August 2019 – Your Art is YOU

Ironically We Aren’t All About Steps

Sometimes we get asked why we don’t have more steps here at ArtistSteps.org. The reason is that navigating your artistic career many times can’t be broken into steps because much success is had with using your intuition and having follow through. This means navigating like an ArtisticPreneur.

The Path Takes Twists and Turns

If you want to develop your artistic skill then it is important to explore all aspects of your art form including its business model and try to think outside of the box to be able to make a path for yourself that is not treaded on as much making it a way to travel to success. It means not having to win awards like The Big Apple Awards in order to feel good about yourself.

Showing and Proving Your Creativity

And regardless if you are in the “fine art” world, or the visual domain or even the performing realm, you need to get examples of your work that are impressive so that you can show it to gatekeepers. For a fine artist it could be a portfolio of images of work whereas the visual artist like a filmmaker needs to have films to show – even short ones.

Does Everyone in All Artistic Fields Need a Portfolio?

And of course the performing artist needs a video portfolio of the work they have done. It is very difficult to move forward if you can’t show you were involved with major entities and it becomes the catch 22 thing of trying to put the cart before the horse or the horse after the cart? Bottom line, you need to think like an ArtisticPreneur.

Having an Understanding of Craft is Generally a Good Thing

Hard work and planning is key. But be smart about how you plan your path to success. Always be developing your skills both for your art as well as for the business side of what you do. Because before you can become successful in your art you have to hone your craft.

Drive and People Skills

But even more important than that you need to have drive and people skills. This doesn’t mean that introverts can’s be successful, but the stronger you are at networking the better your results will be.

Can Introverts Succeed?

Get in touch with your artistic side. Find a haven you can unwind in. Find your artistic voice and learn how to run your artistic career as a business.

Broadcast Your Success

Do you want to be a full time ArtisticPreneur? Of course you do. And this means not dropping the business side of what you do just because you are making someone headway. It is times when you have successes that you need to broadcast them to your network and to gatekeepers.

Is Success Possible for You?

What is the difference between a full time artist and a part time one? It is really a conscious choice and having the courage to put your art first. Also, you need to have a deeply routed sense of self and belief that success is possible for you.

Keep Climbing and Never Stop

Artists of all kinds at the most basic level don’t make much money which is why you want to keep climbing even if you are bringing in enough to survive on. Go up the next level and the stock in your work will go up also. You can really make your mark with this strategy.

Getting Through the Door

People sometimes wonder if they need to go to school to become an artist be it fine, visual or performing. It depends on who you are. If you are ultra confident and are a master networker then the actually quality of your art is not as important because you will get through the door. What if You’ve Already Gone Through Door #1?

Up the Hill

But once you are through that first door you must keep getting better and better at your art or you will eventually fall down the hill back to where you started. And then you really will need steps. So stay on the path toward winning awards like The Big Apple Awards.

This fun marketing approach was recently used on an older crowd and everyone won! This is what communication should always do if possible.

New Targeting Method Discovered

We’re always on the look out for marketing strategies that have actionable steps and we’ve found an interesting one at ArtisticPreneur.

Communication and Solutions

What we liked about the marketing approach of ArtisticPreneur is that everyone won in the scenario, including those doing the targeting as well as those being targeted. Because in the end, that’s marketing really is: communication. Trying to connect a communication campaign to those who need the solution being promoted. Also, when communication is in play (especially with making a difference) this could lead to Big Apple Awards nominations for some!

Connecting Through an Event

Another thing that was interesting about the tactic examined at ArtisticPreneur was that it involved a public event. The marketer does not necessarily need to attend the event in order to connect with the exhibitors who are the prospects.

Emails Win

And a fun aspect is that good ole emails are the mode of choice. Social does not work well with this approach but with some effort could likely be tailored to it.

And of Course Transparency

Additionally transparency is definitely happening throughout. The marketer lets the prospect know from the very beginning that the letter being sent to her or him is also published online and a link is given.

Providing Value

A big way that communication is brought in is through encouraging the prospect to give a story in order to gain publicity. Although it is not its intent, those nominated for Big Apple Awards get promotional benefits also. So the prospect is motivated right away because they want to promote their business and are offered a means of doing it that costs them nothing and is of value! ArtisticPreneur.com is known to have used this tactic and have had much success doing so.

Editorial Placement

This tactic is especially useful to those who already have an active blog, because part of the approach is offering editorial placement in a post of the blog.