listopada 17 2008
Will They Come if You Build It? (Marsha Robinett)
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Fine Art Views Daily Newsletter
ISSUE #271 - (Sponsored by FineArtStudioOnline)
Straight Talk about Art, Marketing, Inspiration and Fine Living
“Build it and They Will Come”
by Marsha Robinett
TODAY:
“After waiting a year with no results Ray saw he was going to have to
get out there and shake some bushes….let people know his “Field of
Dreams” existed. You need to do the same. . .”
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Monday, November 17, 2008
San Antonio, Texas
IN THIS ISSUE:
* “Build It and They Will Come”
* Pirates in our Midst (Lori Woodward Simons), Revisited
* From the FineArtViews Blogs
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Latest Ruminations from Clint’s Blog
Pirates in our Midst by Lori Woodward Simons
Be Selfish With Your Time by Linda Mikulich
Why I’ve dropped Google Adsense
New FineArtStudioOnline Artist Websites
Generating Creative Business Ideas by Lori Woodward Simons
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“Build it and They Will Come”
by Marsha Robinett
Today’s guest author is artist, Marsha Robinett
. This article has been
edited and published with the author’s permission. Learn how you can be
a guest author .
Dear Oil,
In the 1989, the movie “Field of Dreams” staring Kevin Costner was a big
hit. I’m sure most of you remember it. The movie was about a struggling
farmer named Ray, who while walking through the cornfield, hears a voice
whisper, “If you build it, he will come.” He imagines a baseball field
in his cornfield. Annie, his wife, is skeptical but she encourages him
to follow his vision.
Ray works on the field for the next couple of days, hoping the old
players will come. Neighbors stop along the road to watch and heckle as
he plows under the corn. Ray waits and watches all year to see what
happens…and nothing happens, leaving Ray dejected and confused.
For many artists today just venturing into the world of internet
marketing…you are in essence building your own “Field of Dreams”.
There is much to be learned from Ray’s experience.
Just as you, Ray had a dream. He plowed up his cornfield and built a
regulation size baseball diamond. You ventured into unknown territory
and built a website or perhaps a blog. Now you both are waiting for the
people to come!
After waiting a year with no results Ray saw he was going to have to get
out there and shake some bushes….let people know his “Field of Dreams”
existed. You need to do the same.
You say “how do I do this?”…here’s the short list.
* Put your web address on every piece of literature, on the back
of each original and reproductions…always carry business cards. Talk
about your website.
* Add “text” with every image you post. You need to understand,
Google does not read images…it only reads text. Write about your art,
and how you created it.
* Be sure to title each artwork with a keyword rich, descriptive
title. “Old Train Depot in Lincoln, Illinois” is a MUCH better title
(for search engines and humans) than “Trains #11.”
* Submit your site to Google http://www.google.com/addurl
* Use a “Links” page…Ask other artists to EXCHANGE LINKS with
you. When you place another artists link on your site it’s a free add
for them. Why should you advertise for someone who is not advertising
for you? This is not personal, it’s business.
* Submit comments to online Art Forums and Blogs
* Send a Newsletter…at the minimum, once a month
* Start a Blog…Every artist needs a blog. This is absolutely the
best traffic driver out there.
* Blog regularly…you don’t have to write well, just write.
Search engines love fresh new material.
Marketing is difficult for most artists. We would rather be in the
studio doing our craft. Some well established artists will succeed
through the momentum of their art alone, while others will create
websites that are only viewed by a few family members and friends.
Many artists are like Ray, in “The Field of Dreams”….They build their
websites or blogs and wait to see what happens becoming frustrated and
discouraged because no one comes. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Incorporating just a few things from the list above can change this
pattern.
The Internet is just another Cornfield. It is vast and easy to get lost
in. There are over 13 million blogs out there at present and over 75
thousand more being added daily. Whether you have a website, a blog, or
both…a clear marketing plan is needed to let people know you exist.
Marketing is time spent now that will pay off in the future.
As the Movie ends you see Ray and his father playing catch on the “Field
of Dreams” and in the distance we see a long line of cars begin
approaching the baseball field…people were coming to watch the game.
It took a while, but marketing my website and blog is now a habit…just
part of my weekly to do list, part of my thought process. I realized
that if I didn’t learn how to market my art I was going to end up with a
very large private collection of my own personal work! Not a desirable
ending.
The three most valuable things I’ve done to generate traffic are my two
blogs, my links page , and my monthly newsletter…in that order. It
took some time to get them set up and going and 6-8 weeks to see
consistent results as I waited for Google to re-index my site. I’m now
experiencing a monthly increase in traffic…both new and repeat
visitors. Do they all buy, no…have I had significant sales, yes.
“Build It and They Will Come”…not even in baseball! Ray had to promote
his “Field of Dreams”. He had to develop an interest and gather his
players. THEN THEY CAME and they came from everywhere to see the game!
–
Editor’s Note: Marsha outlined some very practical marketing tips in
this article. There are, in fact, many practical ways that artists can
market their artwork. Several more art discussed in Constance Smith’s
book, Art Marketing 101. Learn what art schools don’t teach: business
savvy. Art Marketing 101 helps you take care of business, with tips on
everything from making winning portfolios to cultivating clients and
selling at shows. Learn about the publishing, greeting card and
licensing industries. Learn more or get your copy
.
–
————
This article is reproduced with permission.
Copyright 2008 - Marsha Robinett.
To get more of Marsha Robinett’s thoughts about art visit her blog:
The Extraordinary Pencil by Marsha Robinett:
http://theextraordinarypencil.blogspot.com
This article originally appeared at the following URL:
http://theextraordinarypencil.blogspot.com/
2008/11/build-it-and-they-will-come.html
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Art by Becky Whitney
Today’s Selected Commenter
http://www.passionforpaintinggallery.com
YOUR artwork could be pictured here tomorrow
just comment on today’s article before midnight,
and your artwork could be in front of thousands of people
tomorrow.*
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Pirates in our Midst (Lori Woodward Simons), Revisited
Becky Whitney Wrote:
Pirates aren’t afraid of getting sued. And maybe they aren’t even
artists who will care about this either.
It’s in the artist’s best interest to pay full price and get the DVD or
video legally, because every time they “save” money–they endanger
themselves of losing the opportunity of having this type of instruction
available to them. No business will sell what doesn’t make money. They
can’t–they need to stay in business. If there is no money in producing
these DVD’s for either the artist or the production company, there will
soon be NO MORE DVD’s MADE.
What a loss! Some of the instructional DVD’s are done by artists (such
as Shmid) who no longer teach. Or, by artists that teach on a limited
basis, but cost thousands of dollars to attend their workshop–not to
mention travel expenses. An artist who “saves” a few dollars by
purchasing pirated videos sets himself up to end up having to pay
thousands if he wants that kind of instrucion in the future. Hardly a
smart move! Surely true artists have better sense than that!
More Comments >>
All Past Issues >>
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>From the FineArtViews Blogs:
Oil Paintings - Jesus’s Cross by Ruth Housley
(Ruth Housley Fine Art)
Posted: 11/17/2008 1:55:37 PM
Oil Paintings - Border Collie by Ruth Housley
(Ruth Housley Fine Art)
Posted: 11/17/2008 1:52:14 PM
Painting the Beautiful Coast by
(Art of Sterling Hoffmann)
Posted: 11/17/2008 1:51:41 PM
Best of Show! by Mary Aslin
(Mary Aslin)
Posted: 11/17/2008 1:48:47 PM
Travels, Spruce Knob Lake, WV by Ruth Housley
(Ruth Housley Fine Art)
Posted: 11/17/2008 1:41:37 PM
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