries.
• Murals are still hugely popular, wood carving is still appreciated and virtually any building material can be improved with the touch of an artist.
• This art is hugely visible and creates the best advertising possible – word of mouth.
Agents and Art Reps
• Art agents who can represent artists operate for a fee and usually work on your behalf for promotion purposes.
• Artists and Graphic Designers Market has a listing of various types of agents who represent different types of markets, and thus different types of artists.
• Agents and reps might specialize in the décor markets, sports art or architectural markets for instance. All niche markets.
• I get a regular newsletter from http://sylviawhite.com • Go to her site, and if you're interested you can contact her. • Reps can be expensive, but if you're serious, be discerning and
check them out. http://artmarketing.com can be a source for this kind of talent as well.
Festivals and Shows
• Have you thought about local or regional festivals? • Festivals based upon some theme or other are a first rate
opportunity to not only sell art, but meet your buying public on a personal basis.
• It is also an opportunity to promote your web site.• You'll be meeting and talking to your customers face-to-face. It's a
great way to gauge the popularity of your art on an instantaneous basis.
• One of the tips I learned for instance was to collect visitor email addresses by giving something away at every show (like a small piece of art), via a raffle.
• Customers will visit a web site if they like your stuff. • If you’re interested in pursuing this venue, go to
http://FestivalNet.com for the best information on schedules of events, links to supply sources and much, much more.
Public Works
• Public works projects are usually created by Federal, State or city/county governments.
• There is usually lots of red tape and much time waiting for decisions to be made, but there are lucrative contracts to be had even in tight economic times.
• These projects are often found in or outside large buildings, libraries, civic centers, parks, airports and at public transit stations.
• Some can be done alone, and other projects require a team. • Whatever the project, the end result is usually in place for a long
time• Check with your local city planning office for pending projects with
art involved.
How-To
• Showing how you produce your art, documenting it and eventually turning it into a video or article or book are great promotion for your work.
• Potential customers want to get connected to your art by seeing what you do and hearing how you talk about it.
• Any promotional piece you produce as a result of this should connect your audience to you via a web site address or e-mail.
• There’s real gold in how-to demonstrations and knowledge-sharing.• If you’re going to demonstrate, make certain you have a good
supply of promotional info about yourself so that people can take it with them.
Special Events
• Artists are often a draw for the public and there are many opportunities. • If you cannot find events in your area, create your own event.
– One of the more successful ways in which an event can occur is when you or a number of artists get together to show your artwork in a domestic setting such as at a house.
– Work closely with the owner to ensure artwork is hung properly (easels are often used in addition to wall space), and invitees are offered refreshments like wine and cheese.
• You’re creating a relaxed atmosphere to browse in and be sociable at the same time.
• It is an environment which you can control.• Careful planning and a large guest list of potential art buyers and art lovers will
often yield surprising results. • It’s a great way to meet the public in a very personal way. • Split the costs with other artists and offer the homeowner some art and
everybody wins.• I’ve even attended customer appreciation events at businesses which have
similar capability to generate sales. – Banks, and financial institutions for instance are good prospects for these types of
events.
Demonstrations
• How you produce what you do is a very marketable item. • People love to see actual live demonstrations, but will settle for even
a video if the process is interesting. • By showing the effort necessary to produce your art, you raise
perceived value. • You also personalize and glamorize it and can even leave a little bit
of mystery by not revealing everything.• When others buy your art because of their knowledge of the process
it takes to produce it, they become part of your “club”. • Everyone likes to feel like they’re an insider, and your customer will
help promote you in kind to their friends and family as a bit of a connoisseur if they’ve made a creative connection with you.
• Put a short video together and put it on You-Tube or your web site. Voila! You’re on stage!
Search Engine and Index Rankings
• The difference between search engines and indexes is that a search engine is a collection of web pages.
• Indexes such as Yahoo are a database of web sites, and thus can be a potentially better source of references to your site.
• You can improve your ranking on search engines and indexes like Google and Yahoo by using keywords within your website.
• This is truly the goal of every web business, so the competition is fierce. • Good key words will not guarantee a spot, but bad keywords can make you
invisible.• If most shoppers have to go more than a couple of pages into a search
engine like Google, they lose interest. • Bye-bye customer. • Wouldn’t you prefer to be a bit higher up on the search list? Who wouldn’t? • You counter this by creating key words to help search engines find your
site.
Good Keywords
• Keywords are an important means for search engines to seek you out. • Develop a 20 to 30 word synopsis that accurately describes your web site. • Every word is important. • This is often referred to as an “elevator speech”. • If you met the most important client on an elevator, what would you say in
30 seconds or less about your art? • Keep it short, but appealing to your reader, and keep it handy so that you
can copy it into all submissions you’re applying for. • Then develop a 10 word summary you can also use to instantly sum up
what you are all about. • This 10 word summary can be used for metatags for your site. • Metatags are HTML tags used to control your site description in the search
engines that support them such as Google, Yahoo, MSN Search, AOL Search, AltaVista, AllTheWeb (FAST), HotBot, Lycos, Infoseek (Go), Excite, and WebCrawler.
• A great little free service to help you develop effective metatags is at: http://websitesubmit.hypermart.net/metatags.htm
The Art of Getting Attention
• Promotion can take up as much time as creating the art you wish to promote.
• You will get proportionally what you put into it. • Consider these issues:
– Make sure you’re selling the right product. – Look for niche markets – Your site should be in good working order and look professional– Optimize your site for the search engines through keyword submission,
meta-tags and a good 10 word summary that describes your site– Submit regularly to all search engines and major/minor directory indexes – Don't rule out pay-per-click options – Spend time studying and learning more about web promotion and
marketing – Manage your own site– Have good quality content – Target your traffic– Create an opt-in list (eZine)– A solid marketing strategy– Make it easy to pay
The Art of Getting Attention (Cont)
• Just like politics, most art is local. • Your best opportunity to show your work is local galleries, art shows and
businesses • Your best opportunity to talk to people directly about your work is the local
area in a 20 mile radius from where you live. • Everyone you talk to and every piece of printed or electronic communication
you produce should direct your audience to your web site – You’re the “field rep” and your site as the showroom you need to get people into.
• Once your virtual gallery, is open for business, you can direct potential customers there at any hour of the day.
• Every time you meet someone, hand them a business card and mention the website address.
– Be diligent about this and curiosity will bring you interested viewers from around the world.
• Any organization or group of people you belong to or associate with is a potential source of interested viewers.
The Art of Getting Attention (Cont)
• Every opportunity provides another opportunity to “piggy-back” upon when promoting yourself.
• Are you participating in an art show? – Have a stack of business cards available. – Note your art show participation on your web site and where your actual
work may be seen and when. – Produce postcards to send out – Hand out business cards with art on one side and every conceivable
way of contact on the other side.
• As lines of communication open for you, opportunity is channeled directly back to you through your web site via means you probably never dreamed of and through people you may never meet.
• It’s called “viral” marketing” – A means to get people talking to other people about you and your work.– Opportunity will rarely come unannounced; you must go out to meet it.
Publicity
• Any good newsworthy story or event can generate publicity and thus support your promotional efforts.
• Following is a list of some of the things that can generate publicity. • When incorporated into a story or press release these can inspire an article that might end up in the
newspaper, on TV or the radio.– Paint a public mural– Win an award– Donate some art to a worthy cause– Teach a class or workshop about your art– Have a wedding– Get a divorce– Write a book– Take an exotic trip– Get a grant or fellowship– Have a very public birthday– Donate your time– Start a business– Perform in a play– Live in a strange house– Build an unusual house– Start an art colony
Publicity (Cont)
• Publicity list (Cont)– Fight city hall for a good cause– Make music– Create or work with food– Start an art exhibit– Be in an art exhibit– Do something with sports teams– Align an activity with a school – Become part of an Association– Win money– Lose money– Promote your pet and go along for the ride– Be a hero– Do something for a famous person
• Any significant event could become news and you’re the star.
• If you can’t write, have someone write about you.
• If the event is really newsworthy don’t hesitate to call the press and welcome them with your sparkling creativity.
• Everyone loves to be entertained
Your Target Market
• Your target market is the collection of people, groups, and businesses or you must focus on to sell to
• You are selling a commodity. • The creative art that you produce makes the world a
better place. • People just don’t realize they need artwork in their lives. • It’s up to you to tell them how important your creative art
is to making their lives better. • Not everyone you appeal to will listen but the law of
averages is such that you will eventually get a yes, despite a steady stream of no’s.
Are You Selling the Right Product?
• Define your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) using niche markets• Is there something special about your art?
– Does it solve a problem, satisfy a need or fill some (until now), undefined want? – What is it about your art that makes it or you different? – Do to create pictures of dogs? – Pictures of dogs that protect people? – Police dogs? – German shepherd police dogs?
• Do you see how I am “drilling down” to the niche market buried in the broader topic of dogs?
– There are hundreds of artists doing artwork of dogs. – This is your competition.
• What makes you special? – Do you do sculpture? – Bronze or plaster? – Funny, miniature, puppies or playful puppies?
• Each time you narrow your topic or style of art down to its essence, you move your art closer to the specific buyers looking for that type of art.
• This is what will allow you to define an image or a statement or a look that represents your USP.
• Once your USP is firmly defined, you have a theme to build your promotion around. – If you do dogs, ignore the customer looking for landscapes.
• State your USP and let this be your theme, your brand, your passion, your uniqueness.
Target Your Traffic – Focus / Plan
• You must focus only on the people who are interested in what you have to offer.
• Strong houses are built upon solid foundations. • You can't just put up a web site or try one show or
publicity channel and walk away. • Write down a solid plan you can follow based upon a set
length of time.• Determine a budget you can live with. • Marketing is progressive and done over time as tools
"piggyback" upon each other for best effect. • Ultimately you should draw out a plan which will step you
month-by-month through a year.
Branding
• Branding is not only a label, it is a tool itself. • You can say, “Best Western Artist in America” but so what?
– Compared to whom?
– Who cares?
• On the other hand, you could say, “My Brand is Burned on Every Piece of Art.” See what I mean?
• That brand may not be sexy, but it sets you apart from the herd. • Brands talk directly to the customers’ interests. • It is something which sets you up as different from the norm. • You are your brand• Do you know what a brand is, and why you need one?
Branding (Cont)
• A brand is actually not just an image. • Most of us are familiar with the Nike swoosh, or the Taco "Bell", branding • A brand can help sell your art.• To create an effective brand, you must first define the type of customer you have,
refine a brand as to as simple an item as possible and then promote it. • There are 3 things you should do first:
– Define your key core competency or best thing you offer– Create a key phrase built around the core competency– Draft a symbol or logo to reinforce the message
• Sometimes a symbol or visual identity in conjunction with a branding statement can be very effective, but it isn't always necessary.
• Take some time, sit down and really apply yourself to defining your key statement based upon your single best thing that you do.
• A key phrase should be short and very concise.– Don't ever use ambiguous statements like "The Low Priced Leader" for instance. – Of what? – For whom? – Compared to whom? – Do you see the problem?
Branding (Cont)
• If you feel the need for a logo or symbol to reinforce the key statement, create adapt one.
• The UPS label isn't fancy at all, but through simplicity and repeated use, it is easily recognizable.
• Norman Rockwell used his signature. Could you do the same?• Put your brand on everything you create as communications media. • On e-mails, use your statement below your signature line. • On postcards or flyers, place the statement prominently.
– Don't forget the web site and of course your business cards. • Through repeated use, you will forge an identity based upon your defining statement.
You will become "one" with the brand. You know when this is achieved by the fact that people know instantly who you are when your symbol is displayed.
• Since recognition is so very important to art and artists, you know the importance of this branding element.
• A well-balanced mix of on-line use such as web sites, off-line uses such as business cards, flyers and postcards and print advertising will keep your brand message in front of your potential market often enough to solidify your position.
• So, brand yourself and become "one" with your brand! • It’s simple, cheap and effective and you have everything to gain.• Find our why customers buy your art and put that reason in as part of your brand.
Summary
• Using promotional tools within media channels will provide market exposure for you
• The greater your market exposure the more opportunities you will have to sell art
• I did. I still do.
Some Steps to Take
So, what do you do? Follow these steps:
1. Put a portfolio together to the best of your abilities featuring your samples, artists statement, bio and contact information.
2. Fill your toolbelt with the business tools I’ve written about and suggested you use.
3. Write some articles about you and your art and begin populating the social networking web sites.
4. Investigate the various associations and groups in your area to see what they do.
5. Approach galleries locally and in an ever expanding geographic area around you.
6. Write Press Releases and send them to publications every time you do anything significant.
7. Spread your talents out to generate publicity with everyone you meet. Give them a business card or brochure and mention your art and/or your web site.
8. Promote what you do every chance you get by any means available. Opportunity may be elusive but it comes first to those who rise up to meet it!
After Word
• I'll be happy when... • We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married,
have a baby, then another. • Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be
more content when they are. • After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. • We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. • We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse
gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation or when we retire.
• The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when?
• Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way.
After Word (Cont)
• So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with... and remember that time waits for no one.
• So, stop waiting :
…until your car or home is paid off, or until you get a new car or home, oruntil your kids leave the house, or
until you go back to school, or until you finish school, or until you lose 10 lbs., or until you gain 10 lbs., or until you get married, or until you get a divorce, or until you have kids, or until you retire, or until Summer, or until Spring, or until Winter, or until Fall, or until you die.
After Word (Cont)
• There is no better time than right now to be happy. • Happiness is a journey, not a destination. • So work like you don't need money, love like you've
never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching.• What are you waiting for?• Put a smile on your face and get out there and start
getting noticed. • It's the first day of your new art career!
Thankyou!
Did you learn something from this course? Excellent!
My artwork may be viewed at http://dimensionalcanvas.com
C’mon over and take a look, and while you’re there, sign up for my newsletter or blog.
You may contact me at: [email protected]
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