This publish is by guest author Keith Bond. This posting has been edited and printed with the author’s authorization. We’ve promoted this publish to attribute position since it provides good benefit to the FineArtViews neighborhood. If you want your blog posts outlined in the FineArtViews newsletter with the risk of getting republished to our 77,000+ subscribers, consider running a blog with FASO Artist Internet sites. This author’s sights are totally his own and may well not generally mirror the sights of BoldBrush, Inc.
I have been reminded just lately of the simple fact that “your mailing record is your amount a single asset”, to quotation Alyson Stanfield. This is anything that I took for granted when gallery revenue ended up stronger a couple of many years in the past. I desire that I experienced performed additional with my mailing record at the time. Superior late than hardly ever, while. This has been a big priority this past yr. Now, about 70% of my revenue are the result of my personal advertising and marketing endeavours, whereas a few years ago that range mirrored my gallery product sales.
Use your Mailing Record
Place it to get the job done for you. Be innovative in how you use it. There are several approaches to current market to your collectors and prospects, and I locate that a wide range of solutions function best. There has been a great deal of dialogue these days about electronic mail, blogs, newsletters, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and so on. All of these are great. But never neglect the traditional. Ship playing cards or letters once in a while. Send ‘Thank You’ playing cards. Send bulletins or invitations, even brochures, etc. Mailing a copy of an post about you (or by you) is yet another good explanation to correspond with your purchasers.
There is terrific ability in utilizing these extra tactile promoting equipment. They are additional likely to be seen. It will set you aside from the group. You are reminding your collectors that you are nevertheless there and nevertheless making art. They will see your work (if you use your art on these marketing and advertising objects) in a structure that they can hold on to for a whilst. They could even body it. Even if it eventually would make it into the trash, they will see it and take care of it and feel about it more than an graphic hooked up to an e-mail or blog. Or at least it will make a distinct impression, it will be observed and you will be remembered. Also, there is some thing about the own touch of a hand-composed be aware that speaks volumes to how you take pleasure in them as collectors.
Again, I repeat: use a assortment of marketing methods and be inventive in individuals techniques. Use both on-line and traditional techniques.
An Example
Not long ago I started a challenge that is of fantastic enjoyment and fascination to me. I will not bore you with the details, but will share how I marketed it. A month or so just before beginning the challenge, I decided to announce it to chosen individuals on my mailing listing. I invited them to sign up for me in this remarkable endeavor. The invitation was for them to come to be a sponsor by having to pay a modest amount of money, which would be entirely used to the acquire price of a potential painting. The sponsors ended up confirmed a to start with acquire proper of any paintings from the undertaking and they would have the opportunity to see them just before the standard public. They were being also guaranteed that I would return their sponsorship income if they did not obtain a painting from the venture that they required to invest in. I deliberately retained the selection of sponsors to a bare minimum.
The strategy powering the sponsorship was not to have revenue to cover any up front expenses. Somewhat it was a way for me to know who was very seriously intrigued in the paintings. With a handful of consumers presently fascinated in advance of I even commenced, my initiatives in internet marketing the paintings afterwards are minimized (but not eliminated). It is fantastic to know that I have the flexibility to paint what I am motivated to paint, knowing that many are likely to be sold right absent. The audience is in the grandstand observing enjoy by engage in as the undertaking unfolds. They are a element of it.
This is briefly how I am doing it:
I sent a packet in the mail (indeed, snail mail) which incorporated a letter detailing the undertaking and an invitation. I also included some predicted FAQs. Additionally there was a temporary bio sheet which showed new paintings. At last, there was a form to fill out and return with their look at if they wished to be a sponsor.
I did not stick to up with phone phone calls, but very likely could have gotten extra sponsors had I finished that. I was, even so, comfortable with the amount of responses I bought. I did not want also a lot of, simply because I was unsure how many paintings would ultimately be designed in this challenge.
As paintings are completed, I send out an electronic mail of the images AND a really hard duplicate (yet again, snail mail) to the sponsors. I mail 3 at a time about once every single 6 to 8 months or so. The clients are anticipating these updates and eagerly assessment them when they come (try to remember, they signed up and even put money down so they want to be up-to-date). I then comply with up about a week soon after they get the pictures with a telephone call (unless they contact me to start with). The customers are presented first acquire rights on the paintings right before I open them up to other consumers or the basic community.
Apparently, one of the sponsors observed just one of my the latest paintings which was NOT part of the job, but cherished it. They questioned if they could utilize the sponsorship to that portray. Of course I obliged. Just after all, the sponsorship was to pique the fascination of consumers, some of whom I hadn’t communicated with in numerous many years (shame on me). Through this, they located a painting that they appreciated and needed to buy. With out their responding to the sponsorship ask for, they likely would not have observed this other painting which they bought.
This is just a short instance of some points that can (and must) be performed to sector your get the job done. I have other items and projects which are promoted in different ways. I have my general business enterprise which is marketed. I am promoting myself as an artist. There are several distinct ways in which all this is accomplished. I really do not depend on just 1 matter, and you shouldn’t either. Regularity in the greater concept and consistency in your initiatives are very important. Still, variety in your methods of communication are equally crucial.
Very best Wishes,
Keith Bond
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Editor’s Note:
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