Networking Archives - Art Biz Success

Options for growing your email list

Wed, 17 May 2023 17:44:10 +0000

Your email list is a means for nurturing trust, for building relationships, and, if you teach, for demonstrating your knowledge.

Your list is, as I’ve often said, your most important marketing asset.

Think about how unique it is to you, your art, and your goals. No one has the same list of names and email addresses.

Having said this, I realize that it’s harder than ever to grow an email list. I don’t want you to obsess over “getting” more names on your list.

Numbers don’t matter. What matters is that the people on your list are paying attention to what you have to say or share.

We need to use as many avenues as possible to build our email lists. Not quantity for quantity’s sake, but seeking the highest quality of loyal subscribers.

[ Note: Your definitive list is much larger, and ultimately more important than your email list. ]

With all of this in mind, you want to take advantage of every opportunity for adding to your subscribers. Here are some reminders.

Ask People to Subscribe

Sounds simple, and yet it’s easy to get busy and forget to ask in these situations.

Online (General)

From time to time, ask people who follow you to sign up. Don’t beg, just ask. You can use the ask in combination with any giveaways mentioned below.

In Person (General)

If you’re out networking, as you should be, don’t be afraid to ask people that seem interested if they’d like to be on your list. (But never lead with this. Tune in and read the situation.)

Speaking

Asking in conjunction with speaking is related to asking in person and via sign-up forms, but it must be a category by itself because it’s a powerful way to build your list.

If you shine in front of a crowd, consider adding more speaking engagements in order to build your list. You will undoubtedly have a lot of people in the room that would be thrilled to hear from you again. Catch ‘em while you can!

These might be obvious, but we can’t forget about them….

Sign-Up Forms

Of course you have an easy-to-find web form on your site, preferably on every page (or, as you’ll see, as a pop-up). But you also need the ability to gather email addresses when you have an audience.

As I mentioned above, speaking is a great way to grow your list. Pass around a form or individual cards to the audience. Leave out a guest notebook or individual comment cards at your exhibition or event. Be sure there’s a checkbox to sign up for your list, and that it’s clear they know what they are signing up for.

Pop-Up Forms

You know what I’m talking about here. Pop-ups are those annoying boxes that cover up your screen just as you’re getting interested in a site. You’re being asked to enter your name and email address in return for the promise of a freebie or newsletter.

Yes, we’re all irritated by them, but there’s a reason they are ubiquitous online. It’s because they work!

Stop holding out and add a pop-up form until the studies show different results. Your pop-up form might mention a freebie offer if you have one. Keep reading for more on that.

Give Away Something Valuable

Stellar Content

People who learn from your wicked-smart insights are inspired by your message or images, or giggle at your humor are more likely to share your email.

I open every single email from artist Anne Bossert because she has a terrific sense of humor. Inevitably, it will be a smile break in a busy day. (I wish she sent them more frequently.)

Building a list by creating great content is how my list grew over the years. It’s still my favorite way to build a list because it attracts followers that are more likely to be loyal for the long term.

Don’t wait until you have more people on your list to start sharing your content. You won’t get more people until you take a big step and commit to the content.

Freebies

A freebie is something you give away in exchange for someone’s email address. I know of numerous artists who offer high-resolution downloads as their freebies in order to appeal more to collectors than other artists, but I have no evidence that this increases sign-up numbers.

Brad Blackman offers a different twist in his free report, The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Art Shows, which is geared more to buyers.

Freebies require a lot of back-end organization and automation to deliver them seamlessly.

I think freebies work better for teachers, so here’s a section just for you.

If You Teach, Offer How-To Freebies

It’s easier for teachers to identify possible freebies than for artists who don’t teach. When you want to attract students to your list, give away information that is carefully crafted to show off your knowledge on a particular subject.

Of course, the information isn’t actually free. It will cost an email address before people can download your freebie. After taking The Ethical Move marketing pledge, I use the phrase “free with opt-in” when promoting my freebies.

Consider any of the following giveaways if you teach.

Assessments

Develop a test, based on the subject you’re teaching, which potential students can use to see how they stack up against other artists.

After the assessment is downloaded, people might be led to a video in which you can walk them through their results.

Checklists

Checklists can be quickly digested and are forever useful.

Their brilliance is that they consist of only the basic elements. Potential students must enroll in your program to find out how to make the best use of items on the list.

By example, I offer a Cheat Sheet for Marketing Tasks on this post.

Special Reports & E-Books

Reports and e-books might take a checklist as the basis, and then go more into depth. While a report might be 5-10 pages in length, we would expect an e-book to be longer. And longer isn’t always better.

Consider pulling together a special report on a single aspect of your teaching—one that plays only a small role in your program.

[ See how freebies work on my Free Stuff page. ]

Webinars and Live Streaming

Webinars usually include visual images (slides) whereas live streaming is teaching in front of a webcam with an audience watching in real time.

Create a 1-hour content-rich virtual event and promote the heck out of it online. In the best of all worlds, this will not only build your list, but also lead to more enrollments for your program.

Warning Teaching live through webinars or livestreams isn’t for amateurs. You can do a lot of work that leads to nowhere if you haven’t studied the secret sauce that makes them beneficial.

Telesummits

You’ve seen telesummits offered online and have probably participated in one. One or two people enlist 10 or 15 others to interview over the course of a week or two.

Presumably, everyone participating builds their lists. The catch is that they all have to send multiple emails to their lists. This is why I rarely participate in these events. I am too protective of the people on my list.

I feel like telesummits have gone out of favor (thank goodness). Like webinars, they require loads of planning and reliable infrastructure to pull off properly. Imagine coordinating all of those guests!

One Last Thing

There are many ways you can build your list, but remember that quality is more important than quantity.

And one last thing: You have to be committed to USING your list.

It’s not cool to ask people if they want to hear from you and then you ghost them for 6 months or more. They’ll forget why you’re emailing.

I teach you how to use your list with confidence. It comes up repeatedly in the coursework and the 1-on-1 consultations I have with my clients.

See my private consulting and Essentials.

Networking Errors for Artists

Thu, 04 May 2023 02:08:02 +0000

Meeting new people and being able to introduce yourself as an artist is essential to growing your art business.

The more people you know, the more people there are to appreciate, buy, and tell people about your art.

[ Catch my short workshop, The People Plan for establishing conscious connections for your art business. ]

The best tip I can give is just to get out! Online relationships are valuable, but in-person meetings can make an artist’s career.

[ Check out my post (with podcast episode) Being Seen: Networking for Artists for tips on where to network. ]

Be You

Putting yourself and your art out into the world 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.

Networking is a two-way street. You must care about nurturing relationships (read: you must care about the people you’re connecting with) in order to be a successful networker.

Having said that, here are the biggest mistakes you can make when networking.

Don't Do These Things

Don’t approach new people in a transactional way. Expecting something in return for what you’re offering feels icky and doesn’t leave any room for a genuine relationship to bloom. Always meet someone first and get to know them before asking for anything.
Don’t hang out only with artists who work in the same genre or medium as you. What fun is that?! You won’t grow until you bust out of your comfort zone.
Don’t shove your business card at people or see how many cards you can unload at a single event. Effective networking is about the quality of relationships, not the quantity. That brings me to …
Don’t forget to get business cards or info from the people you meet. It’s far more important that you get their information than that you give them yours. This puts you in control, which helps you avoid error #7.
Don’t forget people’s names right after you’ve been introduced. There aren’t a lot of excuses here. Saying “I’m bad with names” is a self-fulfilling prophecy and makes you bad with names.
If you genuinely care about the people you’re meeting, you’ll make an effort. Repeat their name immediately. Use a trick from the Car Talk guys and ask how the name is spelled.
Don’t use networking as an opportunity to tell people everything about yourself. Let the relationship unfold naturally. Besides, people love to talk about themselves (thus my caution here) and will like you more if you focus the conversation on their interests.
Don’t sound anxious or needy. These are straight-out energy killers.
Don’t fail to follow up after meeting people. If you follow up with a “nice to meet you” email, phone call, or note card within a couple of days, they are more likely to remember you.

If you wait too long to follow up, your communication might look more like a sales pitch than a considerate message.

First published August 27, 2015. This post has been updated with original comments intact.

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The Art Biz ep. 110: An Unusual Path to Finding Art Commissions with Leisa Collins

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 12:14:41 +0000

A lot of artists make a good living, or at least a significant part of their income, from commissions. You know how it goes. Someone approaches you to repeat that piece you’ve already sold, but they’d like it in more neutral shades, 40% larger, and vertical instead of horizontal. Don’t judge.

Or they want a drawing of their beloved pet, and you consider yourself an abstract artist. Leave the pets to Sema Martin who, in episode 68 of The Art Biz, walked us through the exact steps she repeats for each commission—steps that ensure she stays organized and meets her deadlines.

What would happen if you turned the whole commission process on its head? If you got to make whatever you wanted and found the perfect buyer in advance?

©Leisa Collins, Independence Hall, Philadelphia. Pen and watercolor on paper, 11 x 9 inches.

In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Leisa Collins, who started her art business by targeting people whose homes she wanted to paint. Her attempt at the flyer-on-the-doorstep thing was met with crickets, save for some abusive language by one recipient.

Then she got more specific and went to direct mail. That’s when her career as a house portraitist took off. To date she has painted more than 2,500 house portraits and has a waiting list for commissions. She no longer has to send direct mail, but maintains that the personal relationships with clients are paramount.

I’ll let Leisa explain how she did it. She’ll also share her quest across the country to paint a house in all 50 states, that following up with prospects results in 85% more sales for her, and how she has partnered with realtors to provide closing gifts for their clients.

Highlights

Leisa recently published a coffee table book highlighting her paintings in all 50 states.

Combining a love of art with architecture and advertising in effective ways. (4:36)
The details of direct mailings that lead to collectors. (9:45)
Leisa recently published a coffee table book highlighting her paintings in all 50 states.
Hand selecting the demographic you want to work with. (13:05)
The business process and price range of Leisa’s untraditional approach to commissioned art. (16:10)
Selecting, photographing and painting houses in all 50 states. (22:26)
Creating 250 pieces a year means Leisa gets two or three new clients a week—and has to keep careful track of them all. (30:50)
Selecting images, marketing, and selling a book. (36:50)
The importance of following up with prospective clients—without being too pushy. (39:31)
The details of Leisa’s spreadsheets help her maintain a personal relationship with her clients. (45:10)
Creating relationships with clients through realtor closing gifts and phone calls. (48:51)
A look at what is coming up next in Leisa’s very busy holiday schedule. (53:25)

Leisa Collins Quotes

“I exchanged my art for everything.”

“I could choose my demographic very carefully by looking at the house.”

“I now get tons of commissions every week because they told their neighbor … by now it’s just word of mouth.”

“If you love what you’re doing, it’s not so much like work.”

About My Guest

Leisa Collins, a native of New Zealand, eventually settled in the U.S. and became interested in the people and cultures that defined architecture throughout the country’s history. She was inspired to drive from coast to coast, creating original paintings of homes in every state plus the Nation’s capital. She selected 650 of these architectural paintings—as well as the fascinating stories behind many of them—for her coffee table book, Hand-Painted Homes: An Architectural Artist’s Pen and Watercolor Journey Across America (May 2021).

In 2013, Leisa established the Leisa Collins Historic Preservation Award to honor exceptional individuals committed to saving and restoring old buildings across the country. Her work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, Huffington Post, and Los Angeles Times.

Follow Leisa on Instagram: @leisacollinsart

The post The Art Biz ep. 110: An Unusual Path to Finding Art Commissions with Leisa Collins appeared first on Art Biz Success.

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Boldly reaching out to art world influencers with Laurence de Valmy (108)

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 10:40:56 +0000

People. You need them.

You need people to buy your art, people to show your art to, people to attend your shows, people to write about your work, and, let’s face it, you need people to support you emotionally along the way.

You need other artists around who “get” you. It’s in these friendships that you will find understanding as well as ideas that challenge you to be a better artist.

©Laurence de Valmy, Modigliani Censored. Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 inches.

The relationships you nurture can sustain you, but you’ll never know to what extent until you start taking them seriously. Until you believe with all of your soul that you can’t do this on your own.

This month on The Art Biz podcast, we’re emphasizing the value of 1-on-1 marketing. I almost hate to call it marketing because it’s really about building authentic relationships. Relationships with other artists, gallerists, writers, curators, buyers, students, collectors, and agency administrators.

You are not alone if this type of personal relationship building doesn’t come easily to you. Many of us were born without that gene, and if this is true for you, it’s not too late. It’s a skill that can be practiced and improved upon over time.

As I said back in episode 107, the not-so-secret secret to higher level growth for artists is in personalizing your marketing. Really caring about humans and having private interactions rather than broadcasting to social media or a large list all of the time.

But what do you do if you move to a new place and don’t know anyone? Or if you’re just getting started? Where do you begin?

In this episode I talk with Laurence de Valmy about how she has used her bonus talent as a writer to make connections in all arenas of the art world.

It all started with the thought that there were people out there who knew more about how to “be” an artist than she did. She trusted that she could learn from them. Even if you aren’t a writer, I think you’ll be inspired by her boldness and creativity.

Highlights

Photo credit Renee Riccardo.

“This is the place to take the leap.” Laurence reflects on her artist journey. (2:32)
The birth of The Curious Frenchy blog. (5:42)
Laurence’s publishing schedule is shaped by the artists she meets. (8:14)
How to more effectively learn from others while promoting their work. (9:52)
What was it like interviewing Henri Matisse’s granddaughter? (13:40)
Embracing the value of personal relationships. (15:30)
Opportunities that have come to Laurence as a result of her blog connections. (17:05)
How Laurence leverages and promotes blog content on social media. (21:17)
The difference that one-on-one relationships can make in your business. (23:29)
Tools for organizing your connections and contacts. (25:58)
A look at Laurence’s typical workday and schedule. (27:57)
How to meet people when you move to a new location. (31:32)
Simplifying content sharing on social media (32:29)
Laurence’s advice for artists who are intimidated about reaching out to form new connections. (34:08)
A look at what’s coming up next for Laurence. (36:16)

Mentioned

Laurence’s solo show during Museum Week at the Michele Mariaud Gallery in NYC in May 2019.

Laurence de Valmy Quotes

“All I knew was that I didn’t know. And so I had to learn a new job and in order to do so, I started to connect with other artists.”

“I quickly realized that’s how things happen. It’s through the people you know.”

“People work with people that they like.”

“The worst that can happen is that nothing happened. It’s as simple as that.”

“If you are prepared, you will know what to say.”

About My Guest

Laurence de Valmy invites us to reflect on the links between artists through times and the relationship between art and social media today. In her POST paintings, she revisits art history through imagined Instagram feeds of the past. Her recent work explores the place of hashtags in our communication.

Laurence is French American and lives in the U.S. She writes about art on her blog The Curious Frenchy and for art publications.

Follow Laurence on Instagram: @laurencedevalmy

Build your unique relationship-centered marketing process —>

More on networking and relationships ⇒

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Your Artist Email Signature Block

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 03:00:36 +0000

Your artist signature block is the text you add to the end of your individual emails, and it’s a free marketing tool.

What to Include in Your Signature Block

Your signature block might contain a mixture of any, but not all!, of the following.

Your full name (required)
I have a policy against answering emails that are unsigned, and I’m sure I’m not alone. If you don’t care to tell me who you are, why in the world should I respond?
A link to a compelling page on your website.

I use this signature when I want to establish authority or encourage someone to listen to the podcast. I prefer sending readers there than to my home page because it’s much more interesting.

Your location (You’re sending email all over the world. Tell people where you’re from!)
Your phone number
Your website address
Select social media links
A tagline about your art
An upcoming event, such as a workshop or exhibition, you’re promoting

How Much to Include

Err on the side of brevity. The fewer words, and the fewer links the better in your signature block.

I use this email signature as a default for people I already have a relationship with (and who would appreciate the heart).

No one has time to read your artist statement, bio, or life story.

I don’t use this one a lot, but it is easy to insert if someone asks for my phone number or mailing address.

I suggest no more than 2 links in an email. I use only 1 link per signature. No one has time to decide which link to click.

You can easily update your email signature block or create multiple options for different purposes. I’ve illustrated this post with the different versions that I use.

Using Images in Your Signature Block

This is the email signature block I use to promote my book.

Images in artist’s email signature blocks are more common than they were when I first wrote about this. (You’ll find a discussion about this topic on the comments from the original 2006 post.)

It can be quite nice to see the artist’s work without having to click on a link.

If you decide to add an image to your signature, keep it to just one images. Remember that images arrive in inboxes as attachments that must be downloaded (automatically or manually, depending on how you’ve configured your email program). Not everyone is keen on getting attachments if they don’t know you.

You take a chance.

I happen to like them, but I’m highly artist-friendly (as you know!) and I love to see new work.

I advise you to select an image that is still available in order to help sell it.

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The Art Biz ep. 28: Making a Living as an Expat in Paris with Marcus McAllister

Thu, 30 May 2019 10:05:41 +0000

Have you ever wanted to start over? To move somewhere else and begin a new life?

In 2001 I sold many of my belongings, left my safe job in the art museum, and rented a U-Haul to start my new life in Colorado.

I had no idea what was ahead for me. I only knew that I wasn’t living the life that I was intended to lead. I was suffocating.

It was pretty brave of me to take this step, but I was just moving across the border.

My guest for this episode had a much grander adventure in mind. Twenty years ago, Marcus McAllister packed up his art supplies, flew to Paris, and never looked back.

In this episode, Marcus talks about his decision to live abroad, his sketchbooks, the sources of his income, and the importance of relationships.

Show Notes

In this interview, you will hear about:

How Marcus has been scrappy yet intentional about his business and career.
His sketchbooks (and why he doesn’t even walk the dog without taking one with him).
How Marcus ended up in Paris and transitioned to a full-time artist, and how his career has changed.
The way Marcus overcame the language barrier and presented himself as an artist to find work.
Why it’s important that artists own the title of “artist.”
The dedication Marcus has to always having a sketchbook on him, with over 100 now in his possession.
The different sources of income Marcus has including original work, mentoring, and hosting workshops.
How Marcus keeps his expenses minimal, and is open to be vulnerable and authentic when times are financially tough.
The connection between creativity, struggle, and doubt.
Marcus’s go-to marketing methods and how he promotes his shows.
The important connections Marcus has made through his relationships over the years, and why he thinks all artists would benefit from spending more time cultivating relationships.
How Marcus makes the initial contact when networking, and how he follows up and stays in touch.
His tradition of Sunday teas in the studio and the importance of listening to your gut and knowing when it’s time to evolve and shift into something new.
His advice to artists who aren’t as gregarious as he is.
Etiquette for networking at events as an artist, and why you shouldn’t be afraid to let those business cards fly.

Resources

Video Interview with Cynthia Morris
Marcus’s Journals on Video
I’d Rather Be in the Studio: The Artist’s No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion is focused on building and nurturing relationships that can support your art career.
When you finally understand how critical it is to nurture relationships and are ready to devote yourself to improving the process, look at my online course, Collector Relationship Essentials.

About My Guest

Marcus McAllister is an American-born artist living in Paris since 1996. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, he received his degree in Fine Art from Louisiana State University in 1991 and has made his living as a full-time artist for nearly two decades.

Marcus with a sampling of his sketchbooks.

For more than 30 years, Marcus has carried a sketchbook with him wherever he goes, using it as a tool for pulling order from chaos. His acrylic paintings are developments and expansions of the sketchbook-generated ideas. Marcus’s style combines fine art, illustration, and mysticism.

Follow Marcus on Instagram.

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The Art Biz ep. 21: Creating Opportunities for Your Art Career with Meg Black

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 12:12:14 +0000

Artist Meg Black doesn’t wait for things to happen, she makes them happen. She has recently installed a major commission in the new addition of the town hall in Topsfield, MA.

In this episode of the podcast, Meg tells us about the process from vision to reality.

She shares how she got involved in the project, the research that went into it, and the hurdles she had to overcome in able to get it done both perfectly and on schedule. She now is a local celebrity due to her talent and care for the community.

Here are some highlights from the interview.

The pivotal experience 20 years back when Meg was commissioned to do a painting for the Topsfield town library.
How Meg’s idea of the Topsfield Town Hall addition project presented a challenge with no patron and no donor, and how she enlisted the perfect patron for this project.
The “10 Million Dollar” problem of the town hall project, and the feeling that Meg had of not wanting the beauty of the piece to become tainted by community politics.
The homework Meg did to fully understand and articulate the process of tax exemption when writing a letter to her potential donor.
The interesting release schedule Meg activated for her installation, which kept the town aware of the work but not completely in the know about who the donor was.
Meg’s dedication to seeing that the entirety of this project was kept local, including the printer, photographer, and the framer.
How Meg got the full amount she wanted for the project by selling prints, and how she shares print sales with a local nonprofit.
Bonus! Why networking on LinkedIn is important for any artist looking for the next commercial opportunity.

One of the slides Meg presented to the town in her proposal. ©Meg Black

4 Big Lessons from Meg

Be aware. Opportunities are all around you. Meg showed us that a new town hall isn’t something abstract that only elected leaders deal with. It’s for the whole town and it presents a valuable opportunity for needed art.
Be in touch. Relationships are critical for your art career, and you have to be able to introduce yourself as an artist. These relationships are increasingly important as you reputation grows.
Be professional. Prove you can do it and that you’re the person for the job.
Leverage your opportunities. Meg made the most of this project by generating buzz on social media and, later, creating prints. As she said, she couldn’t have sold a lot of prints of just any artwork. It was a location beloved by everyone in town.

Music: Keep It Simple by Wildermiss. Used with permission.
Listen to or subscribe on iTunes.

About My Guest

Meg Black has helped pioneer the medium of fibrous pulp painting. Her art focuses on landscapes, seascapes, New England scenes, and garden views and can be seen in public collections including Fidelity Investments National and International, General Foods, and Bain Capital.

With a doctorate in educational studies, Meg has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

See Meg’s art on her website and follow her on Instagram.

Meg works on the commission for Topsfield, Massachusetts Town Hall.

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by the Art Biz Inner Circle. This is a group of unapologetically ambitious artists that my team and I work with for a year. We help our members with goals, mindset, business strategies, and focus.

The post The Art Biz ep. 21: Creating Opportunities for Your Art Career with Meg Black appeared first on Art Biz Success.

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Opening Lines at Art Openings: Starting a Conversation

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 11:42:25 +0000

It’s easy to meet people when you’re at an opening of your own art because you’re the host or hostess. Your job is to meet everyone and to introduce your guests to one another.

Not true when you’re the guest at someone else’s opening. When you don’t have a role to play, it’s uncomfortable to force yourself to meet people.

And, yet, you know it’s important.

Students in my programs understand how critical it is to meet more people. New relationships might lead to opportunities, sales, and lifelong fans.

So what do you do? How do you start a conversation with a stranger without getting sick to your stomach? How do you introduce yourself as an artist?

Alyson to the rescue! Below is a list of conversation starters that you can start practicing immediately.

You don’t even have to be at an opening to begin. Try talking to the guy in the car next to you at the gas station or the woman in front of you at the grocery checkout. This builds your courage for facing the next opening.

Keep It In The Room

You are sharing an experience with everyone in the room. This is a terrific excuse for having a conversation.

Do you know the artist(s)? Alternatively: You appear to know about the artist. Do you mind telling me about her?

Have you been to other openings in this space?

What have you seen so far that you really like?

This is a nice show. Have you been to other interesting shows lately?

Did you see the way the artist (framed that piece, worked with the palette knife, glazed that pot)?

Did you read about the artist’s …? Alternatively: I heard that the artist …

Take It Outside

Maybe you’re not loving the show and don’t have anything nice to say about it. Or perhaps you’ve exhausted the dialogue about the work you’re looking at.

It’s time to look for inspiration beyond the walls of the room you’re in.

Did you hear about … (artist, art controversy, story, public art piece)?

Have you seen the new public art at the convention center?

Focus On The Food

Food and drink are easy targets for conversation-starters. Adapt these suggestions to your situation.

Is that Merlot any good? (You can always count on wine and cheese at an art reception.)

Did you try the punch?!

You’d better grab one of those crab cakes before they disappear. They’re delicious!

Come Right Out and Say It

Speak the truth.

My coach gave me an assignment to introduce myself to 10 people tonight who look interesting.

I promised myself I was going to meet 10 new people tonight and you’re one of the lucky ones.

Be bold!

I don’t know anyone here, so I’m taking the bold step to introduce myself to people.

I have a friend who swears that acting like the hostess in a crowded room – even if you have no such role – makes it much easier to mingle. It gives you a job to do.

As I said above, when you’re the host or hostess, your job is to meet everyone and introduce people to one another. Make people comfortable and happy to be there.

Consider going to an opening and pretending to be the hostess. Nobody but you needs to know about your secret role.

I’m just going around seeing if everyone is enjoying themselves. Are you?

Stick With Old Standards

They may sound trite or mundane, but you never know where they’ll lead.

Have you seen this many people in the gallery before? Alternatively: Wonder where everyone is tonight?

Did you have a hard time finding parking, too?

Was traffic as bad for you as it was for me?

It’s so nice to be in the air conditioning tonight. Alternatively: I was so happy to come in to a warm gallery.

Dangle a Compliment

You can’t go wrong with a sincere compliment. It works for both men and women to compliment hair, clothing, or shoes.

Someone once said to me at an opening: I’m having a hard time looking at the art because I keep staring at your shoes.

I’ll take that!

Remember how lovely it feels when someone compliments you, and return the favor. Next time, instead of just thinking about what a good-looking shirt that guy has on, tell him.

Your Turn

How do you meet strangers at art openings?

The post Opening Lines at Art Openings: Starting a Conversation appeared first on Art Biz Success.

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Group Energy You Can't Duplicate Online

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:44:00 +0000

Online connections have their place in marketing your art, but most in-person experiences can’t be duplicated in the same way on a computer.
I’ll go one step further: certain in-person opportunities would never arise if you relied only on the Internet.
Last week I was reminded of this during a 3-day Florida workshop in which I participated.

At dinner in Orlando with artists Rae Marie, Angeline-Marie Martinez, Shari Sherman, me, Denisse Berlingeri, Robin Pedrero, and Victoria Page Miller. I never would have met them if I hadn’t attended the workshop earlier in the week. Thanks to Angeline-Marie for the pic.

Face-to-Face Experiences

Here’s what I got in person that I couldn’t get online.
Warmth. The positive energy is palpable when you are in a room full of people seeking the same thing you are.
Looking into people’s eyes, you will see that they care about you and want to help.
Hugs. Forget the handshakes, I’m a hugger. Just try giving a hug through the computer (or is Facebook selling hugs these days, too?).
Movement. Sure, we sat a lot at the workshop, but we also danced – at a dance party and when the deejay got us moving.
When we’re home alone on our computers or in the studio, we often forget about how good it feels to get up and move around. And it doesn’t just feel good, it’s good for our psyche and creativity.
Vibrant discussions. You talk about things one-on-one that would never come up in an email or a Facebook comment.
It’s stimulating to discuss business strategies at the table over lunch, on a break with a cup of coffee, or after a meeting with a glass of wine.
Over the course of the three days of the workshop, I had meals with:

An instructional designer to talk about my online curriculum.
Someone who also serves creative businesses.
A midlife reinventionist.
A landscape architect and chiropractor.
A woman who serves young people seeking their paths.

I would never have come across these people sitting behind my computer in my office.
I came home with business cards from an M.D. who is literally saving lives around the world, a dentist coach, a copywriter, a voice coach, a very successful branding strategist, a dealer in Scottish Terrier collectibles (who knew?!) and much more.
And I gave away many of my business cards to people who said, “I know an artist who needs you.” I told them to be gentle with their artists.
You should have been there, too. Know why?
All of these people have the potential to buy your art! Every new person knows about 150 other people and will enrich your life. Chances are good that you wouldn’t come across them online.
So don’t stick to art and artist events. Branch out! Get out!

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Do This At Your Next Artist Meeting

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:49:11 +0000

Do you go to artist meetings and stick with your usual crowd?
Do you attend meetings to hear the speaker and leave without connecting with other members?
Two weeks ago my team received an urgent email from Ramon Magee from the Summit Art organization in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. He said his speaker for the evening had cancelled and they needed a program.
I got on the phone with Ramon and, in lieu of my hopping on a plane to fill in for their errant speaker, suggested a networking exercise. I gave him the specifics of how it could work and, after he thought it sounded good, I sent him a document that he could reproduce and use with his members.

Facilitated group sessions at my workshop in Nashville. March 2013. Photo by Mary Claire Crow.

He promised to report back to me on how things went.
“WOW what great feedback we got!,” Ramon said, adding, “this was better than a speaker.”
Of course, I don’t want to put myself out of a job. I’m very proud of how I facilitate networking at my workshops and seminars. My favorite part of the work I do is connecting artists to one another – whether it’s at my live events or in my online classes.
But I would be selfish if I didn’t share the goodies with you.
So . . . here’s the exercise for you to use with your own group. Just don’t wait for a speaker fail to make it happen.

Networking Exercise for Artists

Allow equal time for each participant in a group of 2-4 people. Someone must be in charge to facilitate the time and group organizing.

Introduce yourself to someone new – don’t stick with your usual crowd!
Practice introducing yourself as an artist to see what is most effective.
Discover something you have in common.
Find out what s/he needs most right now.
Offer an idea, contact or resource to help with that need.
Bonus: Think of something to collaborate on.
Allow 15-20 minutes at the end for people to share what they learned.

Ramon added this about the Summit Art experience:

As an observer, during the exercise I was able to witness the sincere and open exchanges in the groups. They were showing each other cell phone images, and having genuine conversations. Sometimes the dynamics were between two each of the group of four then would change to four then back to two.
In the end they want to do it again, which we will. They all felt that the general meetings left the group seeing but not knowing either the person next to them nor those whom they see across the room. They come, each to their “own pew”, or with a friend/s they know, then leave with organization news and a learning experience provided by a quest speaker.
I suggested to the group that we might also use this format for idea generation for our organization. They agreed and seemed hungry for more……..which is great.

Use It

I have adapted this networking exercise from another speaker and I wish I remembered where I first heard of it so I could share credit.
Since connecting artists is a top value in my business, I’d love to help you by sharing this networking exercise download. Just promise you’ll share the results with me.
So, how can you use this? Can you see a way to adapt it outside of a meeting?

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