Whether you’re ironing out terms for an exhibit, workshop, commission, or gallery contract, protect your interests by using these four tips to keep you from making the wrong assumptions.

Do you have a hard time saying No?  The problem with saying Yes to everything (which essentially means being a people pleaser) is that you end up saying No to yourself and everything you want for your life.

Without execution, you just have a bunch of good ideas. The trick is taking those ideas and turning them into real commitments--commitments you know will boost your visibility and reputation, which will get you closer to your goals.

Now it’s time to make a list of everything you’d like to do to promote your exhibit. As you’re making this task list, keep your audience in mind. Who needs to know you’re having an exhibit?

If you know you have an event, exhibit, class, gallery talk, or workshop coming up, don’t put off your marketing. Start your promotions right now.

This is the day I give you reminders of what you should be doing to build your career and reputation and to sell more art. This is an incomplete list that reflects some truths as I see them at the moment.

But always remember that if you want to be considered a professional, you must not only THINK that being an artist is a real job, you must also communicate it. Here are some ways to do that.

Get all of your tasks gathered in one place and make a habit of looking at your list every night before you leave your workspace and every morning before you get started on your day.

Perform a blog checkup. Make sure you’re showing your personality. Double check to see that you’re starting a conversation and not just talking at people. Verify that it’s easy for people to get information from your blog and to be updated on your goings on.

Your poor Web site. You got so caught up in blogging, newsletters, and the latest technology, that your Web site has been neglected. Or maybe you’re so happy you finally got it online that you forgot about it for the last two years. When is the last time it was updated?

We all have them. All of us. Don’t ever think you’re the only one who has ever had a slump. Whether it’s lethargy just thinking about promoting your art or angst about getting back into the studio, a slump is a slump. Here are 10 things you can do to hasten your emergence from a slump.

I received this query from Bonnie Hurst: “What constitutes a show/collection of paintings? I realize that in order to be marketable I do not need to show a random collection -- which currently is all I have. Does a collection need to have more than the artist and style in common? How many pieces are generally in a show?”

Forgiving yourself doesn’t mean that you are no longer responsible for these tasks. It just means that you move on to an action that is more productive than feeling bad about something that occurred in the past.

Trade spaces with artists in another city. What I mean by this is use your connections and creativity to organize an art exchange with an artist or a group of artists outside of your usual stomping grounds.

If you’re still using only a formal staged shot taken in a photo studio, I urge you to replace it or add to it. You’re an artist! You need to be more creative than that. We want to see you at work and in action.

Ask for help when you need it. Whether you’re asking for advice, for physical assistance, or for resources, there is no shame in seeking help. Collective problem solving doesn’t make you weaker. It makes you human.

I am amazed by all the newsletters I receive from artists I’ve never heard of before. And I certainly didn’t approve being added to their email lists. This is spamming someone.

If your work is difficult to photograph, your time is probably best spent making the art and then hiring a genius photographer to capture its special-ness. At the same time, you need to become competent with using your digital camera and software.

Like everything else, e-marketing takes effort. In order to reap results, you must think of each component as part of a comprehensive strategy.

Do you know who your competition is? Many artists don’t like to think of themselves as competing against someone and, frankly, I don’t either. But we all have competition.

The end goal might seem overwhelming, but the baby steps will help you get there. Let’s say the goal at the end of your path is to have a solo exhibition at the art museum in your city or town. Here are some baby steps that will help you make progress.

Do you know what you want? What you really, really want from your art career? Or are you just going through the motions of what I and others tell you you should be doing?

Your Web site has a fancy form on it that encourages visitors “Please sign up for my mailing list.” And still, your mailing list flounders. Why?

Why do you exhibit your art here or there? What makes you pay a $25 entry fee or spend 6 months building a new body of work? What do you get from it in the long run?

How do you know when a juried exhibition is worth your time and effort? There are no guarantees, but you have to ask a lot of questions without allowing yourself to be intimidated by the circumstances.

Realize that you will always have to squeeze in the business stuff while you continue making art. Sure, there will be times when one is weighted more heavily than the other, but your art should always take precedence. Your art should always be first.