Promote Your Art Online Without Killing Your Soul

If the thought of pricing and promoting your art makes you profoundly uncomfortable, check out the business consulting services of artist Laura C. George.

Laura C. George is a business consultant for artists who want to “price to sell without being a sleazeball” and “make a profit, without ripping off your customers.” She also helps artists who aren’t sure how to promote themselves in the ever-shifting landscape of online communications.

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George believes that technology has so thoroughly transformed the art market that some artists are losing ground because they don’t know how to navigate the new landscape.

Laura C George HeadshotShe recalls working with an artist who was huge in Boston the ’80s. According to George,”She would just walk into galleries and they were thrilled to be able to put her work up. She never wanted for money. But over the last 10 years, her sales have tanked because she didn’t have a professional-looking website or an email list. And she didn’t know how to connect with and approach people through the internet. She was relying on outdated and ineffective strategies such as press releases and hoping a gallery would call her.”

As a result of this experience, Laura George has made it her mission to help educate artists in similar situations, and those just starting out and are unsure of best practices. She wants artists to find ways to promote themselves in a way that feels natural, not soul-killing.

“I want artists to feel in control of their businesses,” explains George. “I want them to feel like their success is in their own hands and not handed to them by a gatekeeper gallerist, agent, or rich collector.”

To help artists see what’s possible, Laura has posted two free webinars that you can download and view at your convenience.

The Art of Getting Press: Making the Media Love Your Art
In this 90-minute webinar, Laura explains how you can start getting the media attention you deserve. She explains how to find the right publication and write an effective pitch. She also talks about what to do after you’ve sent the pitch and presents examples of artists who have successfully gotten the attention of the press.

Art in Your Inbox: Email Marketing for Artists
In this 80-minute webinar, Laura discusses why email works and how you’ll benefit. She explains how to lay-out your emails for maximum effectiveness and how often to send emails. You’ll also see how email fits into your overall marketing strategy and get a step-by-step formula for writing fantastic emails. A bonus worksheet can help you plan out all your emails for the year.

Check Out Her Blog!

You can also find some great advice on her blog. Recent posts have covered topics such as the 7 Types of Art Customers and Looking Professional.

Looking professional matters, says George, because people are more likely to buy from artists who don’t appear flighty: “When most people first get to an artist’s website, they’re looking for some sort of proof that the artist will actually ship the art if they buy, that the art will actually look like it did in the picture, that there won’t be any hassles through the process, and that if something goes wrong, the artist is going to fix it”  To sell your art online, it’s not enough that people love your art. Art buyers need evidence they can trust you to deliver.

LINKS

Laura C. George, Business Consultant for Artists

Webinar: The Art of Getting Press

Webinar: Art in Your Inbox; Email Marketing for Artists