Marketing Goals for 2008

Hi All,

The hardest part of being a professional artist (for me) is the marketing. I don't want to be a salesperson, I want to be a creative person. However, like any small business, we have to promote and sell ourselves and our work in order to make a living. AAAAAAARRRRGGGHH!!!!

Our marketing salon group, OoHA has been a huge help for me in getting my act together for self promotion. I did not know what to do nor how to do it before I was invited to join this group. Last year I accomplished more in the marketing portion of my business than ever before. Thank you OoHA and especially Sharon Crute for starting our group.

Here is my list of marketing goals for 2008:

Update and maintain Working Artist software
Develop and maintain a mailing list
Blog at least once per week
Make file of blog ideas (already started this)
Keep in better contact with students
Complete brochure for Beach series
Finish contract for new book (we are waiting on our publisher to assign an editor)
Develop list of galleries to contact
Pursue more workshop venues
Pursue possible development of gift products
*Make money!*

There is a lot to do and sometimes I feel overwhelmed, OK, most of the time I feel overwhelmed. However, Lynne and I have accomplished a lot int he last few years by taking it one week at a time, setting deadlines and being accountable.

I have already started a file of blog ideas. (Who would have thought getting organized could make such a difference!) I have also wanted to have a better system for keeping in touch with students whom we haven't seen in awhile. This may seem easy, but our students are mostly retired and some travel extensively and some have health problems. Some use email and some do not. I always have new students fill out a form with contact information and then the forms pile up in several places and I cannot find the one I want. Organization, or lack thereof, rears it's ugly head again!

Here is my new list:

1. Get organized
2. Make money

Peace in 2008
Kelli