October 31, 2005

Halloween is the perfect time to spook yourself into art marketing action. My coach recently spooked me into action with this question: "What if you went into a bookstore and saw your book on the shelf -- only it was written by someone else?" Eeek! I can't let that happen. It's a question that keeps me going with the proposal for my book to help artists with self-promotions.

►You have a terrific opportunity for a last-minute exhibition, but you haven't been updating your mailing list regularly. Sadly, no one comes because you didn't have time to send out an invitation.

► A curator wants to know your exhibition and career history. Unfortunately, you haven't kept track of the exhibition titles and locations for your resume.

►The local museum would like for you to give a talk about your work, but you've never talked about your work. You know you only get one chance to make a first impression. If only you had been writing, speaking, and practicing for such an opportunity all along.

►You find out you didn't get into a juried show only because your slides were really bad. One of the jurors knew your work, but they had to go along with what was sent in and your images, quite frankly, stunk.

►You missed a sale because you didn't follow up. Later you find out that the would-be buyer is a major collector and on the board of the museum. Not only that, she knows lot of other buyers!

►You experience fire/smoke/flood damage and have no insurance. It's a total loss and you have no resources to restart your business.

►You work and work in your studio. You end up with a terrific body of work, but no one to share it with because you've stayed to yourself.

 And a few questions to haunt you: