There's an update to this image inconsistency situation. ZAPP has provided me with with new information about how monitor jurors see the images. Unlike in the past where the jurors saw the enlarged images exactly the same size as we did in our profiles, they now see them enlarged on a black pop up window at 750 pixels long dimension. I've rewritten the article and changed my recommendations to continuing to upload images in the original 1920x1920 format.

There is a new button in our application previews called "Preview as Juror" which shows the images enlarged equally sized on a black pop up window. This is exactly how the monitor jurors see the images.

http://bermangraphics.com/blog/zapp-preview-as-juror/

My recommendations is that if you upload images in the original ZAPP 1920x1920 format, your images will be seen by projection jurors exactly as you uploaded. If you upload non square images, ZAPP will square your images at 1920x1920 by adding black borders and resaving your JPEGS. The more detail you have in your images, the greater chance of them being degraded because they are modifying your JPEGS and resaving them.

And the inconsistent size pop ups we see in our profiles. That's a bug in the system and they will be fixing it in the future. But rest assured that the jurors do not see your images that way.

How the jurors actually see the images for ZAPP monitor jurying. The previous and next image arrows appear when the cursor is hovered over them. The I for information appears when the cursor is hovered over the middle of the image, and clicking on it brings up the image description in a semi transparent overlay.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

Congratulations to our newest Community Leaders Diana Ferguson, S. Brian Berkun and David Bjurstrom, who were chosen by the membership to be recognized for their contributions to the community for all their generosity and helpfulness to the members. These exceptional members can be recognized by the "AFI Red Dot" on their profile photos.

Diana has been a member since 4/09 and has contributed lots of good information besides being our resident Facebook expert. Brian has been a member since 3/09 and is specially recognized for his good coverage of Western art fairs. David is relatively new, but is ready to go with solid information that cuts straight through all the musings. It is people like these who deserve a lot of good karma for their generosity.

Thanks for your votes.

I just got back but I'm not going to report on the Annual Ridgway Rendezvous again, it doesn't bear repeating, for that review look it up in Reviews! For those of you that are an interested audience and perhaps not artist/crafts people, or perhaps you are, what I want to comment on is the emotional toll of doing shows, which is quite different from the physical abuse! (Hope you’re knees are feeling better Scott). As much as I, and I'm sure others of you out there, prepare for lowered expectations, or simply just enjoying doing a show for the sake of doing it, (do we?) it eventually creeps up on me...the let down and disappointment associated with not meeting some sort of expectations (didn’t I just say I lower them?) that must be there unconsciously.  The first day was easy despite low sales, I met and greeted, talked about my work with enthusiasm, shared freely. Felt good about just being there. On Sunday a different me showed up, I didn’t have as much enthusiasm, I even met a simple question with sarcasm later in the day (“Did you take all these?” “No, I hire people to do it for me” “Really?”) Sometimes I can even psych myself down and manage to pull it off quite well but other times its like an insidious little parasite that bores in through my skull after the fact poisoning my psyche only to squish out sideways in an emotional assault that I take out on myself later. That's the hardest part, taking it out on myself, not realizing that it is just a show. Poor performance can be explained by, it's an election cycle, the economy, or a myriad of other possible explanations; did I set the calculator the way I usually do? Did I write the date on the receipt too soon? Did I forget to ask my Spirit Guides for help? Dang, I forgot that one!

Such was the case after this weekends experience at Ridgway. It wasn't a great show last year, in fact it was a poor show, but I thought it worth doing if for no other reason than being in a beautiful part of Colorado and going to the Orvis Hot Springs several times while there. Apparently I was fooling myself into believing that lie. It could have been worse. The winner of this years Best of Show experienced that. She had beautiful mixed media pieces of woven fabric, ceramics and fused glass, probably a little too high priced for this crowd. And, although she probably received high praise for her work, don’t we all, she didn’t sell anything. This really isn’t a diatribe about sales, or the lack thereof. For me at least, it isn’t ALL about the sales but rather the satisfaction that comes from doing what I love and putting it out there, taking a risk on myself, yet I’m still my own worse critic.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not whining about it and I’m definitely NOT looking for consolation, just trying to gain some personal insight, appropriate cathartic release (before I kick the dog/cat/wife, no I wouldn't do that!) or even open up a discussion of how we manage to pick ourselves up time and again to do something we love even in the face of not realizing the "Do What You Love and The Money Will Follow" protocol. It’s nice to receive the praise for the work yet it seems no matter how many people genuinely compliment my work, I am my own worse enemy when all is said and done. My hypnotist tells me that I am a great person (at least subliminally) even the spirit guides tell me they love me (telepathically) but why don’t I love me? I was supposed to have kicked that one out of my subconscious a long time ago, and at times I have conquered the negative affirmation machine, or at least I thought I did, but the little devil just seems to come back around to plague me. Is it part of the angst we as artists are loathe to suffer or my own cross, light dome, display panels, etc. to bear? I know I’m blessed to be doing what I love, Do I love it? or maybe I am insane like Einstein said, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." after all I spent over thirty years in a parallel universe doing what I had to do to get here full time!

Okay, I feel better, the catharsis kicked in or was it the Aleve? Maybe writing about my experience will help some other poor soul or newbie to realize that it isn’t you, your work, the clothes your wearing, what-ever, that it will all be okay, the sun will continue to shine and it WILL rain, somewhere, and in a week or two you can start all over again! I know I can, I know I have, after all, I choose to do this! What was that Einstein quote again?

Social media is a good place to market your artwork.  It's also a great place to waste time and find out more than you really wanted to know about your friends and acquaintances.  Overall, I think that the annoyances of Facebook are a small price to pay for the free exposure and connections you can make.  On the other hand, I spend WAY too much time on the computer. 

What are your thoughts on Facebook and other social media?  Obviously, the more specific it is to your area of interest the better (like AFI). 

Here are six reasons why I've had some trouble with Facebook.  How about you?

http://www.pencilenvy.blogspot.com/2012/08/six-reasons-i-hate-facebook.html

Okay, I'm going to go and draw now.  Happy selling!

Wendy Zumpano

www.pencilportraitcards.com

No, the Doctor that bought all of my collage at the July show did not re-appear, AMEX in hand. But it was a good show for me regardless. We had rain on and off, including one short-lived monsoon that we had early warning for, so there was time to zip up and secure the rig. At this show, since most of your customers are actually living at the site, rain is seldom a problem for attendance.

A few of my regulars stopped in and asked "no cards?" Nope, not this time, but I have these: and I gestured to the collage. It worked often enough that I believe the net profit was similar. And the relief of not having to spend precious hours making them was profound. I think I'm on to something. This is not to say that I won't drag out some trinkets for the next 2 weekends. Maybe the little collage magnets that are more fun to make and sell for $2 more. Since they will be a small addition to what I am making now, there won't be the pressure to make tons of them. But the important thing is that I won't experience what I did with the cards. I had more than one customer hold a small matted collage ($30) in one hand and a card ($5) in the other, ponder for a while and put the collage back, buy the card. I could read their minds. (I could frame this and it is almost as nice as that bigger one). Hard to frame a little magnet.

I'm learning different things at each show. Like, have several matted pieces available that have the same quotations on them as the framed pieces and with different colors. Don't laugh. Seems like a no-brainer but I'm new at this particular item. "The back wall sells the booth" a friend tells me. Well, if the back wall doesn't reflect what you have several of, what are you selling? That light bulb over my head almost burned my retina.

My next two shows are proven winners for me and I hope that holds true. I need to pay for our vacation. It could mean the difference between Holiday Inn and sleeping in a rest stop under the bug lights.

Guess I better get back to work.

This past weekend I participated in a waterfront show on the grounds of one of the state's foremost hotels. I paid $400 to enter this show (jury fee included). The promotor, in his call for artists blurb, raved about the great sales and huge crowds his show (this being the 5th year) had been experiencing. One would think a place as touristy as this would have more than the average attendance. Perhaps better sales too. However, I noted that this year the show had fewer entrants than last year. (An ominous sign)  I also noticed that the amount of advertising that was done was disappointing, as was the signage.  Mr. Promo claimed his "regulars" netted "at least $1-2000 above costs."  Well now. As an artist who has been selling my stuff for years with varying levels of success at many different shows, I'm here to tell you that the man was blowing smoke.  There were maybe 5 painters in this show. Probably 7 photographers and probably 15 jewelers. 2 wood carvers, one of which made big scale model ships and sold them for upwards of $20,000!  I mean, he tried to sell them.  One of the jewelers had pieces in the thousands, as well, and sold only a couple of small items.  The girl next to me who painted very lovely whimsical pieces that were quite popular, did pretty well, but her prices were low, compared to most. I sold two small paintings. Paid for my gas. The fact that the weather was not the greatest, in my opinion, does not account for the low sales. There were plenty of people. People with money. They were not buying much. Period. As is so often the case, the promoter is the one who comes out in the black.  42 spaces x $400 = $16,800. I doubt that sales for that show totaled as much as that. I won't be returning to that show.

First Art Fair Coming Up in September and own a nature/wildlife photography business and would appreciate any advice on best practices and resources to get started (and for a moderate budget :). Thanks!

Here are the comments of the people who have entered to win the pass to the Zapp Conference in the order received. After you have read them all the poll is at the end to receive your votes. Be warned that you cannot change your vote after you have selected it. Deadline for voting is August 20 6pm ET.

1. The reason I want to attend the Zapplication Conference in Chicago is to learn as much as I can about the Zapplication process/system as possible. I’m new to Zapplication, even though I’ve been exhibiting for 22 years, one of my goals for 2013 is to exhibit at shows and in states I’ve never been to before. Attending this conference would definitely help me reach my 2013 goals……….please, please, please send me !
2. I have been exhibiting at Art Fairs since 1976. First 25 years with pottery and now with fiber, So, why would I want to attend? I believe the only way to be successful in this business is to continually learn, and learn from doing but also from others. Without continual change in product and in how it is marketed and sold, one can not truly be a full time exhibiting artist.
   
   I plan to be doing this another 20 years, so why stop now. The more I can learn the more opportunity to be successful and have the opportunity to exhibit at the shows that create an opportunity to sell and earn a steady income. I love to help others succeed in this business, but want to make sure I am providing good solid and current advice.
3. Why I want to attend the ZAPP conference: I need to move past the "You're so creative!" responses and reach an audience who will value and want to own pieces of my work. Also just reach a wider audience.
   
   Now on my own, I can work to develop my skill, etc., but to learn about the ins and outs of the industry takes an effort to seek out those with more experience and information than I can gather on my own. In short, I want to learn. Who doesn't? However, whatever I learn from this experience I pledge to immediately put into effective practice in my own work and share in a respectful way what I learn with others. And I'm a local if that matters.
4. I'd like to win the tickets to the Zapplication.  Just because I've never been to an art conference or to Chicago. I am 53 yrs old and have very mediocre career in art.  I have much experience in practice But marketing and selling hundreds of prints has not been in the cards.  I'd like to change that.  I want to get into this full time Art make me happy, Art makes me think,  Art makes me sane!  I want to go all over and visit art festivals and fairs.  I want to live my life the way God wanted me to live.
5. i am new to the art fair game, and need all the education and tips i can get-sure would be helpful to go to the conference!
6. My son Grant who has autism developed what some would l call an "out-of-sync" repetitive behavior of tearing paper for hours when he was very young (age 6).   He is now 17 years old and all those hours and people telling me to redirected an annoying behavior has turned into an art form and a possible career for my autistic son.   In the two years he has developed his ECo-Art form tearing and cutting recycling paper he has won major awards: Texas Rodeo Grand Champion (twice) and Houston Mayor's awards for  his outstanding volunteer work in the community teaching others to Eco-art and recycle.
   
   I would appreciate winning this conference because I have minimal knowledge of the arts.  I have had to learn quickly in these past two years in order to help my son develop a career for himself.  Having autism is a challenging disability in the employment world.   So I need to learn a lot and fast.  I believe this conference would help.
7. I want to go because I think it would be an invaluable experience not only to learn about applying for art shows, but to network with other artists.  I'm still fairly new to this and am a sponge for info!
8. I started doing shows back in the 70's as, believe it or not, a Broommaker.  I followed the show circuit on the East Coast traveling North in the summers and South in the winter months.  I did quite well with the brooms and would likely still be at it had arthritis not resulted in both hips being replaced with a long recovery period which ended the broom making as such.
   Up to date now, I've been working as a potter for a year or more and want to get back on the show circuit but am having a tough time with startup and entering shows.
   Attending the conference would give me an awesome leg up and allow me to find out what I need to do to get out there and start making a living selling my wares at shows.  Of course a comp ticket would really help me afford to make the trip.
9. I am switching careers ....from a postal worker to a full time jeweler.  This would benefit me greatly.  I have been on the art fair circuit for several years, but have never really been juried. Just getting some professional help would be a blessing. Thank-you.
10. You only get one chance to make a good impression. And when the room is filled with other competitors with the same idea, you gotta be your best. I wish to win the passes to move my images to the next level.  Then I want to show others how to do it. I belong to several arts groups in the Milwaukee area. I see myself giving talks to these groups. Helping others to help themselves.
11. I have been doing shows for awhile but I really need to get past the easy to get in shows and get into the harder to get in shows. This conference seems like it would be very educational and would help me move to the next step in getting into the better shows. Thank you!
12. I have been painting for the past 7 years. As of this year, I've been selling quite a few paintings. I've had quite a few commissions also. I think that my oil paintings must be getting better so I would like to expand my outreach to a larger audience. The Zapp conference sounds like just what I may need to achieve some of my goals.
13. Every once in a while, I want to meet someone. Every once in a while, I just want to know what they were thinking – or maybe what they are thinking.
    Occasionally I just want to sit down at a table, whether it is a dinner table or a conference table or some simple tavern's table and really try to understand the person or persons I am sitting with at that moment. Sometimes I just want to know when it all started to make sense. Specifically, I would love to sit down with certain people and just say, “Ok, at what point in time did you think this was a good idea and why?”.....
    Seriously. I want to go to the conference this year. I don't want to go and learn more about them. I want to go this year and write about what I see.
    
    I am an artist. I observe, interpret, and present my interpretations. I want them to know I am writing about what I see and hear. I have a show my home town the Saturday after the conference. I would like to drive to Chicago, observe and write about the the conference for every single bona fide, original, professional, artist that will read what I write before I drive to my show 400-500 miles away. I want them and you to know I will be there observing, interpreting, analyzing, and writing. Read this entry in its entirety.
14. I think I have lost my mojo.....I was working it, honest! - fifteen shows in 2010-11, I know there were things I could have done much better, but I felt pretty good about doing shows and selling (which I did ok at).  After a career in teaching high school for many years this was my dream to be a full time artist. Then I went to Switzerland for a year last year to teach at a boarding school- felt like I would never get an opportunity like that again and I rocked it-really- traveled like crazy, had some shows, it was fun but now that I am back I am having a really hard time trying to figure out how to make it work better. If I had the opportunity to attend your conference I think I might be able to get back on track and get a handle on what I need to do to grow in this business and in my art. I'm energetic, positive and in it for the long haul so I sure would appreciate any help.
15. I would love to attend the Zapp Conference in Chicago.  I have done only one art fair so far and feel very uncertain about this new business I have embarked on.  I  applied for three shows this year two of which I was accepted and one I have been wait listed for.  I know I have so much to learn and honestly I am not even sure of the questions to ask at this point.  I think this would be an invaluable experience for me to hear the experts talk about how the art fair world works, of which I fell I know very little about at this point and also hear the concerns of other artists that are present.

So there you have it folks -- great choices from beginners to seasoned artists. You will only be allowed to vote once. Deadline for voting August 20, 6 pm ET.

Here is the link so you can vote: http://www.esurveyspro.com/App/Polls/DirectPoll.aspx?id=13158

I found this on Facebook today. I wanted to share. I think this is expressed very well!

Hello, I am new to AFI and have found so much good info here, I love reading everyone's posts.

I am a painter selling originals & prints and I'm just getting started doing art fairs. I have a 3 month old daughter, so my wife will not be able to help me set up and looks like I'll be doing shows by myself. I have done the small local monthly art walks but have no experience doing a big show. My first show is in October at the Scottsdale 5th Ave Art Fest. I would love any advice you can give on setting up the tent & display's by yourself! I have an easy up tent and it says it can be set up by one person. My first trial set up and it definitely took 2 people. Is there any help at these shows or are you on your own? I'm sure it varies from show to show. Thanks in advanced for any advice!

Do you visit Wikipedia to get information? Did you know its vast content has been developed by volunteers? Have you ever contributed to its database of information? Is there a parallel between AFI and Wikipedia's development?

Here's a blog post from feverbee.com (a site for people who maintain online communities) that touches on some of the recent discussions on the site:

The Wikipedia problem:

Wikipedia attributes its volunteer problem to technology.

If it was easier to edit posts, more people would edit them.

Yet the technology hasn't changed much since its peak in 2007.

If it was a technology problem, how did they recruit so many volunteers in the first place?

Wikipedia can simplify the technology. It would probably help. More people might edit the posts. But this only adds more people at the top of the tunnel. This wont keep them there any longer. It's a temporary solution.

The problem is motivation. Why do those that spent the time to learn the technology no longer edit posts?

Too often we prescribe technological solutions to social problems. It's easier to change the technology. Move this button here, turn that to a lighter shade of green, and simplify the registration process. These things can help, but they're not a silver bullet. They mask the bigger social problems.

The real solution is usually social (or psychological). My guess is their motivation faded as Wikipedia's shiny object status faded. We know momentum is important. This decreased both each volunteer's motivation to edit posts and the number of people that wanted to volunteer.

Wikipedia never changed the volunteer commitment from desire to create something special (which faded once we took Wikipedia for granted), to an obligation to the Wikipedian volunteer community itself. The latter is more sustainable.

This problems afflicts many communities (and volunteer groups!). It's easier to recruit volunteers, contributors, and other help when your community is a new, popular, insurgent. Everyone wants to be part of it (I daresay, jump on the bandwagon).

Eventually, that shine wears off. You become part of the ecosystem, the establishment. Then the motivation dies down. We still love Wikipedia, but we're not dazzled by it.

Long time members here, do you see any parallels?

Newcomers to this site are dazzled by the depth of information available here and the activity. My mission is to keep the AFI community relevant to artist's lives. So many people have contributed so much useful information to the site and I know it is important to many. We'd be nowhere without these important people. I'm just pondering this on a Monday morning and looking for suggestions from you on keeping the site a useful tool for your art fair life.

We just sponsored a contest to win a pass to the Zapp conference. Who do you think should be the judges for the winner? Everyone? The featured members? Weigh in on this quickly because today is the day I plan to start the voting.

Well, this is Joan's husband Ed.  I was the gofer and substitute as needed, but we did discuss the weekend (and Joan will gladly change anything she thinks is wrong!)

Don't bother going here.

The Jour de Fete is lots of kitsch: Wal-Mart discount stuff.  The layout is great, and I know the local artist guild has been trying to make inroads into the weekend (Sat 9-6; Sun 10-4) but they are swimming upstream against lots of beer and food vendors and booths selling cheap crafts, yard ornaments, and objects made by someone else.  There are some galleries, but the booths dominate.

Besides Joan's original art (acrylic, some water and oil), there were two other painters (one had just prints) and one jeweler (silver).  Lots of kitsch jewelry, textile, metal and leather (e.g., belt and wallet for $35).  I'd guess 200+ booths over 12-14 blocks (some were in a park).

Towards the end of both days I had to keep an eye on people setting their beer or soda on the table near the prints and matted originals in plastic sleeves, or leaning near canvasses with their pork sandwiches.  However, only twice did we have to say something to people about taking pictures.

But they were not buyers -- at least, not of artwork.

Even postcards made on an HP printer, people would hold up a card, say to their friend, "Isn't this great?" then put it back.  Like two bucks would break the bank.

Two people said they would come back to buy paintings -- they didn't show.

One person wants to commission a piece -- we'll see.

Meanwhile, I'd love to try a real art show.  Here's the conundrum: the booth.  Are there rentals available for shows in St. Louis?

I guess you people who paint do it because you enjoy it.  I am envious of your talents; I just wish more people appreciated them.  Fortunately for us, Joan does not do it for a living.  Still --

Hello all!

I am still getting used to referring to myself as a photographer, but I sell photography, so I guess that's what I am!  I'm an oceanographer by day and due to my love of nature and ocean surveys, I have a collection of nature photos that I love and was encouraged to sell.  I also have some architectural photos but that's neither here nor there. 

I just started participating in arts festivals last year and am getting more confident with each festival even if the payback isn't there yet.  Receiving compliments about my work and meeting such friendly and talented artists has been great though.  

The owner of a really great artsy store has agreed to make room in her store for me.  I was quite excited by this until she said it's based on commission and the split is 60/40.  Is this the average commission for stores?  She would only feature my matted photos since I don't make my own frames (bc she has a framing service there) and so the return on this would be quite low for me.  I am trying to figure out whether it's worth it to place my work in stores. 

Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated. 

Thanks so much!

Renee Searfoss

I am having some trouble getting any information on this show.  Anybody here know anything?  Has it been canceled?  Anybody from Chicago heard anything?  Geri?

The average home value in Deer Park and the surrounding areas is $850,000!  There are, on average, 40,000 visitors to this lifestyle center every weekend.

The festival will be held around a charming gazebo in the center of everything.

There is free parking and free admission.

Our commitment to artists includes:

• Professionally jury and judging
• Best of Show and First Place Awards
• Aggressive marketing campaigns-print, radio, posters and Internet
• Free patron admission and plentiful parking
• Overnight Security-contracted through  a professional security company
• End of show feedback survey to help us continually improve the artist experience
• Enforcement of all Standard and Rules
• Shows located in areas of high income and traffic

Artist Amenities include booth sitters, free day and overnight parking, Continental breakfast both days plus afternoon snacks, cold bottled water delivered to your booth, indoor restroom facilities,discounted hotel options and easy load in and take down.

To apply and get more information contact  www.dwevents.org/deerPark or www.dwevents.org or call us at 847-726-8669.

Hi Guys!

I joined this group the other day, and wanted to introduce myself... i currently work as a sports video editor, editing highlights for pre and post game shows in the new york area... i've been doing that for a long, long time!  i love what i do for a living; don't consider it "work" or a "job."  Photography on the other hand is something i have a passion for.  i love to shoot, and i love to help people who are new to photography, have moved up from a point and shoot to an advanced camera, or just have questions in general.  i have a photography page on facebook called "Digital Photographers and Photoshoppers" which i have set up basically as a learning page for people.  the feedback has been excellent.  

I've decided to move myself to the next level with my photography by participating in art fairs and setting up a website.  Sounds like a great idea, right?  it should be so easy... the more homework i do, the more overwhelming it seems...  this is why i've joined this group - as suggested by a friend of mine who's an amazing photographer and one of my biggest supporters in this arena...  i have a few questions... they may have already been answered elsewhere on this blog, but quite honestly, i'm not good at this blog thing!  so here goes:

1) suggestions on whether to begin as a D.B.A. or an L.L.C... i'm thinking D.B.A. in the beginning, and if the sales are there, then creating an L.L.C.  any suggestions?

2) Do i need a tax I.D. number in order to do a show?  does it vary from state to state?

3) suggestions for good places for supplies, etc. would be very helpful...

4) suggestions for websites would be helpful as well...

i appreciate any and all feedback... thanks!

Join us on Tuesday, August 14 at 5 pm, ET at ArtFairRadio.com for this useful episode.

A continuing topic for artists is "what good is a website for me?" "Why should I waste the time and money?" and more positively, "I have a website, how can I make it make it work better for me?"

My guest will be Scott Fox, author of Click Milliionaires: Work Less, Live More With an Internet Business You Love

Listen in as he gets down to the most strategic, smart and inexpensive ways you can:

• get a website up and running for little money
• why you need it
• quick and easy ways to implement it as a marketing tool
• how to use it to promote yourself
• ways to make it make money for you
• using Facebook as a marketing tool

You'll get great tips on how to make your website work for you without a lot of technical background and time involved. Isn't it time all that promise about websites comes true for you?

I'll be doing two shows with Scott, this one dealing with the basics of Internet marketing and a second one in October, a call-in show where you can ask him your specific questions.

P.S. Scott is my son and he is the author of three books about Internet marketing and he taught me everything I know about running websites. He recently even started an online community patterned after ArtFairInsiders.com, ClickMillionaires.com. It's been my turn to teach him a little about community management, though heaven knows that is a whole other topic!

Do you have questions you'd like me to ask him on Tuesday? Please leave them in the comments below.

Catch up on our past podcasts at the "Radio" tab at the top of this page.

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

Facebook

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.

Instagram

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.

LinkedIn

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?

Pinterest

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.

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:

Twitter

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!