Entries Tagged 'Marketing' ↓

Chris gave me this login so long ago and I haven’t got round to writing a blog post because I’ve been busy, so I’m going to put that right now.

Sometimes it seems that you just can’t find the time to do all the promotion that your artwork deserves.  Sometimes you’re too busy working on the artwork itself, often it’s the demands of your day job, family or friends.

As part of my online activities I run my own blog about promoting artwork, a discussion forum about art, music & writing, and of course my own web galleries (and galleries for various friends on the same site).

Sometimes the promotion seems to use up all the time I need to actually make artwork!

So one of the best promotion tools I have—one which doesn’t take much time and doesn’t even feel like work— is adding meaningful and constructive comments to other art blogs (and non-art blogs too).

Not “Nice post.  By the way, check out my art!!”, but a well-thought-out response to the blog post you’re commenting on.  Don’t even think of it as promotion - it’s just social interaction.

Every blogger (myself included) will always check out the link of every person who comments intelligently on their blog posts.  You don’t need to draw attention to it, or even mention that you’re an artist - just respond to blog posts that you find interesting.

Many blog readers will also check out the links of commenters on blogs if the comment is well written and relevant.

What you can’t do is speed-up the process: no pre-written comments that you can cut and paste into multiple blogs (that’s just spam), no hastily typed-out thoughtless comments in order to reach your self-allotted target of comments.

Social interaction—conversation—is the best form of marketing. And the less you think of it as marketing, the better.

Paul.

Disclaimer: There are exceptions to most rules.

1. We make money by selling something. This something might be a product, it might be a service, or it may only be an idea. Replace selling with exchanging energy.

2. We make money by exchanging energy. If you sell a natural resource, something that you did not have to expend energy to create, you still expend energy collecting and distributing that resource. If you sell a product, you use resources and expend energy to create and distribute that product. If you sell a service, you are selling your energy. Even if you write an ebook on your computer and sell that online, you have expended energy. Ebooks are information products and the resources used to build it are ideas and knowledge.

3. To simplify things, you make money either by selling a product or selling a service. Think in these terms and apply it to what you know.

Here is an example of how a friend of mine will be able to switch from selling products in a store to selling online. She currently runs a small store where she sells beads and other jewelry-making products along with some cool clothes, cards, incense, and other similar items. She wants to work from home and move her store online. Should she just sell the same products through an online store or is there a better way? The problem is one of competition. There is relatively little competition in the small town where her store is located, plus it is a college town which increases the percentage of potential customers (college kids tend to like these kinds of stores). Going online, she suddenly is competing with thousands of other online stores selling similar items. How does she stand out or compete?

One of the best things she can do is shift to a main product line that has less competition. In her case, her skill and knowledge lies in creating jewelry. She can put together kits from the resources she already has and include instructions in both written and video formats. She is shifting from selling simple resources (the beads, wire, tools, etc.) to selling a product in which she has added considerable value by using her skill and knowledge. If she then leverages all the ways to connect with customers through online social networking, she can compete against the huge online stores that sell hundreds of varieties of beads and other jewelry-making resources.

This article is not meant to be an exhaustive treatise on how to make money, rather it is meant to show how simple the basic ideas really are and how you can apply them to your own situation. Can you take some less expensive resources, add your own energy, skill, and knowledge, and create a product that will sell for more money?

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
YourArtMarketing.com
CreativeTribe.TV

There is an article on doshdosh.com called “Social Media Networking and ROI: How to Maximize Value and Minimize Cost“. For those of us who want to sell our work online, it is important to understand how the online world works these days. In the last couple of years and especially in the last few months, social media networking has become a valuable tool to help us connect with people and sell our work. But online social networking is much more than just a tool to sell more art. Think of offline social networking and how that works. When you go to an event where you know other artists and gallery owners are going to be present, do you come barging into the room and start handing out your business cards and telling everyone what you have for sale? Of course not. You know that it is about building relationships.

Read this article and help yourself reach a better understanding of what the online world is really like and how you should be involved.

.

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com
www.CreativeTribe.TV

I’m hitting the road! Sara and I are buying a 33-foot Southwind motor home and will be living on the road full-time. Granted, we’ll be spending a lot of time at different places, but we’ll be living a mobile lifestyle. I hope to have internet access most of the time, but I won’t be able to rely on that, especially when we are enroute from one place to the next.

What that means for this website is that I cannot count on my ability to post 2 to 3 times per week. I have also faced the fact that I am put a lot of time and energy into this site and receive very little monetary reward. I need to focus my talents and energy towards efforts that will help me pay the bills.

I am not abandoning you, however. I will continue to write articles and be active in the forum. And I have two ideas that I want to run past you.

One, I want to reorganize and redesign this website so it is easier to find and use past articles. There is a lot of good information in this blog, but it is not very easy to find. My thought is to create a library of articles that is organized and easy to use.

Two (and this is the big one), I want to turn this site into a community blog. This means that any of you can have an account on the site as an author and then write whatever or whenever you want. Of course, we’ll keep it within the realm of art marketing, but that is a pretty broad umbrella. For example, you could sign up and create your own post about you and your art, similar to what I’ve been doing with the Feature Friday. You could also write about anything to do with your own art marketing, online or off. There are several blogs that work this way, including ReveNews.com.

Please let me know what you think of all of this and especially if you think you would ever be interested in joining this site as a community blogger.

.

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com

[Comments]

I have really been putting a lot of thought into this whole idea of making a living as an artist and although I do intend to continue with “How to Sell My Art Online”, I wanted to take a step back and look at the big picture of making a living as an artist.

First, I came up with a very general list of tasks to complete:

1. Determine your USP and identity (similar to brand and image, but more real).
2. List all the possible products you could sell.
3. List all the possible services you could sell.
4. List all the possible ways you could sell your art.
5. Advertise (spread the word).
6. Network (build relationships).
7. Build your online presence.
8. Change your lifestyle (possibly).

.

Now let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. Determine your USP and identity (similar to brand and image, but more real).

This one we have talked about in detail already (see last week’s post). Also, think about how you may be seen through the eyes of your customer and how you can help them cultivate the image you really want.

.

2. List all the possible products you could sell.

Some products that come to mind are original paintings (various sizes), prints, cards, tiles, coffee mugs… you know, anything you can get your image on. Maybe you could sell tattoo designs (be creative here). Some other products might include your own series of art instruction books, books of your art accompanied by stories, a story book accompanied by your art, and so on. How about digital products? You could sell CDs and DVDs of your art, ebooks, downloadable prints, online guides, and more. Just make a huge list of every possibility you can think of. Remember the rules of brainstorming, don’t filter anything at this stage or think of why you can’t do something, list all possibilities.

.

3. List all the possible services you could sell.

Again, follow the rules of brainstorming. You can do commissions, give classes (online and offline), give workshops, lead tours, write books and guides…. and many other ideas I haven’t listed here. Please, add more ideas in the comments below.

.

4. List all the possible ways you could sell your art.

What are the ways that you have used to sell your art? Galleries, shows, competitions, your website, online stores, art fairs and other similar venues, on the street, directly to people you know, opening up your studio one day a month, farmer’s markets, to businesses, through magazines… again, please add ideas to the comments!

.

5. Advertise (spread the word).

There are many ways to advertise. Magazines, newspapers, other print media, billboards (gutsy, I know), word-of-mouth, signs up on bulletin boards, and many online methods such as forums, Craigslist, and even Adwords. Can you think of more?

.

6. Network (build relationships).

As with any selling, your relationships are vital. These might be relationships with gallery owners, previous customers, potential customers, local businesses… your business relationships are vital and can help you in ways that don’t reveal themselves until much further down the road. Always be willing to go the extra mile to establish a relationship. Even if that relationship never helps you sell or make money, the karmic goodness you receive is always worth it.

.

7. Build your online presence.

This is what this website and series is all about, helping you learn how to sell your art online. Plan this out before just diving in and trying everything. Do you want one main presence (your website) or do you want to spread your presence through several avenues (online stores, Facebook, forums, etc.). If you spread your presence, do you always send people back to your website or do you want to sell from each of these avenues.

What is the purpose of each piece of your online presence. Is it to communicate? Establish deeper relationships? Sell specific works? Learn and explore? Create possible joint ventures? Keep people coming back? How does each piece fit into the whole plan?

.

8. Change your lifestyle (possibly).

This is one area where a lot of people do not want to compromise, but it could make a huge difference. This is especially important if you are considering a switch from a full-time job to a full-time artist. How cheaply can you live? Think of each chunk of your life. How small of a dwelling can you live in? Can you move to a small rental space somewhere and cut your housing bill in half? What extras can you live without? How about moving to another country where your dollar can go much further? There are many creative ways to cut back on your living expenses, some of which are less radical than others. Brainstorm!

.

That is a very brief look at the big picture of making a living as an artist. Many of you have been through this process, maybe more than once. But it always helps to take a step back now and then and think about the big picture.

If you think this article was useful, I would be giddy with delight if you donated $1 to help support OnlineArtsMarketing.com..



. If you come here often, please consider an eensy weensy $3/month subscription. Think of it as buying a friend forever!

. .
Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com

[Comments]

It is easy to think of selling online as totally different than selling offline (as in a store or gallery). The truth is, there are more similarities than differences. You can definitely do far more online than you can offline, but you have to begin with the offline mentality.

Start by planning a brand new gallery that you are going to open, the Gallery of You. This will be a gallery that you open on your favorite street in your favorite town, only it will hold only your art and it will be designed by your own specifications. (This planning/dreaming is actually a lot of fun, in addition to being practical.) What would you do to get customers to your gallery? How would you treat them once they came? Here are some ideas that come to mind:

• Create your USP. Here are some previous articles to help get you going:
  • What is a USP
  • How to Determine Your USP - Lesson 1: What is Is and Why You Need It
  • How to Determine Your USP - Lesson 2: Write Your USP
  • How to Determine Your USP - Lesson 3: Ten Ideas for Generating Your USP
  • How to Determine Your USP - Lesson 4: Ten More Ideas for Generating Your USP
• Advertise locally - get your name/brand/image out there in front of people.
• Make it easy to buy from you.
• Collect the names and addresses of EVERYONE that comes into your gallery.
• Communicate often and personally with every one.
• Network like crazy.

This is just a short list to get you started, the real benefit of this exercise comes when YOU do it. This is YOUR gallery, the Gallery of You. You can run it anyway you want! What will you do to create your own true fans?

[Comments]

.

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com

.

[How to Start Selling My Art Online]

.

Many artists find it difficult to think like a salesperson. Most of us have a less than flattering image of salespeople. Words that often come to mind are ’sleazy’, ‘pushy’, and ‘dishonest’. Please, change that image so you can take on the mindset of a salesperson. Replace those words with phrases such as ‘problem solver’, ’solution provider’, and ‘helping hand’. Real salespeople, successful salespeople, have that image in their minds.

Well… how do I start thinking like a salesperson? I start by thinking like my customer. Do not think about their needs, think about their wants. Customers don’t need another mom. They don’t want someone trying to fill their needs. They want someone who cares about what they WANT and is willing to provide that for them. How do I know what they want? I ask them! Ask your customers why they wanted your art enough to buy it. Most people will be flattered that you care that much about their opinion.

Here are some concerns your customer might have:

• How do I want the artist to act towards me?
• What else would I like from this transaction?
• What sort of follow up would I appreciate?

Let’s tackle these one by one. First, How do I want the artist to act towards me? Personally, I want artists to be friendly and easy going, ready to answer questions, and willing to go the extra mile. I like them to be a little chatty, but definitely not too much. I like to hear something interesting about a piece of art, but not have them go on and on.

Second, What else would I like from this transaction? I wouldn’t expect anything more than just what I was buying, but if something else was thrown in for free I would be delighted. We recently bought a piece of art and it came with papers that gave extra information about the piece along with some refrigerator magnets. It did not require much work, but we sure were impressed. Always give the customer more than they expect. Small items like refrigerator magnets, cards, postcards, or anything else you can think of are not only appreciated, but will make you stand out in the customer’s mind and make them much more likely to buy from you again. As one example, you could include three postcards with a color image of what the customer bought. Pre-stamp the postcards and ask the customer to mail them out to three friends. What a great way to spread the word without being too pushy. Plus, you are feeding into the vanity of the customer. I would love to brag about the new piece of art I bought and if it is as easy as writing somebody’s address and slipping it into the mail, you can bet I’ll do it.

Third, What sort of follow up would I appreciate? About a month after the sale, send your customer another little something. I would love to receive a blank card and envelope with the image that I bought on it. Don’t ask me to give the card to someone, just know that I probably will. After that, send me something about once a quarter. Monthly is a little too often for regular follow up, but every three months is just about right. After three months I will probably have forgotten about the transaction and then all of a sudden there is something in the mail that just brightens my day. Make sure to give me some special deal every time and make it easy for me to buy again from you. If you use a service like E-Junkie for selling online (which I do!), you can include special discount codes that you only give to certain people. It’s a great way to reward your customers.

Lastly, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS add every customer to your mailing list. This is so important and most people do not even bother. Your best potential customers are your previous customers. They are the ones that cared enough to buy in the first place and you have a golden opportunity to stay in contact with them and build your relationship. Please, do not let this opportunity pass you by. If you do, you might as well just start throwing money out the window or use some to light a fire. Your customers WANT you to stay in touch with them. Don’t let them down!

.

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com

.

The Art of Writing a Winning Headline

Who do you want to read your blog? Your friends? Other artists? Potential customers?

How you write your headline is determined by for whom you are consciously or subconsciously writing your entire post. It will also help determine who reads your post. I specifically chose the title of this blog because I want it to show up on the search engines when someone looks for the phrase “how to start selling my art online”. Do you want to reach the customer who is looking for a painting of the Southwest desert done with oils? Then be sure to write a title that contains those key words, perhaps “Saguaros at Sunset: Oil Painting of the American Southwest”. With this title you will also attract those people who are looking for “saguaro” and “sunset” in addition to “oil”, “painting”, “American” and “Southwest” and any combination of those.

.

How to Start Selling My Art Online

I do not want to disappoint the reader who came here looking for more than just how to write a great headline. I am in the planning phases of a writing a new book. Can you guess what the title of that book is going to be?

I am asking for your help. What kinds of stuff did you wish you knew when you first started selling online? If you are not selling online, yet, what would the most helpful to you?

.

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com

This post is a result of a conversation that I had with a good friend of mine that lives in Arivaca, AZ. We have been discussing how to market her art for several months and have had some great conversations. I wish I had recorded all of them!

You know, at some point I’ll figure this whole art marketing thing out! I would like to be able to give people a general formula and say, “Here, do this. If you do these things for this long and stick with it, in one year you will make enough money to make it worthwhile.”

I HAVE heard from some artists that their blog and other online promotion has paid off and they sometimes make a few hundred dollars from it. But if you want that to happen, you have to have put the time in online creating and building your community.

I think a general blog will have a tougher time selling than a specialized blog. Okay, artist blogs are specialized, but not when compared to all the other artist blogs out there… and there are TONS of them!

Think in terms of what kind of blog and blog content would really grab people and make them want to come back week after week. I think anything “story” related, if the story is told well, would accomplish that. One idea is to have a blog that is place and story related. For instance, writing a weekly post about things that are going on in and around Arivaca. A lot of people would be fascinated by what goes on in a place that is so remote and wild. With elements of Border Patrol, illegal activities, beautiful scenery, a strong community… there is so much to write about. Combine that with pictures using your cool new camera and then get the word out that your blog exists. People will come back week after week for the story and because you make it personal and use the first person perspective, a certain number of people will want to buy your art because they have connected with you and know your story.

What I would like to do is open this up for discussion. What are YOUR thoughts about how to build a blog that helps you sell your work?

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com

How to Make Money from Your Blog

My head is literally spinning from all of the new information I have been learning in the last couple of weeks. I’ve been delving into the world of affiliate marketing and trying to get a grasp on the whole thing. You see, in the world of making money online, affiliate marketing is huge. All it really consists of is selling other people’s stuff, but when you put that model online you can do all sorts of new things with it. I mention this because some of what I’ve learned in this process can be used to help you make money on your blog.

First, here are some of the ways that you can make money from your blog:

• Google Adsense
• selling your stuff
• selling other people’s stuff
• placing ads
• selling ad space
• create a mailing list

I put Google Adsense first because that is what a lot of people first think about when they think about making money from their blog. I have also found that it is not a very good method. It is fairly easy to set up, but it provides a low return. I set up a blog for a friend that utilizes Google Adsense extensively. Last month she had almost 150,000 page views and almost 42,000 unique visitors. Even with that kind of traffic, Google Adsense only brought in about $100. Now that’s not bad, but for that kind of traffic you would think that the return would be much higher.

Selling your own stuff is what most artist do. Whether you sell directly from your site or you have links to online stores such as Etsy, eBay, or CafePress, you are probably doing some variation of this one.

Selling other people’s stuff is what is referred to as affiliate marketing. There are entire books, courses, blogs, and more written about this. A common way to do this is to write a post about a certain subject or product that you believe in and then include your affiliate link for people to click on and purchase. When I write about mailing lists, I will talk about Aweber and when you click on that link and then sign up, I get a small percentage of that sale. (Actually, I get 20% which is pretty good!)

Placing ads is what I have just started to do on this site. I will try to keep it minimal and will pay attention to the aesthetics of the site, but I do want to make a little bit of money to help support my habit (blogging). The ad at the bottom of this post helps people to find more information about particular education programs. Many of us like to take classes now and then and when you send for information using that ad, I make some money. The ad at the top of my sidebar is also something that some people will be interested in. Until you can make a living full-time from selling your art, it helps to have another way to make money at home.

Selling ad space is not something I have pursued yet, but may in the future. This is a more consistent source of income than placing ads, but may or may not pay as much. For example, a company may ask to place an ad on my site for a month and pay me anywhere from $50 to $500 for that. I have not pursued this because up until now, my readership has been rather low. Once I started posting a longer content-rich post once a week on Mondays and my featured artist post on Fridays, my readership has been steadily growing. Last month I averaged 36 unique visitors per day and the month before only 5. I am also up to 31 RSS subscribers.

The last thing to talk about is a mailing list and instead of rehashing what I have already written about on the forum at www.YourArtMarketing.com, I will instead point you to that post here.

.

Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com