Alyson Stanfield, Author at Art Biz Success

Brother and Sister at the Rodeo - Sculpture in Golden, Colorado

Should My Hometown Deaccession Public Sculpture of Lesser Quality? (Curious Monday)

There’s an art controversy in my sleepy little hometown of Golden, Colorado.

Six bronze sculptures have been recommended for deaccession from the City’s collection. The reasoning:

– They were mass produced in China.

– They are judged to be of lesser quality.

– They are signed by “fake” artists. No one can find an artist by these names.

And, yet, many people love these pieces.

I’m curious about what you think.

Should My Hometown Deaccession Public Sculpture of Lesser Quality? (Curious Monday) Read

Test Your Social Media Effort

As I said in last week’s post: In marketing your art, there are no absolutes. Everything is a test.

That was about testing your email marketing results.

This week I want to look at testing your social media results, and the same principle applies: Everything is a test.

4 For-Sure Facts

I’m absolutely certain about these 4 things when it comes to testing social media:

1. The payoff for investing your effort into social media will be greater if you focus on your foundation (website, blog, email list) first.

Without this foundation in place, social media isn’t as useful. You need to have a place to send people – an online portfolio to show off your art and/or your expertise if you’re a teacher.

2. You can share a post similar to someone else’s and get radically different results.

This is why we read that the best time to post to your Facebook business page is at 11:30 am in one place and 6:30 am in another. You have a unique list of followers and have to see for yourself.

3. Your level of enthusiasm will show in what you post.

The greater your

Test Your Social Media Effort Read

Tami Bone photograph of woman holding terrarium

Balancing Studio Time with Business Time (Curious Monday)

Know that you are not alone in wanting to know the answer to this question.

It’s asked of me so often that I thought I’d throw it out to you.

Loyal reader Tami Bone put it this way …

How do other artists juggle or balance studio time with time to focus on marketing and business?

I find the switching back and forth to be difficult, and it seems I need full days to focus on one or the other.

So, what say you?

How do you find the balance? How do you divide your time between business and making art?

Balancing Studio Time with Business Time (Curious Monday) Read

Test Your Email Marketing and Track Your Results

In marketing your art, there are no absolutes. Everything is a test.

Is it better to send your newsletter on a Tuesday or on a Friday?

Will you get better engagement from posting to Facebook at 7:00 a.m. or noon?

Are your Instagram followers more likely to engage with you once or twice a day?

In this article I’m going to focus on email testing. Next week we’ll look at social media testing.

You’ll get a host of different answers if you Google “best time to send an email.” Test them! Track them!

In order for you to understand what works best for you, you have to track your results.

I’ve been testing foods lately to see what is right (and wrong) for my body. I track my weight, basal body temperature, sleep, water intake, and more to see what causes inflammation for me.

Yep, it’s a lot of work to track all of this, but the payoff of optimal physical and mental health will be worth it.

Likewise, your email marketing goal is optimal results for your efforts. You’re looking for more sales, sign-ups, registrations, click-throughs, or engagement. You might also be seeking a higher open rate.

Test Your Email Marketing and Track Your Results Read

Book about Philip Johnson & Frank Lloyd Wright

What Are You Reading This Summer? (Curious Monday)

When I heard about Architecture’s Odd Couple, the new bio about Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson, I couldn’t wait to read it.

I have a thang for architecture, and reading about the friendly rivalry between these two opposites was too appealing to pass up.

It’s my summer reading.

What’s on your list?

What Are You Reading This Summer? (Curious Monday) Read

Nestle In to Your Artist Community

As a student of art history, I love reading about communities of artists that evolved organically over the centuries. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall in the Cedar Tavern in the 1940s and 50s!

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall in the Cedar Tavern in the 1940s and 50s!

I believe that an artist’s work is better when there are other artists around to question, critique, challenge, and, yes, to praise.

Artists’ communities are all around. Among other spots, you’ll find artists’ communities in:

Coffee shops and bars
Residencies
Classes and workshops
Conferences and events
Online (pick your favorite spot)
Studio spaces
Creative workspaces

Search for a group where you feel at home and nestle in. If you come up empty, you can always start your own.

The Value of Community

There are at least 5 key reasons to seek out and become an active part of an artists’ community.

Nestle In to Your Artist Community Read

How Do You Take Care of Yourself? (Curious Monday)

We’re busy.

Busy in the studio, busy at home, and busy in the office. Everyone is so busy that it’s a boring topic. I’ve even made it an important goal to never utter the words I’m so busy.

But lots of the busy-ness involves sitting on our butts. And when we’re not doing that, we might just be so involved in deadlines and commitments that we forget to eat.

None of this is good.

Today’s big question originated from one of my Inner Circle members: How do you take care of yourself?

How Do You Take Care of Yourself? (Curious Monday) Read

©Kristen Watson, Digital Immigrant. Used with permission.

Why You Need an Editorial Calendar (and How To Make One)

An editorial calendar is a roadmap for your marketing content.

An editorial calendar buys you peace of mind because you don’t have to scramble for what to say or share. Ideas are stored and worked on over time rather than in a panic at the last minute.

Wouldn’t it feel great to have ideas lined up for your newsletter or blog for the next six months?

Another big reason to use an editorial calendar is that it helps you remember the important things you want to say. You know … those things you forget about until immediately after you’ve clicked the Send button?

For example, let’s say you are teaching a workshop six months from now. You would add promotional content to your editorial calendar for the month or two prior to your workshop, and perhaps even before that time if you had an early registration period.

Those are placeholders for the future. When that time comes, you just

Why You Need an Editorial Calendar (and How To Make One) Read