Whenever I see a write-up on an artist friend, I congratulate them. The usual answer is, "Thanks, but nothing ever came of it."
Unfortunately, because the person can't see instant results, they assume none took place. Which discourages them from pursuing more publicity opportunities.
I, too, rarely get a burst of sales from any given ad or article. But I know it's working for me in ways I can't see right now.
We all know the stories of the person who gets a spot on TV or a great article, and orders start rolling in faster than they can fill them. USUALLY it doesn't happen like that. It might even feel like NOTHING is happening.
But it is. People remember you the next time they see you or your work. Over time, people start to see you "everywhere". Before you know it, you're "that famous artist". Yum!!
One perceived obstacle is, we get that great article in the super magazine. And then another month or two rolls around, the next issue is out--and our fleeting fame fades.
Or does it?
The best advice: Make your publicity work twice.
Taking time to use the publicity we get IS hard. I'm just one person in my biz. I know first-hand how overwhelming it can get trying to take care of everything. I'm as lax as anyone else when it comes to getting all the mileage I can from each PR opportunity.
But I do what I can, and always try to do a little bit more.
My artwork and studio were featured in the April issue of AmericanStyle magazine. Unfortunately, when it hit the stands, I was smack-dab in the middle of a grueling week-long show, out of state and away from home. Afterwards, it felt like all my time was spent taking care of the show's aftermath. Suddenly, a month had gone by and my news wasn't "new" anymore.
Here are steps I'm taking to rework that "lost" opportunity:
1) Tell your customers.
I had tons of postcards made from one of the photos in the article. All are printed "As featured in AmericanStyle magazine!" I'll use them for my upcoming open studio mailing and other retail mailings.
Now, due to circumstances beyond my control, my new postcards did not get done in time to send them out for my big retail show. Bummer!
But what I did was use old cards, and TELL people my new ones weren't done. I offered free postcards AT THE SHOW.
I know no one comes to my booth for the postcards. But by asking customers if they'd gotten my card, I found out if they were already on my mailing list. If they weren't, I could sign them up. If they were, but hadn't gotten that card, I knew they'd somehow fallen off the list. I could ask them if they wanted back on. (Everyone said yes!) If they HAD gotten the card, I could give them my new cards, "fresh" ones they could keep or mail to a friend. And every time I handed out a card, I referenced tip #2:
I found out from this exercise that many more people HAD gotten my card than I thought. They just didn't mention it til I brought the subject up. So my pre-show mailings are indeed doing their job.
2) Display it in your booth.
I made a framed poster of the article--all eight pages!--and displayed it in my booth. It not only intrigued passers-by and caught their interest, it gave credibility to my work with new customers. AND thrilled my current customers--they feel like they've invested in an artist who is "taking care of business" and doing what it takes to get my name out there.
3) Use it to promote your open studio events.
The article featured my studio, so it was also perfect for promoting my upcoming open studio event in November. When customers inquired, I could point to the article behind them, with the many photos of my studio. (These elicited either ooohs and ahs, or stunned silence, depending on whether they saw creative mess or signs of someone with mental illness....)
4) Include it in your press kit.
I plan to do a small targeted PR mailing with a blurb about the article. For other publications, I'll make sure they know the article and other media-ready materials are available.
5) Put it on your website.
Include all your media coverage on your website. Also, consider a "media access only" section on your website, with all the images and documents ready to download. It makes it even easier for other editors to quickly grab the elements they need to tell your story.
6) Send a copy of the article or magazine to your top collectors. I bought extra copies of the magazine, and am slowly getting them into the hands of the people who have bought major pieces from me.
Any other ideas? Post them here! I'm always amazed at how other savvy people keep their PR going, and going, and going...
