Being active online is crucial if you desire to 'connect' with your target audience. You may want to think about participating on online forums / blogs that cater to the scene or interest that you regularly explore with your artwork. [...]

I'm tempted to say that every artist should choose the follow-up method that feels easiest and most comfortable for them, but in reality for many artists, no method of follow-up feels easy or "right" at first. Just like with learning to create art, learning to network effectively requires an investment of time and energy to get past that awkward beginning stage. [...]

Banksy gave his target audience what they wanted. What did they want? The answer is simple. His early admirers wanted affordable artwork that contained a social message they could sink their teeth into. He filled BOTH needs - he did not care about what other artists, collectors, and galleries were doing. He focused on HIS audience... and it paid off. The popularity of Banksy's artwork - spurred by a legion of dedicated fans - eventually forced prominent art galleries to see what all of the fuss was about. His artwork is now worth millions... BUT his target audience is still intact - still 'fueling' his name. [...]

Networking is as much about giving as it is about taking. It's about listening, not talking. It's not just about asking for help, it's about generosity of spirit and the willingness to commit to helping others. Networking is about valuing what you have to offer this world and not being afraid to share it. [...]

Over the course of this series of 3 blog posts, I'm going to dig in and break down the "why" and "how" of networking and why artists should get a grasp on just how beneficial genuine networking can be over the course of a long art career. [...]

Because we’re supposed to -- because the normal way of going about things is to join prestigious groups and enter prestigious shows and try to catch the attention of prestigious galleries and not even dream of doing things on our own. In order to sell artwork, we are told, the quality and beauty of the artwork itself is the last thing we’re supposed to consider. We need the right group, the right publicity, the right show, to make it all happen. And in order to be in the right place at the right time, we need be joining those groups and buying those ads and entering those shows -- consistently writing out checks to other people in the belief that they will do something for us in return. [...]

You’re not abandoning people all together; family members love and need you, after all. You are simply allowing yourself time, as an artist, away from outside voices and influence so that you can focus on that small, quiet, patient inner voice that gets drowned out by all the external shouting. [...]

I often warn artists -- specifically younger artists --not to be taken advantage of by musicians concerning album cover art. I have taken this stance since the early days of Myspace.com. The offers I observed on Myspace made me sick. Thus, I took it upon myself to openly and actively warn artists to stand up for themselves before creating anything for a band. My position has caused some people to think that I look down at artists who create album cover art. That is not so. I just don't want to see artists duped out of hard work. [...]

The initial problem lies, however, in accepting that being alone is not weird. Too often, when we embark upon a creative outlet or a new lifestyle or gluten free eating or knitting socks from the toe up as opposed to top-down, or whatever it is that we want to get really good at, we seek out a group, because, we tell ourselves, “I will learn so much from other people, and that will help me advance.” And so we start attending this group, monthly or weekly or every two weeks, and while we do learn good things from others around us, we also pick up -- and reinforce every time we attend the group -- not so good things as well. [...]

With this static in the background, it is difficult to find the silence or the solitude long enough to realize that constantly being around other people, engaged in formal or informal group activity, isn’t always the best thing. And getting away from this noise isn’t always a bad thing. And, especially if you’re an artist -- it’s a good thing, a necessary thing, because so much of what you create comes not only from your hands but is directed by your brain, heart, and soul, all three of which desperately need some silence and time away from distractions. [...]

And it's what an artist must do to succeed. Put out little tendrils of hope - blog, enter a competition, update your website, give a workshop, join a great art group, give lessons, design a new business card, try a new technique, send out a press release, write an article, and: keep a running list of all these "ingredients." [...]

These days it is all up to the artist. In this economy, the galleries will rarely spend the money for print marketing unless you are a proven seller. The art organizations have lost their clout with the exponential growth of art groups. And the media has become so diversified that there is no longer one voice. The artist has to take responsibility for their own success. [...]

In my opinion, it is crucial to keep things relevant art marketing-wise. You are branding yourself with every detail... even if you don't realize it. [...]

The truth is you cannot possibly do every idea that you come across. There are a gazillion great ideas out there (and a gazillion bad ones). [...]

You might be thinking... crazy is a strong word. However, when I spend too much time online, I get stupid - I can't remember diddly; I've been forgetful and have missed deadlines. (I never used to miss deadlines)! My brain can only take in so much stimuli before it starts shutting down. I get zoned in on my computer or Ipad screen and my life and responsibilities begin to slide by, while I live in a dream world by viewing what everyone else is doing. In the end, I've got to stop looking at what y'all are doing all day so I can return to my life. [...]

The question you need to answer is this: are you having fun playing with the 20% on Facebook, while ignoring the much larger network of people you can reach via the "dark social network?" [...]

We're busy. We all are. We receive far too much informational stimulus in the form of e-mails, text messages, online links, memos, and physical junk mail. Most of us who have gone through the conventional educational establishment have learned to skim read, and those of us who haven't lived under a rock since birth have additionally picked up on the concept of multi-tasking, to the point that our default mode of thinking is: Successful, dynamic people read and process phenomenal amounts of information quickly, at the same time that they are literally running on the treadmill and listening to the Newsie Chat Show. [...]

Writing is, of course, a thinking process, and one can think logically in a step by step manner, or one can think stream of consciousness with random and jumbled thoughts. Either approach could be taken in writing. The results will certainly vary...Since the writing is being published to the web, however, there is an intended audience, and writing for an audience should require somewhat organized thinking on the part of the writer. Still, this isn’t formal writing, and no blood, sweat, or tears, are required. [...]

I want to reiterate that the crucial thing to remember is that, on your website or blog, you set the rules, and if you don't like the people in the room, you can kick them out by removing or trashing their comments. This is not, however, always necessary or even desirable, especially if you choose to write about a potentially confrontational subject... [...]

A common objection I often hear from artists is that they don't have an email newsletter list so who, exactly, are they supposed to send the email newsletters to? Many artists are simply convinced they don't have anyone to send to. But I don't think that's true. [...]

Whatever you do, try not to get into a digital argument with this person, especially if they are highly negative and belligerent. You cannot reason, speak with, or write to a person who is angry, so why try? [...]

Put on your thinking cap, I'm sure you can think of something more interesting than "check out my art". Your bottom line will thank you for it. [...]

So it is with vetting comments on our websites and blogs: while it is tempting to see a person posting a negative comment as an idiot/maniac who needs to be put down, squashed, boxed up, and sent to another planet, sometimes it is best to take a deep breath, still the rapid beating of our heart, take a sip of tea, and let a few minutes pass before we launch a keyboard attack. [...]

We at FineArtViews realize that a lot of our readers use Twitter as part of their art marketing efforts. Thus, we have composed a list of FineArtViews regulars that you may want to follow on Twitter. [...]

Anyway... my approach and wish for my website are at odds with the 'norm' that everyone seems to be following, I know. I'm not interested in the least in 'traffic' as many are. What I have always wanted to get out of the Internet is a chance to connect...to have conversations...to meet people. A connecting of minds, without any pretense or third party involvement. This challenge became the game. [...]

Of course you have something to talk about! You create art, don't you? You put it places, sell it to people, send it to shows, have a reason behind why you painted those two particular horses or sculpted a dog eating oranges. So let other people know about it all. [...]

Nobody will visit your website until they know it exists. So you have to tell people, repeatedly, about it. And email is the simplest, most effective way you can put yourself into one of the “big three” places that most people check every day. [...]

Those of you who run your website through FASO are like Dorothy and her ruby red slippers -- you already have the means and technical support to get back to Kansas and generate an online newsletter, with all sorts of useful options like an automated notice to you whenever someone signs up for your newsletter, statistics on who opened your newsletter, and an ongoing list of your subscribers and their e-mails. If you do not have a FASO account, check into your website host and see what they have to offer. [...]

The more you do something – anything – the better you get at it. [...]

Now I'm not telling anyone to stop using or to never use "social media" (FB, Twitter, et al). If you want to or have had success with it, that's fine. I'm just getting tired of those who try to demean blogging as useless or passé. [...]

I can't give you any better advice on how to market and sell your art than Seth's last sentence, "When in doubt, when your (art)* marketing isn't working, the answer is easy: go one circle in." [...]

Some people get so locked up about the SEO concept and how they’re not computer geniuses so they may as well not do anything at all that they, well, don’t do anything at all. Yes, there’s a lot to learn. Yes, it’s overwhelming. But no, it’s not impossible, and the best way to make it possible is to simply get started. [...]

Social media mirrors your own social circle. Most of the time your friends are not going to criticize you in a public form. The real negativity arises from the different tribes of artists and when they interact on a public forum. [...]

This concept seems very simple and straightforward to me, but then again, I tend to be a fairly simple and straightforward person, when I’m not being complicated, that is. When somebody says, “Please send us updates on what you are doing in your business,” I do so, reserving time each week to review what has happened the week before and write a little sentence, with images and links when appropriate, which they can use, or not use, as they see fit. [...]

Some changes happened with Facebook.com over the weekend – changes that you may not be aware of. [...]

While you may not be comfortable setting up your own blog site, or tweeting, or Linking, or posting and re-posting funny sayings – YET – (we’ve got plenty of fodder for future discussion here) don’t let good opportunities pass you by. When you’re offered something – like the ability to pass on updates about your business to a legitimate site – look into it closely, research the validity, and if it checks out, go for it. The more that you write about yourself and your art, and the more venues you take advantage of to post these writings, the more that your name – and your art – is floating around in cyberspace, where a lot of people travel. [...]

If we apply this advice to making art and to running an art business, we will see that many things can be done to enhance our chances of success while actually building on the dealt hand. Each of us is different. We have different experiences, different understanding, and different intellectual and creative impulses. Depending on our motivation, we can learn new and useful things for improving our artistic skills, our business skills, and our people skills. [...]

You can do this, but in the same way you do everything, including the artwork you create, you will do it your own way. You probably won’t sound like a used car salesman (funny how we think they’re all the same, isn’t it?), but you will sound like you, communicating with and talking to another person. It won’t necessarily be easy, especially starting out, but then nothing is easy when we first start. With practice we improve, and with failure we finesse. [...]

Samuel Adoquei said, "The best artists are givers." That is what I see at events - knowledge and talent being poured out by artists so that others could learn from their successes and mistakes. Hopefully as we are inspired by others (and not hampered by FOMO), we will take what we can use for our own personal journeys and simply leave the rest. We've got painting to do! [...]

The interaction between Mattera and the artist raises several questions about how artists utilize social networking for the purpose of art marketing -- and how those efforts are interpreted by online 'friends'. [...]