Marketing
Very Excited About New Marketing Brochure
We have been working diligently on a couple of different marketing plans and target markets. The first is a brochure that is going out to architects, landscape Architects, Interior Designers, and Landscape Designers.
I’m thrilled because it introduced our new digital sculpting services.
This is a tri fold brochure.It has been created by the new intern, Tiffany Post Actually she is not my intern she belongs to my husband’s company, MD Communications next door, but she has been on loan to me for the last couple of weeks. Tiffany is graduating from The Art Institute of Houston. She hopes to get a job in design. I am sure she would be open to freelance work if anyone needs anything, and at a good price. Great way for her to build a portfolio.
It can be a self mailer,
but who could put a label over that lion.
I really like the way the back came out.
Good thing the cards come with envelopes.
The printer we are using on this job was recommended by designer and photographer Christian Sizemore. She also does freelance work. WHCC has reasonable prices and does some nice work.
I would love to hear what others think about the brochure. Will be sent to printer next week.
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a list of all podcasts.
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
Marketing Information For Artists/Writers with Blogs
I have been very busy with my other blog on my collectibles website. For those interested in marketing and the Internet here is a little crash course in what I have learned.
For several years now my God’s Word Collectible series has been at Network Solutions server. However this is a shopping cart, and according to Network Solutions having a blog on a shopping cart is not a good idea, therefore they don’t offer it. ( I think this is the way they are coding, but a different article entirely)
This has been extremely frustrating for me. I know from this Creative Sculpture website that often more traffic comes through my blog than through my front page. We also have a podcast that we created and is sponsored by the God’s Word Collectible series.
So how can we direct people to listen to the podcast and also direct traffic to our site?
To remedy this situation I have a list of the podcasts on what I call the Host Bio’s page. This resides at http://www.godsword.net. I really like this page and it serves a purpose that no other page does. It shows all of our podcast all the way back to 2008 with a description and a link so that you can listen to them. It also has short bios about our hosts.
However ,a blog with my podcast offers so much more. I can post information, news, ideas, and thoughts. I can also post pictures of my guests and their books, videos of their work and a variety of other material, so a blog was necessary. Well my only recourse was to put a blog on Blogger and link to it from the godsword.net website.
Years ago I hired someone to make the blogger header look like the website. The idea behind that is that people would not know they left the site and they could still do such things as “return to shopping cart.” Which if they clicked on that link in blogger just sent them back to the God’s Word Website. Are you following me?
I did feel like my hands were tied with the rest of the “look” of the blogger blog and was really too embarrassed to post anything else there. Or to advertise it. The good thing about having the blog is that I linked that blog to God’s Word Collectibles Facebook Fans page and therefore, when I would post the new podcast on the blog the God’s Word Collectibles Facebook Fans page would automatically be updated. I loved this, and I love that people can listen to the podcast from Facebook. The bad part of having my blog on Blogger is that if I did get any traffic to the blog the godsword.net website was not getting the Search Engine Optimization Blogger was!
I had to have a blog connected to http://www.godsword.net!
I have wanted to switch my shopping cart to something else entirely, but that is something I am researching right now. For the time being it will stay at network solutions as a shopping cart. Tto resolve the blog problem I am adding a blog with this domain name http://www.blog.godsword.net This will actually be housed at an entirely different server than the shopping cart. It will be hosted on Host Gator. We consolidated all of our websites into one resellers package at Hostgator. It is a lot cheaper in the long run. Eventually- somehow once I figure it out God’s Word Collectibles Shopping cart it will also be switched to Hostgator. But I’m still looking for the appropriate shopping cart system.
HERE IS MY ENLIGHTENMENT!
I had not known that I cold have the same web address, URL or really something similar that would reside on two different servers. Note http://www.blog.godsword.net and http://www.godsword.net are a bit different.
I have put a Word Press blog on my host gator server at http://www.blog.godsword.net. Host Gator has done some magic in the background so the blog will not go live until I am ready and I can work on it. I imported the 3 years of posts from my blogger account. This was quite simple to do and was really just a click of the button. I have spent about 2 weeks finding a theme ( the look of the blog there are so many “skins” to choose from), arranging items, and presently, I’m fixing all of the posts to look better. Yes, 3 years of posts.
I’m also trying to work with optimization of the blog. What does that mean? Well I’m simply making use of all of the wonderful things Word Press has to offer to make my website come up first in search engines. That means making sure all of my photographs have everything they need behind them, in the code, to get searched. This sounds a lot more complicated than it is. Word Press offers you ways of doing this quite simply.
For further explanation here is an article by Krista Kopetsky at Interent Marketing Tips & Tricks on SEO For Word Press Image ALT Tags.
How about optimizing each blog post? Well here is a great resource Black Hat Source on How to Improve SEO of your WordPress
So just tweaking each post to make it look pretty is not all I’m trying to do. There are a lot of things on the back end.
I have also not used categories or tags for my posts before this. I will be working on that and posting some hints and helps on the best way to use those for optimization. This is a huge task, but not as big as changing this present Creative Sculpture site of 108 pages and 300 images over to a WordPress website. That is what I will tackle next year. A HUGE undertaking.
Hope someone finds this article helpful. Yes, marketing and spending time marketing is important in the arts. I look at my time in the last week and think, boy, it would be great to get back to the art. This time will pay off. Time well spent.
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Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com. She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a listing of all podcasts Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
Ahhh Such A Sweet Post About Me on Someone’s Blog
I often take time out of the monthly schedule to post messages to others about desiring an interview for my Inspirational podcast. We are on number 80 something now. Have committed to three coming out a year. But while returning to a website and an interview from an incredibly interesting man who represents a wonderful lot of talent I found this post on his blog. He states, “I recently did a radio interview with a very interesting lady who is a world class sculptor.” So nice of him to comment. and you can listen to the podcast if you are intersted. Great insight into marketing and bringing God into your business. Thanks for the plug Michael Smith. Ah, maybe some day this man will represent me and all of my creative endeavors! First, I must continue to build my platform and pray.
What Is On My Marketing Check List?
Some wonder, “Do you sleep?” What are your marketing endeavors?
I do have a list in my head, but here are some I have going now, as well as some that I have achieved.
√ 1. Contact SCBWI about letter of reference on marketing workshop
√ 2. Post support material for marketing workshop
3. Twitter on posts about the above.
4. Research Christian Agents- Check out the video in the post Great Resources for Writers on Finding an Agent.
5. Must figure out how to redo the God’s Word website, and changing servers. Looking at different shopping cart options. ( HUGE UNDERTAKING. DEADLINE FOR CHANGING THE ENTIRE WEBSITE- END OF YEAR IF NOT SOONER! )
6. Help as many people as I can, because it is a good thing to do.
7. Schedule November Podcasts- all podcasts are marketing in one way or another.
8. Look into the new, wonderful terrific idea I had to support the writing of this present book. ( sorry guys can’t share this yet.)
9. Post on blog
10. Edit and put up podcast that was recorded last month to Budapest
11. Look at taking marketing workshops into online webinars.
12. Ride my daughter, because she is creating new marketing material for my fine art and taking a very, very long time to complete them. But I love her and am busy with other things.
13. Write a letter to the kids at Culture Shapers, this is more need to inspire than to market.
14. Research websites that can find and monitor tweets per subject.
Did You Attend The Workshop? What Did You Think?
If you attended one of the two workshops at the Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators-Houston meeting, please send me your comments. I’d like to know what you thought and I can then post them here. Please include your name and description. You can send a small picture of yourself or one of your books, if published, but it is not necessary. But, if you have a website please include your URL so that I can post that link on this blog. We did not get to cover a lot of the Search Engine Optimization techniques, one is to having links to your website on other people’s blogs. I’d love to hear from you and help out with that.
Great presentation last night bridgette.
Bruce Foster
Obviously, there is a lot more you have to share and I for one, am all ears!
Paper artist
Thanks Bruce, I am always so impressed with the quality of illustrators, and writers we have coming to our SCBWI- Houston meeting. I came home and told my husband about your incredible pop up books. Congratulations on the Harry Potter Pop Up Book Releasing November 16th. I went to your website and was also pleased to see you were using video to help market your books. We didn’t get to talk about that subject yet. GREAT MARKETING TOOL! I never heard the title “Paper Engineer,” but I have great respect for one. I am an adult fan of pop up books. It might be because I love anything miniature, and loved paper dolls. Keep up the good work and we definitely have to explore more of the marketing tools for writers.
Bridgette mongeon is a successful artist and promoter, and is determined to help others achieve the same success. Her upbeat workshop, guided assignments, and generous follow up information went far towards making us feel we can follow in her footsteps. Best of all, for us who are-less tech-savvy was her constant reassurances that she was on call if we needed more help.
Pat Miller, LMS
www.patmillerbooks.com
Thank you Pat. I appreciate your enthusiasm. Just went to your website and checked out your great children’s books.
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a listing of all podcasts
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
Programming Co-Chair, SCBWI-Houston
Notes From The Marketing In The Arts Workshop Last Night
We covered a lot in the workshop on arts and marketing last night at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and illustrators- Houston. Here is a list of some of my suggestions and links that others may be interested in. This was on the handout and may not make sense to everyone, especially those who missed the event. I’m excluding the items we did not have time to cover.
Accountability If you want to make a change in your marketing efforts than accountability is the key. Find an accountability partner or come by the forum and sign up and post your progress and questions. The forum is an informative place that I will be checking in. ( In 2020 the forum is replaced with a private facebook group for all of those who have taken the online marketing workshop webinars. ) It is like asking me questions and getting one on one help but instead with a community to help you as well. (In 2020 Bridgette replaced the forum with a private facebook group for all who have taken her webinars or workshops.)
Plan for Your Pony- Homework
List five people you admire who are doing what you want to be doing. Contact them and ask them how they got started and if they have any suggestions.
Find as many organizations that work with people who do what you want. Get their information and if possible join their organizations.
Search periodicals that are about what you want to do. Are there any clubs, computer forums? Subscribe to them.
Do you have a list of competitors? What are they doing?
What tools do you need? What are their cost, where do you get them?
your website and for
free submission you
must check out
Selfpromotion.com
Where can you gain more knowledge about the mechanics of what you want to do?
100 Ideas
I am committing to____hours of marketing___ days a week from now until_______.
We spoke about creating blogs and websites and about secure servers for selling items.
Here is you check list
- Obtain a domain name
- Create a site map
- Write your content
- Pick hosting company
- Create you website- I highly suggest using a word press Website. It is easy to maintain.
- Create meta data ( we did not get to cover this)
- Promote (we did not get to cover this) Though I did tell everyone to go to this incredible website called Selfpromotion.com You will know you are at the right spot if you see tooter! This little guy .
Some thoughts on blogs and websites
- It is better to have one under your own domain name. but having something is better than having nothing at all.
- To find a domain name go to Network Solutions and check it out.
- Cost of a domain name registration $15.00, but some hosting companies will give you that for signing up.
- Cost of webs hosting $4.95-8.95 and up. ( Little cost, price depends on hosting companies) I use hostgator.
- Cost- Learning curve- there will be one.
- WordPress 101 has some great Videos on getting started in WordPress. My friend Shawn just asks for a donation and half of that goes for breast cancer awareness as he supports his sister’s fight with breast cancer. Check out the videos. Shawn also suggested Hundred Buck Website or Page.ly. Though you can just go to hostgator and ask them to sign you up and put up a wordpress blog and then just start creating it. If you have questions Hostgator is pretty helpful but won’t talk to you about the wordpress portion of it after the blog is on and you get your admin panel. Then I would suggest Shawn’s tutorials and if you have questions you can also post them on the forum.
If you have a book published check out Amazon’s author pages. Get one yourself.
We learned about RSS feed- here is a great video that I use to show people about RSS Feed.
I also gave the following links to assist you in your marketing efforts.
To help you to write down your thoughts and gather your information I love clustering. Learn more about clustering from Gabriele Lusser Rico Gabrielerico.com
One to One- This is the best thing for apple users. Need guidance all the way through making your website or blog, creating a podcast or other things. Check this out. Incredible. Check out this video on One to One. Sorry PC people this incredible resource is only available to Mac.
Don’t forget to check out HARO which is great for gathering information for articles and also finding a place to pitch your own work. Here is a video on HARO that I created. This topic was actually in our first workshop.
We did not have time to go over SEO Search Engine Optimization, Marketing with Articles, Twitter, Video, Podcast and others.
Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a listing of all podcasts
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
100 Marketing Ideas
As part of my workshop in Marketing in the Arts, which is good for any business, not just for artists, I cover in detail a lot of the things listed below. But I thought it would be helpful to have a list of “100 Things I Can Do to Market Myself.” That way if you are have a slow day and want to be productive you can cull through the list and do something. You are welcome to reprint this list with the credit and link to this site.
100 Ways to Market Myself- by Bridgette Mongeon http://www.creativesculture.com
- GENERAL: Print out “100 Things to Market Yourself” from https://creativesculpture.com/forum or blog
- Engage every day in at least one marketing activity.
- Get organized—create a marketing notebook, with plan, etc.
- Develop a marketing plan or calendar with to do lists.
- Brainstorm- What can I do to help build my platform?
- Brainstorm- What is my branding?
- Brainstorm- Do I have more than one branding or platform?
- Write marketing materials- for brochures, websites etc.
- SETTING GOALS: What are my goals? Define them.
- Write them down in marketing notebook.
- Go to www.creativesculpture.com sign up for the marketing forum and check in or post a question — Accountability.
- PRINT: Make business cards.
- Give away business cards.
- Create other printed material as needed- brochures etc.
- Create a print media kit.
- Have a publicity photo taken – or several.
- INTERNET: Subscribe to an internet user group.
- Sign up for google reader.
- Join a list serve.
- Join a group or website that is pertinent to my target market.
- Create a signature for my e mails with my web address/blog etc.
- Create a signature to use whenever I respond to an online post.
- Look into selling product online.
- Explore Paypal/shopping carts.
- Social book mark articles or posts.
- Join Facebook– link it to my blog and twitter.
- Join Linked in- link it to my blog and twitter.
- Join other groups pertinent to your target market. Link it to my blog and twitter.
- Does my writers group, publisher, artists group etc. offer any ways to promote through an online blog or website? Link your blog and twitter account there.
- Start collecting a list.
- Think about writing an E book that you can sell on the internet and supports your platform.
- Start an online newsletter. www. interspire.com
- DEFINE YOUR MARKET: Identify a new target market .
- Examine trends and how they relate to your target market.
- WEBSITES: Collect information for a website
- Develop a web address- register
- Work on your site map
- Create a website
- Create an online media kit
- Submit your website to directories
- Develop your search engine optimization key words and phrases- meta tag information.
- Spend time on Self Promotion.com submitting your information and promoting your site.
- Create a way to collect a list.
- Develop an email newsletter.
- Create an online media kit with press photographs.
- Come up with a list of media questions that can be asked.
- Create an online list of works published.
- Create an online list of publicity received.
- BLOGS: Start a blog.
- Commit to regular updates on blog daily, weekly, monthly.
- How can I tie in current events or seasons with my target market and blog?
- Take photographs that will accompany your blog posts.
- Focus on out how to get people to come back to your blog. What will you offer that your target market needs to keep coming back for?
- EDUCATION: Go the the
Creativessculpture.com forums and read some of the information on marketing in the arts that is there.( In 2020 Bridgette replaced the forum with a private online facebook group at Marketing in the Arts and Small Business) - Educate yourself on marketing- Doing searches on the web for articles that will educate you.
- Spend time at www.selfpromotions.com. learn about Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
- Spend an hour at the Small Business Administration Website learning about business and marketing.
- Take a free class at the SBA.
- Spend an hour at the Score Website take a free class
- Spend an hour at the Small Business Development website Sign up for a free class (This link is for Houston- locate one in your area.)
- Go to Publicity hound and sign up for free information on marketing and press releases.
- Brainstorm with a friend or consultant about marketing alternatives.
- Learn a program—Word Press, photo editing program, newsletter program that will assist you with your marketing.
- Go to different publishers websites like Simon & Schuster and learn about marketing your work.
- TWITTER: Create a twitter account
- Create a scheduled twitter account with one of the companies like Twaitter
- Designate an hour a week to schedule tweets pertaining to your target market.
- Tweet your blog posts.
- Connect with other twitters pertinent to your target marketing.
- Watch others with programs that are similar to your target market.
- Find other important information to retweet about.
- ARTICLES: Write Free articles that support your goals or target market- post them on the web . (Be sure to include a link back to your site.)
- Write articles that make you an “expert in your field.”
- PODCASTS: Search out podcast pertinent to your target market and send them an e-mail.
- Resend e-mails if no response.
- Post links to podcasts that you have been on. Twitter about them and put them on your blog.
- Create your own podcast or create it under an umbrella organization that is pertinent to your market.
- VIDEOS: Create a Vlog.
- Create a video interview.
- Create book trailer.
- Create an online portfolio.
- PRESS RELEASES: Gather media contacts for press release.
- Find free distributions for press releases.
- Write press releases.
- Submit Press Release snail Mail.
- Submit Press Release e-mail.
- Think of how “seasonal” information will help you with your press releases.
- Come up with ways to help others while promoting your self ( human interest stories).
- SOCIAL: Connect with someone who will support your endeavors.
- “Plan for your pony” by going to a conference.
- Talking to other who do what you want to do.
- Send thank you cards to those who you have come in contact with.
- Appear on a panel at a professional meeting.
- Create interesting articles, flyers, or activities for your target market.
- Join an arts organization that supports your direction.
- Remember that contacts can be found anywhere.
- Develop a speech to give.
- Create an online webinar.
- PUBLICITY: Look at Haro on a regular basis to see if you fit any of the needs.
- Look into getting featured in a magazine, newspaper on your platform.
- Is there a way I can partner with someone else, or a business to further my marketing?
- Be nice and think of someone else. Keep their needs in mind when promoting and you will find it comes back to you!
If you would like to know more about these concepts or about marketing for your business, arts or ministry, please visit the Marketing in the Arts Forum If you would like Ms. Mongeon to come to your group or conference to present the material in the marketing in the Arts workshop please fee free to contact her directly.
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Bridgette Mongeon-Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a listing of all podcasts
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
I’m Stealing Great Marketing Ideas and Posting Them Here
My other workshop was with Thomas Umstattd- Umstattd Media, “7 secretes of Author Blogs.” This guy is a good presenter. I hesitated in going, because I teach a lot of what these people lecture about, but I thought, “Maybe I’ll get one more gem for my lecture.” Here are some of my notes from his workshop.
Thomas also has this website
Some of these tips you may know
* Allow automatic subscriptions
* Read other blogs
* Use good headings
* Bullets ( look I’m doing that now. I get an A+)
* Short sentences
* Pictures to splice up copy ( Did that one as well!)
* Add video presentation
* Encourage negative comments
Other cool stuff sxc.hu- For free images. That is where the light bulb came from.
Wisestamp.com- well you just have to check it out.
Hope these tips help. I’ll talk about them more at the workshop on Monday if I have time. We have a lot to cover at the free marketing workshop.
Oh, by the way, Thomas said I could post his ideas, so I guess I’m not really stealing!
Now, for dinner and the evening session.
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Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a listing of all podcasts
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
An Evite To A free Marketing Workshop-Houston Part 2
I copied this from the Evite for SCBWI – November
SCBWI ( Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Houston Meeting
Tracy Gee Community Center
3599 Westcenter
Houston, TX 77042
Monday, November 1, 7:00PM
When we are thankful in November, some of the blessings we count include our SCBWI family. Its members are happy for us when we succeed and encouraging when we don’t. Another November blessing is the second half of the marketing workshop given by Bridgette Mongeon. You still have a week to do the homework she suggested in the first half. In case you need refreshing, here’s what it was:
1. Set goals for yourself, including big dreams. Be specific, make them doable, add a deadline. And refuse to be negative!
2. Research and brainstorm your market–who is the market that will buy you and your book?
3. Your platform–personal or oriented around your book? How visible are you? List three things you can do to become more visible and more credible. What’s stopping you?
On Monday, Nov. 1, Bridgette will finish up with her two-part presentation. She will speak to us about: Internet Marketing, Websites, Social Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and more. These are ways to use the Internet to make yourself more visible, more relatable, and an even bigger seller than you are now. Here’s a quote to validate each of you: “Sure, it’s simple, writing for kids…just as simple as bringing them up!” Ursula K. Le Guin. Hope to see you one week from tomorrow
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Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
Listen to The Creative Christian Podcast or the Inspiration/Generation Podcast Click on Podcast Host Bios for a listing of all podcasts
Listen to the Art and Technology Podcast
Should Those In The Arts Tweet?
As part of my workshop (Part 2) scheduled for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators meeting (SCBWI) Scheduled for November 1, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. Houston, I am adding some information about Tweeting.
Should artists, writers, musicians- basically those working in the arts tweet? Does it really do much good, and as someone said to me recently, “I don’t care to hear about what others are doing in their day to day lives.” I agree. I don’t want to know if someone is walking their dog. But I do want to know about new technology as it pertains to art, new things to share on my blog, and resources available to me as an artist, writer podcast host and speaker. So it is really about learning how to use Twitter, rather than if you should tweet.
My biggest problem with twittering is that I don’t twitter from a phone. I wouldn’t even do this if I could, because I am old school and am really feeling that people having their nose in a box attached to their hand 24-7 is at most times- Rude. Now I know that is my opinion, but there is my two cents.
Now for tweeting. I set up two accounts on twitter. Why two? Well I have two different aspects of what I do. Really I’m multilayered, but two is all I can handle. One is for my God’s Word Collectibles gift line and Insipration/Generation Podcast as well as the Creative Christian podcast. So my twitter account twitter.com/creategodsword allows me to twitter about those inspirational items without overloading those who could care less about this subject. Where My other twitter account, twitter.com/Sculptorwriter Allows me to twitter about Technology, sculpture, the arts, and marketing in the arts. Having two accounts is quite enough, but it did set up another dilemma. I need to manage two accounts!
Well in came twhirl. For quite a while, I would use twhirl on my desk top to post my tweets. It has worked quite easily for some time, but just recently I found I wanted more. You see, it is important to tweet throughout the day or week; and finding time to tweet often was just out of the question for me. I was also sure that when I was in the office and it was near midnight, central time and I was tweeting, that no one was really seeing it, not on this continent. I needed more control. In came twAitter. I searched to find something I could use and so far I like twAitter. It allows me to sit down and post tweets for the entire week, if I want. I scheduling them for when they will appear. I can even copy them and retweet them at other times. Remembering that tweeting is not like blogging. Once you tweet… well it is gone. Only to be seen by the few that are following or retweet. So scheduling tweets helps me in my workflow, and hopefully to be seen.
Now I am also reviewing TweetDeck. What, another program? Well, yes, but only because I really don’t care about those who are walking their dogs, but if there is someone out there tweeting about new technology in art, or something like that, then I want to know about it. I believe that TweetDeck can also schedule tweets, but we will see if it is exactly what I need. I am looking at TweetDeck to monitor what is coming in. See if there are tweets I can retweet or information I can use in my blogs, articles podcasts or lectures. I’ll let you know how TweetDeck goes.
If you want to read a good article on learning to tweet, I would recommend this SEO BLog article, 101 Tweets on How to use Twitter.
So, should those in the arts tweet? I’m looking for success stories. Those who have received a book deal or sales because of tweets, those who have booked a musical gig, or artists selling work. Let me know if you have anything. I do know that on our podcast with Dennis Welch about his book “Rich People Shop Here,” he said that someone picked up a tweet about his book, and retweeted it and the sales at Amazon went up! So who knows?
If you are in the arts and tweet, send me your success stories and links. I’d love to use them in my workshops and posts, maybe even podcasts.
( These workshops will soon be available as an online workshop in marketing in the arts. If you are interested in receiving information about them when they are available please drop me a line and let me know.)
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Sculptor, Writer and Speaker
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer and educator as well as a public speaker. Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is also the owner and creator of the God’s Word Collectible Sculpture series
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter twitter.com/creategodsword
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bridgette.mongeon
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