Program Review – March Speaker:  Sandra Xenakis, Art Meets Business.

After Sandra spoke to us about her background, she asked her audience, “What are your challenges as an artist?” Not surprising, the answers she was given were: marketing, pricing, branding, approaching galleries, staying organized, social media, bookkeeping, networking, and family issues – space, logistics. Sound familiar? Sandra spoke about her 6 month coaching program where she meets with her clients monthly to discuss their goals, along with their plans and efforts to reach those goals. To help us understand what a coaching session might be like, Sandra conducted a mini coaching demonstration with a gracious volunteer, Molly Indura. Sandra said she has developed many art business contacts, through her work, which she uses to benefit her clients, when needed.  She recommended that people sign up for Allison Stanfield’s blog, The Art Biz Coach’s. She also recommended the following book:  “The Artists Guide” by Jackie Battlenfield.  For more information, contact Sandra at artmeetsbusiness@gmail.com or 734-707-5825.

Chris Bldlack, Head Honcho, Bidlack Creative Group

Chris talked to us about how to make a living as an artist. He said his talk assumes we make great “art”.

• His first recommendation was for us to “show off” and write our own positioning statement. Positioning statement should answer these questions: who? (who are you?) what? (what do you do?) for whom? (who is your target audience?) what’s needed? (what void are you filling?) Differentiation  (what’s different about your work?)
• Have a business card and use both sides; make it interesting.
• About being an artist, 1) Be proud – being creative is important. Know that many people that don’t have creative skills envy those people that do have those skills. Not everyone can do what you do. 2) Own a category; specialize in something. Get really good at something, and let them know you specialize.  3) Brand. You are a brand. Design yourself a brand symbol. 4) Charge a lot of money! (This one got a nice chuckle) Value what you do, or no one else will.
• Learn to use social media such as Facebook,Twitter, etc. They’re here to stay, and a huge number of people subscribe to those tools. Constant Contact is a good social media tool for newsletters.
• Write a Blog; WordPress.org is good
• Consider making a u-tube video, if you’re good at that kind of thing. He said to use the “candy bar description” of telling the viewer what’s under the wrapper.
• For more information, see:  http://www.bidlack.com/