Low Cost Marketing
[by Todd Joyce]
There is a philosophy that a buyer needs to see your name seven times to remember you. A good marketing plan takes that into consideration, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend money on seven expensive mailings. It just means that you need to be seen or associated with something (positively) seven times. So, here are a few low-to-no cost ways to get your name in front of buyers:
- Enter competitions – competitions that buyers see. Not just ones that photographers see.
- Write articles/blog – with valuable information about topics buyers may be interested in.
- Phone calls – few buyers actually answer their phones. Leave one message telling them you’ll follow up with an intro email is all you need.
- Emails - make them as relevant and personal as possible. Send them a digital portfolio like http://issuu.com
- Networking events – Attend things like Ad Club gatherings. Being there and networking is very important. Don’t be pushy, though – that can work against you.
- Pro-Bono work – but only if you get visible credit. The higher the profile among art buyers, the better.
- Online Visibility – make sure your website is SEO friendly and key worded properly to be found on line. Google ad words can be very affordable if there are few to no other bidders.
- Personal projects – use social media to spread the news and make it interesting/entertaining. Submit PR info to papers/sites about projects – your news needs to be special to get attention or any press at all.
- Art exhibitions* – This is no easy feat. It could be harder to get into a reputable gallery than land an assignment. You could also donate art to, or offer free display of your work at high profile locations where buyers go (e.g. Art Club venues etc.). This can be difficult. too.
Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive and it doesn’t have to make a huge splash. Repetition is key and quite often it’s those little pings that get noticed after time.
*If you are fortunate enough to get your work displayed and the gallery or business puts out announcements, ask that your prospective clients be added to the gallery/business mailing list so they receive announcements. Having a paper, blog or business mention your work to a prospective client adds credibility
Todd Joyce captures people to help his clients sell things. See his new work at http://joycephotography.com
3 Responses to 'Low Cost Marketing'
Subscribe to comments with RSS or TrackBack to 'Low Cost Marketing'.
All good ideas each of them will work best if you develop a strategy based on your customer and market profile.
BEWARE the promise of publicity. For some reason most people think publicity to the general public has some value. It doesn’t.
If the publicity doesn’t coordinate well with your marketing plan, doesn’t target your prospective clients in an effective manner you’re not getting publicity – your giving your work away for free.
Here’s a 3.5M video from someone with real world experience talking on the value of publicity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE&list=HL1342048620&feature=mh_lolz
Dean, you are correct that the publicity needs to be coordinated and reach those who you want it to reach. No question. Strategic placement… Your comment is good to warn all of us to be aware of the value we are giving away and not to be fooled by the promise that what we get in return has value.
As for the link, Harlan raises a good point, there is always value to your work and we need to strive to establish value and get paid. However, there are ways of reaching people in a viral sense where the gain comes from the spread, rather than the direct payment. The Grateful Dead did it http://edwardboches.com/marketing-lessons-from-the-grateful-dead and Miss Aniela http://www.missaniela.com/ did it and has made a huge name and fortune at a very young age doing it.
I would only advocate giving it away when there is a true benefit to you. I’m sure that was your point. Thanks for sharing the link.
Todd
Todd, the example of the Greatful Dead illustrates my point perfectly…
–
Anderson made a reference to the Grateful Dead, one of the only bands that allowed fans to record concerts and make their own bootlegged tapes. In fact they practically encouraged it. Why? It was simply a way to deliver greater service to the only constituency that mattered to the Dead. Who cared if it cut into album sales? It won the hearts of millions, generated greater attendance at live performances and a produced a community of self-proclaimed Dead Heads.
Read more: http://edwardboches.com/marketing-lessons-from-the-grateful-dead#ixzz21B2wCgPQ
–
They gave it away to their target audience, the people who were already engaged with the band at some level, not C&W or Hip-Hop fans.