Stop Waiting for People to Sign Up

If you have been ignoring your contact list or relying solely on people to sign up for your email updates with an online form, it’s time to re-commit to nurturing your contacts.

Jessica Pisano, Sunset Marsh. Acrylic and gold leaf on black-and-white photograph.
Jessica Pisano, Sunset Marsh. Acrylic and gold leaf on black-and-white photograph, 15 x 19 inches. ©The Artist

Your contact list is where you store all of the people you know or would like to know. It’s storage. You can safely send postcards and snail mail to anyone on your contact list. You can also send personal emails to individuals on your contact list.
Your email list is for those who have opted in (asked) to receive your bulk email blasts, newsletters, and reminders.
I appreciate the combination of snail mail and email, but the primary benefit of my contact list is to spur my memory, which helps me personalize my relationships with students, subscribers, and others in the art world.
This is why I insist that your contact list is your #1 asset.

Reacquaint Yourself with Your Contact List

Stop waiting for people to sign up and start being proactive! You could take any of the following actions on your contact list right now.

  • Research and select software that maintains your contact database. I just posted an updated list of artist contact management software. Look over the list, read the comments, and chime in.
  • If you just started using your database, identify a certain number of people you can add to your list each day or week. Or set aside a day to get ‘er done. Your first goal is to get everyone you know into your database. In I’d Rather Be in the Studio, I put the minimum number of contacts at 150 because everyone knows at least 150 people.
  • To expand your contacts, add 5 influential people a week to your database. These might be people in your niche market, curators, gallerists, art collectors, or art consultants. Remember, you’re not adding them to a bulk email list. You’re adding them to your database so that you remember who they are. Not sure where to start? Use Google to search for these influential people.
  • Code your list. Use a sorting system in your database so that you can quickly pull up buyers, friends, family, other artists, and VIPs.
  • Use your list. Your list is worthless if you don’t use it. Use your list to send thank-you notes and personal correspondence just to let someone know you are thinking of them. If you have a show in a certain region, pull up names from that area and do something extra special for the people on your list.

What’s your first step?

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Your mailing list is your #1 marketing asset.

Your Artist Mailing List report

A transcript with the 3 lists every artist should have + a 3-page assessment for understanding the health of your list. FREE with opt-in.

5 thoughts on “Stop Waiting for People to Sign Up”

  1. you are so right about this…i really am going to start this today. thanks for the gentle push and all the info about the importance of it!

  2. After crafting and polishing a nice email newsletter, I have a perfect excuse to send a personalized email to folks who are in my contact list, but not yet on my opt-in list. I simply forward the email newsletter with a brief personal invitation to “stay in touch via my newsletter.
    Your newsletter – with beautiful images and well written copy – as well as a personal note, will make a positive impression, even if the recipient doesn’t subscribe.

  3. Pingback: Is it okay to add people to your email list? — Art Biz Blog

  4. Pingback: Liz Ruest » Keeping in Touch

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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

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