How Social Networking Sites Fit Into Your Overall Marketing Plan

Read the other parts here.

Now a word about those social networking sites:  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and others.  They sure are interesting, and fun, but boy-oh-boy can they eat up time.  Yes, they are very useful and can be a valuable part of your marketing strategies. But please remember that it's about marketing. If you want to go online and talk about your hobbies, your favorite recipes, or how you added a new porch to your house last weekend acknowledge it for what it is - something fun, something that can eat up a lot of time, as a hobby.  Yes, it's social, yes it's networking, but to have it contribute to your business marketing you need to be smart and strategic about it. 

I know an artist who spends hours (and hours) every day online sharing and talking to his "friends." Is he marketing?  Not really.  Yes, he is building relationships but are these people his potential buyers?  Probably not. They're his family, maybe other artists, personal friends. I'm sure it does benefit his art business in some ways, but my point is that he's spending hours doing it and NOT working on his art or art marketing. A pretty high "opportunity cost" there.

So be smart about it, be strategic. Use it to announce that there is new work on your site, that you have a new show, or to share your thoughts and motivations behind your art and what life as an artist is like.  Try to connect with people who might buy your art, think about them when you post to these sites.  It can be very useful in helping build those very critical relationships.

Will you sell art directly through Twitter or some other site?  Probably not directly. Social networking sites SUPPORT your marketing efforts in the ways I described at the beginning of the class: They see your website, they follow you on Twitter or Facebook, it helps them remember you. It helps build relationships.

Okay, to sum up:

Remember, it's the multi-faceted approach that works. Assuming you HAVE a marketing plan!  You've absolutely got to have a good idea of what's out there for you to use, and then to think about what you want to do, where you want to go and where you want to be down the road one, two, three, five or more years from now.  Without some goals, an idea of where you want to go, you'll likely end up wandering around, not actually getting anywhere.

We see it all the time. Artists go here and try this, go there and try that, it's called "ready, fire, aim" and it really doesn't work very well. It does, however, give the illusion of a life filled with purpose.  

Be realistic. Do a plan, you can change it any time you want. One of my favorite bloggers (Chris Brogan) did a great, short video about SMART goals, you can see it here: http://www.chrisbrogan.com/keep-smart-goals-in-front-of-you-overnight-success.

There is so much out there, be informed and choose what YOU think will work for you. Monitor it, if it's not working, stop.  If it is, keep going!

It's your art business, your art, it's 100% your responsibility.  Be smart about, be informed, and make good choices!

All my best to you and yours!






Robin Sagara
Web Marketing Mentor
robin@artistcareertraining.com