I just spent three very long days selling the work I design and create. The crowd was smaller this year, possibly due to poor weather, flu fear, recession, all or none of the above. Some people did well, some people did not.
This morning I got Seth Godin’s daily blog post in my In box, as I do every morning. His closing statement is this:
“Money is more than a transfer of value. It’s a statement of belief. An ad agency that won’t buy ads, a consultant who won’t buy consulting, and a waiter who doesn’t tip big—it’s a sign, and not a good one.”
Last time I sent you on a virtual field trip to analyze a brand. I promised to give you the in-person low-down, so here it is.
Cora’s is a most-of-the-day breakfast restaurant. The logo is a hand-drawn smiling sun. If you go to Cora’s during peak dining time, there are lineups. If you go a half hour before closing on Sunday, it’s still busy. If you go half an hour before closing during the week, there are lots of empty tables, but the covered dish of complimentary fudge near the cash register looks like a pack of grizzly bears went through it.
Last time I talked about how easy it is to break your brand (and how some people can take it personally). I’ve since reattached my head (more or less), and thought it might be fun to have a look at a brand for a bricks-and-mortar business. Since we’re scattered all over creation, we can’t climb on a tour bus, so we’ll go on a virtual field trip instead.
I am in the midst of the two busiest weeks of my year. My neck is turning to stone, I have knots in my shoulders big enough to name, and my brain is mush.
Why all this hilarity? Sometimes procrastination is my drug of choice. Don’t look at me like that—how often do you follow your own advice?
So what do I do when my head is attached by duct tape and a prayer? Turn my imagination loose and give myself a good break.
Sometimes my imagination strays into outer space.
Procrastinating yourself into a panic isn’t a good long-term business strategy. You’ll burn out, and maybe even regret turning something you love into a business.
Making art is the fun part, and that’s good—it’s the most important component of a successful creative practice. But you still have to get busy selling (and taking care of all your business-business stuff).
Have you given some serious thought about what motivates you? Would you like someone to hang out with you in your studio to get you moving?
