I’ve recently read The Guerilla Marketing Revolution. Read more about The Guerrilla Marketing Revolution on how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com

A couple of ideas that I’ve found useful in the book are as follows:

Anchors

An anchor is essentially an internal or external representation that triggers another representation.

Presuppositions

Presupposition is the quickest, easiest and most effective means of persuading the unconscious mind, when used by a skilled communicator.

Read more about the Guerrilla Marketing Revolution on how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com

Thei Zervaki is a writer living in New York, who gets invited to many events and parties. She has recently published a book: Get Invited, don’t crash it:, which gives tips on getting invites to events and networking.

Any tips for artists wanting to network or market a show?
Artists can be very “artistic” and they forget completely about marketing and promoting their work. First of all, make your message clear. When guests visit your studio, gallery or any other space where you exhibit your paintings (or any other work), say that it is for sale! It is so simple, but artists do not say it.

I remember I attended the Chelsea Gallery Studio Walk last spring and when I was visiting a studio, the artist clearly stated that all her paintings were on sale, making the comment that she never did in the past! Guests do not know if an artist wants to sell or not so being honest about it, will help you sell.

Second, do not accept the common belief that artists die poor or do not make a lot of money. This is not true. There are and will always be buyers of your art, usually more affluent people. So, your job is to locate your buyers, your target audiences.

Third, have a nice online presence (blog, website, ebay site, etsy.com, facebook.com page etc). A wealthy friend of mine only buys online and his paintings are very unique and rather expensive. Finding an agent may help but maybe not, that depends on your personal situation. Overall, “see” your art as a business, not just a way to express your feelings…

Is your book self-published or did you find a publisher?
It is a self-published book. I didn’t follow the traditional path of getting an agent who then would “sell” me to a publisher. Although a safe path to sales, it is far too slow for my impatient nature, so I decided to self-publish using Get Published: Take your book from manuscript to the masses with CreateSpace, an amazon platform.

Have you any tips for anyone wanting to publish a book?
First, you need to come up with an interesting idea, not yet explored so your angle is crucial. Then, you need to actually write the book (because we all have a book inside us but this is where it stays most of the time). Don’t get stressed out with the timing, just follow your instincts but have a “first” deadline. If you want to look for an agent, just email them while you do your writing. Most of the times, a rejection will follow but don’t give up. In today’s environment, anything is possible. But this is only 50% of the job. After getting published, you have a lot of work to do to market and promote it. Be willing to spend some money as well! So, you get the picture (I am talking about non-fiction).

I found your point about constantly creating “busyness” as a way of avoiding what you really should be doing very true for me. What are your tips for avoiding “avoidance”?
First, find what you really, really, really desire. This is the most difficult step to avoid the busyness. Then, focus on this desire. Take all the actions that they will help you implement this desire. For example: you really, really, really desire to start a side catering business providing food to local events. Don’t fake it and say that I’d rather paint my house, go to the gym or book a trip to Paris (finding all sorts of excuses to support the “second” best choice). Start taking small, baby steps to achieve it. Buy the ingredients, cook, send out some sample food to local event organisers, put some adverts together etc.

I strongly believe that there are many reasons for this “busyness” or “avoidance”. Maybe we are not ready to actually “do” it, we feel insecure, not qualified enough, we are afraid of rejection or we just procrastinate. I would even dare to say that “busyness” or “avoidance” is laziness. When it comes to parties and invitations, many (and that includes me from time to time), accept invitations and go to events that they do not serve them just to say that they are out and about. Having clear objectives about your choices in life is paramount to avoid wasting your time.

I notice in your book that you are critical of shy people. To quote:

I am not personally a great believer in shy people. I know the large majority of social psychologies would disagree, arguing that shyness is hereditary, a social disorder or even a gene. I would argue, though, that those labeled “shy” often are aloof, self-centered and attention needy. Or they simply do not know how to start socializing more. They just need some help.

If someone is claiming to be shy, what advice would you give them? How can shyness be overcome?
I don’t believe in shy people. Having said that I don’t imply that human beings have the same level of “social openness”. Some are far more open and extravagant than others. It doesn’t mean that the less open are shy, they just need a little more help. I talked to a number of psychologists (with PhDs) and they do not seem to agree: some say that it is in our genes, others agree with my statement that shyness is self-centeredness. I would say that if you feel “shy” and you don’t like it, don’t push yourself too hard but make an effort: talk to a few people you don’t know during the week, smile at your bank manager, invite a friend for dinner. Slowly, you will feel better about yourself and your social skills. As I say in my book, nobody is born a socialite or a party-goer. We can all become one.

What was the best event you ever attended?
It was Harvey Nicks in London. Pure luxury! Expensive champagne on all floors, sample food, music, well-dressed guests and more champagne. I experienced something similar on a smaller scale in NYC at the Mercedes-Bentley event. Excellent food, numerous cocktails and expensive cars. The Chelsea Market After Dark event during the NY Food and Wine show in 2010 was amazing. Champagne, cocktails, mouthwatering food and some local celebrities…

What was the funniest moment you’ve witnessed at an event?
Someone who, while trying to attack a meatball almost broke a sculpture! I think that galleries should only provide wine and some mixed nuts otherwise it is a disaster. Party crashers entering parties un-invited is interesting to watch; they do it most of the time!

Have you specialized in a particular area, or do you still accept invitations to a diverse range of events?
I usually attend culinary and wine events and shows, but I go to store openings and gallery receptions. And I don’t do political events…

Do you find how events are organized and promoted in the US different from the UK?
Not really. In the UK, I was in the business world so I was attending networking business events. Some of them were luxurious, others more professional but overall very well organised with selected guests, expensive wine and food. In the US, I became a blogger and then a journalist, and I attend PR events as a member of the press so they are more casual with a different purpose. Most of them are very interesting.

An RSS feed is a great marketing tool for blogs and interactive websites. Regular readers can add your RSS feed to their own personal feed reader, which will automatically update them on any new posts you add to your website.

What is a feed reader, you may ask? Basically you create your own page within a website, such as netvibes, and then collect the RSS feeds from your favourite websites or blogs and add them to this page. I don’t know how this works in technical detail, but all you need to know is that it is easy to do.

For example, if you wanted to add this blog as a feed, you would click on the “Add content” button in netvibes.com and enter this url: http://www.how-to-be-a-fine-artist.com and from then on you will know whenever I add something new. Or you could click on the icon that says “RSS” (top right on this page) and choose which feed reader you want to add it to.

You can also add your email accounts and Facebook to your feed reader and know straight away when someone has sent you a message. Couldn’t be easier. Go on give it a try…

Is a blog much different from a diary? With a diary, you write down all your thoughts, supposedly for your own amusement, and occasionally someone nosey will take a peek. In the same way, a blog for most people is a collection of thoughts that people can pick up and read.

But is a blog more than just a diary? Does it have other benefits? The answer is yes. It is interactive and available to the public, readers can leave their comments and share your posts with others. The other major advantage is that it is good for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). A website that has fresh content added to it on a regular basis is not only more likely to be indexed by Google but will attract more users to the website.

So far the effects of having a blog on this website have been positive. Since that flurry of initial interest from friends and supporters, I realise that this blog is destined to be read by readers who come across it through Google. That is why your blog needs to be relevant to the rest of your website. It needs to contain the “keywords” that will bring the right people to the right place. In other words, there is no point writing about your cat’s sleeping habits if your website is about selling art.

I have to admit, as an incredibly nosey person, I enjoy reading other people’s blogs. It gives a snapshot on someone’s life and there are many blogs that are really useful. I’m not one of those secret blog readers that never leave a comment. I think it is good practice to leave a comment for the author to let them know you’ve appreciated their advice.

Talking of words, this brings me on to my next question, what is the point of dictionaries? To look up a word you have to know how to spell it and if you knew how to spell it you wouldn’t need a dictionary…

Many artists begin as self-representing artists (and some prefer to remain so). Some exhibit with other artists, others choose to exhibit with craftspeople. When I first started to try and sell my paintings, I took part in exhibitions with other artists that we organized ourselves. Later I tried to sell my artwork by renting a space at craft fairs, which proved to have limited success. The question is: are craft fairs a viable venue for artists? Or is it better just to exhibit with other artists? Here are a few things to consider, if you are thinking of taking part in a craft fair.

Does the cost of the craft show reflect the level of promotion and the amount of visitors?
The standards of art and craft fairs can vary wildly and can range from a day at the local church hall to several days in a marquee or exhibition space. When trying to sell paintings, sculptures or prints at one of these events, it makes a huge difference if it is a local craft fair, or one that attracts national attention. In other words, how many people will visit?

If the rental amount is low, the level of advertising is probably very low key and it is doubtful that people from outside the immediate area will travel there. If it is more expensive, the craft fair will possibly be promoted nationally and attract people from outside the immediate area. However, just because a fair is busy and expensive to take part in doesn’t mean that your paintings will sell.

Is the craft show venue right for me and who will visit?
You have to take into consideration the type of people that will visit a craft fair. Are they necessarily interested in art? And how much are they willing to spend? A good idea is to attend the venue and see what types of products are being sold there. Then ask yourself these questions. Are there any artists? How many? What types of work are they selling? Do you think your work would suit this venue?

Does my art style fit?
A Damien Hirst creation only sells within a certain context. And it goes without saying, a cutting edge installation piece will not sell at a craft fair, although it might attract a lot of attention! The types of art that sell at these places are usually decorative paintings, prints and photographs. Most are usually realistic in style, although I do see the occasional abstract paintings on canvas. What type of subject matter sells is harder to answer. But I’ve seen alot of animal themes (tigers and elephants seem to be very popular), landscapes and floral portraits. However, you can’t always make assumptions about what people are actually going to like.

Are you presenting your artwork in the best way?
How you display your art is as important as how it is created in the first place. You have to think of yourself as the curator of your own work. The backdrop is as important as the paintings themselves. A white or neutral background is the best as it doesn’t distract from the work. An obvious thing to point out but one that is often overlooked, is that pictures should be straight and evenly spaced. You’d be surprised at how many aren’t and a crooked picture is more distracting than you think.

Unfortunately, the way I’ve displayed my work has been compromised at times. What I think I did wrong was to try and cram as much as possible into a small space. Sometimes, less is more. The more you cram a space with stuff, the harder it is for people to see anything, as it can look confused and jumbled. The best displays I’ve seen are ones where paintings were placed next to others that related in colour, tone or theme in some way.

How long does it take to sell a painting?
How long is a piece of string? The one thing I do know is that art is a slow seller. It’s a bit like furniture, not something that people buy everyday. It as a luxury product and those who purchase original art can at times be few and far between. The other thing that makes it a slow seller is the price. If people are coming to a craft fair just to spend £5, they are not going to buy a picture for £500. That’s why you need to consider where the craft fair is situated. Do the locals have money burning a hole in their pocket? Or do they have very short arms and deep pockets?

Does the craft fair allow imported goods and reproductions?
The first craft fair I ever did was quite disheartening to say the least. I stood for three days and only sold one painting. Most of the other artists were selling reproductions of their work at cheaper prices. I’d completely misjudged that people wanted to buy original art or even knew the difference and how much they were willing to spend.

Some craft fairs allow imported goods, meaning that you could be competing with a painting made in Thailand for a fraction of the cost. Check to see the venue organiser’s criteria before booking a space.

How much should I charge?
It is good to have a range of things at different prices. This way you can tell what people are willing to spend. You could have expensive originals, reproductions of originals and even cards to sell. At some fairs I made more money out of selling cards and reproductions, than I did selling original paintings. It is good to offer people the choice as long as you make it clear what is an original or what is a reproduction.

One way of coming up with a price is to work out how much the materials cost you and add to that the time in hours that it took you to make the object. Pay yourself a good hourly rate and make it worth your while. You also have to consider the costs of doing the fair and take that into account too.

How will I get paid?
Another consideration you will need to make is, how are people going to pay you? Gone are the days when people routinely carried their chequebooks around with them. If the item is over a certain amount, will people have the money on them to pay. I have partially resolved this problem, by offering to accept a deposit and then letting them send me a cheque later when they get home. I can then post the item on to them later.

More established artists invest in terminals and accept credit cards, but you will need to have an established level of sells before you do this. There are also alternatives, such as using a mobile phone to accept payments.

Do I need insurance?
You will certainly need public liability insurance and also insurance for your stock and to cover your vehicle. Hopefully you will never need to use these, but it is reassuring to know you have some sort of backup if things go wrong.

Should I give up if a fair does not go well?
You have to try selling at a fair more than once before you begin to sell. I didn’t sell at my first fair, but I learnt so much from just doing it. I learnt about display (from looking at what other people had done). I learnt about what types of people go to the fairs and I learnt what subjects are the most popular. I also learnt that craft fairs have regular attendees and once they buy from you and get to know you, they will return.

Search engine optimization (SEO) or how to market your website

To get your website listed on the first page of Google, after someone types in a search word, is the ultimate way to market your website. But how do you achieve this? The answer is to make sure your website incorporates techniques that make a first page Google listing more likely to happen. This is known as Search Engine Optimization or SEO. Here are five tips for SEO:

1. Submit your website link to search engines for SEO

• You can submit your website link to search engines. This is worth doing just to make sure they know you exist.
• To submit a link to Google go to: Submit a website link to Google
• To submit your link to the Yahoo! Directory go to: Yahoo! Directory They charge a fee for submission, which isn’t refundable and you may still not get in!

2. Think before redesigning your website or changing your webspace provider

• You need to think about the affects of redesigning your website or moving it to another location (ie changing your webspace provider). Your listing on a search engine could be temporarily affected by this.
• If you redesign a website with a different page structure, search engine listings will point to pages that don’t exist anymore. It may take a while for your website to be indexed accurately again.

3. Make a site map to ensure SEO

• Making a site map not only aids navigation for visitors, but allows search engine spiders to reach all your pages. A search engine spider isn’t something that you find trapped in the bath, it’s an automated program that trawls through pages on the internet, indexing as it goes. And when information from your website is indexed, it means it will appear in search engine listings. What a clever search engine spider it is! However, if your website is designed in Flash or doesn’t have easily identifiable navigation the spider may ignore some of the content of your site and therefore it won’t get indexed.
• A search engine spider sees your website like a screen reader does, i.e. just text and nothing else. So all the flashing gismos and cool imagery on your website are invisible to search engines spiders.
• To see what the search engine spiders see try: Lynx Viewer, which shows web pages without layout and images.

4. Avoid using frames on your website for the best SEO

• When I say avoid using frames for SEO, I don’t mean the type that you put around a painting. You will need to brief your web designer to avoid using frames, if you are not designing the website yourself. Websites designed using frames can cause problems for search engine spiders.
• The best websites in terms of SEO, accessibility and design are created by designers who are able to write HTML, javascript, CSS and other code from scratch. When looking for a designer, it is worth asking how much knowledge they have of writing code and of SEO. Dreamweaver and Frontpage are two popular software programs, used for designing websites, which create the HTML code for you, but it does help if the designer has some knowledge of how to write the code themselves.

5. Write content that contains the keywords that you want search engines to index

• This may seem glaringly obvious, but the content of your website needs to contain the keywords that search engines can index. The keywords should be sprinkled throughout the text and don’t worry if the text seems repetitive. People read text on a web page differently to printed text. They scan looking for relevant information, rather than reading every word.
• Indexers prioritise headings so make your headings relevant to an index. For example, instead of saying “New stuff” you could say: “Recent oil paintings”.
• Gone are the days when you could just stuff your meta tags with keywords to boost your ratings. Search engines block sites that appear to be manipulating the rankings unfairly or are using keywords that are misleading. What are meta tags? Meta tags are located between the <HEAD> </HEAD> tags at the top of the HTML document you’ve generated. They are a snippet of informational code where you can add keywords that relate to the content of your website. In fact it is the description that is the most useful as this is what will appear in the listing. Make sure it has full sentences and says something informative about your site.

Do you wonder about how to market your website so that it reaches the first page on Google? There is no easy answer and theories vary about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and the best ways of attracting visitors to your website.

Link building (adding a link to your website on other websites) is a good method of SEO. Apparently, Google calculates that the most popular sites are the ones that are most linked to from other sites. So the more your site is linked to from other sites, the more chance it has of making the first page on Google.

When a website is published, I think it’s a bit like sending a message in a bottle over the ocean, hoping that someone will find it and read what you have to say. It is not enough just to create a website and leave it to fend for itself. The most important thing, it seems, is to get a link to your website from other websites.

However, you have to be strategic about it. The best quality links to your website will be from other websites that are highly relevant to what you have to say, sell or show. Obvious I know, but the obvious is often overlooked. For example you wouldn’t want a link of your art website in a directory for golfing enthusiasts.

Effective methods of link building:

1. Add your links to forums

• Above all else, avoid being a spammer (ie. adding multiple links and irrelevant text as a comment). You can add links to forums in a less annoying way simply by adding your link to your forum signature. This way you are taking part in conversations and displaying your link at the same time.
• Forum posts are often archived so your link will be recorded for quite a length of time. Google often lists information contained within forums, so it can also appear within search engine results.

2. Add bulletins to social sites such as Myspace and Facebook

• Myspace and Facebook are also good places for artists to network and link build. Myspace has various art groups that you can join, after which you can post a bulletin of your next show with the link, which all members of the group can see. Just make sure the bulletin is relevant to the group and isn’t just to show your link.

3. Add your witty comments to other people’s blogs

• In a similar way, blog comments are a way of including your clickable link. But ensure you have something relevant and insightful to say not just the link. Blogs are also archived, keeping your links frozen in time. Some blogs now block html code and most vet your comments before they are posted. Your comment can also be easily deleted if it is thought unsuitable.

4. Add your link to directories, but be wary of anything that’s free

• It’s not necessarily a good idea to put a link in any directory. These are essentially websites that contain loads of categorized links. Think, is the directory relevant to an art website? Will it generate the right kind of traffic to your website?
• Paying to be included on a directory may not necessarily benefit you, but could mean that you get included on search engine listings more quickly. The Open Directory Project is free and the Yahoo! Directory charges a fee per year.
• Be wary of link farms, such as FFA pages. An FFA page is a Free For All page that is just a list of links with no relevant content or use to most website users. Search engines frown on these types of sites, which they may see as link farms; a sneaky attempt to artificially promote your website up the rankings. The search engines have cunning ways of identifying link farms and treat them like a bit of dog doo on the end of their shoe. So beware. Your listings on a search engine may go down as a result rather than up.

5. Add links to your own websites

• Include links on your other websites, if you happen to have more than one. It will at least pass on potential arty website surfers who have been fortunate enough to stumble upon one of your creations.

6. Exchange links with other websites

• Some websites allow you to purchase links, but it’s only worth it if you think it will truly benefit you. Smaller specialist sites may let you add your link for free. (I’ll include your link if you show mine…)