Art Print Issues by Barney Davey

The Hierarchy of Social Marketing According to Duct Tape Marketing

Have you been struggling with all the hoopla around Web 2.0 concepts like social marketing and social networking? Don't feel alone, you are in the majority, even if you use some of these things.

The following information is reprinted with permission from John Jantsch's Duct Tape Marketing blog. It provides thoughtful advice on the subject. You will find his offerings a veritable treasure trove of practical marketing ideas. When you explore his site and blog, I'm sure you will agree. The important insightful post below is a powerful example.

The Hierarchy of Social Marketing

I think one of the things that small business marketers struggle with around the entire topic of social marketing is trying to jump into the new new thing without enough analysis of what they should focus on. I happen to think this is an important, evolving and essential area of marketing for small businesses, but there’s a hierarchy to it. In other words, there is a logical progression of utilization that comes about much like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Nature.

As Maslow theorized, the ultimate potential of your marketing or human self-actualization couldn’t be achieved until the most basic human psychological needs - breathing, eating, sleeping, sex were first met. (Yes, I’m about ready to compare blogging to sex.) In fact safety, love, and esteem all come before transcendence. Now, before I edge too close to the deep end here, I’m simply comparing what I think is a bit like progressing up the social marketing hierarchy.

Most small business owners should look at the following progression or hierarchy as they move deeper into social marketing tactics. So, jump in, but do it in this order and don’t move on until you have the basics of each stage down and working for you.

Blogging - the foundation of the pyramid - read blogs (Google Reader or Bloglines), comment on blogs and then blog. This is the doorway to all other social marketing - WordPress, TypePad, Blogger

RSS - aggregate and filter content around subjects and use RSS technology as a tool to help you repurpose, republish and create content - Some tools - Feedburner, Google News and mysyndicaat

Social Search - this is often ignored in this discussion but I think it’s become very important for small business owners. Directories that publish reviews from customers - good and bad. You can participate and should stimulate and manage your reputation here. Insider Pages, Google Maps, Yahoo Local, Local.com, Judy’s Book, Yelp

Social Bookmarking - tagging content to and participating in social bookmarking communities can be a great way to open up more channels to your business as well as generate extra search traffic, but it takes work - del.icio.us, Digg, StumbleUpon, Reddit, Mixx, Small Business Brief

Social Networking - branching out to take advantage of the numbers of potential prospects that you might find in sites like Facebook or MySpace will frustrate at least as a business tool if you don’t have many of the above needs met. These networks take time to understand and thrive on ideas and content. You’ve got to have much to share if you wish to build a business case. The good news is that industry and idea specific sites for everything from book lovers to green living are springing up every day. Here’s an enormous list of social networking sites from Mashable

Micro - I’ve lumped some of the more experimental social tools into the edge trend of micro, social, real-time communication that will likely only confuse most small business owners. The confusion is not because they can’t figure out how to make them work, it’s just not obvious why they would spend the time. I think Maslow suggested the self-actualization was a place that most might never reach and in social marketing terms Twitter, Thwirl, Plurk and FriendFeed might be some sort of sick transcendence.

All the evidence that we have indicates that it is reasonable to assume in practically every human being, and certainly in almost every newborn baby, that there is an active will toward health, an impulse towards growth, or towards the actualization.

Abraham Maslow

Posted by: John Jantsch on Jun 09, 08 | 1:01 pm on his Duct Tape Marketing blog

Tradeshow Woes Mirror Industry Changes - Other Opportunities Arise

Not all that many years ago, the Decor Expo Atlanta Show once placed in the Tradeshow 100 rankings. That meant according to statistics compiled by Tradeshow magazine it, at the time, was one of the largest 100 tradeshows in the U.S. Given there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of annual tradeshows, this was a remarkable chest thumping achievement for the show, the industry and the show organizers.

Unfortunately, no sooner than the show claimed its vaunted spot as force in the tradeshow world, it peaked and began a rather quick downward spiral. In the course of a few years the show has fallen to the ranks of mediocre rankings in size and importance. Like tradeshows in many other industries, it continues to shrink as it commands less importance.

Published results show a slide in exhibitor participation

A recent tally of exhibiting companies on the Decor Expo Web site listed about 266 exhibitors. Surely, the show will grow larger in coming weeks, but given the time it takes to ship one can be certain many potential larger exhibitors will be conspicous by their absence and the show's numbers won't change dramatically. If the numbers do grow, it's most likely to be with smaller less important exhibitors that don't have th pulling power for buyers largers exhibitors have. Not unlike a suburban mall; it is the anchor tenants that drive the traffic.

An analysis reveals a rough estimate is 10 - 12% of the companies listed are art related as opposed to framing or service related. In other words, it's become a framing show with a small art component. This is a sad, it not predictable turn of events. Decor Expo Atlanta's troubles and decline mirror the difficulties of being an art publisher over the past half-decade. The number of well-known publishers missing from the posted list is almost hard to believe. Especially when only a few short years ago this show was a must on any substantial art publisher's schedule. Show organizers have gone from having to referee a seriously competitive dog fight for premier positions to resorting to deals unheard of in year's past to try and keep the exhibitor base from eroding.

As times change, once "must do" shows become expendable

One can study the decline in the industry's trade ad pages and shuttering of smaller trade shows and come to the same conclusion. Facts are the bloom is off the rose for the way the businesses marketed themselves in the past. It used to be an acceptable ROI (Return on Investment) within a given range was highly likely as the payoff for exhibiting at certain tradeshows. This is no longer the case. Or more accurately, the risk/reward on the investment is skewed too far to the risk given the level of investment for many companies to participate. It's not they don't want to, more that they fear losing money if they do.  When times are tough, belts get tightened and tradeshows that were once absolutes on the marketing plan become expendable budget items.

You can put any number of things to blame for this outcome. The 9/11 attacks set off a chain of events that began the downward trends shows like Decor Expo are experiencing now. Additionally, the cost of travel to the shows, the inconvenience in travelling to shows, the cost of shipping to shows, the rise of Internet based business, the influx of cheap foreign manufacturing, and the growth of big box stores have all hurt the shows. The development and proliferation of print-on-demand technologies in conjunction with online marketing have also changed distribution channel dynamics. The mortgage and real estate bubble bursting and resultant economic woes in the housing market also add to the problem.

Opportunities still exist

The shows and magazines that support them have not gone out business. Readers and attendees still rely on them to learn about new products, services and companies. The upside of thinned ranks is you have more time and visibilty when you advertise or exhbit. The caveat is you need to have something exciting and not ordinary. Showing up with less than your best, or something too similar to existing images is not wise. You don't have to be off the radar wild, but having a unique look and take will be an enormous help to your efforts.

I have written here before that it is not the economy that is the problem for artists and publishers seeking to grow their businesses. And, I've also posted there are hopeful signs and reason for optimism for art publishers. Consumers still want art on the walls. They are more willing to buy it in different places than before. They are also becoming more adventurous with what they put on their walls, that includes art or photos they make themselves and have printed online at shops like Photo Canvas Direct.

So what does it all mean? You can't reliably rely on tradeshows like Decor Atlanta to grow your business as in the past. The Atlanta show is not moribund, but it is far from providing the lively marketing action it once did. You can still go and may prosper by doing so. As Woody Allen once said, "90% of success is showing up."

Explore and create new ways to get to market

You have to explore all options to get your art to market. The more ways you can grow new distribution channels and master them, the better off you will be. It's not harder, just different and that may make it seem harder. Keep in mind merely showing up with little on the ball amidst 2,000 booths in the vast Georgia World Congress Center when the show was at its largest was never an easy sure-fire road to success either.

Be constantly vigilant for opportunity. It is around you in ways you may not be thinking of now.

• Think about the hospitality market and how you might tap it.
• Get well known in your community, region or nation for being an expert on something. All the better if it is art related. If you become the "Go to" person, doors will open for you.
• Create your own opportunities. Put on your own shows. Get out of your comfort level and do some things you never thought you would.
• Find other artists locally or regionally with similar tastes in marketing and work together with them.
• Study other artists, not necessarily visual artists, and learn what unique things they are doing to create sales and interest in them and their work.
• Feast on as much viable marketing information as possible. It is widely and freely available at blogs like this one.

Don't let whatever you are doing stop being fun. You are in a creative business. You are a creative person. Let that creativity flow into your marketing. There is really never a time to be complacent, but now more than ever, you need to bring your "A" game to your marketing. Do it cheefully with zest. You might be surprised how well people respond to you doing so.

Making Art & Money in the Digital World - Meet Me in Atlanta

I'm honored to be giving a presentation titled Making Art & Money in the Digital World at the Digital Arts Studio in Atlanta next month. The company is an industry leading premier digital printmaker. The talk is slated for Wednesday, August 13 at 6:30 pm at company headquarters. The address is: 1082 Huff Rd NW, Atlanta, Georgia  Phone: 404-352-9779 Toll-free: 866-352-9779. Space is limited. RSVP via email by August 8.

Here is a synopsis:

Any artist wishing to improve their business will benefit from attending. In a fast-paced hour, you will discover new perspectives on art marketing for visual artists and photographers. Q & A to follow.

Tips on marketing, advertising, publicity, blogging, Web sites, social marketing and gallery alternatives will be provided. Artists will learn unique ways to market themselves and about attributes shared by successful artists. An extensive resource list will be included with the presentation handout.

The presentation will shed light on the rapid changes in traditional art print market and what it means to visual artists and photographers. You will gain insight to help decide to self-publish, seek a publisher or do both. The talk will include the attributes on every art publisher's dream artist list and the merits and pitfalls of both self-publishing and working with a publisher.

A discussion will be provided on how visual artists and photographers can use the print market and digital printing to:

•    Grow awareness for themselves and their art
•    Increase sales
•    Diversify their price points and consumer mix

I'm looking forward to it and promise to do my best to make it fun, informative and worth your time!  

Cruise Ship Art Auctions FAR from Smooth Sailing

In April 2007, I posted this item: Class Action Swells Hit Cruise Line Art Auctions. More than a year later it gets regularly read from Internet searches and commented upon. In the ensuing months, the furor over art auctions on cruise ships has not abated. If anything, it appears to be growing. 

Since my post, Fine Art Registry™ , which bills itself as The World's 1st Online Permanent Registry and Marketplace for Fine Art and Collectibles, has become embroiled with the largest company selling via auctions on the high seas, Michigan-based Park West Gallery. Admittedly, I don't have firsthand experience with FAR, but so far as I can tell, it appears to be doing a credible job of trying to effect real positive change in this sticky area of authenticity and provenance. Over the years, there have been other companies with a similar mission, but none have created a sustainable business. 

A problem for FAR and companies like it has been trying to amass enough artists and collectors as users in order to create a critical mass where not participating is not an option. Given the wide open independent nature of the art business where both artists and collectors seek pay less to create, market and collect art, respectively, it is a tough chore. FAR seems positioned to stick around and make a go of it. Its tenacity and willingness to go toe-to-toe with Park West Gallery is indicative of the commitment from its owners to the art business and its business model in particular.

Certainly, the public outcry over the tactics of cruise line auctioneers has to help FAR's cause in bringing more artists and collectors into its fold. Because there is a void in the market and legal system for cruise ship auction art buyers to find redress, FAR has found itself as a repository of pleas for help. It dutifully took up the cause and began to do its own investigation and report its results. Park West Gallery, its litigious chief nemesis, bore the brunt of those reports. And, not surprisingly it launched a lawsuit against FAR claiming slander. A countersuit has been filed as both sides seem to have dug in for the battle.

As a result of many Fine Art Registry™ members contacting it for help and information on the persistent problems that affect art industry, it dedicated a portion of its Web site to what it calls Fine Art Advocacy.  The mission for it is to report on all interesting advocacy issues and includes a forum where participants can share their experiences.

Recently, there have been a spate of articles about cruise line art auctions, including a story in the New York Times:

Art Auctions on Cruise Ships Lead to Anger, Accusations and Lawsuits  - NY Times

Cruise Ship Art Auction Controversy - Cruisemates, an online cruise guide community - includes a video of an auctioneer reading (mumbling) the rules of an auction and a copy of a Park West invoice. (Thanks to Gary Kerr of Fine Art Giclee for the head's up on this article.)

The American Bar Association ran this story: Unhappy Art Buyers File Lawsuits Over Cruise Ship Art Auctions

There are other articles and reports you can find, but these cover most of the important issues surrounding the controversy of cruise line art auctions. Whenever the art market is sullied with questionable sales tactics or worse, it hurts the efforts of the vast honest majority who only wish to make a living and have their art appreciated by collectors. Not all the problems occur at sea. There are plenty of examples of fraud, forgery and deceit foisted on unsuspecting art buyers on dry land. Wherever it happens, FAR has taken some bold steps to try and intervene where it sees serious problems and to offer a solution. I wish it well.

Terry Redlin -- An Original Who Will Be Missed

Now it's time for all of us to say goodbye
This is coming to an end.
I know, I know,
You will not forgive me
Because you are my friend. --  Leslie West

I posted a year ago almost to the day about Terry Redlin's coming retirement event and now it upon us.

It's true in our selfish hearts those of us who love his work and admire Terry Redlin as a person won't forgive him for retiring. Not because we don't think he is entitled to a well deserved retirement, But, only because we will miss what he has come to represent as a human, an artist, an American, as a role model and inspiration to thousands.

Mostly we'll miss knowing he won't be turning out a steady stream of work that is instantly recognizable and as comforting, heart warming and touching as any artist has created. His "Spring Fever" image pictured here exemplifies his unique touch as a consummate  artist, visual storyteller, and heart string puller. We will not see the likes of him again.

A Well Deserved Rest Indeed!

Truth be told, who could argue Terry at 70 years young deserves the right to rest. Not only has he arguably created more limited edition and open edition prints than any artist, he has personally signed each limited and thousands of open editions too. In these days of automated signing equipment, it is quite a testament to his character. Here is a quote from him that says it all when it comes to signing prints:

"Throughout my career, I have hand-signed every limited edition print I release. Today, there are many ways for artists to market their prints as signed - even when the artist never touches the print. I have never changed my signing technique. Over the past twenty-five years, I have hand-signed literally hundreds of thousands of prints. It is important to me that you know when you buy a signed Redlin print, I am the person who signed it. My staff hand inspects every print, they hand number the limited editions, and they deliver them to me for my signature."

Some would say Terry had perfect timing in that he hit his stride in the heyday of the limited edition on paper market. That much is true. However, I believe with his talent, vision and drive he would have been a smashing success in any era. That is something to ponder for artists just starting out. Don't envy Terry for being lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Rather think how he might have used his talent today if he were a young man just starting a career.

He's Throwing a Free Concert

If you are a fan and going to be any where near Watertown, SD in early August, there is a free concert as part of the party to celebrate Terry's retirement. Here is the announcement from his PR guru, Tom Benson's Networking Newsletter:

REDLIN ART CENTER WILL HOST THE OAK RIDGE BOYS
The Redlin Art Center is proud to announce the Oak Ridge Boys as the featured performers Saturday, August 2nd, 2008! This FREE concert will be held on the grounds of the Redlin Art Center and everyone is welcome. Redlin Art Center 1200 - 33rd Street SE / Mickelson Drive  Watertown, SD 57201 - 7103 1-605-882-3877 1-877-TREDLIN

God Bless Terry Redlin!  All best wishes for a fruitful well deserved well lived retirement to Terry.

Wyland Stands Up for Artist's Rights and the Environment

Marine environmental artist, Wyland, is no stranger to taking on powerful interests. He also is one the canniest and most successful visual artists to ever pick up a brush. In his decades long quest to paint 100 whaling walls around the globe, he has battled with General Motors over covering his 108 foot mural in Detroit. When the Aquarium of the Pacific opened in Long Beach, it attempted to have his 116,000 square foot whaling wall that covers the nearby Long Beach Sports Arena removed. Officials there initially thought too many people would be confused and think it was the aquarium.

Wyland's latest battle is with the California Coastal Commission. For more than a decade on a handshake agreement, the commission has used one of his most popular and enduring images, "Tails of Great Whales", on California vehicle license plates. Vehicle owners pay a premium to use one of 11 different specialty plates like Wyland's, which is one of the most popular. The extra income is distributed to groups for such things as beach cleanups, environmental education and wheelchairs able to move in the sand.

Earlier this year, Wyland requested a percentage of the profits from sales go to fund his nonprofit ocean conservation foundation. The Coastal Commission rejected the idea and the result is a flurry of news stories in California media regarding the brouhaha. Wyland was quoted in a recent LATimes.com news story:

"At the end of the day, the whale tail is my art and my idea, and I own the rights to my intellectual property," Wyland said in an interview Tuesday from his Laguna Beach studio. "I won't be stepped on: I'm sticking up for artists' rights, for the common person. I'm sticking up for the oceans and the coast big-time. We're not going away."

This issue is likely to be where most will take sides. It's unfortunate to see this happen as up to this point it appears to have been something very good for both Wyland and the California Coastal Commission. Wyland's success as an artist, environmentalist and entrepreneur are admirable, enviable and well deserved. He is mentioned in my book as an artist whose business and marketing is one any artist seeking to establish a global presence as an artist can emulate. His success is easier to observe and recognize than to duplicate, but it nevertheless is worthy of studying for those with great ambition.

I, for one, hope a compromise can be reached. The relationship has been profitable for all involved to this point. It would be sad to see it dissolved when a mutual agreement was possible. Wyland isn't asking for th money to profit himself, but rather to promote his foundation which does worthy work in helping create awareness for the fragility and beauty of marine life. But, compatible profitable relationships have been ruined over much less than what constitutes this argument, so it remains to be seen how the situation will play out.

Web Sketch - a great way to be creative with art

A long time reader and artist extraordinaire, Jane Vanderhoof recently sent the beautiful diptych images below with this message: "Barney, you might want to check this site out and talk about it in your newsletter. This is a great way to be creative with art." 

Thanks for sharing this cool Web Sketch tool Jane. I could not agree with you more; it looks like great fun! Click on the image to go directly to her Web Sketch gallery where you can read Jane's heartfelt lovely companion verse for the pieces.

Like so many nifty things on the Web, it's at brought to you at our favorite price, FREE!

P.S. If you have noticed a slow down in the pace of my blog posts lately, you are to be commended for your keen observational skills. I'm devoting time to some other projects and traveling in July and August. You can expect to see a slate of new stuff delivered at full speed starting around Labor Day.