It’s time for one of those “share my key learnings of the last 18 months” blog posts.
For those of you who may just be getting to know me, let me give you the quicklook at me… where I’m coming from… and how I’m like you.
- I am an artist. It is in my heart to make art. Would die without it. Really… shrivel up and turn to dust. My quilts —> CynsArtQuilts and xoxo quilts.
- My artistic interests — language, design, storytelling, influencing how people think — led me to many years in the business world (resorts & real estate) where I held titles in sales & marketing & training.
- Now… I have a one-person business, which technically makes me an entrepreneur. The part of my business where I help other people with their branding and marketing is CYN WORKS… represented online by the blog you’re reading right now.
Okay, so that’s me. And here’s the number one thing I know about art or business or anything else that’s putting a roof over your head and food on your table. You HAVE to find people who want what you’re selling.
or, perhaps the emphasis should be…
YOU have to find people who want what you’re selling.
So how do you do that???
I think about this a lot. So do many business coaches. I’ve been following Alyson B. Stanfield ever since I heard her speak at the 2009 Studio Art Quilts Associates (SAQA Conference in Athens, Ohio, supporting her book “I’d Rather Be in the Studio.”
Alyson just started an online class called Cultivate Art Collectors (Cyn translation: “find people who want what you’re selling“).
Here are some highlights:
- Expand your mailing list
- Carve out time to update your list
- Maintain data for your contacts
- Decide how you will use your contact list
- Make your fans feel special
- Follow up with tips and leads
- Prioritize a People I Want to Meet list
Which got me to thinking… what other things does she recommend to her large client list? A few days ago, she posted that she has over 10K followers. So what do they need from her? I checked her 2011 class schedule, and what do you know? Dealing with money, getting organized, and promoting your art.
Smart lady!
So what do YOU need to do to find people who are buying what you’re selling? Should we talk?
Cultivate Art Collectors Online Class from Alyson B. Stanfield and Art Biz Coach.
