Yesterday was the Vermont Crafts Council
Spring Arts Marketing Conference. I did
not know what to expect, really, but thought it might be worth the time (and 3
hour round trip) to go. I was not disappointed! There was so much information, so many ideas,
so many wonderful people; I wanted to share a few things that I learned there.
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| image by patpitchaya |
The stories of the speakers and the obstacles they have
overcome to get to where they are were inspiring. The innovative solutions were amazing! An artist, Peter Huntoon had purchased
auction software and instead of selling for a fixed price, puts items up for
bid – all from his web site! A gallery
director, Sarah Mutrux, announced the opening of a fiber studio in Craftsbury,
Vermont. Another speaker, artist Reed
Prescott, introduced the project fundraising website of www.kickstarter.com, and told how it
helped his business.
The afternoon was a series of workshops. I started at the Vermont Arts Council, and picked
up all sorts of information from start-up grants to insurance. Lucie
deLaBruere’s “Mobile Media Mania” was a how-to in using phones and tablets
to capture not only photos, but audio and video that can be used in various
ways online to promote your business.
Many times the importance of some sort of photo album online of your
work was emphasized. How to create and use QR codes (the blobs that smart phones can scan and read) was also covered!
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| QR code |
“Isn’t That Pinteresting?”by Elissa Campbell showed us how to use Pinterest, as well as
social media in general. I found it
amusing that social media success can be broken down into 4 steps: like, share, follow, and post new stuff. Once you have an online portfolio, your only
limit on how to use it to expand your business is your own imagination.
During lunch and breaks, the other artisans in attendance
were very friendly and full of advice based on their own experiences. This is the kind of support that is really
needed for anyone starting out. Little
things, like having a plate of cookies or some sort of snacks available at Open Studio Weekend,
are not published on the official guidelines, but are an added touch that most
of the artisans do.
A great big thank you to all of you I met yesterday!!
