And … It’s less effort to nurture relationships with people who already know, like, and trust you than to find new people to share your art with. Acquiring customers, in marketing terms, is a long and costly process.

Therefore, it makes sense to take care of the people who have purchased from you. Show them you appreciate them now instead of contacting them later only when you want something from them.

One of the biggest mistakes artist-entrepreneurs make is not following up with people who have given them money.

If you’ve been lax in this area, you might be leaving money on the table.

If you sell art from your studio, rather than through a gallery, you have no excuses for not following up appropriately. You have the name and contact information of your collectors.

Here’s a plan to awe your collectors–not just once, but over the course of your relationship.

Within 1 Week of Sale: Express Gratitude

Send a thank-you note in the mail. Use notecards with images of your art on them for all of your handwritten notes.

This is yet another opportunity to put your art in front of people who appreciate it. The cards, of course, have your contact info or website on the back.

Don’t exploit this as an opportunity to ask for anything else. Thank-you notes are for expressing gratitude only, not for additional sales or requests.

Two Weeks Later: Ask to Connect

In this email, suggest to your collector that you would like to stay in touch through social media, if you haven’t already connected there.

Explain, too, that you send a regular email with updates about your art and ask if they would like to receive it. If they are added to the list, you can keep the relationship warm through your planned emails.

If they don’t get on that list, they should receive a personalized sequence of email and regular mail to ensure they are not forgotten.

After 3 or 4 Months: Use Real Mail

Earlier, you sent a thank-you note in the mail. At this point, it’s your choice. It doesn’t matter what you send or say as long as it’s from the heart.

You might send a postcard, a photocopy of an article that was written about your work, or an invitation to an exhibition.

If the purchase was substantial, you might consider a small gift, such as a set of notecards with your art on them.

Twice a Year: Choose Your Action

After you have followed up with email and regular mail communications within three or four months, your collectors can graduate to your VIP list.

You’ll want to make sure you are in touch with your VIPs at least twice a year.

Your collectors might receive a special mailing on an off-holiday (Arbor Day, anyone?) or their birthdays. Or perhaps they’d like a phone message or short video recording in which you share only that you’re thinking of them and are hoping they’re happy and well.

Don’t overthink this because that could lead to procrastination. It’s the thought that counts! Your collectors will be impressed by an unexpected contact from an artist they admire.

This post was originally published on June 2, 2016, and has been updated with the original comments intact.

The post Following Up After You’ve Sold a Piece of Art appeared first on Art Biz Success.

Why spend virtual ink on such an old-fashioned method of communication? Because postcards can do what email cannot do.

Postcards can’t be targeted as spam by an aggressive filter.

Postcards can’t be accidentally (or purposefully) deleted by recipients.

Postcards are likely to be tacked to a refrigerator or kept as a memento.

Postcards are tactile. We can hold them in our hands and ponder them. They have the potential to delight, which is something we rarely say about email these days.

You, like the private clients I advise, would benefit from sending three or four postcards a year.

Postcards are most often used to invite people to an upcoming exhibition or open studio.

Some artists design a single postcard with a schedule of all upcoming shows they’re participating in.

But if you don’t have an upcoming exhibition, you might wonder what you’d say on a postcard or why you’d send one in the first place.

Here are 8 other occasions for using postcards to promote your art and build relationships with your list.

1. Feature your website.

Announcing a new website is, well, kinda boring. Instead, use a postcard to announce a new feature on your website such as:

• Art in situ << Perfect for sending to interior designers and art consultants
• New series of work
• Framing options for your work

2. Unveil a new series or even a single piece.

Leverage something you have written about the new work on your blog or social media and include a short version on the postcard.

3. Announce gallery representation.

Telling the people on your postcard list that you are represented by a new gallery is a generous gift to the gallery. They’ll love you for it! Or at least they should love you for it.

Such an announcement also tells people that you have attained yet another goal. It’s proof that your work has the seal of approval of the art establishment. (Not all artists aspire to this.)

4. Advertise products.

If you’ve turned your art into card decks, home décor, or a book, it’s time to get the word out.

5. Offer classes and workshops.

Pique the interest of recipients with an enticing view of your upcoming classes. They can find details by heading to your website page that has the class info.

6. Express your gratitude.

Why not use postcards as Thank You notes? You can design a special “Thank You” version or use any of your postcards with a blank backside for the purpose.

7. Send holiday wishes.

Print postcards for your favorite holiday, especially one that is aligned with the art you make. You don’t have to save them for Christmas.

Experiment with postcards for Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or Independence Day.

If you’re more adventurous, send a postcard in celebration of your milestone birthday, or the birthday of one of your art heroes/heroines, International Artist Day, or any one of hundreds of offbeat special days that you’ve never celebrated before.

8. Let someone know you’re thinking of them … just ‘cuz.

Are you old enough to remember the times when we called someone just because we were thinking of them, or when we mailed a “Thinking of You” card? Yep, some people still do this, but we’re more likely to send an email.

You don’t have to have a reason to send a postcard with your stunning art on the front.

Your Turn

How do you use postcards to promote your art and nurture relationships?

The post 8 (Other) Occasions To Send Postcards That Promote Your Art appeared first on Art Biz Success.

I don’t necessarily love all of the spam that hits my inbox or the countless hours I spend reading and replying to email, but I can’t imagine running my business without it.

How would I ever be able to help as many people as I do for such a bargain rate?

And as much as I love email, I love real mail even more.

Why You Should Rave About Real Mail, Too

Here are three reasons why I’m raving about real mail to my students, members, and private clients, and why you should, too.

1. Real mail is tactile.

Envelopes and postcards are things you can touch. You can cut, tear, and unpack a package (sometimes you can even smell it).

Add a handwritten note and voilà! You’ve enhanced your emotional bond with recipients. This emotional bond can’t be duplicated with email. True?

I can’t think of a single email, regardless of how kind it was, that evoked the same level of emotion as a piece of mail with personal handwriting.

2. Real mail distinguishes you from all of the other artists who aren’t using it.

When you send a package, letter, or postcard, you have to address it, stamp it, and put it in a mailbox. It’s so much work that most people don’t do it. How did we ever manage in the past?

Recipients will recognize and appreciate this extra effort.

Everyone uses email. Most people use it poorly. They don’t address people by name or sign their messages. This is a lousy business practice and it’s no way to nurture relationships.

Real mail has the potential to delight. Imagine the expression on recipients’ faces when they poke through their unwanted mail and find a piece with your art on it. ART. In the mail. Cool! Something fun to receive.

3. Real mail endures.

Recipients can keep a letter or postcard in a folder, tack it to a bulletin board, or slap a magnet on it for the refrigerator. They can keep it on top of a busy desk to make them smile.

Some people even frame their mail from artists.

Not so with email. Yes, I’m aware that some people never get around to deleting email, but in the company of several thousand messages in an inbox, your email might as well be in a black hole.

I don’t know about you, but I am quick with the Delete key.

I can easily plow through 300 emails in an hour when I need to. My focus isn’t on responding to the juicy stuff. I’m just trying to get rid of everything that doesn’t absolutely require my attention. I miss hundreds of marketing messages this way, but it’s the only way to remain sane with an overflowing inbox.

Maybe I missed one of your messages while emptying my inbox.

I Hear You

I hear your objections already. Real mail can be expensive. And, for whatever reasons, we think real mail needs to be a little more perfect than email. This means it takes longer to write, print, stamp, and send.

This means you don’t send real mail to everyone on your list. You send it to appropriate geographical regions, VIPs, and for special occasions. All the more reason to segment your list and keep your contacts database updated.

Real mail can make a real difference in your results. If you can only find the love for it.

If you’re loving real mail as much as I do, tweet this or share it on Facebook: “I love real mail because …” and fill in the blank.

You can also share your responses in a comment here.

The post I Love Email (But I Love Real Mail More) appeared first on Art Biz Success.

The post 6 Ninja Tips for Getting Noticed appeared first on Art Biz Success.

Delight

Visualize the recipients’ faces when they find your art amid stacks of holiday sales inserts and bills. Imagine the smiles starting and then increasing as they open the envelopes.
Email doesn’t evoke the same feelings! It is only visual, while real mail uses the additional senses of touch and, sometimes, smell. Pure delight is possible with real mail!
Remember the joy that real mail can deliver.

Differentiation

Real mail feels infinitely more personal and sincere than most email messages.
You differentiate yourself from everyone else when you send real mail. This distinction creates IMPACT, which makes you memorable.

Dependability

Real mail is more likely to be seen by recipients than email.
There are two major issues that make email delivery unreliable. First, filters might send it to the recipient’s junk mail folder. Second, if email does reach the inbox, the busy recipient might delete it in an effort to eliminate an overwhelming number of messages.
Have you checked your email open rates lately? They’re probably around 20-25% at the highest.
While those numbers aren’t exact results, they do tell us that the majority of people on your list aren’t opening and reading your messages.
Can you imagine this happening with real mail? NO!
Everyone wants to open and look at real mail from real people because it’s delightful and different from email.
What are you putting a stamp on these days?

The post The 3 Ds of Real Mail Marketing appeared first on Art Biz Success.

It’s time to rethink that strategy.

5 Reasons to Keep Sending Real Mail

1. Real mail is tactile.
2. Real mail shows you went the extra mile.
3. Real mail sets you apart.
4. Real mail is delightful.
5. Real mail is lasting.
Are you using real mail for your art business or have you given up on it? We want to know how and why.

The post 5 Reasons to Use Real Mail appeared first on Art Biz Success.

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Where do postcards fit in your marketing plan?
Think about adding postcards to your regular self-promotion efforts. Email, Facebook, and Twitter are great, but you should mix things up a bit. Get offline from time to time and interact in the real world—especially when it comes to your marketing. Send postcards to your mailing list three to four times a year.

Postcards are relatively inexpensive to print and mail. Yes, postcard mailings still cost money, but they’re cheaper and more personal than buying an ad. Postcards are real mail sent to real people who know and like you. They have an image of your art on the front (hopefully with your name there, too) and are likely to stick around longer than email in an inbox.

“What if I don’t have anything to say on a postcard?”

Ha! That’s a cop-out. There are endless reasons to send postcards—as if staying in touch isn’t reason enough. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Events
This one is easy. Send postcards as invitations for exhibit openings and closings, sales, arts festivals you’re participating in, open studios, tours you’re leading, and workshops and classes you’re teaching.

Announcements
Mail postcards trumpeting awards you’ve received, a recent acquisition by a corporation (get permission), completion of a public art piece, new gallery representation, new studio, new address, new baby, new book, new pet, or new you.

Holidays
It’s easy to send postcards for the usual holidays, but you’re more creative than that! Don’t forget your favorite artist’s birthday, your birthday, a holiday related to your niche, and Happy July 23rd! (I’ll bet nobody else gets Happy July 23rd greetings unless it’s their birthday.)

FINAL WORD: Don’t wait for something big to happen to send postcards. Send them three or four times a year as part of a marketing strategy to keep your name in front of your fans. Get out the calendar and see what makes sense. If you need to get straight with your plan, take a look at the Blast Off class. Grab the lessons online at your convenience beginning May 19.

There’s more about using snail mail in Action 9 of I’d Rather Be in the Studio!

The post Implement a Postcard Strategy appeared first on Art Biz Success.

When I advise artists not to give up on regular mail, the response is often, “But what would I send?!” Here are five ideas.

1. Note Cards with Your Images on Them

Of course you send loads of Thank You notes, but you also want to send It Was Nice to Meet You notes, Happy Birthday notes, Thinking of You notes, and more. You need note cards with pictures of your art on them. Cards picked up at the stationery store won’t have the same impact when you want to keep your art in front of people.

2. Postcards Featuring Your Art

Postcards are relatively inexpensive. Large quantities of 4-color postcards are cheaper to print and mail than folded invitations or announcements. And let’s not forget another great reason to use postcards: they don’t have to be opened! A full-color image of your art on the front of a postcard can capture the interest and eye of the recipient by standing out in a stack of mail.

3. Articles Highlighting an Accomplishment

Were you acknowledged for an achievement? Was your art featured in a newspaper or magazine article? Make a bunch of copies and send them to your best collectors and prospects. Add a handwritten note on one of the cards with your art on it.

4. Articles of Interest to the Recipient

If you have good relationships with your buyers and collectors, you are familiar with their interests. When you come across something that makes you think of them, copy it or cut it out and put it in the mail with a This Made Me Think of You note (that includes an image of your art!) on top of it.

5. Catalogs, Flyers, or Brochures

If you’re promoting a new body of work, a new project, new idea, or sale, spell it out in a mailer. When done properly, these aren’t inexpensive, but you don’t need to send them to your entire list. Send these to a select group of top prospects.

FINAL WORD: Use your postal system! Sending stuff in the regular mail will help you stand out. You’ll be diversifying your delivery and content while keeping your name in front of people. 

Podcast

The podcast is an audio version of the above article.
[powerpress url=”http://artbizsuccess.com/audio/sendsnailmail.mp3″]

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