I know that putting yourself out there and meeting new people doesn’t come easy. One thing that might help is to remember that you’re just meeting people. The stakes are low at this point. My best advice is to encourage you simply to be genuine.
Be. You.
Having said that, here are the biggest mistakes you can make when networking.
Networking Errors for Artists Read
Meeting people and building relationships is the most important thing you can do for your art career, especially when your goal is to be a full-time artist. You must be social in the real world as well as online.
There is no way around it. You must. Be. Seen. It sounds simple, but I know this is not easy for many artists.
Being seen: networking for artists (148) Read
When Skip Hill said he needed a system for following up with his collectors, I knew I wanted to help.
He was neglecting his important business relationships at the most basic level. He said he was tired of being the stereotypical bohemian artist and ready to hone his business chops. Skip understood that the place to start this new commitment was with his network.
How to Guarantee that People Remember You with Skip Hill (147) Read
In a day when we’re all kind of sick of sitting in front of our screens, Barbara Muir is unabashedly happy about being online. And she thinks you should be, too.
We talk about all of the opportunities that have come Barbara’s way because of her blog, how she gets things done, and the sweet ritual she shares with her husband.
Much of the stress of meeting new people comes from the mistaken notion that this one contact is your only opportunity.
If you think about it as your only opportunity, you aren’t leaving open the possibility of developing a meaningful relationship. And strong professional relationships are what will grow and sustain your art career.
Instant Relief from the Pressure of Pitching Your Art Read
A 30-day challenge for her followers turned into more of a challenge for herself.
Kristen O’Neill and I discuss what she hoped to get from this challenge, how she organized it, how much of it was planned ahead, and what her workflow was like, including all of the platforms she used to share the content, and what she would do differently next time.
Lisa Call, Janice McDonald, and I have met 57 times to discuss the art documentaries since the pandemic started. It’s important that we stay connected to the global art world.
In this episode I talk about where you can find art documentaries, how we stay organized, why it’s important to diversify our selections, and how our conversations work. I also mention some of my favorite films.
The Art Biz ep. 144: How We Run Our Art Documentary Group and What We Watch Read
Experience forces me to remind you of your mortality. Artist and professional organizer Heather K. Powers wants to normalize death because it’s a part of life.
This conversation is especially important for artists, who make things that take up physical space. How do you categorize those things? What kind of records need to be kept? And what, if anything, should be destroyed, reworked, or donated?
Proactively planning your art legacy with Heather K. Powers (143) Read
Marketing is more effective and more enjoyable when you make more personal connections rather than relying on posts and broadcasts. When you interact 1-on-1, whether it’s in person or digitally.
I call this activating your marketing. I have suggestions for how to do this when using social media, searching for venues for showing and selling, getting the most from exhibitions, and more.
Activate Your Marketing for a Bigger Audience (142) Read
Raise your money IQ when you listen to this lesson in economics, and how your art business is affected by the larger economy.
Elaine and I define and discuss inflation, recession, the Consumer Price Index, and Gross Domestic Product. We talk about your revenue mix, why selling lower-priced items might not be the way to go right now, bundling, and raising rates and prices.
The Art Biz ep. 141: Worrying About the Economy with Elaine Luttrull Read
