I’m supposed to be officially on hiatus for the summer, but I had a half-finished post in the works, which fits nicely between two guest posts, so here I am, breaking curfew.
- – - – - – -
I spent the afternoon with a painter friend recently. We talked about her work, about our time in art school (same university, different years), about teaching and drawing, and what it means to be an artist.
We even talked a little about business. But not much.
Not much business talk was necessary. She does great work, and she knows what she needs to do to build her career. How, when, and if she does it is up to her.
You have those same choices.
All that freedom can hang you up sometimes.
Do you ever want to unplug from the 21st Century and send messages by carrier pigeon? Do you ever have one of those days where you just want to give up and live in a nice, comfortable, media-free bunker?
Friday, 5:15 pm. I receive an unsolicited email about a business opportunity. Over 100 other people received the very same message. I know this because the sender neglected to create a proper email list, so I can see the address of every recipient.
Do I need to explain why I don’t enjoy having my email address broadcast that way? Do I need to tell you, dear reader, the hazards of exposing your mailing list to dozens of people in one fell swoop?
(Note: if you don’t know already, there is legislation governing direct marketing. There are also best practices, and national marketing associations where you can learn how to do it, online and offline, legally and properly.)
Things just get better from there.
I got an email in response to my call for your burning questions: how do you get the right people (curators, dealers, buyers) to find you on the web?
That’s the big one. How to find them, get their attention, and make them love you, plus conduct this apparent feat of magic without ever looking them in the eye.
Piece of cake. Throw a few pictures on Flickr, sign up for an Etsy shop, sit back and wait for the cash to roll in and the lovesick groupies to shower you with fan mail.
If you’re reading this, you already know that doesn’t cut it. When you set out to establish an online audience, you take the same basic steps as you would to build an audience offline. It requires time, energy, and smart decisions.
Today’s post is a snark about my attempt at a brilliant Christmas gift for the fella, and the company (which shall remain nameless) that ruined it. I try to avoid writing snarky posts, but I’m pretty disappointed, and there are valuable lessons to be learned, so here goes.
A few months ago, I read a story about entrepreneurs who had a great idea and a tight budget. They turned that idea into a very successful business that sells skin care products. I liked the story, but what really grabbed me was the description of what they sell.
About seven years ago the fella and I were in the market for a new car. We checked Consumer Reports to see which models got the best reviews, and decided on two manufacturers. Here’s my best recollection of that little adventure.
We visit the first dealer. This is our second choice in terms of resale value and reliability, but best in price.
I’m annoyed in two minutes flat.
