HOW DO YOU MARKET YOUR OFFERINGS AND PROMOTE YOUR WORK OUTSIDE OF SOCIAL MEDIA?
What happens when we ignore the grid?
May we stay tuned in! May it be so!
This week I took to the Instagram Grid to share the flyer for my upcoming class The Shapes of Our Offerings and last I checked 32 people had liked it (I have over 80k followers)
i looooove all these ideas so much i have actually been thinking about joining the birding club in my city also a client of mine says its an awesome bunch of humans. farmstand with physical newsletter of noticings is so beautiful, quilt as banner, good old flyers in coffee shops so good!
Biggest thing I'm working on right now is: sitting on my couch with a notebook and my story ideas, giving up my need for managing everyone else's happiness, and so I focus on this book and let it be what it is (let's call that MAKE GOOD ART, TRUST THAT IT WILL MARKET ITSELF).
Second to the above is that I make better art when I'm off social media.
I can't forget the importance of MY MOM as a marketing powerhouse. She brings my books on vacation and hands them out to people.
GO INTO A BOOKSTORE AND INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE
also seconding Moms as marketing powerhouses, if this is accessible... my mom has also been so great for my business. alot of the time her shares on my facebook posts get more likes than mine do. Whispering to birds :-D yes!
〰️Ohhhhhh I have a zine I send out every month that includes my class list
〰️My local community pod -- we have a group of folks who have committed to doing service tasks for each other, which could def include getting the word out
〰️Renting a table at the farmers market and talking to everyone about art :)
Send out a paid rambling monthly subscription in the mail that includes new things I’ve made.
Send out a rambling email newsletter that hypes up other people making things and sharing whatever is on my mind/what I’m looking at out there in the world and on the internet. Include links to new products, but also links to articles and projects and other corners of the internet.
Enlist friends to help leave stickers with my website in public restrooms, on coop bulletin boards, info tables at the public library, stuck on mailboxes and lampposts, etc.
Get a friend to cut a bumper down so I can cover it in bumper stickers and plop it down on a table or hang it on a wall. Set up at craft fairs and flea markets with my actual bumper.
Trade with other people who make things.
Advertise on small podcasts that aren’t too expensive but are aligned with what I’m all about.
Talk about what i do on a podcast or on the radio.
Ask stores I like to stock the things I make, even if that feels incredibly vulnerable.
update my website more often.
Be liberal with the creation of discount codes for holidays and events and people, photocopy little fliers and include them in orders or leave them places.
one of the best things for my business ever was also getting a table/booth at my local farmers market. i did this once a month for about 3 years and got many of my recurring clients and yoga students that way! and its fun! a lot of work but being around other makers and your local farmers is so inspiring and connecting
recently i hung a whiteboard up in my studio with lists of and physical registration forms for upcoming yoga classes
i use moo.com for my business cards and have a different original lake photo on each card so people can choose which one they like, and they are sort of like trading cards! they are more expensive but the quality is so swoon-worthy and have gorgeous rounded corners and i think people like getting to choose
so excited to see everyone's lists and try some of those ideas!
I've mostly used Sticker Mule, which makes them in every possible shape and size, and they're a very nice quality. Though I've also made books of those tiny ones from Moo, and those are fun too.
sitting here with a bowl of metaphorical popcorn reading these ideas... it's extremely scary for me to promote my work even though i finally believe in its value. The other day I walked into an art supply store intending to give the cashier a postcard I'd made with a link to my newsletter. But when I got to the counter I literally turned the postcard face down and bought two pens instead... womp. Amelia Hruby's stuff is awesome, these lists are awesome, I guess I'm just not quite there yet
My mom has a Little Free Gallery! It's very cool. It has morphed and changed so much since she put it up. Sometimes there are little beautiful paintings in there, sometimes there are crayon scribbles where a kid signed their name in dark black crayon real big over the whole thing, and sometimes my mom clears it all out and makes a themed vignette in there.
Yes! It looks just like a Little Free Library. She buys little blank canvases and puts them in there, in case people want to take one and return it with art on it. And little easels too. I think a lot of it is for the neighborhood kids at this point. But really anyone could put something in there or take something. (She just has a ton of kids in her neighborhood.) She said her next theme is she's going to make it look like a dog show, and solicit tiny dog portraits.
also making STICKERS!!!! with your art and business name on it! i currently use moo.com but i'm wondering what printing services people have used for stickers as they have limited sizes to choose from
I order from thestickybrand.com and vinyldisorder.com. They both seem like they're always running a sale. Vinyl disorder lets you order smaller quantities but they take a while. Sticky brand is based in Vermont and uses eco friendly inks and materials.
I love the idea of seeing my friends comforted in the clothes I make doing such badass and cool tasks. People tell me they wear a sweater in therapy. Others may show up for a protest or cook a meal for a loved one while in recovery. The web seems easier to find and maintain when I’m in direct community and less when I’m in deep search for something so much “grander” than what I think is in front of me. I argue that these substack threads and newsletter shares have absolutely become that. I also absolutely will be sharing my dreams to the birds outside my window now. Also digging into bumper sticker ideation 🚙
<3 i find this space really supportive too! thanks marlee for building the little network here and everyone for being vulnerable to share! i just LOVE your thought here 'the web seems easier to find and maintain when in direct community and less in deep search for something grander than what is right in front of you' ...i've spend a lot of my life seeking, searching, moving around the country, trying to find the perfect place with the perfect people, the perfect partner, the perfect flow of creativity, only to discover just what you are saying here. Thank you :-)))
Absolutely love all these ideas <3 especially inspired by bookmarks and yard signs! I started a poetry open mic night in my city a couple months ago & that has not only increased my readership/visibility, but I’ve discovered so many poets/writers/artists, too! Waking up to all the local talent in your community is inspiring & relieving & whatever the opposite of feeling like an island is :-)
THINGS ON MY LIST :
MONDAY MONDAY POSTCARDS
BROCHURES
HAVE A FARMSTAND WITH A MONTHLY PHYSICAL NEWSLETTER OF THINGS I NOTICE IN THE MEADOW AND THE QUILT HOUSE
JOIN A BIRDING GROUP AND TELL THEM I CAN MAKE THEM A QUILT
MAKE QUILTS THAT ARE BANNERS
QUILT SQUARE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
FLYERS AT THE COFFEE SHOP
TURN YES YES INTO A PODCAST WITH AN INTRO AND OUTRO AND .... THEME MUSIC?!
i looooove all these ideas so much i have actually been thinking about joining the birding club in my city also a client of mine says its an awesome bunch of humans. farmstand with physical newsletter of noticings is so beautiful, quilt as banner, good old flyers in coffee shops so good!
Biggest thing I'm working on right now is: sitting on my couch with a notebook and my story ideas, giving up my need for managing everyone else's happiness, and so I focus on this book and let it be what it is (let's call that MAKE GOOD ART, TRUST THAT IT WILL MARKET ITSELF).
Second to the above is that I make better art when I'm off social media.
I can't forget the importance of MY MOM as a marketing powerhouse. She brings my books on vacation and hands them out to people.
GO INTO A BOOKSTORE AND INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE
TELL ONE PERSON WHAT I DO
WHISPER MY DREAMS TO A BIRD, IDK
whisper my dreams to a bird is everything I ever needed to read
The birds, they know when to keep a secret and when to drop the dream into the universe's mailbox
also seconding Moms as marketing powerhouses, if this is accessible... my mom has also been so great for my business. alot of the time her shares on my facebook posts get more likes than mine do. Whispering to birds :-D yes!
YES TO ALL OF THIS.
"WHISPER MY DREAMS TO A BIRD" yes, I love that.
salon-style living room backyard beach picnic slideshow share
hang physical prints at trailhead map kiosks (next to the maps)
potlucks!
10¢ xerox from the library love language
less broadcast, more sharing with exactly one friend
play your new casio keyboard composition over the telephone
tapes in a re-used amazon bubble mailer with old stamps and smiley stickers
yesss geofffff slideshow share! less broadcast 🥲🥲🤍🤍🤍🤍
"less broadcast, more sharing with exactly one friend" is so good
YES I LOVE THIS ONE TOO!!!
Have friends wear tshirts with your art on it
Table local art fairs and zine fests
Project video on an exterior surface
Sit on the sidewalk, lay out a blanket, and sell your art there
Host poetry readings in parks, or other public spaces where anyone may walk by and see
Start a local critique/study/writing group, even if it’s just you and one friend for now
Contribute to a physical newsletter or start your own
Ask a coffee shop or unusual space if you can hang your art there
I love a local group. Also hi Lora you rule!
Hi!! :) you rule too
〰️Ohhhhhh I have a zine I send out every month that includes my class list
〰️My local community pod -- we have a group of folks who have committed to doing service tasks for each other, which could def include getting the word out
〰️Renting a table at the farmers market and talking to everyone about art :)
〰️✨SCAVENGER HUNT✨〰️
zine with class list!!!!
OMG this is genius. If the postal service in my country were a little more reliable, I'd do it.
Send out a paid rambling monthly subscription in the mail that includes new things I’ve made.
Send out a rambling email newsletter that hypes up other people making things and sharing whatever is on my mind/what I’m looking at out there in the world and on the internet. Include links to new products, but also links to articles and projects and other corners of the internet.
Enlist friends to help leave stickers with my website in public restrooms, on coop bulletin boards, info tables at the public library, stuck on mailboxes and lampposts, etc.
Get a friend to cut a bumper down so I can cover it in bumper stickers and plop it down on a table or hang it on a wall. Set up at craft fairs and flea markets with my actual bumper.
Trade with other people who make things.
Advertise on small podcasts that aren’t too expensive but are aligned with what I’m all about.
Talk about what i do on a podcast or on the radio.
Ask stores I like to stock the things I make, even if that feels incredibly vulnerable.
update my website more often.
Be liberal with the creation of discount codes for holidays and events and people, photocopy little fliers and include them in orders or leave them places.
Leave leaflets on cars, but only old cars.
leaflets on only old cars oxoxoxoxox
one of the best things for my business ever was also getting a table/booth at my local farmers market. i did this once a month for about 3 years and got many of my recurring clients and yoga students that way! and its fun! a lot of work but being around other makers and your local farmers is so inspiring and connecting
recently i hung a whiteboard up in my studio with lists of and physical registration forms for upcoming yoga classes
i use moo.com for my business cards and have a different original lake photo on each card so people can choose which one they like, and they are sort of like trading cards! they are more expensive but the quality is so swoon-worthy and have gorgeous rounded corners and i think people like getting to choose
so excited to see everyone's lists and try some of those ideas!
I've mostly used Sticker Mule, which makes them in every possible shape and size, and they're a very nice quality. Though I've also made books of those tiny ones from Moo, and those are fun too.
I use sticker mule too!
all of this is so so special and yes yes yes
sitting here with a bowl of metaphorical popcorn reading these ideas... it's extremely scary for me to promote my work even though i finally believe in its value. The other day I walked into an art supply store intending to give the cashier a postcard I'd made with a link to my newsletter. But when I got to the counter I literally turned the postcard face down and bought two pens instead... womp. Amelia Hruby's stuff is awesome, these lists are awesome, I guess I'm just not quite there yet
you walked in though! thats way closer to there than not there at all xoxox
Some of my favorites are...
Bookmarks
Pinback Badges
Free Art (would be cool to make a Little Free Gallery like the Little Free Libraries around)
Hosting free collaborative projects (zines, but dreaming up a massive group weaving for neurodivergent folks)
and of course Podcasts & Substack love that these transcend time and space)
BOOK MARKS!
My mom has a Little Free Gallery! It's very cool. It has morphed and changed so much since she put it up. Sometimes there are little beautiful paintings in there, sometimes there are crayon scribbles where a kid signed their name in dark black crayon real big over the whole thing, and sometimes my mom clears it all out and makes a themed vignette in there.
I love that so much! Does she just have it in the yard for her neighborhood?
Yes! It looks just like a Little Free Library. She buys little blank canvases and puts them in there, in case people want to take one and return it with art on it. And little easels too. I think a lot of it is for the neighborhood kids at this point. But really anyone could put something in there or take something. (She just has a ton of kids in her neighborhood.) She said her next theme is she's going to make it look like a dog show, and solicit tiny dog portraits.
I should have read through the comments before commenting! Haha.
- vending machine filled with art (saw this on someone's IG story today!)
- gifting art to friends to display in their home or shops
- Free Little Art Gallery (didn't know these existed until I just searched it... so cool!): https://findafreelittleartgallery.com & the founder has tiny quilts on her IG grid: https://www.instagram.com/angelicakauffmangallery
- wear a tote bag/hat/shirt with your business/art/brand on it - printed or handmade
- video updates on your offerings that you text or email to your friends who want to stay updated
- monthly snail mail art sample sharing group
I saw the art vending machine too! Have started scouting out local marketplaces for one. 😂
also making STICKERS!!!! with your art and business name on it! i currently use moo.com but i'm wondering what printing services people have used for stickers as they have limited sizes to choose from
I order from thestickybrand.com and vinyldisorder.com. They both seem like they're always running a sale. Vinyl disorder lets you order smaller quantities but they take a while. Sticky brand is based in Vermont and uses eco friendly inks and materials.
thank you for the recs!!
I love the idea of seeing my friends comforted in the clothes I make doing such badass and cool tasks. People tell me they wear a sweater in therapy. Others may show up for a protest or cook a meal for a loved one while in recovery. The web seems easier to find and maintain when I’m in direct community and less when I’m in deep search for something so much “grander” than what I think is in front of me. I argue that these substack threads and newsletter shares have absolutely become that. I also absolutely will be sharing my dreams to the birds outside my window now. Also digging into bumper sticker ideation 🚙
<3 i find this space really supportive too! thanks marlee for building the little network here and everyone for being vulnerable to share! i just LOVE your thought here 'the web seems easier to find and maintain when in direct community and less in deep search for something grander than what is right in front of you' ...i've spend a lot of my life seeking, searching, moving around the country, trying to find the perfect place with the perfect people, the perfect partner, the perfect flow of creativity, only to discover just what you are saying here. Thank you :-)))
I write my newsletter by hand each month, and mail it to subscribers: for the love of snail mail and to connect offline.
The flyers I drew and posted around town for my services have gotten me more work than social media posts, I'm happy to report.
Absolutely love all these ideas <3 especially inspired by bookmarks and yard signs! I started a poetry open mic night in my city a couple months ago & that has not only increased my readership/visibility, but I’ve discovered so many poets/writers/artists, too! Waking up to all the local talent in your community is inspiring & relieving & whatever the opposite of feeling like an island is :-)