I’ve been reading Delivering Happiness by Zappos founder Tony Hsieh. I highly recommend it as an inspirational story about sacrifice, drive, perseverance, and personal mission. One of the things Hsieh stresses repeatedly is how much more interested he is in experiences than in acquiring things. It’s no wonder that Zappos has become known for its […]
Deliver Happiness To Your Guests Read
You know I love email, right? I don’t necessarily love all of the spam that hits my inbox or the countless hours I spend reading and replying to email, but I can’t imagine running my business without it. How would I ever be able to help as many people as I do for such a
I Love Email (But I Love Real Mail More) Read
A strong artist statement is essential to the effective marketing of your art.
There’s no shortcutting this one. You need at least one artist statement for each body of work you create.
Writing your statement is a process. Like any other type of writing or artmaking, you can’t expect to nail it in a single sitting.
And, like all good things that take time, it will be time well spent. The process helps you gain clarity about your art.
If you can’t define your art in a statement, you will likely face difficulty marketing your work. Where else will you get language for wall labels, brochure and website text, informal presentations, and conversations?
Answering these three questions will help you write a better artist statement.
1. What, in particular, do you want people to see in your work? Is it . . .
What is important to you?
Discuss how you handle this aspect of your work. The words you choose for your statement should be clues that lead viewers to these discoveries.
Declaring “I love color” is weak language. Who doesn’t love color? Show us exactly how you respond to color and use it to transfer meaning from your head and heart to the viewer.
2. What is a distinguishing characteristic of your art?
Write a Better Artist Statement with These 3 Questions Read
Most artists start an e-newsletter with good intentions of staying in touch with their list. They imagine a monthly newsletter with regular columns, special features, and a calendar of upcoming events. It starts out good enough, but then something goes wrong for some artists. It goes a little like this . . . One newsletter
Conquering Newsletter Anxiety Read
As I write this, I’m sitting with an inbox with far more messages than is comfortable for me. I usually keep a relatively sparse inbox, but the messages accumulate from time to time. Here’s the ugly truth. I know that 177 messages isn’t a lot for most people, but it is for me. Instead of
How I Became the Boss of My Inbox Read
Many people become entrepreneurs because of the freedom it affords them. When you own your own business, you are free to set your own goals, get out of bed when you like, and control your brand. Of course, most people who seek this path of independence have no idea what they’re getting into. They don’t
This is for you if you have subscribers through a blog feed and a newsletter. It’s much easier to have a single subscription and here’s how you can do it.
A Solution for the Mailing List Conundrum Read
I haven’t been telling you about all of the amazing thing my members, students, and followers are doing and I’m going to try to do a better job of this. Starting now. I hope these three stories inspire you. 1. Holly Wilson Holly Wilson, a member of the Art Biz Incubator, was nervous and shaking
3 Artist Stories To Inspire You Read
We received loads of good ideas for what to do with earlier artwork that is taking up emotional energy and inventory space.
Many of you wanted to donated it to charity, sell it at a steep discount, repurpose it, or destroy it. On top of this, a number of you said that if it’s not up to your standards, you should rework or destroy it rather than give it away. I agree.
As promised, I have selected a winner. Be sure to keep reading for the honorable mentions.
The Best Idea for Unloading Unsold Art Read
I have been teaching artists online and at live events since 2002. While students pay to get valuable content from me, I learn almost as much from them as they do from me. That’s one of the great joys of teaching, and why I will continue to offer live learning. I can’t possibly put all
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28 Prompts to Shape Your Marketing Message
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