selling


selling

Written by:

selling
October 8, 2009

10 promo ideas for beginners

If you’re not used to promoting your own work, writing articles or showing off your talents, there are some simple things you can do to test the waters and build confidence. Self promotion needn’t always be about saying ‘here, look at my art’. Your expertise, experiences and knowledge are just as good advertisements for you as an artist:

  1. Write a journal about an art event, gallery opening or exhibition you’ve attended.
  2. Sell someone else. Tell us about another artist you’ve spotted. Interview them.
  3. Give us a behind the scenes look at how you work. Show us pictures.
  4. Share hints and tips or write up a tutorial or ‘how to’ about the techniques you use.
  5. Share some great resources you’ve found online.
  6. Let us know about a big exhibition or show that’s coming to your town.
  7. Collaborate on a work with another artist then write about the experience.
  8. Tell us the story behind one of your works. Where it happened or what it means to you.
  9. Teach yourself a new technique or skill and write about what you learnt.
  10. Test drive (borrow) new camera equipment or computer software and write a review.

Once you’ve done these things, make sure you take the opportunity to get them out to the wider world. If social networking is your thing, post it as a note on Facebook, tweet about it on Twitter with a link back to the article and use relevant keywords so others may find it in Twitter search. Drop an email to a local paper or press if you’ve written about a local event. If you’ve written a great tutorial or review, think about bloggers that may be interested in sharing it with their readers.


The key to getting started is to find something related to your art or your work that you’re confident in sharing or writing about. Don’t just focus on RedBubble as an audience, think about how you can get that extra bit of mileage out of what you’ve written about and who else might be interested.

Above all, don’t underestimate your own knowledge or expertise, or assume people won’t be interested or they’ll already know about it. Writing the Community posts has revealed time and time again that this usually isn’t the case and for every 10 people who are familiar with the topic, there are 10 more who really gain some insight from what you’ve written.

Nat

  • valzart

    valzart

    Great info sweetheART ;} happy hippy hugglez

  • Sarah Bentvelzen

    Sarah Bentvelzen

    thanks for the info :)

  • Cathie Tranent

    Cathie Tranentcommunity host

    Another fine Nat pearl of wisdom…. thank you!

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    WONDERFULWONDERFULWONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • robpixaday

    robpixaday

    Thank you!

  • warriorprincess

    warriorprincess

    Thanks Nat, you’re so right about “assuming people won’t be interested”. It always amazes me how others see your work and love it or appreciate it when sometimes you may not think it’s all that good.

  • Silvia Ganora

    Silvia Ganora

    Thanks for the great info :) I’ve just started a blog SG Photography & Wall Art where I try to write on my own works and plan to write on RB artists as well. Trying to do my best to overcome the fact that English is not my primary language :)

  • selling replied

    Silvia, I would never have guessed! I had quick skim of your blog and you write very well.

  • drec

    drec

    Here’s my most recent attempt writing about a RB member Paul Manning . I have my next person in line but struggle with wording questions.

  • Sylvia Gonzales

    Sylvia Gonzales

    Thank you for these Very Helpful Tips & Reminders, we appreciate you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Peace, syl

  • Silvia Ganora

    Silvia Ganora

    @Nat – You’re too kind :) Thanks a lot!

  • Darren Stones

    Darren Stones

    Good ideas indeed. Appreciate the reminder.

  • Kim McClain

    Kim McClain

    Fabulous!

  • dirtydish

    dirtydish

    great info thanks

  • UnEasy

    UnEasy

    Very very useful. Excellent advice, for which I – and I’m sure many others are very grateful.

  • Isa Rodriguez

    Isa Rodriguez

    thankyou ! very useful . greatly presented for us all ..

  • Lynsye Medalia

    Lynsye Medalia

    Great advice! I just started a new journal here about a work in progress – Geisha Goddess Not only have I posted updated pictures of the painting as it progresses, but the inspiration was largely from several fellow Red Bubblers and I mention them as well.

  • kenmeyerjr

    kenmeyerjr

    On sort of a related note, I have started writing a column for a comic book website called comicattack.net (the column is called Ink Stains). It covers the fanzines of the 60s-80s. Fanzines were amateur magazines, these covering the world of comics, fantasy and science fiction. Many professional artists got their start printing their work in these magazines, often produced by teenagers in their basements. Check it out and leave a comment if you like! The most current one covers a fanzine called Squa Tront that specialized in the EC comics of the fifties, and can be seen at http://comicattack.net/2009/09/ink-stains-2-squa-tront-2/

  • Karel Kuran

    Karel Kuran

    Great article.

  • Bluesrose

    Bluesrose

    Thank you for tips!

  • GittiArt

    GittiArt

    Thanks for sharing …it’s very appreciated!!!

  • AylaM

    AylaM

    Thankyou very much, I have a show comming up in February and these tips will deffinilty help me!

  • Euphemia

    Euphemia

    Great, thank you for the tips and help!

  • CheyAnne Sexton

    CheyAnne Sexton

    these are some great ideas and now my head is churning even more,
    peace

  • Heather Rivet IPA

    Heather Rivet...

    well said

  • Tanya Keefe

    Tanya Keefe

    Get SEEN : ) Mention your artwork, provide links on those social networking sites AND don’t forget, RedBubble has Promo tools as well! Make your work on RedBubble part of your email signature!

    HEY, and while we’re on the subject, feel free to stop by and check out my artwork!

  • rzs7yk

    rzs7yk

    thanks Nat- will have to try some of these ideas,

    cheers

  • Nigdaw

    Nigdaw

    Useful tips, I’m not too good at self promotion. Never been that good at blowing my own trumpet, this site has helped my confidence grow with some great comments and a couple of sales.

  • Debbie Meyers

    Debbie Meyers

    Thanks ! Useful tips.

  • GloriaDK

    GloriaDK

    Thanks Nat you are so right.

  • micmac

    micmac

    So many things we don’t think about…THANK YOU SO MUCH…..Gigi

  • Kahlia Litzow

    Kahlia Litzow

    That was really insightful, thanks very much. Kahlia x

  • Colleen Milburn

    Colleen Milburn

    Nice little nuggets, Nat :)))

  • kalaryder

    kalaryder

    Good advice

  • Michelle BarlondSmith

    Michelle Barlo...

    Thanks so Much !!

  • marieangel

    marieangel

    Thank you for your input it is appreciated

  • manumint

    manumint

    Great article indeed:) Thank you so much:)

  • moodychick

    moodychick

    Great information. Thanks so much. :)

  • samudra

    samudra 19 days ago

    wow! the ideas are excellent. i must try these!!!

  • EligoDesign

    EligoDesign 2 days ago

    thanks for the tips. hopefully i can use one of them in the near future.

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