This post is by guest author, Angela Baumgartner. This article has been edited and published with the author's permission. You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.

An artist I know called me a marketing guru the other day- which I thought was funny. I wouldn't say I'm THAT polished. I remember Robert Dugoni (NY Times Best Selling Author) telling me, "If you treat your work like a hobby, then that is how other people will view it. Take it seriously, and they will too."

For a lot of artists, combining the creative side with the business side is a real challenge. This is where using both sides of your brain can give you a distinct advantage by stirring up creative juices as an artist and a professional business person.

When you start thinking of new marketing ideas, no matter what the topic, you get out of a stalemate and garner a fresh perspective. Use that to try mediums or fresh styles of expression within your art that reflect the changes you are making in presenting yourself. If you are normally very structured in your art then try out doing some work that is abstract. Just let go, play without worrying about the outcome. 

Then at the same time, have fun thinking about where else you could market your work if you branched out like that on a marketing or business level. Don't worry about thinking it all through and having a plan you can execute. First brainstorm, then play and later you can work out any details regarding extra possibilities. Write things down as you go, without worrying about editing your ideas or having them all make sense.

Later, when you are ready to knuckle down to business give yourself a few assignments to tackle at a time. This is important to ensure that we're taking care of ourselves in a practical manner without being overwhelmed.  None of us are going to make radical changes overnight and taking on too much at one time is bound to lead to failure or discouragement. Be realistic and break down your tasks without sliding into the bad habit of continually putting them off. Get over any hesitation regarding promoting yourself; if you don't let the galleries or associations know who you are, and get up to speed on being marketable, then you will never get where you want to be. Areas to tackle may include expanding where your work shows, how you package or present it and how you can gather a wider audience maybe even within your existing market.

This is the dreaded business side that might feel like a giant wall. You're not alone; plenty of artists view this as a very real challenge. There are books on selling your work without selling your soul, how to protect your work, the art of online selling, and local regulations to consider.  The list is long. Check out books from the library and if the tips are so wonderful that you find you are making copious notes, then go buy it to put in your own ARTIST LIBRARY. I'm working on writing a book like that right now - one that tackles the problems as an artist, for artists on promoting and marketing when you're just starting out. Read what is out there, use what fits and ask for help from mentors or retired professionals (like SCORE- a volunteer organization that gives free business advice in connection with the SBA). No matter how you handle this, the key is to get in there and not let anything keep you stuck as small potatoes or prevent you from using your skills (or showing off your skills) to their full advantage.

Here's how: Simply get out your calendar, pick a date to implement a marketing idea or promotional tool. Set a deadline for yourself and write it down. By having regular goals and picking a specific date to work on it, you have a lot better chance of accomplishment. That means you don't plan other things on that date or push it on the back burner again -- get serious and make it happen. Commit to spend at least two hours once every two weeks addressing how you will move forward. Pick one at a time and have a tangible outcome.

Examples:
Task #1. Complete my artist's statement. 

Then the next date you reserved on your calendar has:
Task #2. Complete my artist's bio.

Followed by:
Task #3. Complete my artist's resume'

Or your challenges may include:
Task #1. Research the feasibility of selling greeting cards with pictures of my work
Task #2. Research having my artwork scanned and printed for giclee's
Task #3. Approach the gallery my work is in regarding carrying other pieces at different price points

If these are already done, or you're ready to write in more details on your calendar for later in the year, then move onto the bigger areas:
Task #1. Go in person to three new galleries
Task #2. Pick the gallery that most closely fits my work and get their guidelines for submitting work
Task #3. Ask the curator in person what they are looking for or if they have upcoming themes

Find out what they are doing far enough out that you can prepare your portfolio and gather your work. If you think it will take you three months to get ready, ask them how long they will be covering that theme and how far in advance they pick who will be represented. Hopefully if you have been going to art events on a regular basis, then you will already know the gallery manager or curator. If you are nervous to approach them, then mark on your calendar their next three events to attend, introduce and reintroduce yourself, and approach them after you have made that contact. 

Task #4. Prepare my portfolio to fit the gallery's theme in my time-frame

For some people the hard part isn't about meeting others or even getting their portfolio done. Their difficulty is in organizing their actual art to have things ready to present at a show or for a gallery. Prior FineArtViews Newsletters have wonderful articles about having a bulk of work that is ready and on hand to present or show.

We're all on our own stages in the journey.  Don't worry if for you the first step seems like a baby one, it might entail simply putting your name and copyright symbol on your work. That's fine. We all start somewhere.  The key is to start and then keep going. What you don't know about them take the time to research. What you don't know how to research, be brave and ask other artists about- especially successful ones who seem to have it together. You may find that they had some similar challenges; so don't be bashful or embarrassed regarding areas that aren't easy for you. Just keep going and pretty soon you will be jumping those hurdles, setting up a routine for promoting and having the creative juices flow at a steady rate.