Most of us are one person businesses. We do the creating, paperwork, packing and shipping, bookkeeping, and everything else. If we feel that we can't do a big marketing push during the time that our fans are most receptive, we have to figure out how to make it happen. We can hire an assistant, plan ahead, or develop quick and easy ways to touch base that don't require a lot of effort.
I run into this every summer and winter, when I really need to be painting for the spring and fall shows. For me, the summer and winter months are when people are most responsive, and also when I face the most deadlines. I have noticed this over the years, because I get more replies to my newsletter in those months, and I get more enthusiastic responses to events, like when I auction work off for a charity or advertise workshops.
I've tried various solutions for this time crunch. I tried painting more in the spring and fall, hoping I create art that will fit the show themes when I am notified of them. I tried making spreadsheets that disperse my workload so there is a manageable amount each day. I even tried targeting my marketing to a smaller group of people, so there would be less work involved. However I move forward, my time and money are always better spent on marketing resources when I allocate them from the point of view of my customer.
It's simple advice. We hear it all the time. I forget it most of the time.
