15 Important Steps to Take Immediately After Learning You Are in an Article, Received an Award, Were Selected for an Exhibition or Other Good News
When you receive any form of publicity as an artist, whether it is a spot on someone’s blog, a feature in a magazine, exhibition catalogue, get selected for an online exhibition, or have an interview on a radio show or podcast, or featured in a video, it is the perfect time to get your art marketing efforts into high gear. In this article I offer 15 things to do immediately! I want to encourage you to avoid making the mistake of sitting back and waiting for something else to happen. After you open the bottle of Champagne and celebrate take action and and grow your art career success into something bigger and better.
1. Express Gratitude.
Depending on how close your relationship is with the writer, immediately send an email, mail them a letter (perhaps in a card with your art reproduced on it) or call them and extend your heartfelt appreciation for the art publicity you received.
2. Add the article and/or exhibition to your biography and website.
Add the title of the article, author, date and name of the publication to your resume under the category titled “Bibliography”, and in your biography and/or “About the Artist” page on your website. If it’s an exhibition add it to that category and include the title and if it was a juried show.
3. Post a link to article in social media and ask others to share.
Announce the news with a link to the article about you in all social media profiles and the groups you belong to. Ask your followers and fans to share it. Share your enthusiasm.
4. Spread The News.
Most people are impressed by favorable publicity. Take a brief excerpt, with the author’s permission, and post it on the home page of your website or set up a “Praise”, “News” or “Publicity” page of your web site.
5. Blog about it.
Write an article on your blog about it with an image that appeared in the article. An example of what you could write is: A wonderful article about me by Renee Phillips, director of Manhattan Arts International, has appeared on her website. In the article (Insert title), she has written: (Insert 1-2 best sentences.) Read the entire article at https://www.manhattanarts.com/(insert complete URL)
6. Ask for comments.
If the article appears on a website or blog where comments are welcome, ask your friends, fans and family members to leave them. The writer will appreciate it and positive comments will add to your level of popularity. The comments will also boost the search engine results for your name.
7. Inform your collectors.
It is a known fact, positive accolades add credibility to your career and increase the value of your art. Write an email newsletter about it and send it to everyone in your database that has purchased your artwork or expressed an interest in it. Now is the time to remind them that your art has received attention, has become more desirable and has increased in value.
8. Send a news release to attract more publicity.
Write a press release about the article and send it to the publicity outlets. Publicity attracts publicity. How do you think writers get their ideas? From fellow writers, of course! Also, link it to your EPK (electronic press kit).
9. Tell your dealers and agents.
Inform all the galleries that represent your art about the publicity. Bring it to the gallery where your art is on view so they can add it to the gallery presentation book and press kit. This is a valuable selling tool they can use to motivate buyers.
10. Inform prospective galleries.
Inform the galleries that have expressed an interest in your art in the past but have not yet made a decision. This form of publicity may inspire them to represent you sooner.
11. Maximize the Impact.
Make copies of the article you receive and feature them prominently at your exhibitions. Add the copies to your gallery presentation packages and press kits.
12. Use it to motivate you.
Display it Proudly! Enlarge the article, frame it and hang it prominently on the wall of your studio. Use it to motivate you during those quieter periods of your career.
13. Buy copies.
If it is a substantial article in a magazine or your art has appeared on the cover of the publication, buy several copies and mail them to your most cherished collectors with a personalized cover letter. They will appreciate it and realize they should probably buy more of your art before you become a superstar and raise your prices.
14. Spread the best quotes around.
Pull out the positive quotes you receive from all resources and add them to your biography, invitations, brochures, catalogues, newsletters and press releases.
15. Give credit.
Whenever you use quotations by the writer always include their name and affiliation (name of blog, website, or publication). This is not only the proper and polite thing to do it is also good for Search Engine Optimization.
What You Don’t Want To Do
Many artists don’t realize that copyright laws also apply to writers. You must not duplicate the entire article on your web site or blog without the author’s permission and name. So, first ask permission to use a brief excerpt and get the permission in writing.
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Thanks so much for this great article. I’m just starting to get publicity for my artwork and really needed this advice!
All the best,
Nancy
Nancy, that’s fantastic! If I can be of any further help to you let me know. Best wishes!
Very helpful advice! Excellent article! Thank you.
Thanks, I sometimes forget to do this so this is a great reminder. I always have thought in the past I might sound like I am beeping my own horn. Someone told me if you don’t tell people what is going on how the heck do you expect them to know. Truth. Thanks Renee
Darlene, I’m glad you enjoyed the article. That person who reminded you is 100% correct! So keep beeping your horn! 🙂
Wonderful advice, as always. It is so often that we forget or just do not want to bother others with what we do not think is important enough. There is such a danger in thinking that sharing news is “bragging”. I suppose it has to do with being so inundated with social media promotions from so many sources.
Jean, you’ve made an excellent point! Thank you for your comment.
Such an important message for artists and a very timely one for me right now. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you, Renee, for an excellent article. I will put it into practice right away.
Thank you Lee. I hope you get a lot of publicity for your beautiful paintings.
Thank you Renee for the article, I’m writing from Kenya, Africa. Joining the entertainment industry as Dj manager and the tips have been of help. Thank yoi once again Renee
Thanks Renee, great tips in this article. It’s easy to overlook some of these opportunities.
Thank you Olivia. I hope you have many opportunities to use these tips!
Great ideas, Renee. Love that you shared how to make the most of publicity. Many artists need this encouragement!
Thanks Renee. I,am learning a lot. There are even people coming to me for advise. LOL.
I just share your advise with them.
I’m with Esther… thorough! And thank you!
Thank you Renee. I am happy to have read this as I did not realize permission had to be granted. But of course it should be asked for! I would only ask for those who want to share my work to always credit my name. (Reproducing is another topic entirely.) Thankfully, I have always used links and quoted the source. I will keep this as a bookmark!
Thank you for all thoses ideas , even thought i make some but i found that i should and could be doing more! Great article.
Rosita Abdo
I thought I was pretty cluey about publicity and self promotion (I know what to do but don’t always do it), but this article is THOROUGH. So many tips I never even thought of. This is my new checklist. Thank you.
Thank you Esther. I try my best to be thorough and I appreciate that you read the article. I visited your website. Great photography! I like the name “botanical expressionism”. All the best to you!