Repair the Leaks in Your Marketing

One of the first things I ask potential clients is: “What are you doing right now to promote your art?”
I know they haven’t read my book when their only response is, “Well, I’ve had a website for 2 years” or “I have an exhibit coming up.”
ArtBizCoach recommends you locate and repair leaks in your marketing.
Can you see that this is insufficient? Websites and exhibits exist. They sit – waiting to be viewed, waiting for someone to visit.
It’s your job, with your marketing, to steer those visitors in the right direction! Marketing involves more than this one site or that perfect email. Marketing is a combination of everything you do to promote your art.
Get that? Marketing is a combination of everything you do to promote your art.
You must be sharing your art consistently and coherently throughout the various platforms you use. People need to be able to view your art without complication, understand how to contact you, and connect with you online and off.
I understand. You get busy. You set up a new social media account and forget to connect it to your sites. Or you rush off an email and fail to ask for an action. Your business is growing, and it’s difficult to keep up with all the moving parts.
This happens to everyone, but that doesn’t make it okay. It hurts your business!
Every so often, you need examine the tools and platforms you’re using to promote your art. Are you sending the right messages? Are the messages connected or disjointed? Are you sharing frequently?
This week, make time to locate and repair the leaks in your marketing.

Locate the Leaks

Is your contact list updated and backed up? Most importantly, are you using it?
Are there images of your art on every page of your website?
Are your images organized so that they make sense?
Are there images of your art near the top of your blog and illustrating most of your blog posts?
If I met you at an art opening and asked you what you did, could you pique my interest with your response in 10 seconds or less?
If I read your artist statement, would it compel me to look back at your art?
If I visited your website, would I know what city or town you lived in?
If I received an email from you, would I be able to see your art by clicking a link in your signature block?
If I went to your website or blog, could I quickly find your social media sites?
If I went to your Facebook page or Twitter account, would I be able to click through to your website or blog?
If I became friends with you on Facebook, would I know you had a Facebook business page as well?
If I re-pinned an image of your art on your Pinterest board, would the description include a full credit line (©your name, title, media, dimensions)?
If your email bounced back to me because your inbox was full, would I be able to find a phone number to call you?
Are you sending thank-you notes in the mail to collectors and others for whom you’re grateful?
Take an hour out of your schedule this week to appraise the marketing tools you have in place. Are they connected? Are they sending a consistent message? Are they being used?
If you can repair the leaks quickly, do it! If you need more time, add it to your task list to tackle in the future.

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18 thoughts on “Repair the Leaks in Your Marketing”

  1. Thanks Alyson … these points are something we need to look at every so often. I know we get in a habit of “thinking” we are doing what we should. These points you make are sometimes the ones that seem to fall through the cracks … something we “put off!” I will be looking at which of these are not being done and correct my time use. I also shared this blog post with Facebook and will also share it with my “marketing group”.

  2. Great tips! I was happy to find I am doing most of them….errr…okay, part of them. 😉 I’m just learning Pinterest so had no idea I could add a credit line to my images….guess what I’ll be doing today. 🙂

  3. I like the tips. I guess I am not getting info out there enough. I can’t get my act together to do all the marketing I should. How do you know if people are really reading your website, blog, facebook, e mails, fliers, art clubs, without just “deleting” them? I have been pushing a class that I teach and it seems that people want to come or they say they do then don’t. They thank me for the info. But don’t come. I have done my research for the class. Nothing.
    How much is too much info to be sending out? “I’m at the First Friday Art Walk, come by and see me.” Placed in all the areas above where many see it like you said 6 places and don’t show?
    Can you comment please?
    Thank you.

    1. Aleta: Are you following up with the people who say they don’t come?
      Do a search in the sidebar at right for “once is never enough in marketing.”

  4. Yippeee! I think I passed the Alyson Marketing test! 🙂 It is never ending. I wish I could figure out how to nudge out the time for Pinterest. I need a couple of videos or something to get me over the edge.
    I have worked with a couple of VA’s but they do not seem to be marketing oriented. Is it possible to have a VA help with some of this marketing activity? I also need to be more consistent and get better at asking for people to take action.

    1. Carol is much more savy than I so I watch her blog a lot. I am so happy to be this far along.
      Rev.

    2. Thank you Rev for you kind words! Looks like we have our shows on the same weekend and won’t be able to visit each other’s studios. 🙁 Wish you a great sale!!

  5. Alyson, you wrote, “If I went to your Facebook page or Twitter account, would I be able to click through to your website or blog?”
    I have every one of your marketing leaks plugged except that one. Could/would you kindly tell us exactly how to perform that task on a Facebook page (I don’t currently Twitter).
    I have both a personal and company artist page but the only way I know how to link them is to post my art on the business site then share it on my personal site hoping to drive traffic back to the business site.
    The only problem with doing this is that if a friend decides to write a comment under my artwork on my personal page, their glowing appreciation of my art remains on the personal page. In order for comments to appear on the company art page, they’d have to know to click on the works and open them on the business page where their written comments there stay with the artwork on the business page.
    I haven’t discovered a way to build a friend audience on the business page. I can’t figure out a way to invite people to be my business friend and build my audience there and then delete my personal name page that’s locked only to family and friends that ask to join that network.
    Any instructions available for these leaks?
    Thanks. As always, you are great!!

    1. Kathryn: Go into your info on your personal page and where it asks for your Employer, enter the name of your business page. It should show up as a link at the top of your About info on your personal page.
      This is an old post about friends/fans, but might be useful:
      https://aaartbizold.wpengine.com/friendsintofans.html
      I need to update the info for that and make a new post because I have definite thoughts about separating personal and business pages. Look for that in the future.

  6. HI Alyson,
    Here is one of the fruits of your excellent teaching!
    Thank you! Of course you are invited as well as everyone else.
    Make Original Art your Own
    Sunday, September 16, 2012
    at the home of Reveille Kennedy
    280 Childe Dr.
    Colorado Springs, CO 80906
    Hi everyone!
    I am putting out the red carpet, cleaning tiloour hands bleed, and preparing for YOU! Please come and attend my home show on Sunday September 16, from 1-4 pm. Jacqueline Pearson, Tom Owen, Jones LeFae and myself have put together my first ever wall to wall home show.
    You will love the atmosphere, ambiance and hospitality!
    Bring friends, Ken and Barbie, Uncle George and Auntie Agnus, and any other family you wish. I know you will want to purchase every piece of art and jewelry. Great for birthdays and Christmas, anniversaries and heck, how about a piece for yourself! You won’t be able to resist! Looking forward to seeing every one of you Sunday afternoon in my living room from 1-4 on September 16.
    Remember there is a drawing for door prizes, and wine, cheese and crackers!
    280 Childe Dr.
    CS,CO. 80906

  7. Thank you for all you do for your students. I know I am not nearly there yet, but I figure a day at a time. Otherwise I get it all mixed up.
    Rev.

  8. Pingback: Que faites-vous pour promouvoir vos créations sur le web ? | Amylee

  9. Thanks for the kick! I needed this post this week. I’ve been having a rough time and needed not just the tips but just the reminder to do something to get my work out there every day. So that’s my mantra right now until my energy returns. 🙂

  10. Pingback: How to Know It’s Time for a Change — Art Biz Blog

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Your Artist Mailing List: Rethinking + Assessing

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Your Artist Mailing List: Rethinking + Assessing

Get a transcript of episode 182 of The Art Biz (Rethinking Mailing Lists for Artists) followed by a 3-page worksheet to evaluate the overall health and usage of the 3 types of artist lists.

Where can we send it? 

To ensure delivery, please triple check your email address.

You’ll also receive my regular news for your art business.

Privacy + Terms