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Do This! |
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| Current Issue: November 22, 2004 | ||
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IN
THIS ISSUE
What's Going On:
Announcements /Classes |
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WHAT'S GOING ON The online artist class Choosing the Right Career Path begins in one week. If you want to learn more about the choices available to you as an artist, read about the class at http://www.artbizcoach.com/classes/path.shtml |
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| DO THIS: USE YOUR NETWORK | ||
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Your network of friends, artists, family and
acquaintances is your most important asset. But you shouldn't rest on
your laurels. You must keep meeting new people--people who can help with
your career.
How do you meet curators, critics, editors, arts agency staff people and dealers? How do you make sure you're on their radar screen? Most importantly, how do you do it in a way that is comfortable for you?
Every so often I advise a client to invite a critic, curator, or gallery dealer to coffee. After all, can you think of a more amiable way to meet someone these days? Recently someone replied to my suggestion, "It just seems so drastic!" Well, she was right. You must take big, bold steps as you are building your career, reputation, and business. You can't sit back and wait for things to happen. Below are some actions you can take to make meeting new people a necessary part of your routine. Let's assume that you have identified, as you should, someone you want to meet--someone who would be helpful to your career. ►Begin by establishing in your own mind that you do not want anything (immediately) from this person. You might want his or her opinions and ideas, but you will not be asking them for a gallery or museum exhibition or a feature article in their publication. It is far easier to introduce yourself to someone when you're not asking for something! That's why it's so important to meet people before you need to ask for their help. ►Ask everyone you know if they know (or know of anyone who knows) the person you're interested in meeting. A personal introduction from a mutual acquaintance is the best way to meet someone since the element of trust is implicit. ►Attend events at which this person might also be present. Ask someone to introduce you or muster your confidence and introduce yourself. ►Add them to your mailing list and send them postcards and introductions. By the time you get around to asking for a meeting, they'll already be familiar with your name! The ideas below work best in tandem with one of the two strategies above, but could also be used by themselves. ►Write a brief letter of introduction and include images of your work or point them to your Web site. This is best done on your nicest (professional) stationery and sent snail mail. Surprise email isn't the best way to introduce yourself. ►Call and ask for fifteen minutes of their time. If you're skeptical about setting up an appointment from out of nowhere, take a lesson from my days working on Capitol Hill in Washington:
If you call up a curator and say you'd like to meet with them, but then go into the meeting without knowing the curator's background or the exhibits they have curated, you're going to look pretty silly and uninformed at your appointment. You want them to do most of the talking. (People like to talk about themselves! They'll like you more if you are interested in their work.) What you want to be able to say is, "I loved the John Baldessari exhibit you organized last year! What was it like to work with him?" (Of course, you will have done your homework on Baldessari's work and will be able to carry on a brilliant conversation.) Be organized, dress nicely, meet them at their office, be on time, and stay no longer than the amount of time you originally requested. You can always continue the conversation later if it's going well. After you meet someone (whether it's at a party or a scheduled appointment), send them a brief, handwritten note thanking them for their time and/or interest. You want to keep your name in front of them and show them you are a professional in every way. And don't forget . . . send an additional thank-you note to anyone who helps introduce you. |
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| KNOW THIS | It is far easier to introduce yourself to someone when you're not asking for something! | |
| THINK ABOUT THIS | The people you want to know you are not going to come knocking on your door. You have to take the initiative. | |
| DO THIS | Make a list of everyone you would like to meet that will help you advance your career. Or, begin a file and drop names in the file as you come across them. Then, put your network to work for you. Who do you know who knows these people? If you don't ask for their help, they aren't likely to know of your needs. | |
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Happy Thanksgiving! If you use Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, you can forward this page to a friend by going up to your menu and, under "File," select "Send" or "Send Page." Or just copy and paste this URL into a message: http://www.artbizcoach.com/dothis |
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TIP / FIND OF THE WEEK: Power Networking
Power Networking: 59 Secrets for
Personal & Professional Success http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1885167474/artbizcoachco-20 Note: See the menu in the upper left of this page to view popular topics from past issues. |
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Copyright © 2004 Alyson B. Stanfield, Stanfield Art Associates. All rights reserved. I encourage you to forward all or part of this
newsletter as long as you include the above copyright information and
this link: http://www.artbizcoach.com
Please forward this to your artist-friends. The Do This! newsletter is sent only to subscribers. You can subscribe using the instructions in the column at left. Instructions for unsubscribing and changing your email address are at the bottom of each issue delivered to your inbox. |
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ALYSON
B. STANFIELD STANFIELD ART ASSOCIATES,
INC. |