FineArtViews - The AMP Newsletter

Hi There,

Last I left you, I was wondering what Janice Joplin meant by "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." I first conjectured it might refer to material loss, or even the loss of a loved one.

The more I think about it though, I don't think that's what she meant. Let's go deeper.

In actuality, we all are "free" at all times. It's society's programming, and our own minds that keep us "imprisoned." We all have anxieties, fears, desires, attachments and guilt. Are these feelings real? Or do these feelings exist only in our minds? And, since we all have the ability to control our own minds, do we have to allow these thoughts at all?

More to come... on to art marketing topics and today's newsletter...

Reminder: The Special Edition newsletters that are currently sent on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays will be transitioning into our BoldBrush Studio Newsletter in an effort to keep this newsletter dedicated to art marketing ideas.

This change will go into effect soon so I just want to remind you to click here to subscribe to our BoldBrush Studio newsletter to continue to receive these Special Edition newsletters.

Other than the special editions, you don't need to do anything to continue receiving the great marketing tips in FineArtViews. But please, let us know what you'd like to see in upcoming newsletters. What marketing questions can we answer?

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Enjoy,

Clint Watson

Ignore your friendly magazine salesperson and/or marketing "guru" who tells you marketing is all about "branding."

MARKETING. IS. CONVERSATIONS.

(Hint: If you're having conversations, you'll "automatically" develop a brand power without even trying to "build a brand").

Conversations are going to happen with or without your participation.

There's an old saying in advertising, "Tell your story, or someone else will tell it for you."

But, if you don't participate in the process, the story that gets told may not be the one you want told.

This is another way of describing Hugh MacLeod's Blue Monster idea. People want to tell their OWN stories to each other and connect with each other. You just want to become part of that conversation and have your story... your art, your artist story "come along for the ride."

Your followers are going to talk to each other and you want to be able to encourage that behavior. Helping them connect with one another is a good thing.

"Marketing is conversations" applies to your art galleries as well. I'm speaking to art galleries now. Art galleries listen - get this fact in your mind and accept it: Your clients ARE going to talk directly to your artists.

Be part of the conversation or bury your head in the sand and ignore it (and be excluded). The Internet has changed the equation. (I initially wrote this about a decade ago and this phenomenon is happening even more today. Unfortunately, we've already lost a lot of art galleries who didn't adapt, I hope the remaining ones do.)

John's exactly right: If you introduce your clients to your artists, you're guaranteed to be part of the conversation. If you don't, you're guaranteed to be excluded. Which option do you want?

Art is all about communication. When a buyer purchases artwork, he/she is "purchasing" the artist as well as the artwork. The stronger the client-artist connection, the more likely the person will become an ongoing collector.

The progressive art dealer realizes that instead of hindering these connections, he should foster and encourage them. Indeed, building relationships is the essence of the dealer's job.

Instead of hiding the artist's website, why not enthusiastically share it with clients and encourage them to visit it? Instead of blocking access to an artist, why not pick up the phone and introduce the prospect to that artist? Heck, why not even give the artist's phone number to prospects?

Each of these actions would make a sale more likely; after all, wouldn't YOU feel special if you were invited to personally call the artist? Galleries and artists need to quit playing games and work together as a team and trust each other.

If I were an artist today, I wouldn't work with any gallery that tried to limit my freedom to have conversations directly with collectors online and offline. I also wouldn't work with any gallery that didn't agree to provide me with contact info of people who purchased my work so that I could strengthen my connection with my collectors.....my collector clan.

To reciprocate, I would make sure that each of my galleries trusted me completely. I would NEVER, NEVER, EVER sell directly to collectors that discovered me through my galleries (or, if the client insisted, to facilitate the sell, I would pay the gallery the commission for the sale after I collected the money.) I would NEVER sell my artwork for a price lower than what it would sell for in a gallery.

Now go change the world.

Until next time, remember that Fortune Favors the Bold Brush.

Sincerely,

Clint Watson

BoldBrush/FASO Founder & Art Fanatic

PS - Click here to sign up for your free FASO trial today. Try us free for 30 days and find out for yourself why 14,000 artists have entrusted FASO with their website.