Promotion by the Artist Athens Area Arts Council Lyndon House Arts Center • March 2015 See how this is “by” instead of “for”? Thank you to these two entities that brought us here; notice: I just delivered promotion. -None of this is slight, none of it is unintentional — even if it is a natural outcome; it still requires paying attention to it.
Michael Lachowski artist photographer band member DJ designer publisher public relations coordinator
michaellachowski.com @lachowski basic contact info • • how much information do you need to find me? This is already twice as much info as I saw in presentations by geeks at a conference — they just needed the Twitter handle.
Bulldog Inn Art Show Wednesday, March 25, 7 p.m.–midnight Foto Pixx portrait project — first initiated in Young, Foxy & Free magazine; there’s a card for it in your packet. •
Slingshot March 26–28 – DJ on Saturday, March 28, 9 p.m. with Windows98 (Win Butler) & James Murphy The headliner, James Murphy, had the successful band LCD Soundsystem, and his record label, DFA, reissued the first two albums by my band, Pylon. •
If you run away and don’t tell anybody.
INTRO artistpromo.info Who can stay late today? I’d like to o ff er a follow-up session, details at the end of this. • • No need to take copious notes today, there is a complete list online — including links and a link to download the slides I’m showing today.
“I’m uncomfortable.” You have to promote yourself • You have to promote yourself, it’s not anathema—it can be a natural extension of your art-making. Art is communication; promotion is communication. • Don’t like having the attention to yourself—then put it on the work. (Analogy to having a dog.) • How many artists are truly loath to self-promote vs. just unsure how to approach it or not their strong point? •
Story buzzword, obsession In today’s culture, the “story” is a big deal/obsession. Art has always been about story, and in terms of self promotion (read: personal connection), that has always • been behind art sales—it is connection. • People are fascinated by your process. • See Storify.
Who will promote you? Who is going to do this? Probably you. If you’re uncomfortable doing this in person, then take solace/refuge in the web. • • Ultimately, everyone is now tasked with doing everything—and expected to do it. It’s optional only if you don’t have that form of ambition.
Who will promote you? Probably, you. Who is going to do this? Probably you. • • gallery • agent/manager • yourself • via the internet • your work • If you’re uncomfortable doing this in person, then take solace/refuge in the web. • Ultimately, everyone is now tasked with doing everything—and expected to do it. It’s optional only if you don’t have that form of ambition.
Who will promote you? Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered, by Austin Kleon The author of Steal Like an Artist • • Drawing for both books • Link
WHAT IS SUCCESS? •
Goals and strategy exhibition opportunites
Goals and strategy exhibition opportunites job, advance career
Goals and strategy exhibition opportunites job, advance career affiliation, representation
Goals and strategy exhibition opportunites job, advance career affiliation, representation sales For any of these purposes, identify your goals and develop strategies to go in that direction • •
TED Radio Hour: Success attitude and approaches May I direct you to the one-hour program on NPR, hosted by Guy Rozz, that features a number of TED Talks on the topic of success — see the program notes. • •
John Seed “The very best artists tend to see what they do as a job and have a tremendous work ethic.” “My immediate thought is that a certain amount of self-promotion (having a website, talking about one's work) is fine. • • “What isn't fine is making grandiose claims or coming from insecurity. • “One thing I have noticed after interviewing many artists (and quote me if you like) is that the very best artists tend to be see what they do as a job and have a tremendous work ethic. Wayne Thiebaud is a great example of this.: • John Seed, art professor at Mt San Jacinto College
Tao Te Ching Fame or integrity: which is more important? Money or happiness: which is more valuable? Success or failure: which is more destructive? (Chapter 44; by Stephen Mitchell) xxx • •
SELF PROMOTION • Before we get into promo: What is their experience, how much do they want to hear/know, how do they want to receive it, how often? •
PRINT • Organized by format, starting with the most basic need
business card Always on your person! Have one of these on your person! • • I can’t believe how many times I’ve seen people incapable of being able to provide this immediate, concise form of communication to a willing recipient. • ATL vs. Athens experience • business people, even! • print high-quality 4-color cards for very little at Red Tag or Moo, info in links •
postcard Direct mail, portable graphic Make cards, mail then or hand them out • • Bigger than a business card, less purposeful in approach and more visual • Build a mailing list, send cards • Tangible, not on the internet • Modern Postcard, Reg Tag
note card Customized old-fashioned etiquette Send (custom) thank you cards—professionally or otherwise! • • Print them or drawing-paint-collage them! • Send to collectors, supporters, follow-ups to meaningful engagements • Print: Simple Card • Make your own: Clear Bags
book Your work in an actual book Produce a book or a series of books, or multiples of one book • • Commercially produced or hand-made • As a demo or sales tool or as an edition • iPhoto (soon to be Photos on Apple platforms), Blurb •
NETWORKING • Networking is about going into face-to-face engagement • • This one is very important!
< — > Face-to-face networking is a two-way opportunity. You can set out to promote yourself in person or online — but you can also just put yourself out there and find things you didn’t expect coming in •
Where? art openings xxx •
Where? art openings networking and happy hour events Athens Art Crowd, Film Athens, the Hatch, Four Athens • • Any other sort of cocktail hour or reception, no matter the origin or purpose of it
Where? art openings networking and happy hour events lectures art lectures keep you inspired • • They are less social but your presence contributes to peoples’ awareness of your interest and dedication; repeated sightings puts you on their radar!
How? name tag adjust tone and content to the event • • A kindness to the others; allows them to pretend they remembered your name — and contributes to their ability to learn your name either way
How? name tag cards xxx •
How? name tag cards notebook & pen Take notes, use it to capture from people, use it to capture by people that you can’t recall their name • • Also, as an aside: always carry a black Sharpie!
How? name tag cards notebook & pen show and tell? I don’t think a social or networking event is the right time to pull out something to show others, especially not if it results in you scrolling through photos on a smart • phone or tablet
How? name tag cards notebook & pen show and tell? the next day compile the business cards and notes your acquired (if any) • • make notes while the memory is fresh; if you work this way, put notes in the address file of your computer that is in the cloud and on your mobile devices! • Take care of follow-up as appropriate: send and email or mail a note
ONLINE • This might be what we all thought was going to be the gist of this talk, but no. •
domain name hover.com Get a domain name and keep it, or get several; I bought two last weekend to prepare for this talk • • For best results, use a quality company: hover •
domain name hover.com new TDLs .photo, .photography and others are available if that make sense for you — but .art is held up for the time being. • •
domain name hover.com new TDLs forever portable by using it to forward to other addresses • • Reliance on free services can come and go, or change for the worst; your own domain name ensures consistent info-bit to provide to people indefinitely, no matter where it might direct users.
domain name hover.com new TDLs forever plain-spoken Choose a domain name that is straight-forward, not gimmicky, cute or clever • • Put a very basic intro in your header for any web presence, such as “Michael Lachowski is an artist and photographer working in Athens, Georgia.”
domain name hover.com new TDLs forever plain-spoken phonetics If possible, it should be something you can say — and by pronouncing it properly, people will know how to find it •
domain name hover.com new TDLs forever plain-spoken phonetics SEO the more your domain has in common with you and what you do, the better results for search engine optimization • •
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