Change is good. Change keeps our blood pumping and mind churning.
Change helps us innovate and become better leaders.
This is easy for me to say because I love change. You’ve probably heard my announcements that my series of 3 classes ends with the Get Organized class, a new website is in the works, and my Shameless Self-Promotion workshops will be put to rest after Nashville in March of 2013.
Why all of the changes? GROWTH!
This is how the Universe works, too. Leaves changing colors, seasons changing, temperatures changing and, this past weekend, time changing. Nothing stands still.
Still, I understand that change can be debilitating for many people.
If you are open to change, there are two criteria I advise you to use when deciding whether change is necessary.
1. You Aren’t Growing
Some people will tell you that work shouldn’t be too much of a strain, — that it should be effortless. I disagree. I think growth only happens when we stretch.
If something has become too easy for you, ask yourself if it’s time for a change.
Every week I struggle to make the Art Biz Insider newsletter and Art Biz Blog posts valuable to you. These have never been easy! But I continue to grow through the process of listening to you, researching, writing, and interacting about the topics.
If you’ve been doing the same thing in your studio or marketing the same way for as long as you can remember, it’s probably time for change.
Change makes us a little (or a lot!) uncomfortable, which usually means that growth is ahead.
2. You Aren’t Seeing Results
If you have been doing a task consistently over time and you aren’t seeing the desired results, it’s time to change!
If you aren’t gaining subscribers and comments on your blog, you need to shake things up. Change the time of day you’re publishing, the frequency, the day of the week, the titles of your posts, the content, and/or the size of images. Experiment!
If social media platforms suck all of the energy out of you and leave nothing for your art or business, stop the madness. Reconsider your use of social media sites with the possibility that they might not be your best marketing tools.
If you aren’t selling as much art as you’d like, you have to consider changing your entire marketing strategy:
Are you showing at the right venues?
Does your festival booth design say “Come on in!” or “Stay back!”?
Are you networking in the right places and with the right people?
Is your pricing out of whack?
Are you regularly staying in touch with contacts?
Are you following up and following through?
Does your promotional sequence need tweaking?
Are you throwing ideas out there without a plan to be consistent and strategic?
What is it time to change in your art business?
10 thoughts on “How to Know It’s Time for a Change”
Yes! Time for a change! I just sent out a first ever email blast to collectors, friends and family inviting them to a private preview and have better stats than ever on that blast. Suzie’s interpretation: the people I stay connected to return the favor!
Change is what makes the world go round! I bought your book this summer and struggled through taking steps to expand my world through your suggestions. I am not a “social” animal but I completed several steps you suggested. What a fantastic difference it has made in my art life and personal life! I am ready to move on to implement the “harder” steps and see what happens. So glad my sister and Maria Brophy recommended you to me and thank you for sharing and motivating us all through your blogs!
Thanks for the post Alyson. Always grow! Never become too comfortable where you are. Keep learning.
I love the saying “When you’re green, you’re growing – when you’re ripe, you rot.” I don’t want to become “ripe”.
I am just loving this blog so much. Such great advice. I’m at a cooperative gallery and I can’t wait to share it with the rest of the group. Thank you for all your hard work.
I just started trying to sell my art last year…just part time. I started out doing pencil portraits from people’s photos. I only sold three portraits…one taking quite a bit of juggling and reworking for the client, which cost me a lot of time, effort, and frustration that I was unprepared for in the art “business.” ^_^ This really deflated me and discouraged me. I tried to do more work, but my heart wasn’t in it anymore. Then I discovered something that sent me in a new direction. I played around with a digital sculpting program and absolutely loved what little I could do with it! ^_^ I thought, “If I can make these cool sculptures with a digital program, could I do just as well using actual clay?” (I had never considered creating sculptures before…all my mind had ever been focused on was pencil drawings.) So, I switched totally from pencils to clay, and I realized I get A LOT more enjoyment from sculpting than I ever did from drawing! It’s one of those, “What do you love to do and would do even if you didn’t get paid for it?” things. I love to draw, but it was more like work to me. Sculpting is more like fun…something I look forward to doing…something I love to talk about. So, I guess, my change was redirecting my art genre…and I’m enjoying it immensely! ^_^
Alyson, thanks a lot for your helping blog. Your posts are very inspiring and professional. I always learn something different when I read a new one!
Your article has been featured in my online newspaper…please enjoy and share. http://paper.li/f-1348196885#
Karen
JMJCreations
Etsy
Thank you for this post, I have been trying different methods of change lately in all areas of my life. I have even ordered some new biz cards and I changed my website and my Facebook fan page ( http://www.facebook.com/CindyWilliamsArt ) to reflect the changes. Change can sometimes give you a breath of fresh air. It may not always work like you want, but you can always change 🙂
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