"There's a saying, "work smart, not work hard"... but why can't we do both: work hard AND work smart? That's a double effect!" - Belle Fusion
Many of you might have heard about SMART Goals setting. It is well-used for businesses or individuals to set up a process to achieve certain result(s). The Goal should be Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. This is a great model and we here first of all wish to respect this acronym.
From the last blog, we have mentioned about "The 7 Tips on How to Boost your Value" and tip #7 was what we suggested for SMART Marketing.
We use the same acronym and hopefully it will help you remember the "5 pillars of SMART Marketing" without spending a fortune:
S - Sponsorship
M - Momentum
A - Affiliation
R - Research
T - Thank-you Message
Sponsorship
From time to time, many charities or non-profit organizations are in need of fundraising or a promotion campaign. You can act as a sponsor to them by donating one of your artwork, or your time creating a workshop teaching people about painting or playing music. This will help you build your portfolio and get yourself more exposure to the public by paralleling with the great charities or organizations.
A recent success story: One time an Artist helped out his students hosting a collective student art event, this was a win-win marketing for both the artist and the students to get known.
It's also ok to ask for or get sponsors. All you need is to present your value and your idea that the potential sponsor could benefit from or work together to bring business for both sides.
If you are an emerging artist, RBC has an sponsorship program where you can apply for funding. It's not just the financial benefit you will gain, but also building your credibility to your future sponsors.
Momentum
Evolve with time. Keep up the momentum.
As much as we prefer personal connection, it's undeniable it's a social media era now. Back in the old days it was really hard for Artists to sell globally. So now we might as well take advantage of these free platforms. Sign up with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Houzz, Google+, etc. We always recommend putting a water mark on each image though because most of the platforms do not provide copyright. There is no need to post in every moment but you cannot NOT post. Your clients can be ANYONE from ANYWHERE and transaction can happen ANYTIME.
It's an ongoing learning process . It's true that it takes quite a bit of time. However, you don't need to be a pro to learn about SEO, Google Ads, click through rates, website or blog traffic but you must have some fundamental knowledge on these terms so if one day you decide to hire a marketing personnel you will know how to track his/her performance and action.
Affiliation
Find one or two Artists organizations (e.g. The Federation of Canadian Artists) and join their membership. It certainly gives you a good reputation and they promote you on your behalf too.
Another good marketing platform is online market (shopping). Here are some examples: Direct2Artist, Etsy, Saatchi Gallery, ArtPal, Artspan, Absolutearts, Each of them have their strong benefits. Note: you can always join as many as you want depending on your needs and budget.
Research
Do you know Lululemon hired the Artist Ola Volo for creating a beautiful Art mural for their Robson and Burrard Store? Do your know Louis Vuitton’s belief in art too? Among other collaborations, their fashion house linked up with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama to create a limited edition of products. Spend a little time to read some news and articles or even search them up in Google, or subscribe to Vancity Buzz or Newsletters so you will get are related email / buzz from them. You will find something that can intrigue you. Learn from other successful Artists, it can lead you to the similar direction too. Some ideas might become your inspiration for your new marketing idea.
Thank-you Message
Say thank you to everyone including your clients, media, blogger, whoever posts your updates in Facebook for you (as long as it doesn't violate your copyright). As we mentioned in the last article, building rapport with people is extremely important.
Also send congratulations to other Artists or your client moving in a new home or receiving an award. Everyone likes compliment! That's how you keep people remembering you. This is a free marketing, yet the most powerful means of marketing.
Last but not least...
Event, Event, Event~~ actively participate in events whether you are just a goer or a vendor, you won't be disappointed with this action because you will always find great connections that might transport you to the next stop!
That's your SMART Marketing we create for you! Hope you find it useful :)
On a side note...
We found some really good recommendations on "How to Get Others to Visit Your Site" and "Links" on page 149 from the book "Secrets of Power Marketing", The book we mentioned during the "Intro" of this series. This book can be borrowed from a library or purchased online. If you are unable to find this book, please give us a shout and we will paraphrase it in our response to avoid plagiarism.
Hope you enjoy our blog so far. Any comment? We love to hear from you!
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