Here are a few strategies for increasing traffic to your web site and for encouraging people to sign up for your email newsletter an importantgoal, as we've discussed in the past in "The Real Goal of Your Web Site.<http://www.clintwatson.net/dataviewer.asp?page=Blog&keyvalue=126&subkeyvalue=829> "In addition to the personal, ongoing strategies we discussed in Focusthe Lens - Marketing Email Campaign<http://www.clintwatson.net/dataviewer.asp?page=Blog&keyvalue=126&subkeyvalue=676> , here are some more strategies:
1. Give away a "freebie" in exchange for vistors' email addresses. Perhaps a free e-calendar featuring your artwork. A free report that you've written about your artwork technique for other artists.
2. Get other people to drive traffic to your site. This is called "affiliate marketing" in the non-art world. It could besimply exchanging links, but more specifically, you want other siteowners to promote your site to THEIR customers via email. (See Whatabout Promoting Other Artists Works<http://www.clintwatson.net/dataviewer.asp?page=Blog&keyvalue=126&subkeyvalue=772> ?). You might consider offering other site owners apercentage of the sales to their customers (after all you would have topay a gallery).
3. Start and Use a Blog.Blogs help build traffic and content over time. Once those people getto your blog, make it easy for them to sign up for your emailnewsletter.
4. Partner with people who reach customers you want.Perhaps a wine dealer would like to offer his clients art andinformation about art and perhaps you would like to offer your clientssome fine wine (and make a percentage of the sales).
5. Create an ebook.Ebooks are great, if you can write one, because they can get passedaround and they can contain links back to your site. You can also usethem as "freebies" to encourage people to sign up for your list asdiscussed in number 1.
6. Offline MarketingPress releases can help get you media coverage, be sure to think aboutsnail mail promotions to your customers periodically. They are moreexpensive but more "special." A campaign to send personal notes to yourcustomers would also make them feel special.
7. Submit content-rich articles to article directories.
8. Visit art-related online forums. When you have something relevant to say, say it. Include a link to yourweb site in your signature. Don't go crazy and do this daily, but do itperiodically.
9. Sign up for Robert Genn's NewsletterRobert Genn has a twice-weekly newsletter called "The Painters Keys."Besides finding it interesting, reply when a subject touches your heartand he may feature your reply with a link to your website. If so,you'll reach a lot of other artists, but you'll also reach artists andother people who buy art (hey, I read it).These are just a few additional strategies.
This article is reproduced with permission. Copyright 2007-2008 - Clint Watson.
This Article First Appeared at the Following Location:http://www.clintwatson.net/blog/834
Monday, March 3, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Pelican's Roost
Greetings art lovers!! This is a 24" x 48" acrylic-on-canvas I just finished(March 1st,2008). It's unframed and a 1 1/2" gallery-wrap with the image extending around the edge. I'm adding this to my ocean-related series I'm preparing for the "Art And Surf Expo" Memorial Day weekend, May 25th & 26th, at the boardwalk in Va.Bch., Va.
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Longboarder
This is another of my surf series, a 24" x 24" acrylic-on-canvas 1 1/2" gallery-wrapped with the image extending around the edges painting entitled, "The Longboarder".
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
12 Mistakes to avoid in creating an artist website.
DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING THINGS ON YOUR ARTIST WEBSITE:
1. Right Click disablers! People aren't trying to steal your web-quality images, but you're really annoying the rest of us who use the right-click for all kinds of options, including navigating websites. (By the way, people can get your images even if you have a right-click disabler....so why have it?)
2. Music! This isn't a gallery opening. Please don't make me listen to the music you like. If I want to visit your site while listening to heavymetal....let me.
3. Resizing the Browser Window! Do not resize my browser window. I use a tabbed browser that fills my whole screen and keep several tabs open simultaneously. If you resize my browser window, it messes everything up and I will leave and never ever purchase your artwork.
4. Flash! Oh please, please, please don't use flash, Don't make me wait for stuff to load. Plus having to use flash's annoying little scroll bars to read text is really, really annoying when we have a technology that worksgreat for text called html. Also, flash really sucks on a mobile device.
5. Excessive Javascript! This is a similar mistake to flash - don't make things animate, jump around. Don't override regular html links and make them javascript links. Just keep it simple and let your artwork shine. (It's OK to usea little bit of javascript for statistics trackers and the like).
6. Out of date informationPlease don't make me read about the exhibits you had in 2002 on a"current exhibits" page. I'll just wonder if you've done anything since then. Make sure your information is current please.
7. Blurry images! If I'm actually going to purchase your artwork, it would be nice to know what it actually looks like.
8. Broken Links! If links don't work, then why have them? I don't have all day to figure out where you meant for your links to point.
9. Huge High-resolution images for backgrounds! In fact, don't use anything except a color for the background. Why do you want to clutter up the page? You wouldn't hang one of your artworks on top of another one of your artworks in real life.....so don't do it online!
10. Hard to Find Navigation Links! Please, just use plain text html navigation links. I'm not impressed that you can make your links look "shiny."
11. No Prices!! Don't make me guess how much to pay you.
12. Unreadable Text! Please make your text large, and with enough contrast to easily read.
This article is reproduced with permission. Copyright 2008 - Clint Watson.
This Article First Appeared at the Following Location:http://www.clintwatson.net/blog/2773<http://www.clintwatson.net/blog/2773>
1. Right Click disablers! People aren't trying to steal your web-quality images, but you're really annoying the rest of us who use the right-click for all kinds of options, including navigating websites. (By the way, people can get your images even if you have a right-click disabler....so why have it?)
2. Music! This isn't a gallery opening. Please don't make me listen to the music you like. If I want to visit your site while listening to heavymetal....let me.
3. Resizing the Browser Window! Do not resize my browser window. I use a tabbed browser that fills my whole screen and keep several tabs open simultaneously. If you resize my browser window, it messes everything up and I will leave and never ever purchase your artwork.
4. Flash! Oh please, please, please don't use flash, Don't make me wait for stuff to load. Plus having to use flash's annoying little scroll bars to read text is really, really annoying when we have a technology that worksgreat for text called html. Also, flash really sucks on a mobile device.
5. Excessive Javascript! This is a similar mistake to flash - don't make things animate, jump around. Don't override regular html links and make them javascript links. Just keep it simple and let your artwork shine. (It's OK to usea little bit of javascript for statistics trackers and the like).
6. Out of date informationPlease don't make me read about the exhibits you had in 2002 on a"current exhibits" page. I'll just wonder if you've done anything since then. Make sure your information is current please.
7. Blurry images! If I'm actually going to purchase your artwork, it would be nice to know what it actually looks like.
8. Broken Links! If links don't work, then why have them? I don't have all day to figure out where you meant for your links to point.
9. Huge High-resolution images for backgrounds! In fact, don't use anything except a color for the background. Why do you want to clutter up the page? You wouldn't hang one of your artworks on top of another one of your artworks in real life.....so don't do it online!
10. Hard to Find Navigation Links! Please, just use plain text html navigation links. I'm not impressed that you can make your links look "shiny."
11. No Prices!! Don't make me guess how much to pay you.
12. Unreadable Text! Please make your text large, and with enough contrast to easily read.
This article is reproduced with permission. Copyright 2008 - Clint Watson.
This Article First Appeared at the Following Location:http://www.clintwatson.net/blog/2773<http://www.clintwatson.net/blog/2773>
Surf And Art Expo-2008
For all you art and surf lovers out there, there will be a combination surf contest and art show Memorial Day weekend from 1st St. - 5th St. on the boardwalk at Virginia Beach, Va. The artist's will exhibit works in various mediums with the ocean, surfing , waterscenes, shells, anything to do with the beach as the theme. Personnally, I will be exhibiting Acrylic Paintings and Conch-shell Candles with their own home-made custom stands!
So come on out and join the fun, see some excellent art, and maybe some cool surfing!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Ther Path To An Artist's Goal
Let's say the goal at the end of your path is to have a solo exhibition at the art museum in your city or town. Here are some baby steps that will help you make progress.
--Learn all about the museum, its exhibitions, and it's collections. Verify that it's an appropriate venue for you.
--Meet key staff and board members at the museum.
--Become a member of the museum.
--Gain representation from high-end gallery that museum curators frequent. Then you look at that last item and it seems overwhelming. You need to break it down!
--Put suitable gallery dealers on mailing list.
--Attend gallery openings.
--Meet artists whose work is in galleries.
--Invite above artists to your studio and exhibits. (Add them to your mailing list.)
--Meet the dealers in charge of the space.
--Show at increasingly prestigious venues.
--Meet people who blog and write about work in your town.
--Get mentioned in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
Looking at these lists can also cause you anxiety because you see everything in one place--everything you need or want to do. And some of these items are projects that need to be broken down even further. So, look at the list once a week. Focus on one thing at a time: one day, week, or month at a time. Be more structured: "In February, I'll attend two gallery openings, meet three new artists at those openings, and join the museum. "There you have it. Progress! There's another example of breaking down a big project on the Art BizBlog.http://www.artbizblog.com <http://www.artbizblog.com/> _____ Know This . . .Baby steps = Progress. Think About This . . . Only you can understand your vision and the steps you take. Saying "I should be doing this" or "I need to be doing that" isn't good enough. You have to want it from your core. You have to be passionate about it. Do This . . . Take baby steps on your path to success. Don't let overwhelm paralyze you.
--Learn all about the museum, its exhibitions, and it's collections. Verify that it's an appropriate venue for you.
--Meet key staff and board members at the museum.
--Become a member of the museum.
--Gain representation from high-end gallery that museum curators frequent. Then you look at that last item and it seems overwhelming. You need to break it down!
--Put suitable gallery dealers on mailing list.
--Attend gallery openings.
--Meet artists whose work is in galleries.
--Invite above artists to your studio and exhibits. (Add them to your mailing list.)
--Meet the dealers in charge of the space.
--Show at increasingly prestigious venues.
--Meet people who blog and write about work in your town.
--Get mentioned in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
Looking at these lists can also cause you anxiety because you see everything in one place--everything you need or want to do. And some of these items are projects that need to be broken down even further. So, look at the list once a week. Focus on one thing at a time: one day, week, or month at a time. Be more structured: "In February, I'll attend two gallery openings, meet three new artists at those openings, and join the museum. "There you have it. Progress! There's another example of breaking down a big project on the Art BizBlog.http://www.artbizblog.com <http://www.artbizblog.com/> _____ Know This . . .Baby steps = Progress. Think About This . . . Only you can understand your vision and the steps you take. Saying "I should be doing this" or "I need to be doing that" isn't good enough. You have to want it from your core. You have to be passionate about it. Do This . . . Take baby steps on your path to success. Don't let overwhelm paralyze you.
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