A Site for Emerging Artists
Posts tagged strategies
Advice from a RockStar Sales Rep
Jul 12th
By Carolyn Edlund
Meryl Hooker is a nationally recognized award-winning sales rep, writer, speaker and all-around sales rockstar, and co-author of a new book, “Pushing the Envelope“. She has graciously written a guest post for artists and other creative entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams . . .
Focus Your Sales Pitch to Increase Your Sales
5 Steps to Getting Your Products Noticed
Tell me what your company does . . . in one sentence.
When I consult with companies that want help boosting their sales, this is always my first question. I recently met with a few first-time exhibitors at this year’s National Stationery Show. Besides the main goal of making sales, they all wanted to hire sales reps too. I started with the kick-off question, and here are some of the responses I received:
“I make letterpress cards that are fun and edgy, but sometimes whimsical, and make people feel good. And I use glitter sometimes, too.”
“I have something for everybody- recipe cards, children’s birthday, and some handmade collage pieces.”
“Well, my cards are whimsical and humorous, but I like to tackle tough situations like death and divorce.”
See how convoluted these are? If you cannot describe what you do in an intriguing, compelling sentence, you do not have a clear focus for your business. Without a clear focus for your business, how do you formulate a clear message in your advertising or marketing? How about your sales pitch to potential reps and buyers? As artists and business owners, we often want to make something for everybody in the hopes of increasing our sales, but the result is usually just confused potential customers.
So how do your achieve this magic focus? By developing a USP. Your USP is your Unique Selling Position or your Unique Selling Proposition. It is what sets your product apart from the competition and gives people a reason to buy your product. A USP defines your mission, your purpose and your identity as a manufacturer. While it is not quite a magical love potion that makes customers and reps fall for you, it is pretty close. An important part of product development (and sales, in general) is giving people a reason to buy from you, beyond just your charm and good looks.
Here are five steps you can take to develop your own USP.
1. What problem does your product solve or what do you make easier for your customer? A consumer purchases a washing machine because it helps them get the laundry done faster. Greeting cards allow people to express emotions they might not know how to on their own. How does your product help the purchaser?
2. What are the benefits of your product? Benefits are aspects of a product that answer the “What’s in it for me” question. Make a list of all the benefits of your product and then focus on the most prominent ones.
3. What are the features of your product? Features are facts about your products. Are your products made from recycled or repurposed items? Are the beads in your necklaces crafted by stay-at-home moms?
4. Who is your target audience (teens, moms, sports enthusiasts)? You may want everyone to purchase your products, but seriously, are your products really for everyone?
5. What does your product do that similar products do not, or, why is yours better? If you are the 15th company selling flower photography note cards, then you’d better have a compelling reason that buyers should purchase your cards. For the record, “because I made them” doesn’t cut it.
You should be able to get your USP down to one or two sentences. It is similar to having a business mission statement. The difference is a USP is targeted toward the actual product as opposed to what actions you are going to engage in.
Take a look around at other companies that sell similar products to yours, or even at other products you may already be purchasing. Try to identify those companies’ USPs and see how they are using it to develop their brand. Start with major, nationally distributed products since their USPs are easy to identify. Then, look at some smaller companies that you will not find in a big box store. How does your USP compare? Is it easy to identify? Is it easy to remember?
One way or another, you are going to need a USP. Otherwise, you are just another card/trinket/gadget competing for a buyer’s attention. Your USP may evolve as your line develops. In fact, it may completely change at some point. The important thing is to have a clear sense of what your product is and your specific target audience.
Now, go sell something!
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Share Your Creative Spirit
May 26th
By Carolyn Edlund
Have you ever heard of “Mana”? An ancient concept, Wikipedia defines it as “the stuff of which magic is formed, as well as the substance of which souls are made”. Think of it as a piece of the creative soul of an artist. When someone purchases your artwork, they aren’t just buying a physical product. They are obtaining a piece of your creativity, a connection to your talent and vision.
Courtesy Peter Worsley
When you are in the position of speaking with the public about your work and presenting your art, are you creating an environment where those connections can be made? Or do you appear to be bored, distant or uncommunicative? By interacting with your audience, you share your creative spirit, and set up a memorable connection.
Tell the story of your art. Talk about what inspires you. Engage with your prospective collectors on a real, authentic level which says that you respect them as people, are interested in them, and have something of great interest to them. When they make the purchase, and hang your artwork in their home, give it as a gift or wear your creation, they will remember and talk about the story. This was the artist who traveled the world and got inspired in an unusual way. This was the artist who survived a near-death experience, or has suffered in some great way, or who has been very blessed and creates to celebrate that fact.
Customers buy for emotional reasons. Connecting to them on an emotional level establishes your personal value in addition to the value of your work. This enhances their experience and increases the likelihood they will purchase, speak about you and refer you. Maya Angelou famously said, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Connection works physically as well. Observe body language, tone of voice, and gestures of the people you speak with. When your body language matches theirs, your voice level matches theirs, you make unspoken connections. How else do you forge a bond with your customers?
When a purchase is made, the buyer has something more than just the thrill of collecting art. They have made a connection, they have bought a treasure, they have received some of your “Mana” – your creative spirit.
Interview with Artist’s Agent Samantha Levin
May 18th
By Carolyn Edlund
Samantha Levin is an artist’s agent, working in New York City. Intrigued by her title, I asked her to describe what she does, how she works with artists, and the benefits of this type of relationship.
AS: What is your background, and how did you get into the business of representing artists?
Samantha Levin and Artist Carrie Ann Baade
SL: I have a studio art degree in sculpture from the School of Visual Arts, and I’ve been immersed in the art world in various ways since graduating in 2001. Most of that time I spent trying to promote my own artwork.
About four or five years ago, I began meeting some of the artists from the Pop Surreal and Lowbrow scenes. Carrie Ann Baade was one of the first followed quickly by Molly Crabapple and Travis Louie to name a few out of many. Much friendlier than most guarded gallerists, these networkers were easy and fun to meet. They were not only talented, but business savvy, and constantly looking for new ways to sell their art. Many of these artists began asking me to help them sell their work and I’ve been doing so for three years now.
AS: The recession has actually presented opportunities for you and the artists you represent. How does this work?
SL: Because of the recession, many old conventions and habits that ran the art world in the past no longer work. Gallerists have been trying to find new ways to make a living and, as a result, are more open-minded towards ideas that they may have previously shaken their heads to.
One thing that has becoming more accepted is the use of alternative spaces or “pop-up galleries” which can have less overhead than a traditional white box. One of the venues in which I put up exhibits is a bar called the White Rabbit. Such venues (bars, restaurants, cafes, etc.) generally have distracting décor, inefficient lighting and there’s more of a chance that art will be damaged while on display. Because of this, they carry a stigma: If an artist shows in one, they must not respect their work, so why should a collector? The White Rabbit has white walls, the art is always hung safely and special lighting exists to let the artwork stand out. This, combined with my use of the internet, helps me sell work and promote an artist’s career. It’s still too risky for an artist who has been exhibiting in galleries for a while to show in any bar no matter how well put together, so I generally only exhibit work at the White Rabbit of emerging artists who are looking for their first solo exhibit or have not shown their work very much at all.
AS: How many different artists have you worked with? Are your relationships exclusive?
SL: I’ve worked with quite a few artists on varying levels, adjusting to each depending upon what they bring to the table. Some make a living from selling their work while others are just starting out. There are a few with whom my relationship has become very strong. While I have helped them, they have also helped me.
I do not feel comfortable with representing anyone exclusively. Such a relationship would limit the control an artist has over their work and thus choke the reach their artwork could have. There are very few occasions where an artist would benefit from an exclusive relationship with a gallery or agent. An artist should be very careful about signing into such a relationship, and weigh all the pros and cons. The most successful artists I’ve seen have several gallerists or agents working for them in different cities to promote their work.
"Undergrowth" by Caitlin Hackett
AS: What are the greatest benefits agents can offer to artists?
SL: An agent can find niches for an artist’s work that the artist may not have the time to explore. Also, they often have a collector base to whom they can introduce your work. They can also advise an artist as to where they might want to steer their career. It really depends on what strengths the individual agent has and what the artist needs. Are they a blogger with many readers? Do they have a strong collector base? Who else do they work with? Would they help manage an artist’s career if need be?
AS: What are your current projects, and your future goals?
SL: Artwise, I have a wonderful schedule for the White Rabbit for the next few months showing the work of C. J. Stahl, Buddy Nestor, Erin Endicott and Tun Myaing. My arts organization, Anagnorisis, is very excited to have been awarded a grant from the ISE Cultural Foundation for an exhibit entitled Another Roadside Attraction that will be taking place this fall. I have interviews of artists in the works including Christian van Minnen, Travis Louie and Dan Ouellette. I’ll soon have a new website up as well, at http://artanagnorisis.com
The future holds a lot of promise for me and the artists with whom I work. I know it will be prosperous!
How a Decorative Painter Built a Business (Part 2)
May 12th
By Carolyn Edlund
In Part 2 of her interview, San Francisco decorative painter Debra Disman discusses time management and marketing for her successful business, and how emerging artists can use these techniques to enhance their careers.
AS: Marketing is important for artists, and your website gives a great presentation, including video. What recommendations do you have for other artists looking to publicize themselves?
DD: I see marketing as a three-fold process:
- face-to-face/in-person experiences: joining and meeting with business groups and individuals
-“behind the scenes” actions such as mailings, phone calls, and emails
- consistent online activities to create a presence, such as maintaining a website and blog, sending out an email newsletter, and participating in social networking
Not everyone loves to write, join groups, or present online, but the act of connecting with others can yield unexpected gold. All the teaching and exhibition experience in the world did not cause me to grow in the way that participating in BNI for two years did, because I had to return to the Chapter each week, and present my business and my art in front of a group, and define in words what I was doing.
Through Twitter, I connected with the master decorative painter Lyna 
Farkus, co-host, with the creative entrepreneur extraordinaire Rebecca Parsons of the blog radio show “Artistically Speaking Radio” an interview program spotlighting artists and the creatively self-employed. Because of my connection with Lyna, I was interviewed on the show. It was not only an honor, but a real joy to share with these amazing women and their listeners about some of the things we care about most – offering information to support others.
Having a video on your site can be very helpful to present and share about what you do. Engaging in the educational, marketing, and networking activities I have described may lead you to the perfect videographer to showcase your work.
Whether you are making a web site or a video to present your work, blogging, crafting an “infomercial” or an “elevator” pitch, tweeting, posting or updating, you are using these forums to share what you do, and inspire others to become interested in your work and ultimately to buy it. A salient way to do this is to communicate the value of what you do to others. This can be achieved in multiple ways for the greatest impact.
Equally important is to give back, whether it is through contributing time or consultation to a worthy cause, mentoring other artists and those new to your field or donating your skills, tools or equipment to create something.
AS: Time management is a challenge in your busy career. How do you plan and organize to get the most out of each business day? What are some of the tools you use?
DD: Many of my time management and organizational tools are deceptively simple:
- One of my tools is the humble analogue notebook. I use it to prioritize tasks, peruse websites and communications, track progress, make comments and evaluate where I am at any given time.
- Sometimes saying no can be as important as saying yes. Say no to perfectionism and overworking. Don’t continue to pound on a problem – instead, of take a break from it. Walk away, and get some exercise and refreshment. Getting “away” helps to free up the mind for solutions.
- When overwhelmed with the challenge at hand, I try to break it down into manageable steps. I focus on each individual step without worrying about the outcome. Then I set a specific amount of time to deal with a task.
- I have a plan for each day, but the plan needs to be loose enough to allow me to respond to an unexpected client calling about a project, a moment of creative inspiration or a surprise email. To remain focused, yet flexible is a supreme art form and one that requires constant practice.
- I am a big fan of identifying and doing things that bring you back to your central joy and passion about your work and about what compelled you to follow this path in the first place, which remind you why you love to do what you do, even with all of the struggles, frustrations and sacrifices.
How a Decorative Painter Built a Business
May 10th
By Carolyn Edlund
Artist Debra Disman is an entrepreneur, teacher, writer and successful artist who shares her career story in a two-part interview. She created her business in a deliberate and multi-faceted way, and continues to be involved in many endeavors, all of which help to build her reputation and drive more business. Debra shares her experience for the benefit of emerging artists . . .
AS: Tell us about your background and how you got involved with decorative painting.
DD: I majored in Painting at the University of Iowa, and was also in the Iowa Writers Workshop in Poetry. After college I moved to San Francisco and taught at the De Young Museum Art School. This set me off on an arts teaching career that took me all over the Bay Area providing art classes, workshops and trainings, primarily funded by grants and fellowships that I wrote or co-wrote.
During that time I was painting and creating mixed media work and was commissioned to do a piece of “art furniture”, a painted chair. I fell in love with the process!
By chance, I discovered the Paint Effects Shop and Studio where the techniques of Decorative Painting were being taught. I couldn’t believe a place like this existed! I had never seen a business model like this close up – the combination of art and commerce, retail and instruction, with no apology! I inquired and was later hired on the strength of my teaching experience and painted furniture work.
Having traveled and lived in Europe, I was fascinated by the historical aspect of many of the finishes we taught, as well as by their contemporary applications. Informed by my own experiences and study of art history, I began to develop my own approach and voice. I acquired clientele and thus my business grew. When Paint Effects ceased to exist as an entity in 2001, I went out on my own.
The field of decorative painting has so many applications and takes place in so many different environments. It really helps to have diverse artistic, technical, business and people skills.
AS: You took business courses to help you get started as an 
entrepreneur. How did this help you and what have you incorporated into your business practices?
Most art schools don’t train us to be business people or entrepreneurs, which is exactly what you have to be if you don’t plan to pursue a full-time teaching career or have some other form of income. So it is important to embrace the process.
I had actually been conducting my business for over five years when I began attending the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center in San Francisco and took “Start Your Own Business” and “Business Planning” classes. In addition to creating a business plan, I was given an overview of the totality of running a business, a context for many of the issues I was dealing with, and a community of people to interact with around those issues. I met my awesome web designer, Dianna Jacobsen of Jacobsen Design through Renaissance, where she also studied. I was introduced to many basic concepts – not just financials, the business plan and feasibility – but the concepts of networking, marketing, and connecting with others. My experience at Renaissance showed me a way out of isolation, which I think is a great pitfall for visual artists, even those actively involved in business, as we tend to work solo.
Subsequently I joined and was active in Business Networking International (BNI), social (online) networking communities, and Professional groups like MeetUp. In addition, I began training with the International Association of Colour Consultants and Designers (IACC) to enhance my color skills and developed a further network there. I can see the line from Paint Effects, to the Renaissance Center, to BNI, to online networking, to professional groups. I made extraordinary connections through these associations, which had a powerful effect on my career.
AS: You have mentioned writing, and expressed that it is something that you love. Is writing a skill that you think aspiring artists should develop?
DD: Being able to write comprehensively is a crucial skill to have – in all fields. It helps you clarify your own ideas, plans and goals, and also communicates these to others, which is necessary if you are going to have any measure of success professionally.
One of the joys of doing this interview is that I can share and offer advice on what I didn’t do, as much as what I have done! I didn’t write a business plan initially, nor would I have if I did not attend the Business Planning Class at the Renaissance Center. I had been taught to organize my thoughts through writing, and that skill has proved to be invaluable. Whether it was writing lesson plans, grant proposals, website text, or articles, writing intelligibly has been critical to my livelihood. So, when I did get to writing the business plan, I was comfortable with the process.
Writing dovetails with marketing activities, educates others about your art, and raises public awareness of it. I became a columnist for the Bay Area Women’s Journal, and the opportunity to write about decorative painting gave me a whole new view of what this multi-faceted art form contributes to our world, and my own relationship to it. Writing gives us the opportunity to offer advice and inspiration to others, which is another way of giving back.
Visit again for Part 2 of her interview, in which Debra discusses marketing and time management techniques.
Featured Artist Julia Hacker
