Who Else Wants to "Taylor Hicks-ify" their Business?
Me! Me! Me! (Picture me jumping up and down in a crowd my hand held in the air trying to get the attention of the branding powers that be… dorky I know but I’d do it!)
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a good musical! In fact if only I could sing and dance I may have taken to the stage instead of picking up a paint brush. But my talents lie in art and marketing so I will leave the performing to others and enjoy a good show as often as possible.
Last week the Broadway Musical of “Grease!” came to town. My friend has season tickets and as luck would have it, her husband REALLY didn’t want to go. It was a win-win because I did! And they had great seats — 12 rows from the stage — woo-hoo! Score for me!
But I’m not blogging to tell you about my seats but to tell you about “Taylor Hicks-ification”. You know him, right? Won American Idol? Well the advertising for the show looks like this:
If you are a die-hard Grease! fan you might connect the dots and not be surprised when I tell you he only sang one song in the whole show. I did not connect the dots that the “Teen Angel” only had one song and my friend and I both fully expected to see him before the second act.
He did a great job — that man can sing! And they worked some humor into the show that had the crowd quite entertained. (I won’t tell you — don’t want to spoil it for anyone!)
But here is why I decided I needed to blog about this: Taylor Hicks sang ONE SONG and was the main marketing piece for the whole show. All the other performers were knocking themselves out for 2 hours singing and dancing and I’m sorry but I can’t remember their names. They weren’t put in front of me 20 times and they were never on a national tv show, talked about on the news, radio and more.
So the lesson for us in this: BRANDING and VISIBILITY! Taylor Hicks became a name when he made the finals on American Idol. When he won, he became a brand. Even though he was only a small part of the actual show, he was 90% of the marketing. I’m sure many tickets are purchased by his fans so they can say they saw him live.
That is why I plan to “Taylor Hicks-ify” my business. Create buzz. Brand awareness. A fan base. Get some press. Make noise. Make friends. Have fun. If consumers know who I am the retailers will be more likely to buy products featuring my art, knowing they will sell.
I don’t have a specific plan yet but I can guarantee it is rolling around in my head. I’ll be sure to share ideas I come up with that work well. For now — I’m off to paint and listen to my CD of Grease! so I can relive the event in my studio.
~ Tara
P.S. To learn more about the show, CLICK HERE.
P.P.S. To learn more about Taylor Hicks and his new album, CLICK HERE.
P.P.S.S. How cool would it be if Taylor Hicks commented on this blog? (hint! hint! Taylor if you find it!) I’d have to blog about THAT!
What is Art Licensing?
During a Teleseminar Secrets class I recently took, I had the pleasure of getting to know Pat & Lorna Shanks of Spectacular Presentations – also known as “the coolest couple”. They are pretty cool, but I’m not sure they beat my honey & me, we are pretty darn cool too!
Anyway, I digress. We decided to join forces and offer a new way of presenting some basics of licensing — not just words, not just voice, but audio & images combined… it’s, well, Spectacular!
As I describe it, “Licensing” is a way of generating income from your art.
Instead of selling originals or selling your designs outright, many artists will grant the right (license) to use their art on a specific product, for a set time period in exchange for a percentage of sales. This percentage is called a royalty. By licensing your art, you have the potential to earn income on the same art piece or collection several times.
For more details on art licensing, enjoy the interview by Pat & Lorna in the presentation below. Click here or on the image, your choice! It will open a new window and start the 45 minute presentation. Enjoy!
~ Tara
P.S. Pat and Lorna Shanks are “SPECTACULARIZERS” of great audio content. They teach entrepreneurs, independent professionals and small business owners how to attract more clients and make more money using Spectacular Presentations and Robotic Internet Marketing. For more “Spectacularizer Tips”, go to www.PatAndLorna.com or follow them on Twitter.
How Accountability Can Help Your Bottom Line…
I just finished a little experiment. I didn’t even start it intentionally, it just sort of “twitted” out of me. Here’s what happened.
I looked at my calendar. Eek! In 3 weeks I will be IN the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in booth #613 hopefully talking to lots of current and potential licensees.
I thought to myself, I haven’t reached some people I want to connect with, I should get back on the phone. Goal #1: set some appointments. Goal #2: Have them hear my voice and remind them that I will be at the show. (booth #613!) Some people choose not to make appointments and that is ok, but reminding them to look for you is always a good idea.
Then I went on Twitter and said this:
Now that is putting it out there! HAVE to do it if you put it out there for all to see, right?
Well about 1/2 hour passes and it’s now 12:30 pm and my stomach starts rumbling… but I can’t eat! I’ve gotten 7 voicemails and only 3 live people. (We decided receptionists didn’t count.) Keep dialing…
It took me an hour and 9 voicemails before I got to 5 live people. (That’s actually pretty fast – I’m happy!) I have 1 new appointment, 3 people will be stopping by because they are “roaming free” and 1 won’t be going at all. I also got some good industry information and furthered my relationship with all 5 people. Not bad for an hours work.
But the points I really want to make are these:
- If you tell someone you are going to do something and they cheer you on and hold you accountable, you are more likely to do it. (And not give up so you can eat.)
- I don’t just tell people to do things, I actually do them myself, which is why I know that what I teach works.
- Setting smaller, achievable goals gets you farther than HUGE, crazy looking ones. I have an overall goal of having X number of appointments at the show, but on a daily basis, it may be, “talk to 3 people”. Create 1 repeat pattern. “Chunk” your goals into doable pieces and you will be less overwhelmed and more productive.
And the BOTTOM LINE is, if you do the work, make the calls and nurture your connections, the bottom line of your business is going to reflect your hard work.
That’s all I’ve got – now off to find some lunch!
~ Tara
P.S. If you are an artist wanting to learn more about HOW to get your art out there and earn income with licensing, be sure to see the eBooks, calls and teleseminars available at www.ArtLicensingInfo.com
A $4 trade show "must have" that will last for years
When you go to or exhibit at a trade show, you usually get a badge in one of those flimsy plastic holders with the skinny elastic string. Sometimes an exhibitor or two will be giving away nicer holders but then you are walking around looking like a big ad. (Smart on their part of course!)
I am a big fan of spending $3.99 at most office supply stores and buying a basic black ID Neck Pouch. Here are four reasons why:
- The strap is more comfortable.
- There is a zipper pouch on the back so you can safely hold some cash, a credit card or your hotel key.
- Many have a loop for you to hook your pen.
- In my opinion, it5 just looks more professional.
I have two holders and they have been serving me well for 6 years now. If I did my calculations right, I’ve used one of them at 18 shows and the other at 7 (the spare is used by my sister who helps me when I exhibit, that’s why it is used less often.) I’m down to about 32¢ per show for they holders and I don’t expect them to wear out anytime soon.
So invest $4, keep your stuff safe and look better. Just my opinion of course!
– Tara Reed
P.S. This was one of many tips covered in the “Trade Show Tactics Teleseminar” for artists exhibiting at art licensing trade shows. Even if you missed the live event, you can still get in on the learning – the recording is now available. So if you are exhibiting or bringing someone new to help in your booth – CLICK HERE to learn more.
MAC users: Tired of worrying about remembering passwords & identity theft?
I have found a great solution! Thanks once again to the recommendation of Matthew Bookspan (http://www.twitter.com/mbookspan) I discovered 1Password.
Does this sound at all familiar?
- “I know I should use passwords with no meaning to me but then I can’t remember them.”
- “I know I shouldn’t use the same password on more than one website but it is too hard to keep track of so I have a few I use regularly.”
- “I have a spreadsheet on my computer listing all the websites, user names and passwords. I can’t remember how to login to things without it.”
If it does you are not alone. I had about 5 passwords I used for about 50 websites — and I still had to look up the user name / password combinations! So one day as I sat trying to find and guess my password while upgrading my Daylite contact management software, Matthew kindly said, “Tara, I think I have a program you should look into.”
That software is 1Password and it is AWESOME! Here is what the makers of it have to say…
Too Many Passwords to Remember?
1Password takes care of all your online passwords so you can use strong and unique passwords for every site and never forget any of them! Here are just a few of the unique features of 1Password:
- Enters online usernames and passwords so that you don’t have to remember them.
- Strong Password Generator automatically creates and fills passwords.
- Built-in Anti-Phishing and Keylogger Protection provides security and peace of mind.
- Take your information anywhere on your iPhone/iPod touch or Palm.
- Goes far beyond Safari’s AutoFill.
In short, 1Password keeps track of all your web passwords, automates sign-in, guards from identity theft, and allows you to stop worrying about your safety while online. 1Password is a priceless utility for only $39.95 with a 100% Money-Back Guarantee.
____________________________
CLICK HERE to visit the website, watch the video about how it works and get started. (I have no vested interest in you doing this – just sharing helpful resources that I love.)
There is also a free app you can download to have your passwords on your iPhone. That helps with the one downside I found to the system — if you use someone else’s computer, best of luck logging in anywhere! With the iPhone app I can find my crazy, safe and encrypted passwords if I am ever away from my computer or laptop.
With 1Password, you only have to remember 1 master password so your passwords and information is protected if someone else is on your computer – I think we are all capable of that!
SO… if you are a Mac user, I’d check it out. The security alone is worth the $39.95 and the speed of the program auto-filling in info is an added bonus.
~ Tara
P.S. Thanks again for another great resource Matthew!
P.P. S. If you are a PC user and have something to recommend, let me know and I’ll post that as well. I’m a MAC girl so those are the solutions I find.
When is the last time you unplugged and got inspired?
Spring has been teasing the Pacific Northwest… we just had quite a few warm, sunny days in Portland – a wonderful change from the gray and drizzle. Craig decided I needed to get the heck out of my studio (I agreed!) so we jumped in the car on Monday and headed for the coast. (I grew up on the east coast and we went to “the beach” — here in Oregon, you go to “the coast”.) I thought I’d share some of the scenery and inspiration to be found about an hour and a half from Portland.
About 45 minutes from my house is “Camp 18″ a restaurant built in 1970 to model and old logging camp. They have old logging equipment, a railroad car or two and a new addition: an elephant made of moss. Only in Oregon will you find an elephant made of moss! It is called “Camp 18″ because the logging camps would be named by their location and this restaurant is at mile marker 18 on highway 26. I love to stop for breakfast on my way to the coast. If you are ever visiting Portland I highly recommend it – it is not your average breakfast joint – and who wouldn’t want to go eat at a place with an axe for a door handle?
To learn more about Camp 18, visit their website at: www.camp18restaurant.com
After filling our bellies and taking a few “My Space” photos (that’s what my son calls it when I hold my arm out to take my own photo!) we continued west to the coast.
We went to Seaside and then to my favorite, Cannon Beach. Cannon Beach is a great art town – it’s quieter and less commercial than Seaside (which is why my 15 year old prefers Seaside). Cannon Beach is also known for its cool art galleries. And of course, the big rock in the water that looks like a Haystack – to me, it IS the Oregon coast.
I have been so busy in my studio that getting out and seeing what is going on not only with licensing but in galleries got my creative juices flowing! I highly recommend you do it too Go somewhere new, see new scenery, new stores, new galleries, it will make you think and see your own work differently and if you are like me, you will come home energized and recharged!
Driving along the coast, wandering through towns with no destination and just enjoying the day was refreshing, rejuvinating and just a heck of a lot of fun. So grab a friend, a loved one, a child or anyone else you enjoy spending time with and have an adventure!
~ Tara
Here a FONT, there a FONT, everywhere a FONT FONT…
We see fonts everywhere, but what do you really know about them? What type of fonts are best for books and which are better for websites? What types of fonts convey emotion, what were the monks using in the 13th century? When you buy a font, what are you allowed to do with it?
These questions and more were answered when I interviewed Joyce Lukaczer, the “Font Site Diva” from, you guessed it, www.FontSite.com, on my “Ask Tara Reed” call on April 15, 2009.
Artists asked their questions and I added a few as well and we received a great education about fonts and how to better understand and use them in our art, on our websites and more.
The 51 minute audio recording is available for a mere $10 — what a deal for all the information you get! Here is a list of what we covered:
• Explanation of the 8 main font classifications and general ideas of when to use them.
• Explanation of the different font formats: True Type, Post Script type 1 and Open Type
• What a “font family” is and why you would need one.
• What elements to look for when choosing a font to fit an image or design.
• How to determine if you can use a font as part of your art for licensing.
• Some basic information about www.FontSite.com – font sources, the fontographer, etc.
• What you can do with fonts purchased at www.FontSite.com
• How can we make our own fonts?
BUY THE AUDIO RECORDING for only $10
Although Joyce is involved in www.FontSite.com – where you can get exclusive fonts not available anywhere else – she was also kind enough to give us some other resources to look at. More details are on the audio but here are the links she mentioned:
Do keyword searches and see what fonts come up at:
Create your own fonts online at:
Font creation software (much more advanced):
More detailed information about font licensing can be found here
THANK YOU JOYCE!
So, if you’d like all the details, CLICK HERE to buy the audio.
Have a “fontastic” day! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)
~ Tara
P.S. Thru April 29, 2009 you can use the coupon code “ASKTARA” to receive 30% off any fonts purchased at www.FontSite.com. (They are already a great deal!) Thanks for that as well Joyce!
P.P.S. The next AskTaraReed.com call will be on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 5:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm EST. Click on over and send in your questions today. Listen live and the call is free!
A Quick & Easy Way to Get Business Card Info to Your Computer
Have you ever gone to a networking event, trade show or other location where you leave with a pile of business cards in your pocket? I love looking at the different layouts and designs (especially artist’s cards –they are usually the most ‘visually pleasing’).
Are you like me, and do you often end up with this same pile of cards sitting on your desk for weeks or months, waiting to be added to a Rolodex, Excel Spreadsheet or some other organization system? You dust around the pile, heck – I have been know to dust the actual pile before finding the time or energy to do the data entry.
BUT NOW I HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION!
When I was getting trained on my oh-most-awesome contact management software a few weeks ago (you remember, DAYLITE – Mac only, sorry PC users) Matthew Bookspan told me about a great service. (I am just about as excited about this as I am about Daylite)
Here is how it works:
- You mail your pile of business cards to them.
- They touch them with a magic wand, or scan them or something, and send you a data file with all the information.
- You import the data into your Excel file, database, Daylite or whatever system you use.
- Then you do a happy dance because you just saved yourself hours of tedious data entry.
I know what you are thinking… it sounds expensive. NOPE! For $29.95 you can have up to 100 cards done… look at the website for rates for larger quantities.
I used the service and it went without a hitch. Yeah! I plan to take all my cards from SURTEX and mail them in too. Never again will these fingers type names, email addresses and phone numbers… I’m on CLOUD 9 since finding www.CloudContacts.com.
If you’ve had the same piles, dust collectors and frustration, I encourage you to check it out!
~ Tara
PS — If you are exhibiting at SURTEX, don’t forget to check out the Teleseminar I’m having next Tuesday – April 21st – to get you confident and ready to go. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
How Jumping Up & Down in a Store Can Help You Connect to Your End-User
On Tuesday, April 7, 2009 I had the pleasure of talking to two quilting club groups at the Craft Warehouse in Aloha, Oregon. This store has an amazing quilting and fabric department whose size is very deceptive – they pack a great variety of fabric in a small space.
The first Tuesday of January I was wandering around the store and not only found some of my fabric, but the quilt panel was sewn together and hanging as a sample! Woo-Hoo! COOL! Who could I tell? This very nice lady named Phyliss came by so she was the winner. It turns out she coordinates the monthly quilt club at the store (it meets the first Tuesday of the month at 1 pm and 6:30 pm). When I told her I was a designer for South Sea Imports and they carried some of my designs, she asked me to come and talk to the group.
So yesterday I told two groups of women about the design process — from idea to color to creating patterns. We had Q&A and they had some great questions. It was so nice to get out of the studio and connect with people who use my products — and see what they are doing with fabric in general to keep my creative juices flowing.
I connected with a few quilters who are interested in learning about art licensing or know artists who would be interested. I met a woman who does long-arm quilting and lives 3 blocks from me. I enjoyed interacting with the end consumer, gained more insight into what they want and how they use the fabric I design and got some local exposure to my brand (that would be me, “Tara Reed Designs”).
While most of licensing is done on a larger than local scale, don’t underestimate the power of personal connections with consumers and creative people in your own back yard. A little food for thought…
Tara
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