The Business of Art and Crafts: Sustainability Without Selling Out Workshops

By Sales and Marketing Workshops for Artists, , ,

The Business of Art and Crafts: Sustainability Without Selling Out

A cost effective and practical way to get marketing ideas and support!

Our goal for The Business of Art: Sustainability Without Selling Out Workshops is to see you succeed in your business—to continue being able to do the work you chose, the work you have a passion for. And, as you know, in order to succeed as a business, you must be proficient at the business side of your work. Learning how to sell your art—your painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, fabric, glass, making soap, or clay piece — is as essential as doing good work.

Get inspired! Learn marketing and promotion tips. You can join other artists in these four sessions to help you to focus on your marketing and sales goals. Being in a group gently holds you accountable to take the next step— as well as offering you support and encouragement

Stay on track, learn and share experiences from each other and have fun along the way.

When: Mondays – April 24, May 8 and June 5 and 19

Time: 10 AM to 12 PM

Where: Innovation Hub, 110 Canal Street, 3rd Floor Lowell, MA 01854

Cost: $90 for all four meetings (8 hours of instruction and interaction) as well as any additional materials, including instructive PDFs. Please email Szifra Birke at szifra@birkeconsulting.com.  If you’d like to register, you can make an online payment by visiting this link: https://www.paypal.me/MarketingForArtists. (Click next to the $; it will “flash” and you can put $90 in and hit next to go to PayPal.  Limited to the just 20- so sign up right away.

Registration

In this practical program, professional marketer Susu Wong and executive coach/financial behavior specialist Szifra Birke will share strategies that artists and other creatives can use to enhance their sustainability. The four-session course will equip you with the tools and confidence you need to turn passion into a more profitable business.

You will learn easy-to-implement, low-cost marketing strategies that will increase your comfort level with business– to promote yourself and your work without selling out. The program will be customized to the needs of the participants.

Curriculum

Course 1: Marketing Mindset

  • Identify your attitudes and habits about selling and money
  • Revise beliefs and attitudes that limit your success
  • Create new possibilities

Course 2: Marketing Canvas

  • Develop a straightforward, easy-to-implement marketing strategy (a marketing plan)
  • Identify your target customers, market segments, and customers’ profiles

Course 3: Using Social Media Effectively

  • Create a comprehensive social media strategy
  • Use tools to manage your social media postings and engage with your fans/followers
  • The Web and email marketing
  • Understand more about Constant-Contact

Course 4: Putting It All Together!

Frequently asked questions:

1. What if I can’t attend all the meetings?

Not a problem. Hopefully, you will be able to get notes and PowerPoint slides.

2. Are the registration fees refundable?

If you let us know seven days before the start of the first course, we can refund your registration fee minus a small $5 processing fee.

Format: Seminar- Oriented instruction with lots of time for interaction

Session topics will help you:

  • Identify your goals
  • Create a marketing plan that fits your personality and financial resources
  • Decide on precise, achievable tasks to accomplish between meetings
  • Identify practical, doable free and low-cost marketing and publicity ideas
  • Keep your motivation and interest high
  • Add to the repertoire of marketing skills you can use long after the group

Dangers of doing it on your own

  • Slow-moving progress due to little accountability
  • Inconsistent focus on marketing
  • Lack of a sounding board, isolation, loneliness, discouragement
  • Confusion about which strategies to implement
  • Getting overwhelmed by the process

Groups have a proven track record as a safe place to get feedback and encouragement, and an effective way to keep us all on track.

MCC

These workshops were partially funded by a Mass Cultural Council Grant, which we very much appreciate.