What Every Artist Needs to Know About Press Releases: Get the Word Out and Sell Art
When someone sees or buys your artwork, it’s important they tell their friends, share how excited they are about your artwork and in turn tell another art enthusiast about you, who tells another potential art buyer about you, etc. etc. (you get the picture). Marketing Strategist, David Meerman Scott calls this “buzz” about your art, “Marketing Rave”.
This post is about getting buzz for your art. We’re going to discuss what every artist needs to know about web-style press releases (PR’s).
I’m going to share with you how to create “Rave” using a method discussed in David Meerman Scott’s great free ebook called “The New Rules of PR” (David is also the author of the best seller, “The New Rules of Marketing and PR
Why do artists need press releases? PR’s will help you:
• Find potential new customers
• Build a following for your art
• Generate sales of your art
How do “The New Rules of PR” work?
The “New Rules of PR” state that we need to stop doing press releases the old way (which was to wait for an exciting piece of news, spend endless hours writing a provocative news release, send our release to the media and “hope” they pick it up (in other words publish it).
The ebook “The New Rules of PR” explains how you can control the news cycle by self-publishing, web-style press releases.
Here’s how it’s done.
1. Write a news story about your art business. Keep your news releases regular, 1-2 per month. Don’t wait for the big story, write about everything you are doing:
• When you finish a new painting Write a press release.
• Exhibiting at a new venue Write a press release.
• Sell an artwork to a high profile corporation Write a press release.
• Donate a piece of artwork Write a press release.
• Trips and travel associated to your art business Write a press release.
2. Focus on keywords and phrases that your readers might use for searching art online. Be sure to include these in your content. Use images of your art (1-3) and try to create content that is entertaining and informative.
3. Choose a news wire service that works for you and your product. This service can be a pay per service or you can purchase a yearly subscription. Here are four new wire services, compare and find one that fits your need.
PRNewswire.com (free for non-profits)
4. Publish your press release on your website and blog. Provide a predominant place for them to be archived. Keep them on your site for as long as they are relevant—in some cases years. Art buyers like to see a history or your successes.
5. Create an RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feed from your Press Release section. This will allow readers to be informed when you post a future releases.
6. Add Links in your press release. Your press release is an electronic document, which will allow you to add hot hyperlinks that will push readers to your website. Customize landing pages with announcements, special invitations to shows, and links to other sites where you might be exhibiting your work online for purchase. This can be done easily in Word, look under the “Insert” pull down menu for “Hyperlink”. Learn more about hyperlinks.
Note: David Meerman Scott suggests that inbound and outbound links from your press release to your website (or visa versa), will help increase the page ranking of your site with Google. This is a good thing.
Still need more convincing…..
6 More Reasons to Publish Press Releases
1. Use press releases to reach/speak with art buyers directly.
2. Use press releases to reach millions of internet users looking for art.
3. Use links in a press release to drive buyers to your gallery, dealer or your online store.
4. Press releases are easy to create
5. The publishing process is (almost) free
6. A press release will bring potential customers to your website or artist’s blog.
This new news cycle could be the lift your art business needs to generate more traffic to your website and art blog. I encourage you to read “The New Rules of PR” by David Meerman Scott for his more detailed approach. Then get started creating and self-publishing your press releases.
Start building world-wide “Rave” about your art and let us know how this information may have changed your art business.
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