A friend and talented artist has put together a Pinterest board with tips and how-to stuff for working in the cybermarketing art environment. Go here: http://pinterest.com/creativechicksc/art-marketing/
media (9)
All right you people (and you know who you are.) Connie made me do this, I thought it was self-explanatory but as usual...dumb ass me.
Warhol was a brand. Yes, I know to invoke that name is BS, but let it sink in. He was the first artist to establish himself in fine art/publishing/film production/etc. How did a humble shoe illustrator from "Redbook" do such a thing? How does Coca Cola (brown sugar water) own a whole isle in the grocery store? Duh...Branding.
As practicing artists in the 21st century, this stuff is as important as acrylic paint, silver or whatever your media is. If you are reading this, you got this far. Now is time to click a couple more buttons and begin to mine what is essentially a "free" medium...the cyber art festival circuit.
Connie gets it. And, we need to get it. Top of mind is Facebook, Twitter and this blog. What about Tumblr, Pinterest, Flickr, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+ and your own personal blog?
This my friends is the stuff that dreams are made of? Push a few buttons and take a chhha chhha chance. All it takes is time and the results can be the equivalent of producing a magazine ad or television commercial. This link will get you started...thinking that is.www.newyorkartists.net/blog
Besides making and showing my art I also run a small design and marketing business to help small organizations (and artists) maximize their marketing resources. Often I bump into people that are overwhelmed by the choices available to them these days to reach out and connect substantively for their personal use and for their businesses.
A forum like this one we're on, ArtFairInsiders.com is an awesome starting point. Because it's user friendly and enriched with all sorts of useful content. I find it to be an invaluable resource for my art fair business. But what about all the other tools we have available to us for connecting? There are so many social networks these days for us to use to connect with each other and our customers and associates. Are there too many? There are if you don't know how to choose which social network are going to do the best work for your different projects. Over the years and in some cases just months, I have become more familiar with the pluses and benefits of each of the following social networks.
What The Other Social Networks Can Do
Perfect for all your personal connecting. Does comments and other media pretty well. Fairly easy to connect via smartphone and tablets too.
I use the Pages for the more personality driven of my main businesses and projects. I think at this Facebook is superb.
Interacting with my mini horse's fans has taught be so much about how best to leverage Facebook pages for other organizations. It's amazing how little interactions can build a real presence for people.
Google+
Not sure where this is headed. While it seeks to be a Big Giant conglomeration of everything you do, search and shop for on the web - it's got a sort of Big Brotherly feel to it. Also it's harder to cross connect with other media and networks. Not too many of my personal connections have adopted the G+ lifestyle so it's a bit of a deserted island for me and my posts.
That said, there are plenty of well connected seriously Googled people who LOVE it's connectivity. For example, I'm not big into connecting socially on Google+ I use their GoogleDocsfeature to collaborate with almost all my clients. I love the way we can all edit the same document at the same time or when we're not working together.
I'm new to this picture sharing app so I'm still defining for myself how best to use it. I started out by taking pix of my art and posting those - but isn't that what my Facebook page and blog are for? So I'm switching to have it be more of a distinct project 'personality' of its own and am starting up a #DogTrotHill (Instagram is BIG into using hashtags to organize content feeds) series where I will limit my pix to just be about the few acres I live on. My user name is: HappyArtMarti
My hope is that this will offer its own unique perspective and opportunity to differentiate and engage my eventual followers. A friend of mine has honed her offerings down to what looks like being just about the Bluegrass region of KY. She's AlpacaLindyand does a wonderful job of convincing me I live in heaven.
You must be here if you're to be taken seriously as a contender in the job market these days. If you're not here, you're a known dinosaur. Some people really work its Discussions, Questions and Groups features. I don't. I don't have time but have a nagging feeling I should be doing more with it. Oh well, that's why God invented winter, right?
I run hot and cold on Pinterest. I'm not sure how I feel about people having access to all the cute things I find on the web - does posting my finds make me less unique? But then again - seeing what others share is fascinating and helps me navigate the wealth of creative flow out there in the Big Wide World - so I keep coming back to it. I work a little for my own art projects and Etsy store - but I always feel a little cheap doing so. That's partially why I invented a series of quotable and sharable images for people to share, some of which I cross post on Tumblr and Facebook for maximum exposure and share-ability.
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Tumblr
As a blogging site it's a bit redundant with my own self-hosted blogs - but what it offers is an easier connection betweenTumblr 'bloggers', a little like Pinterest and Instagram - but allows for video as well strictly text based posts. Here's how I use it:
Fantastic for immediate connection! Right now the Olympics are being played in London and millions are getting their news from twitter feeds. What's so great about this is you can hear what your favorite athletes have to say as the games are unfolding for them - as well as get up to date results from major network players. Twitter users are ok with non-immediate gratification for things like pix and vids. They're used to seeing miniURLS - but your use of the 140 character limit had better be tight, engaging and irresistible!
Your Own Blog
Like this one, running your own blog is a great way to keep things from you in an uncontaminated environment- but of course it ever so much more difficult to share and garner attention with. You have to cross post linkbacks to your posts using these other social networking tools.
Youtube
I use Youtube as an excellent resource that ties in with all my other networks. A well edited or otherwise fascinating video can really connect with people and they've made it so easy to embed videos throughout many of the above choices - you have to consider creating content and setting up your own channel. You might surprise yourself with what it can do for you. Here's a video I made for a client's book trailer. He's a dog, AND he's an artist!
It's worth it to create and maintain an active channel for your organization. There are many tips to help create content that's memorable and boosts your projects.
Comment below if you'd like some feedback on what might work best for you!
Recently, an art fair friend of mine suffered unfounded accusations of forgery and/or copying from a person he has never met. These claims were posted on his business Facebook page. The language was a bit vile. An art fair show director looked at his page to see more of his work (beyond his jury photos) and saw this post. The director called my friend for clarification and was satisfied with the answers, yet it could easily have gone the other way. My friend removed the offensive post, but is understandably very upset.
We should all be aware of the damage we can do with social media and refrain ourselves. My friend's livelihood depends on his ability to get into good shows. This bad comment nearly ruined his chance for at least one show and maybe did eliminate him from others. Who knows?
Calling for self control!
Robin Ragsdale
www.evenbetterimages.com
Public Art Project on Tour in Basel, Manfred Kielnhofer
Shared by Austrian artist and designer Manfred Kielnhofer. The “Light Guards” project is further developed and become a ghost car touring in Basel art show during June 15 – 19 2011.
Eccentric art was also at Basel, if not as dominant a presence as the traditional buys. Ghost Car by Kielnhofer was a large white van with hooded figures driving outside the fair, and the Bleifrei (which translates to Lead Free in German) Art Collective told Art Info: “Art is like Jesus; it died and it’s coming again.”
Manfred Kielnhofer, Ghost Car (2011) Basel, via Kielnhofer.com
The grim seeker after truth
Anyone wondering why these grim reaper style figures were seated on this white van - look no further than the latest installation from artist Manfred Kielnhofer. He is from Haslach an der Mühl, in the district of Rohrbach in Upper Austria, Austria, and is an artist and designer whose work usually centres around the human anatomy. His recent piece of art is the Ghost Car, which is a product of the developing ‘Light Guards’ project. This project surfaced from the theory that humankind has always been able to boast having guardians in different ways, in potential danger from only themselves. This idea intrigued the artist Kielnhofer, who approached it with his artwork, intertwining the theme of longing for security harboured by all humans. The Ghost Car portrays a sizely white van driving, seating sheet-covered figures. Perhaps this reflects individuality, exploration and recognition of current events in society, as it seems to interpret the theme by suggesting the hooded figures are looking to the drapes and car for protection as they are possibly ghosts, who are afraid of the life after death, and long for safekeeping.
By Alessia De Silva
http://austriantimes.at/news/Panorama/2011-08-06/35422/The_grim_seeker_after_truth
http://kielnhofer.com
Stories are Everywhere.
That’s the tag line for Blurb Mobile’s free app that allows you to create your own stories featuring all your personal media from a mobile device.
The catch? That device must be an iPhone, iTouch, or iPad. (based on Apple’s quarterly earnings, every family has at least one, right?)
So, if you have one, and you’re in the art biz, pay attention! This easy-to-use, fun, and cool app can help you market your work.
Blurb Mobile lets you use photos and video shot from your iPhone (or imported from another camera), sequenced ‘as you wish’ into a “My Story”, provides image editing, and you can add audio clips and/or text captions to each photo. Director and producer of your very own short, media presentation.
Imagination is the limit, but for example: My wife and I travel to juried, outdoor art shows…it helps me instantly chronicle show attributes (crowd size, show venue, booth layout, quality and mix of work, etc.) More important I capture highlights of my wife’s work/tent, customer interactions, featured art, etc., then edit it right on the iPhone with the app and hand it to her for audio voice-overs of select images. This adds the personal artist touch and insight to some aspect of the event. The Story can then be shared ‘real-time’ via email, twitter, facebook, to get the word out (like…”hey friends, I’m at a great art show right now in northeast Louisville…Saturday has been busy and I will be here all day Sunday…Come and check out booth 75!”)
Or…
- Send out a Story in your next email newsletter to keep existing customers informed and engaged on your schedule and new work
- Take a series of short video clips of a ‘painting-in-progress’, capturing the process and the inspirational elements
- Information on a new series of art classes offered
Of course, Blurb Mobile works beyond art stories, offering a way to…“instantly create and share from a social setting, travel location, a personal moment, or, an important event.”
I sent my 87 year old Mom a Story one early morning from my porch, cup of hot java in hand, birds humming, flowers blooming, sun rising…took some photos, voice recorded in some personal thoughts, then hit send and shared the moment with her instantly. Too cool. (…Ma, really, it’s there, just click on the little colored link!)
I don’t work for Apple or Blurb, and get zero for this endorsement…just passing along a tip that has worked for us. I used the Free version for about a day to see how it worked and quickly found the $1.99 upgrade a no-brainer, adding greater media capacity…and the freedom to create better stories. With the upgrade you get:
- Images: Up to 15 images per story
- Audio Clips: 1 per image – 2 min per clip
- Video Clips: 3 per story – 30 sec per video
- Themes: 8 additional themes
Check out the details yourself at Blurb Mobile and iTunes App Store. Version 1.3 is now available.
There is no limit to the number of Stories you can create, but, alas…boring content is still boring content. The app is cool…it just doesn’t promise all the Stories will be! 
40 Questions Blog Series Question #38 – How can customers find me?
Do you find yourself saying... I apply and sell at art fairs. I have a website. I have a Facebook page, use Twitter and even have my own blog. Perhaps you're just starting to do your own podcast ... Your name is out there, but how are people able to find you? What's the secret? The answer might surprise you!
Question #38 How can customers find me?
The answer is so basic and so simple that people miss it all the time. The answer is you must find them, NOT wait for them to find you. Not only that, you have to make that active choice to WANT to find customers. So, how can one do this? First, start small and know your customer base. By this I mean, look at what you do and who will most likely buy what you make and target those groups of people. Find all you can about who, in your area, works in your medium, contact your friends and family members (both close and distant ones) and let them know what you've been up to. Don't sell to them (they may not want to buy right off the bat), but share a bit about yourself to open the door for communication. This can be as simple as striking up a conversation at a check out line in a grocery store or with a barista at a coffee shop (complimenting a person on their earrings say if you are a jewelry maker). Find and contact old and distant friends and relatives via facebook, for example. Don't just click the invite button, but engage them by adding a small note saying how you are happy to find them and WANT to learn more about them and catch up. You will constantly find friends from high school, college, doctor's office assistance, teachers, places where you worked, friends of the family, old neighbors, childhood friends and pen-pals... see where I am going? There is a reason why the newest norm to stay in touch with people is via social networks – I do recommend Facebook and Twitter – is because it is easy, instant and millions upon millions use both social network formats.
Now, fast forward a few days or weeks and start looking up organizations, places of businesses, etc. and think outside the box. Think about where you buy your supplies, join t.v. shows groups that your typical customers would watch, mommy or retiree groups, chamber of commerce or SBA groups, local fiber art, photography, or other guilds, museums, boutique shops or galleries you would like to get your work in (learn about their customers and what their hot sellers helps too), art festival Facebook pages, county or even state wide organizations too... Note: don't just join or follow these people and organizations and forget about them - participate in them and often. Start with 5 and like or share people's posts, comment on a topic posted and give your expert opinion on the topics, invite new followers to be fans of other interests you have too. Don't forget to add good quality content from time to time too like a video you like on YouTube that pertains to your medium. Utilize monthly newsletters or weekly email blasts, send out daily tweets or facebook postings on anything and everything new that is related to your business. For example, when I take a new product photo I announce it on every social network I use and ask followers to see that photo via my website. Another idea is doing a count down each day leading up to your up and coming art fair each time providing an interesting fact about that show. There are plenty of social network help sites offering more info if you are seeking other ideas.
While social networking is big, you really can't forget the people you see face to face like with church members, co-workers, PTA members, neighbors, hair salon specialists, waiters, parties, seminars (like that in the picture of a social evening at the 2009 CODA conference in AK) ... Simply having a business card with at least 3 ways people can contact and find you is another way to reach out to people that you physically come in contact on a daily business. This can drive traffic to your website, capture info for newsletters, or even drive folks to your social network outlets. To get these ideas to work, YOU have to actually implement them. No one else can nor will do it for your, but you. The best news of all is once you start doing it – it is FUN and FREE! Connecting with just a few people will ignite a spark and introduce you to even more people to want to not just get to know, but they in turn will want to get to know you too. My challenge to you... What, right now, is working for you to attract new customers or fans to your craft business or art? Share it via this blog by using the comment button Thanks in advance to all and be sure to tune in to the last 2 questions of this blog series coming up in February! Michelle Sholund – www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com, www.bythebaybotanicals.weebly.com,
