There are many ways generosity in using your creative gifts may provide a benefit far greater than what you have given, whether it is a service of some kind to another individual or to a worthy organization or a sample of your art.
Marketing can be fun. Just use the noggin to ask and creatively answer: “How can I get the most publicity by giving away free prints?” The answer can be challenging and rewarding if a great idea is followed by action. Remember, great ideas are only worth the paper they are written upon unless something is actually done to bring them to fruition.
For most artists without a national reputation, the most likely buyers and fans are his friends, neighbors. The hometown is where a reputation and growing following begins.
With a little forethought and the willingness to be generous, any artist should be able to make a splash in his local “pond” – one that will send out publicity “ripples”, which will touch his community and aid a good cause.
AN IDEA TO CONSIDER
An artist needs a “platform” from which to launch the promotion. That probably means some sort of gallery or exhibition venue where his or her work will be shown. Finding a patron and building the platform are the first step.
Here’s just one idea you may want to consider: If you are printing giclees of your images to sell to the art marketplace, don’t run the main image to the margins of whatever substrate you are using, because the left-over margins on the roll or sheet can be used for mini-prints at slight additional cost. Those prints can then be given away as part of a well planned marketing effort. If a clever publicity campaign surrounds the giveaway, much acclaim and notoriety may be generated for a pittance of expense compared to buying media, and with greater results. A plan partner’s endorsement carries more value, creates more awareness and generates more response than bought media.
The mini-print giveaway to promote sales of a larger format giclee is a good idea if the artist has the wherewithal to produce a reasonable number of prints up front and has some prospect of selling them.
For many artists producing the first giclee strains the pocketbook, because image capture, color correction, proofing and profiles are not cheap – particularly at a time when “baby needs new shoes.” The artist is still left with creating the publicity to make the promotion successful.
USING MINI PRINTS TO PROMOTE SALES
Assuming the partner is a gallery, the artist may suggest: “I know you have a fine mailing list. if you will underwrite the cost to print a full size giclee of one of my originals and enough mini-prints to mail to each person on the list, I’ll hand sign the minis to each person on the list plus the full size print you can give away at the exhibition and I will help publicize the show on my web-site and blog and with my own email contact list. You choose which of my paintings to reproduce.”
It the gallery believes enough in the artist to arrange an exhibition, that kind of offer from the artist can stimulate the possibility for news releases and photos for the local papers, perhaps a TV talk show appearance with the artist and gallery owner showing some of the paintings that will be at the exhibition, plus the giveaway print. The TV or radio host could announce: “The first ten people who call the station will receive one of these hand-signed prints by our guest, Arty Promoter, and an invitation to the artist’s reception on opening night.” Some of you who are reading this are already thinking creatively about how to do this on a scale that fits your means and budget.
NOT JUST GALLERIES
The same sort of platform could be used if the artist and a community organization such as a charity, garden club, the local Chamber of Commerce, an animal help organization such as the SPCA, Little League sports team, etc. work together with a portion of sales made at the exhibition donated to support the organization’s work. The paintings shown should be art consistent with the show theme; floral for a garden club, paintings of local landmarks for a Chamber of Commerce or tourist destination, pet portraits if an animal aid sponsor. Artists – do you see the endless possibilities?
But don’t limit your publicity to art publications. Many organizations are local chapters of national groups, some of which also publish news about local chapter activities. They, too should receive your news releases and photos of your work
Do you think national mention in one publication is all that one generous act creates? With their access to local publications in adjacent areas, I’ll bet the “splash” could reach many additional potential buyers who see and may buy.
Again, artists – can you envision how you can GIVE A LITTLE AND GET A LOT?