Today is Marketing Monday, episode two. I’ve decided to stay home on Mondays, instead of commuting in to my studio, so that I can spend some QT marketing myself and my wares. This will save me about $20-25 per month in gas, however, the idea is that the big dividends come from the fruits of my networking labor. I shall tweet, I shall update, I shall blog, I shall submit applications galore. Sounds pretty straight forward, but getting organized and coming up with strategy like this is something I’ve never done before. Where to begin?
I spent my first Monday researching shows and galleries and thinking about photographing work for submissions. Today I researched shopping cart options (I’m thinking I might ditch etsy in favor of selling from my blog). I suppose I’ve been productive, but it feels haphazard, like I’m flailing about. I need some good goals.
My three general goals:
1) Maintain an active web presence via my blog and social media. My blog will also serve as a retail outlet.
2) Put my actual pots in front of actual people. We’re talking sales, shows, and galleries.
3) Be an active member of my local arts community and craft guild.
This simple framework makes these Marketing Mondays look a lot less daunting. I’ve worked so long at refining my pottery-making process that it feels a little odd to know I’m rather unorganized and inefficient in this aspect of my career. I’ll probably end up flailing about a bit more before I get the kinks worked out. I think I’m going to back-track a few steps, break down those goals into smaller tasks, and give myself a more structured plan for the coming weeks.
Many thanks, by the way, to Alyson B. Stanfield, the Art Biz Coach, and her Art Biz Blog. Her articles and pod-casts have lots of great info and advice that help get the juices flowing.
slcdavis.com 