Comments on: Social Fall Fabric and ACEO #12

By: Lisa Call

Lisa Call — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:27:38 +0000

Bill - much of what you say is very similar to my thoughts on social media. Not much needs to be added. Thanks for commenting!

By: Bill Weaver

Bill Weaver — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:34:59 +0000

I agree Lisa, and what I noticed as a working clay artist for 15 years was the random nature of the buying cycle and the huge lack of understanding of the buying public about the value of art. This issue has many facets and I think that just a couple of years ago artists had little in the way of avenues or channels to connect to their buyers and for their buyers to connect to them. It is is that connection that builds community and hence a following which in the end results in the artist being the brand and not the product. Additionally, by creating connection, community, relationship and conversation with our public we play a major role in raising our actual value to buyers which eliminates the entire concept of transaction replacing it with relationship.

Social Media provides the tools needed to “stay in the for front” of peoples thoughts when it comes time for them purchase. So if you have kept your followers up to date about a particular body of work and that you will be showing it in their town at their art fair AND you let them in on what the work is and how wonderful it is you have at least removed yourself to some degree from the gamble of random purchases. Further more, the social media channels also give you the opportinunity to reward your loyal followers as well making them even more loyal and evangalistic about your brand…which is YOU.

Finally, one of the hardest concepts I had to get through was the concept that I am not in the business of SELLING art I am in the business of MARKETING art.
And social media via web 2.0 has just made it a whole lot easier for me to sell me (which is my brand) and not the products of my time.

This is an exciting time for artists because, for those willing to step out of their comfort zone, new opportunities are opening up that were never available. One of the more exciting things happening is the shift in consumer behavior away from the old advertising and marketing standbys…people are tired of them, they want to feel human and interact with humans who care about them, so to some degree we have come full circle only in a spiral rather than close of the loop.

By: Lisa Call

Lisa Call — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:11:59 +0000

I agree Phyllis - social media (beyond blogging) is the future. And thanks.

Thanks Julie - yes we are lucky!

Clint - I know you didn’t said there was no value ,but this comment:

Why ANY artist would think that sending a “Twit” is a better use of their time than creating art is totally beyond me.

Sounded a lot to me like the we don’t need computers in homes comment. It just felt very short sighted to me.

Selling art is more than just the sale - in my opinion people buy the artist as much as they buy the art. Social media such as twitter and facebook and blogging are excellent ways to market oneself.

The value of twitter will become more apparent as more artists try it and see what does and doesn’t work. Sitting back and staring at it and declaring it low value will result in it remaining low value. Only through experimentation will the value become clear. We might make some silly mistakes today but only through those mistakes will we learn.

By: Clint Watson

Clint Watson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:47:45 +0000

Just to clarify, I never said there was no value in social media in general. In fact, I run a service that provides a blogging platform and I constantly extole the value of blogging. I’m also currently working on a social media news site in the art space. In addition, I never even stated that there’s no value in Twitter itself for certain uses, there very well may be. My point is that Twitter is currently a very low-value activity (maybe not a no-value, but there are certainly much higher value activities) for the MARKETING of ARTWORK (ie for the purpose of SELLING artwork). THAT is the need for the vast majority of artists struggling to make a living. . . and typically the reason artists want to “try” Twitter. I am, however, willing to change my stance on this issue if someone has a case-study of an artist consistently selling artwork due primarily to Twitter usage. Thanks for your great blog, BTW.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:45:56 +0000

Lisa, I love this little piece! I LOVE the colors. Also the pictures of Conifer on these gorgeous Fall days. We are lucky!

By: Phyllis D

Phyllis D — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:32:20 +0000

I enjoyed reading this post and the comments you quoted re soicial media networking. I feel that it is vital if you are wanting to further your business contacts. I’ve already made several through Twitter.

I love the ACEO!