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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us November 26, 2005 Marketing Today Bridging the gap between art and science “I’m an artist, not a businessperson!” Anthony Hernandez Are you an artist struggling to make it in business? I’ve heard a lot about the perceived divide between art and business. In fact, my coaching career began when I produced a series of DVDs aimed at helping new authors publish and market their books more effectively. Today I’d like to proffer the idea that selling one’s art is part of the artistic process. Think of creating the art as assembling the pieces and making the sale as breathing life into your creation. After all, what is a book without readers, a play without an audience, a painting without viewers or music without an orchestra, but a meaningless ensemble of tangible or intangible artifacts? Art exists to convey a message — an impossible task unless you present it to the world. Some artists avoid money because they believe they might somehow cheapen their work by making it commercial. A noble sentiment; however, I have two questions: First, are you an artist? Are you fulfilling your life’s calling or dharma by creating your art? If you answered yes to both questions then you are bringing abundance into the world by following your life’s calling. How can you be undeserving of receiving just as much abundance as you give? Strip money of its connotations and you’ll discover nothing but a universal medium of exchange. Earning money through your art gives you the needed resources to continue fulfilling your dharma and thus completes a closed circle. Avoid earning money through your art and your efforts will be constantly stymied as you struggle to feed yourself while finding time and energy to be artistic. I’m not saying that you need to sell out. On the contrary, you must find those few people who will truly connect with the message contained in your art and no one else’s. If you’ve been following my columns, you’ll know that I’m talking about nanocasting. How does one nanocast? One word: marketing. Remove the fear and mystique surrounding marketing and you’ll find that it is nothing but the act of spreading a message. Ponder the many ways in which you consciously or unconsciously radiate messages every single day and you’ll see that you’re already marketing. The trick is to refine your message and deliver it to the right people. If you’re like most artists I’ve met, you’re feeling torn between itching to get going and dreading the journey. No problem. Begin by researching successful artists to determine who you can compare and contrast your art against. Gather as much information as possible about these people. For example: Where do they sell their work? Who exactly buys it? How much do they charge? How do they describe their work? Who has reviewed their work? Remember that information is power. The more information you have, the better prepared you’ll be to carve your own niche in the art world. If you’re an author or artist in any medium that works with other professionals such as agents, distributors, publishers, retail outlets, wholesalers, printers, photo labs, galleries, etc., then take the time to learn who the players are in your industry, what they do and how they work. Fellow artists can be one of your best and worst sources of information. My advice is to seek out people who are where you want to be in terms of sales, fans, etc. Learn from them for they have walked the path you aspire to walk and can offer guidance and encouragement every step of the way. Most importantly, they have succeeded and know that it can indeed be done. Don’t get mired in the angst and misinformation floating among other emerging artists. This may sound a little harsh, but then again you wouldn’t dream of learning to fly an airplane from anyone but an expert — or so I hope. Having amassed this information, your next step is to decide whether your commitment to selling your art matches your interest. If not, then stop now and come back if and when that changes. Life is too short to waste on anything you aren’t truly committed to. Finally, decide exactly how much money, fame, etc., you’ll need in order to deem your efforts a success. Far too many people miss this simple question: How will you know when you’ve won the game you’re preparing to play? At this point, stop and reward yourself for having taken these first steps. Rewarding yourself at every step is crucial for your future success. Your next step is to balance your goals with available resources. I’ll cover that in next week’s column. Don’t consider yourself an artist? I’ve got news for you: Everything I’ve said above applies just as well to your business. What would you like me to write about? Don’t worry, I’m not running out of steam — far from it. But for this column to have the greatest possible value, it must address topics of interest to you, my readers. Please e-mail me at [email protected] with your ideas and suggestions. My invitation for you to schedule a free session with me is always open and there is never any obligation. You may also visit me on the Web at www.coachanthony.com. Anthony Hernandez is a local business consultant with more than 19 years of business and marketing experience. He lives in Ashland with his wife Robyn, son Logan, and their three dogs. 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