These are not marketing strategies: having a website, starting a blog, signing up for Twitter, adding a page on Facebook.

My definition of a marketing strategy is a thoughtful plan for putting your art in front of more people and engaging potential audiences.

Jacqueline Steudler, In the Midst of Trees #11. Gouache on paper, 40 x 40 cm. ©The Artist

What strategies are you using to keep your name and art in front of people?

• Speaking or conducting demonstrations at gallery receptions
• Sending postcards quarterly
• Mailing/Emailing a newsletter or regular update
• Writing a personal note to someone on your contact list
• Blogging 2-3 times a week while engaging your readers and responding to comments
• Updating your page on Facebook with interesting content
• Creating a top-notch video and posting it on YouTube
• Exhibiting your art — over and over again, in new and better venues
• Posting frequent, helpful tips to your niche market on Twitter
• Researching the people in your niche market on Twitter and following them, retweeting them, and saying nice things about them
• Researching the people/businesses/organizations in your niche market on Facebook and liking their pages, commenting on their updates, and saying nice things about the work they do
• Researching the top blogs in your niche market and commenting frequently (and substantively) on the posts
• Producing a regular (regular!) podcast or radio show related to the content of your blog and art
• Writing and publishing a book about your art and work — and making sure it’s seen by its intended audience

Yes, these strategies take a great deal of effort. Yes, being a professional artist is hard work. Yes, it would be easier to purchase an ad, but . . . Yes, this is WAY more fun and rewarding.

We strategize a lot in the Cultivate Collectors online class. The fun begins July 6.

What are your marketing strategies?

Marketing is a combination of everything you do to sell or gain recognition for your art.

Olivia Alexander, Ocean Dance 4. Mixed media on Belgian linen, 20 x 20 cm. ©The Artist

Artists frequently think of marketing in these terms:

• Keeping up a mailing list (and using it!)
• Printing postcards, brochures, and flyers
• Maintaining websites and blogs
• Interacting through social media sites
• Writing newsletters and articles
• Sending media releases
• Exhibiting your art
• Entering competitions
• Networking
• Speaking to audiences

But excellent marketing also consists of the following:

• Making the best art you can
• Pricing your art appropriately
• Speaking kindly to others in your festival booth or co-op space
• Handling business phone calls and emails in a professional manner
• Being a valuable source for students in your classes and workshops
• Meeting deadlines
• Exceeding expectations
• Following up with leads
• Budgeting

Where is your marketing falling short?

They say we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. So . . .

What is the biggest marketing mistake you've made?

If you don't like the word "mistake," substitute gaffe, boo-boo, error, misjudgment, blunder, oversight, or miscalculation.

Use Valentine's Day as the perfect excuse to do something special for your VIPs

Mentioned in this podcast

The Cultivate Your Connections class begins on February 11.

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I’ve been reading two books simultaneously: Tribes by Seth Godin (just finished) and The $12Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art by Don Thompson. They’re interesting reads–separately and together.

Godin speaks of heretics. No, not that kind. He talks about the heretics that try something different and change the world. Don't do what everyone else is doing. Do the opposite! Godin inspires you to put down the darned book and start leading!

Thompson harps on branding: branded artists, branded galleries, and branded collectors. While “branding” might be new to the art world, the way business gets done in the gallery-auction-museum world has been around for centuries. Thompson’s heretic is Damien Hirst, creator of the $12million stuffed shark and branded artist extraordinaire.

Things are changing! Twenty years ago we could only think of one branded artist: Warhol. Now, there are many more. The economy and a new generation of artists (who grew up online and with marketing) will bring about more changes. How will art be sold and collected in the future?

Stick around . . .

This is what I’m talking about! Don’t do what other artists are doing. Add a twist!

Artist Brian Kliewer likes the “painting a day” phenomenon, but (and this is my take with my words) that’s getting kind of old. We like NEW ideas!

Instead of just doing a painting a day, Brian is promoting 100 Paintings in 100 Days for $100 each. And the response  has been outstanding. Check out all of the red dots for yourself.

Image ©Brian Kliewer, Nosing In.
Someone better grab this before I do. I love Brian's white-belt cattle!

How can you add a twist to something that’s been around for awhile and make it fresh–make it yours?

Janelle Fendall Baglien, president of Studio Art Direct gives artists tips for marketing right now. She says the list is long and to achieve each step could take as long as a year, but urges artists and art-related businesses not to be overwhelmed.  Just chip away at it, now, while you have the time.

Read the article.

Let me show you how to drive traffic from your Web site to your blog (and vice versa) and from your newsletter to both.

Listen to this week’s podcast.

Check out Monday’s post for more resources.

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Instructions for subscribing to this podcast.

This podcast is an audio version of the Art Marketing Action newsletter.

E-marketing is the topic of today’s Art Marketing Action newsletter. Specifically, it’s about uniting all of your e-marketing efforts so that you drive people from your Web site to your blog, and vice versa, and from your newsletter to both places. Check out today’s issue if you haven’t read it already.

I also want to share with you these additional resources to help unify your e-marketing (and uniting this blog post with my newsletter AND Web site). First, two freebies from the Art Marketing Action archives:

• Entice Me, about using enticing language instead of the same ole, lame ole stuff
• Brand Your Emails, GREAT info in it

Next, two ArtBizCoach.com products:

• Two amazing teleseminars I did with Clint Watson: How to Create an Artist Web Site that Sells & Become an Online Art Magnet (sales special through March 10)
• My book! Check out Actions 7 (Amplify Your Online Presence) 9 (Take Advantage of Basic Communication) in I’d Rather Be in the Studio!

What did I forget? How do you unify your e-marketing efforts?

Learn how to identify your competition and how to keep an eye on them.

Listen to this week’s podcast.

Check out last week’s podcast for helping you find your vision. 

This resources are mentioned in the podcast:

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You might also be interested in forming a FREE artist salon to help you with your marketing plan (which includes your competition). Check out Art Biz Connection.

Subscribe to the Art Marketing Action podcast at iTunes.

Instructions for subscribing to this podcast.

This podcast is an audio version of the Art Marketing Action newsletter.