Marketing in 2011

Marla and I got out of town for a few days in Charleston, SC last week.  It is a very nice little town by the way even though I don’t know that it got cooler than 100 degrees while we were there.

On day, we found ourselves wandering through the downtown market and I was interested in one booth selling bricks that were painted with pictures.  The artist had this sign plastered everywhere. (I have blacked out the name.)

Shoving this sign into potential customers’ faces is probably one of the most braindead retail stunts I have ever seen.  An obvious problem is the perception it creates in customer minds.  To sell things, you have to remove barriers.  Rules that protect you are barriers.  If you can’t remove them, deemphasize them.  Every business has to have rules, but shoving the noses of your customers in your rules is not smart. 

The perception this creates in customer minds is that of a bitter, controlling, penny pinching grouch who paints pictures.  It may not be true.  In fact, I doubt it is true, but the perception is there.

The more dangerous problem here though has to do with the disconnect of this artist with the reality of marketing this kind of work in 2011.  Can she be serious? Does she really worry about people taking pictures of her bricks? What does she think those people are going to do with those pictures? Blow them up, print and frame them, and hang them in the living room?

Not hardly. Customers will likely be far more nefarious than that.  Here is a possibility: a customer might email a picture of her bricks to a friend who is planning a Charleston trip with a recommendation to make sure and visit that booth.

Oh wait… Maybe that is not so bad after all.

I understand the mindset of the woman that owns this gallery because I am a musician.  I know
that it costs time and money to produce paintings/music.  I know that
artists/musicians often are not fairly compensated for their work.  I
know that artists/musicians are often flat out ripped off.  For example,
95% of all music downloads are illegal.

And that brings me to my application for those of you producing music.  Last week, I wrote about the cost of producing music.  It can be very expensive, and so what I am about to tell you may seem ludicrous.

But don’t be the woman in that gallery, paranoid that somebody might reproduce your work without your permission.  Just accept that reality and find ways to make it work to your advantage. In fact, even encourage people to share your work. Give them your blessing.

I have always believed in giving away as much music as I possibly can.  Thankfully, it does not cost much to give away music.  Outside licensing, downloads cost you nothing and CDs only cost a dollar.

I wish I could say that I am just an altruist.  But I am not.  In 2011, musicians simply need to be that way.  And by the way, it works.  The best way I know to to sell music is to give it away.

My Portraits of Hope free giveaway last year was an example of not just giving away music but helping other people pass it along to their friends too.  Without question, that giveaway was the most successful marketing thing I have ever done in music.  Some day, I will discuss why.

So that is why I think the painter should take down her signs.  Actually, I think she should go further than that.  Maybe she should encourage customers to take pictures and even give an award for the best picture of her work posted on Facebook each month. 

That is the way to embrace the realities of selling art in 2011 and make it work for you.