Fine Art Views Daily Newsletter
ISSUE #360 - (Sponsored by FineArtStudioOnline)
Straight Talk about Art, Marketing, Inspiration and Fine Living
|
Diversifying Marketing Strategies
by Lori Woodward Simons
TODAY:
Over the past decade, I've had the pleasure of working with several art marketing experts, and one thing that has become clear to me: Many folks who have the means to buy original artwork, have never thought of doing so.
There are millions of untapped potential art collectors. Less than 5% of the U.S. population ever enters an art gallery or museum. . . .
IF YOU WISH TO UNSUBSCRIBE, CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK: http://fineartviews.com/d/%ID%
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
San Antonio, Texas
Latest Ruminations from Clint's Blog
--Advertisement --
Learn What Art Schools Don't Teach: Business Savvy
Fine artists can now learn all the marketing and business skills they need for survival in the professional world.
Learn what art schools don't teach: business savvy. No other book offers artists such concise step-by-step marketing strategies.
Art Marketing 101 helps you take care of business, with tips on everything from making winning portfolios to cultivating clients and selling at shows. Learn about the publishing, greeting card and licensing industries, something no other art marketing book explains.
"Thank you Constance for writing/creating this book! Having been a professional artist for 2 decades, I thought I knew most of what there was to marketing my arwork. When the economy went south and my paintings were no longer selling, I knew I had do something. I'm glad that on the day I went shopping for a book on art marketing, yours was the first book I picked up. I haven't put it down in 4 months! The book is dog-earred, underlined, and generally well-worn. I previously thought I had all the answers, but I see now that I only had a crop-in-an-ocean!"
-Carolyn Swan, Artist
Get Your Copy of Art Marketing 101 by Constance Smith:
http://clicks.studiotopia.com/T
Today's Sponsor:
{{SPONSOR}}
Diversifying Marketing Strategies
by Lori Woodward Simons
Dear {{FirstName}},
This Post is by Lori Woodward Simons, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. Find out how you can be a guest author.
I've had the opportunity to discuss the current art market with a number of my artist colleagues recently, and what I'm repeatedly hearing is that their sales have diminished, and some of their galleries are closing. This does not come as a surprise - all sectors of our economy are being tested right now. But it's good to keep in mind that there are some occupations which can't be outsourced and are yet flourishing, and while these folks have the means to buy artwork, they may not know how to go about it, or else, the idea just hasn't occurred to them.
Don't Burn Your Bridges
Before I get very far into this blog post, I have to say that while some segments of the art market are suffering, some are continuing to do well. My friends who have high visibility among this country's top collectors are selling well.. friends like Richard Schmid, Jeremy Lipking and others whom I've had the pleasure of knowing.
So what about us - emerging artists? What about artists who've been doing well for the last 5 years, but whose sales have taken a dip since the fall of 2008? We're concerned and don't know how it'll all turn out. I've listed some ideas that you might consider here: however, let me preface these suggestions with the following:
If you're currently working with an honest gallery that is doing fairly well for you, don't leave. I believe many galleries will survive this recession. Those who've managed their finances well, paid their artists promptly and have continued to court new collectors are worth sticking with. A good relationship with a gallery is worth its weight in gold. Don't burn the bridges that are currently holding you up.
Cultivate New Collectors
Even for those who are working with galleries, it may be a wise move to diversity your marketing efforts. What I'm suggesting -- is that you consider adding new art selling venues to the ones that are already working so that you have more than one market to fall back on.
Over the past decade, I've had the pleasure of working with several art marketing experts, and one thing that has become clear to me: Many folks who have the means to buy original artwork, have never thought of doing so.
There are millions of untapped potential art collectors. Less than 5% of the U.S. population ever enters an art gallery or museum. This statistic rings true in my own experience; for example, in the late 1990's, I began offering portrait commissions at local fundraisers. The families that bid on my portraits were well off. While one could easily see that these people had highly developed their tastes with furnishings, architecture, and gadgets, the only "pictures" on their walls were photographs of their children and sometimes framed poster prints. As I became acquainted with these families, I realized that they would love to collect original art, but had no idea about how to get started. Many times, they felt ignorant and were nervous about the idea of going into an art gallery.
To make a long story short, I saw this as an opportunity to gently educate them about the art world. In most cases, once these folks felt more informed, they bought additional original artworks from me and entered a new phase in their lives as art collectors.
Build A New Audience
As Clint has pointed out in previous posts, even gaining one collector can evolve into a lifetime contact. When you build a loyal collector base for your work, you're also getting the friends and family of those collectors see your work. What essentially can happen is that your client base becomes your agent. They begin to promote your work to those who visit their home.
For example, one of my former students began to collect my work and the work of some of the artists I'd recommended. Because this former student is now my collector and advocate, she wants to see my art career flourish. Furthermore, if this friend is so inclined, she is welcome to introduce her friends to my art by encouraging them to visit my website. My hope is that each referral will sign up for my e-newsletter. When they sign up, the opportunity for me to cultivate an ongoing conversation with them becomes a reality.
Another way that I might cultivate new art collectors: hold an art show/party at my friend's house. Or, I might hold a weekend exhibit in the lake community where my husband and I have a second home. There are many wealthy retired folks from New York and Connecticut there who have mini-mansions on the lake. It's a small community, so it wouldn't be too difficult for me to send out postcards to the residents. Chances are, they'd only have to drive about 10 minutes to come to the art show.
(no, just in case you're wondering...our property isn't one of the mini-mansions with lakefront property)...
Even if you do not have a second home, spend some time thinking about some of the ways that you can introduce people in your realm of influence to your artwork.
My Collector's Newsletter
Whether I sell work initially through these efforts or not, my ultimate goal is to get people to sign up for my e-newsletter. Here is where I begin to educate them about the world of collecting art. These newsletters not only showcase my new work, but also educate and introduce subscribers to art history and collecting in general. I want to whet their appetites and help them become more informed, so that they can walk into a gallery or museum with confidence.
As I offer my subscribers useful information, they'll begin to think of me as an approachable resource when they have questions about art related subjects. Even when I recommend other artists, it ultimately works in my favor. Many times, these folks have visited galleries that I've recommended, started developing their artistic tastes, and as a result purchased my work. Even when they decide that they like another artist's work better than mine, we all benefit because a collector is born.
Today's art marketing is not about 'getting', stalking, or pestering -- it is about 'giving'. In order to develop a relationship with collectors - either seasoned or new to the art realm -- it helps if you set yourself up as a trusted source of information. For future blog posts, I'll be sharing info about setting up newsletters that will engage your readers and keep them coming back for more.
Editor's Note: Want to better educate the people you know about art and promote your art at the same time? Highly recommended is a full-featured email newsletter software. A FineArtStudioOnline website will give you the tools you need to reach out and touch people that are interested in you and your art. Click here to sign up for a free, 90 day, no obligation trial account: http://fineartstudioonline.com/ref/FAV79B
This article is reproduced with permission.
Copyright 2009 - Lori Woodward Simons
To get more of Lori Woodward Simon's insights into art, marketing, inspiration and fine living, check out her blog at:
Woodward Simons Blog:
http://www.woodwardsimons.com/blog
This article originally appeared at the following URL:
Do you have your own FineArtViews to Share?
Submit your own article for publication on FineArtViews
------------
Editor's Note: Each day we republish selected comments and artwork by artists who comment about the previous day's article. If you would like to share your thoughts, artwork and views with thousands of artists and collectors, (not to mention getting a valuable inbound link to your website) be sure to post a comment on today's article at the following link. To be considered, be sure to provide your comment through the link NOT by simply replying to this email. Make sure to comment before the end of the day to be considered for inclusion in tomorrow's newsletter:
Art by Mary Aslin
Today's Selected Commenter
http://www.maryaslin.com/
YOUR artwork could be pictured here tomorrow
just comment on today's article before midnight,
and your artwork could be in front of thousands of people
tomorrow.*
(*If you a right-click disabler on your images, we will select a different artist to feature, as it is too much trouble to display the image)
Timely is the Hard Part...Victoria's Secret Shows Artists the Solution (Clint Watson), Revisited
Mary Aslin Wrote:
I am compelled to respond to this letter, as the desired frequency of email newsletters is one of the marketing items that has really gnawed at me. Do I send them rarely so that they are noticed more? Or do I send them often and then worry about bothering people and being a pest and my presence in their in-box becoming so frequent that they don't bother to respond? What to do?
Email newsletters are easy for me to send when I have something to offer someone....an art show gathering with wine and cheese, free tickets to an art festival, etc. But telling people what I (read: capital "I") am doing and all about my work seems so much about ME ME ME.
I receive very frequent (once or twice a week) short newsletters by Johanna Sphinks. I always enjoy them and, as someone who has trained with Everett Raymond Kinstler and who is a very gifted as a portrait painter, she would be the first person I would turn to or recommend for a custom portrait because the frequency of her newsletters keeps her name in my head.
This example and your Fine Art Views letter was the answer (and push) that I needed. Time to get working on the next newsletter. Thank you.
More Comments >>
All Past Issues >>
-- Highly Recommended --
Do Your Website Visitors
Make the Following Comments?
"Your site left me speechless. I'm so impressed. No words can describe how incredible and exquisite your site and work is." And another......"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! It is truly an elegant website." And another........"Great website! WOW, Wonderful, Spectacular. Way to go."
Visitors to our Clients' Websites Do!
Get more details and your Free 90-day trial:
Visit www.FineArtStudioOnline.com
Click "Create Your Site", Use Promo Code FAV74A
FineArtStudioOnline
Easy Artist Websites (and Blogs) with Marketing Help
Want more FineArtViews?
Visit Clint's Blog for his latest unconventional thoughts about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living!
http://clintwatson.net/blog
-- Highly Recommended --
Make Sure Your Website Doesn't
Drive Art Collectors Away!
11 Essential Elements of Every Artist Website
The Artist's Guide to Creating a Website that Really Works
by Clint Watson
This e-book will tell you (or your web designer) exactly what to do to make sure when art collectors visit your art website that they enjoy the experience...instead of leaving annoyed.
Your website is you "home base"…your "hub." - where you and your collectors "meet" online.
You need to make sure that your website includes certain information and features that art collectors have come to expect.
I've been marketing art since 1989 and have managed various online art marketing sites since 1996 . . . I've learned what works, what doesn’t and what art buyers expect. This e-book represents a compilation of the most important elements and best practices that should be included on every artist’s website.
In this 39 page e-book that every artist must read, you'll learn:
1. What art collectors expect from an artist website
2. Why you need to avoid Flash
3. How to set up your website for maximum success
4. How to avoid annoying your and driving awaysite visitors
5. The best way to write your artist biography page
6. How to design your site properly for search engines
7. Much, much more!
If you're working with a web developer, no problem! The e-book also includes a checklist for web developers that you can simply hand your web guru and say, "make sure my site has everything on this list."
Listen to what one artist recently told me about our marketing advice:
"We have always tried to incorporate your ideas about adding substantive content on our web site and blog. Recently we sold a $3,000 painting because we had followed your advice. . . Thanks for your helpful marketing advice."
- Artist, Tommy Thompson
Get Your copy of 11 Essential Elements of Every Artist's Website:
http://fineartviews.com/resources/elements
About FineArtViews
DO WE SELL ART?
FineArtViews is a Free email newsletter. We do not sell art or have a commission structure with any of the artists discussed in this publication. If you wish to purchase art by any of the artists featured, we will assist you in contacting the artist or the artist's gallery representatives.
DO YOU OWN A GALLERY? WANT YOUR EXHIBIT FEATURED HERE?
If you're a gallery and would like us to mention an upcoming exhibit or to consider a particular artist, please email us. We don't guarantee inclusion but we are all about sharing with the art industry so would like to know about it.
Republish FineArtViews Insightful Content on
your own website, blog or enewsletter free of charge!
You may republish your favorite articles from FineArtViews without charge. Use of this material without adhering to ALL of the following instructions is a violation of copyright laws:
Republishing our articles is simple. You must include attribution of the author(s) and the following short paragraphs (everything between the dashed lines), in the same font size and visibility as the article:
----------------------------------------------
This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews.com by Clint Watson, a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists, collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art) .
-----------------------------------------------
Suggest FineArtViews to a Friend:
If you would like to suggest FineArtViews to a friend, please point them to:
Tell them to click the "Join" link.
Have a Question for Clint?
FineArtViews welcomes your questions, thoughts and comments. Send them to:
The Fine Print:
This copyrighted material is published here with permission of the author(s) as noted, all other content is published with permission of BoldBrush, Inc..
As law-abiding citizens who wish to comply with our republic's anti-spam laws (unlike actual spammers), we offer our postal address below:
FineArtViews.com
PO Box 700534
San Antonio, TX 78270
Thanks for your friendship.
If you liked today's newsletter, please forward it to a friend, if you didn't like it, feel free to forward it to your enemies ;-)
Essays by guest authors reflect the opinions of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Clinton B. Watson or FineArtViews.
The inclusion of an ad in FineArtViews does not constitute an explicit endorsement. It means that, as far as we know, the product is not a rip-off. When we really endorse something, we'll tell you explicitly in an editorial piece. Otherwise, view these ads the way you would commercials on TV or display ads in the back of your favorite magazine. Check them out. Make a decision. If you don’t like it, ask for a refund.
© Copyright 2007-2009 BoldBrush Technology, LLC - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE, CHANGE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, or Change any other preferences regarding your subscription to Fine Art Views, visit the following link:
|
