| LEARNING TO SEE #15: Not All Advice Is Equal And even bad advice can help us move forward!
Last week, I signed up for my very first Art Marketing Program (AMP) webinar, hosted by FASO's marketing guy, Dave Geada.
These sessions are long, which makes it hard to fit into my work day. Unlike the rest of my family, I don't do podcasts well. Listening to them, that is. When I'm creating, words interrupt my concentration, even words in songs.
But I made the time, and I'm glad I did!
If you haven't worked with Dave, or tried any of those recorded videos, do try them. He's focused, insightful, explains all the 'why's' behind it all, and even how important the 'WHY' behind the art we make, is. (Hint: Because it's the heart of everything we do.)
I'm already overloaded with those action steps, so much that I almost wrote my column about 'little steps forward' today. Next time! Because I also dropped in on my first conversation in the (art marketing discussion forum), and found what needs to be addressed first: Not all advice is equal. And not all advice works for everyone.
There is fact-based data, there are expert opinions based on experience, and then there's advice.
Fact-based data comes from someone actually measuring results for any given marketing strategy. This was former Fine Art Views columnist Lori Woodward's superpower. She would dig in and test a strategy, then share her findings.
But not all fact-based date is equal, either. Let's take search engine optimization (SEO.) We are hammered constantly to pay/hire someone to show us how we can improve our ranking in search engine results. One of Dave's strongest points is that most SEO suggestions work for retailers: People who sell stuff. Their strategy is to get billions of 'hits', hoping a small fraction of those people will click and actually buy something.
But artists are makers. We don't need a billion clicks. We need a passionate following, people who love our work, to buy from us over and over again. That may be a small percentage of our audience, which is also much smaller than say, Amazon. So the numbers aren't as relevant, and SEO is less important. Whew! That's about a jillion SEO marketing 'come-on' emails I can delete from my inbox today!
Next, the expert opinion. This is usually from someone who's had success in whatever we're involved in. When we needed a babysitter for our kids, who do we ask to find one? Other people with kids. There are 'experts' in every aspect of our lives, ranging from car mechanics, doctors, marketing gurus, and other artists.
But even expert advice may not work for everyone. First, goals may be different. Second, their experience may be different. Someone who is a famous oil painter may not actually have good insights into me selling my assemblages or jewelry. Or the way that person achieved fame and fortune may go against my principles, time available, and my budget.
And of course, it's highly possible that person isn't really as successful as they seem to be. (My favorite Anne Lamott quote: "Never compare your insides to someone else's outsides.) Years ago, when I was doing fine craft wholesale shows, there were some folks who asserted that they made a great living with their work. Another craftsperson did some deep research and found some interesting results: Many of those people a) inherited wealth; b) had a spouse who was in highly-paid profession; c) or they had a second 'career' on the side, like flipping houses, for example. Famous writers sometimes reveal their income doesn't all come from their books being published. Their income also relies on teaching workshops and speaking engagements. Many artists do the same!
And last, there's just plain ol' advice. The random things people will tell us that have nothing to do with our story, our preferred medium, work process, style, aesthetic.
Me? I get a lot of advice, especially when I don't ask for it! Sometimes it's so off-base, it's gob-smacking. And yet sometimes, it's intriguing, and pulls something new out of me, maybe even something completely different than what the advice-giver was thinking.
In the end, we get to pick what works for us.
In my humble experience, if it resonates with me, that's my signal that I should at least try it. And if my shoulders try to cover my ears, that's my signal that I should just set it aside. Not all advice is perfect for every single situation/person. Nobody is right all the time.
As I said, even "bad" advice may still provide a powerful insight. First, it's good to recognize that most advice comes from others wanting to help us do better. Knowing others care is sweet!
Second, we can examine our reactions when it lands badly, asking ourselves, "What is it about that suggestion that makes me cringe?" Exploring why we react the way we do can give us insights into our own blind spots, weaknesses, insecurities.
Third, sometimes advice is a no-brainer. In this particular session, Dave walked through several artists' websites, pointing out fairly simple ways we can improve our website visitors' experience. My notebook is filled with notes-hope I can read them! (I was writing pretty fast. So much information!) Yeah, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at all the things I could/should do to improve my site. My next step is figuring out my next step! I'll be sharing my experience and insights with you along the way. (Which, of course, may work for you, or may not. I'm not even an expert!)
The biggest insight for me was why people are online, on social media, in the first place. (Answer: Boredom, loneliness, connection.)
(Unless I messed up my notes?) He also confirmed Clint Watson's assertion that our email newsletters are our most powerful tool to grow our audience, and why. (Answer: Because people check their email even more often than they check out their social media.) He noted that we can focus on just Instagram, Facebook, and our email newsletter. (Whew! Goodbye, Tumblr, LinkedIn, and Twitter!)
So be sure to check out Dave's webinars. You can find the basic playbook/eBook under the "Art Marketing" tab on the FASO site. Consider joining FASO for your artist website, because in addition to all the aspects that work for ARTISTS, you will have complete access to these webinars (including recordings of past events.) You can spend as little as $12/month for a FASO website, which I'm guessing would be less than the cost of SEO advice from internet marketers who have no idea what works for artists in the first place.
And remember, begin with advice that works for YOU. Even if you hate it, explore why you hate it. And when you get overwhelmed, remember my advice: Baby steps! One at a time, at your own pace.
If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to pass it on to someone else. And if someone sent you this article, and you liked it, too, see more at FineArtViews.com, Dave's articles at same, my articles there, Clint's insights on email newsletters, other art marketing topics, and my blog at LuannUdell.wordpress.com.
Well, that should keep you busy for a few days! Until next week, take exquisite care of yourself during these trying times.
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