Promotion by the Artist Athens Area Arts Council Lyndon House Arts - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Promotion by the Artist

Athens Area Arts Council Lyndon House Arts Center

• March 2015

See how this is “by” instead of “for”? Thank you to these two entities that brought us here; notice: I just delivered promotion.

• None of this is slight, none of it is unintentional — even if it is a natural outcome; it still requires paying attention to it.

Michael Lachowski

artist photographer band member DJ designer publisher public relations coordinator

michaellachowski.com

@lachowski

• basic contact info
• how much information do you need to find me? This is already twice as much info as I saw in presentations by geeks at a conference — they just needed the Twitter

handle.

Bulldog Inn Art Show

Wednesday, March 25, 7 p.m.–midnight

• Foto Pixx portrait project — first initiated in Young, Foxy & Free magazine; there’s a card for it in your packet.

Slingshot

March 26–28 – DJ on Saturday, March 28, 9 p.m. with Windows98 (Win Butler) & James Murphy

• The headliner, James Murphy, had the successful band LCD Soundsystem, and his record label, DFA, reissued the first two albums by my band, Pylon.

If you run away and don’t tell anybody.

INTRO

artistpromo.info

• Who can stay late today? I’d like to offer a follow-up session, details at the end of this.
• No need to take copious notes today, there is a complete list online — including links and a link to download the slides I’m showing today.

“I’m uncomfortable.”

You have to promote yourself

• You have to promote yourself, it’s not anathema—it can be a natural extension of your art-making. Art is communication; promotion is communication.
• Don’t like having the attention to yourself—then put it on the work. (Analogy to having a dog.)
• How many artists are truly loath to self-promote vs. just unsure how to approach it or not their strong point?

Story

buzzword, obsession

• In today’s culture, the “story” is a big deal/obsession. Art has always been about story, and in terms of self promotion (read: personal connection), that has always

been behind art sales—it is connection.

• People are fascinated by your process.
• See Storify.

Who will promote you?

• Who is going to do this? Probably you. If you’re uncomfortable doing this in person, then take solace/refuge in the web.
• Ultimately, everyone is now tasked with doing everything—and expected to do it. It’s optional only if you don’t have that form of ambition.

Who will promote you?

Probably, you.

• Who is going to do this? Probably you.
• gallery
• agent/manager
• yourself
• via the internet
• your work
• If you’re uncomfortable doing this in person, then take solace/refuge in the web.
• Ultimately, everyone is now tasked with doing everything—and expected to do it. It’s optional only if you don’t have that form of ambition.

Who will promote you?

Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered, by Austin Kleon

• The author of Steal Like an Artist
• Drawing for both books
• Link

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

Goals and strategy

exhibition opportunites

Goals and strategy

exhibition opportunites job, advance career

Goals and strategy

exhibition opportunites job, advance career affiliation, representation

Goals and strategy

exhibition opportunites job, advance career affiliation, representation sales

• For any of these purposes, identify your goals and develop strategies to go in that direction

TED Radio Hour: Success

attitude and approaches

• May I direct you to the one-hour program on NPR, hosted by Guy Rozz, that features a number of TED Talks on the topic of success — see the program notes.

John Seed

“The very best artists tend to see what they do as a job and have a tremendous work ethic.”

• “My immediate thought is that a certain amount of self-promotion (having a website, talking about one's work) is fine.
• “What isn't fine is making grandiose claims or coming from insecurity.
• “One thing I have noticed after interviewing many artists (and quote me if you like) is that the very best artists tend to be see what they do as a job and have a

tremendous work ethic. Wayne Thiebaud is a great example of this.:

• John Seed, art professor at Mt San Jacinto College

Tao Te Ching

Fame or integrity: which is more important? Money or happiness: which is more valuable? Success or failure: which is more destructive? (Chapter 44; by Stephen Mitchell)

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SELF PROMOTION

• Before we get into promo: What is their experience, how much do they want to hear/know, how do they want to receive it, how often?

PRINT

• Organized by format, starting with the most basic need

business card

Always on your person!

• Have one of these on your person!
• I can’t believe how many times I’ve seen people incapable of being able to provide this immediate, concise form of communication to a willing recipient.
• ATL vs. Athens experience
• business people, even!
• print high-quality 4-color cards for very little at Red Tag or Moo, info in links

postcard

Direct mail, portable graphic

• Make cards, mail then or hand them out
• Bigger than a business card, less purposeful in approach and more visual
• Build a mailing list, send cards
• Tangible, not on the internet
• Modern Postcard, Reg Tag

note card

Customized old-fashioned etiquette

• Send (custom) thank you cards—professionally or otherwise!
• Print them or drawing-paint-collage them!
• Send to collectors, supporters, follow-ups to meaningful engagements
• Print: Simple Card
• Make your own: Clear Bags

book

Your work in an actual book

• Produce a book or a series of books, or multiples of one book
• Commercially produced or hand-made
• As a demo or sales tool or as an edition
• iPhoto (soon to be Photos on Apple platforms), Blurb

NETWORKING

• Networking is about going into face-to-face engagement
• This one is very important!

< — >

Face-to-face networking is a two-way opportunity.

• You can set out to promote yourself in person or online — but you can also just put yourself out there and find things you didn’t expect coming in

Where?

art openings

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Where?

art openings networking and happy hour events

• Athens Art Crowd, Film Athens, the Hatch, Four Athens
• Any other sort of cocktail hour or reception, no matter the origin or purpose of it

Where?

art openings networking and happy hour events lectures

• art lectures keep you inspired
• They are less social but your presence contributes to peoples’ awareness of your interest and dedication; repeated sightings puts you on their radar!

How?

name tag

• adjust tone and content to the event
• A kindness to the others; allows them to pretend they remembered your name — and contributes to their ability to learn your name either way

How?

name tag cards

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How?

name tag cards notebook & pen

• Take notes, use it to capture from people, use it to capture by people that you can’t recall their name
• Also, as an aside: always carry a black Sharpie!

How?

name tag cards notebook & pen show and tell?

• I don’t think a social or networking event is the right time to pull out something to show others, especially not if it results in you scrolling through photos on a smart

phone or tablet

How?

name tag cards notebook & pen show and tell? the next day

• compile the business cards and notes your acquired (if any)
• make notes while the memory is fresh; if you work this way, put notes in the address file of your computer that is in the cloud and on your mobile devices!
• Take care of follow-up as appropriate: send and email or mail a note

ONLINE

• This might be what we all thought was going to be the gist of this talk, but no.

domain name

hover.com

• Get a domain name and keep it, or get several; I bought two last weekend to prepare for this talk
• For best results, use a quality company: hover

domain name

hover.com new TDLs

• .photo, .photography and others are available if that make sense for you — but .art is held up for the time being.

domain name

hover.com new TDLs forever

• portable by using it to forward to other addresses
• Reliance on free services can come and go, or change for the worst; your own domain name ensures consistent info-bit to provide to people indefinitely, no matter

where it might direct users.

domain name

hover.com new TDLs forever plain-spoken

• Choose a domain name that is straight-forward, not gimmicky, cute or clever
• Put a very basic intro in your header for any web presence, such as “Michael Lachowski is an artist and photographer working in Athens, Georgia.”

domain name

hover.com new TDLs forever plain-spoken phonetics

• If possible, it should be something you can say — and by pronouncing it properly, people will know how to find it

domain name

hover.com new TDLs forever plain-spoken phonetics SEO

• the more your domain has in common with you and what you do, the better results for search engine optimization

domain name

hover.com new TDLs forever plain-spoken phonetics SEO search

• The need for domain names and such have changed since people tend to find things purely by search — but still having a presence you can control, load with

keywords/tags, and keep up and running will benefit your search too!

portfolio

Don’t code!

• Don’t waste your time learning how to make a website or CSS coding, etc. — use a readymade portfolio solution!
• No one will be amazed by your website, no matter what, anyway.
• Plain is okay — that puts the focus on the art; compare this concept to the design of galleries, art mag ads by galleries (white walls, plain text)

portfolio

Don’t code! Pay up

• Expect to pay something, especially if you’re custom domain name will be the address of the site. (Exception: many Tumblr themes allow for your own domain)

portfolio

Don’t code! Pay up Solo vs. community

• Ready-made solo sites: Squarespace, Smug Mug, Cargo Collective — allows for insular control, the onus is on you to get people there (so populate it properly for

search!)

• Ready-made community sites: Behance — allows for discovery, but also competition

portfolio

Don’t code! Pay up Solo vs. community Social

• Some social media sites can be a portfolio: Tumblr, Flickr, Pinterest
• They are less elegant because of how they are all configured

portfolio

Don’t code! Pay up Solo vs. community Social Commerce

• Some artists just rely on sales sites for their entire online presence: Etsy, for instance.
• To me this seems insufficient, but it is okay if it suits you.

portfolio

Don’t code! Pay up Solo vs. community Social Commerce Mobile!

• Over 50% internet usage is on mobile — so be sure your site looks good there! Probably that means going to Squarespace and being done with it.

social media

#

• Hashtags might be able to bring people to you on multiple platforms — allow user to find you where they already are.
• I did a prez on this at a museums conference, we don’t have time to get into it all now!

social media

# Facebook

• Use a business or “fan” page instead of your personal account; don’t know the difference? Please research it before you go forward.
• advantage: lots of people are on it
• disadvantage: FB’s control, algorithms that affect visibility, and the related drive to get you to pay for boost
• supports #’s sufficiently for them to be worthwhile bothering with, but not crucial for discovery at this point

social media

# Facebook Twitter

• Don’t worry: if you don’t understand it, just don’t bother
• Post from Twitter’s page and app for best results; best to include one (shortened link) and 1 or 2 #’s and a photo — so text is prob. less than 100 characters (not 140)
• Strategically include others’ handles
• Post altruistically for more engagement (follows, favorites, retweets) and to establish your credential in your field (which will be enhanced by your use of those #’s!)
• Yes, they support #; they “invented” them.

social media

# Facebook Twitter Tumblr

• The first true visual image platform, still very much connected with the arts
• Lots of templates, choose a premium one for $19 or so; custom domain name/URL supported by many of those
• Supports #’s

social media

# Facebook Twitter Tumblr Instagram

• Can only post from smart phone
• Still images or 15 second video, square images
• Any links will not be hyper links
• Mostly occurs on phone, not naturally on browsers or reposted
• Very popular and good for innate original imagery; do not use poster type imagery
• #’s use is common, okay to use up to 10 or so (although I find it obnoxious and use zero)
• Best to keep it real

social media

# Facebook Twitter Tumblr Instagram Pinterest

• A very visually-oriented space
• Depending on the category and style of your work, could be a ripe arena
• Still mostly used by women
• Best for periodic posts of 1-5/week, not a static portfolio or a torrent of posts
• Supports #’s

social media

# Facebook Twitter Tumblr Instagram Pinterest Linked In

• Maintain your presence if you’re in a career, potentially seeking employment, or will be glad you maintained it later if something “happens”
• Professionally-oriented — and that applies to your photo
• #’s not supported

social media

# Facebook Twitter Tumblr Instagram Pinterest Linked In blog

• Not a portfolio space, more of an written and illustration article space — images and medium-form text
• Stand-alone free sites such as Blogger (great SEO, owned by Google!), but probably better to locate it on your own URL via Squarespace or Wordpress
• Supports #’s
• Not treating Google+ here: seem to be popular for tech geeks and military (Google Hangouts), but most people I know don’t know anyone that uses it

email

Mail Chimp

• email can be an effective way to stay connected with a dedicated audience
• set up a free Mail Chimp account, enroll people with their permission; they always have the option to unsubscribe
• put sign-up link somewhere convenient
• suggest using it sparingly and on-target — messaging your audience with a periodic digest of news: about your activities, but also more generous announcements of

things they might appreciate

• can be used to gather and maintain physical mailing addresses for your print needs — before conducting a mailing, make mention in an email for users to please

update their subscription settings if their address has changed

cloud

iCloud Dropbox wetransfer.com

• ther sorts of internet assets you can use since you’re likely dealing with moving files around. Evernote can be helpful

NEXT

• Next up for art in Athens!

follow-up

Georgia Museum of Art Tuesday, March 24 noon–1:30 p.m. brown bag or Ike & Jane Café RSVP

• please RSVP to me so I know whether or not to plan — to my UGA email address (on my card, on our site, on art promo.info)

Third Thursday

March 19, 6–9 p.m. with free shuttle and parking* *Lyndon House Arts Center Hotel Indigo The Classic Center *Lamar Dodd School of Art *Georgia Museum of Art Ciné (ATHICA between shows)

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Third Thursday

3thurs.org #3thurs

• xxx

Athens Art Crowd

April 8, 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Indigo Hotel bimonthly, 2nd Wednesday athensartcrowd.info

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Athens Arts Roundtable

next meeting: May

• bimonthly, for one representative of an arts group to report, share, network

Museum Mix

Thursday, April 23 8 p.m.–midnight with DJs Booty Boyz #museummix @museummix museummix.com

• 3X per year, galleries open until midnight

Georgia Museum of Art

visit regularly sign up for email become a member follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram coming soon: the Human Kiosk

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find, follow, read

Lyndon House Arts Center Athens Area Arts Council (AAAC) Athens Cultural Affairs Commission (ACAC) Flagpole: Art Notes, Art Around Town Volume

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your turn

What will you do? How will we hear about it?

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