In order to succeed in any business, art licensing being no exception, you need to look at both the big and small picture. It is important to understand what is going on and coming up in the industry at large as well as keeping an eye on the day-to-day operations of your business.
Binoculars let you see farther than you can with your eyes alone. This would be the perspective you are looking for when you are trying to spot trends or forecast your royalty potential for the coming year, for example. This is the work of strategic thinking and planning for your business.
If you notice a new color trend emerging in clothing or furniture, then decide that you will use it in your next art collection - you have your binoculars on. You also have your binoculars on when you register to attend or exhibit at trade shows or make other forward thinking plans.
But no business can thrive with only binoculars. "Watch the big things and the little things will take care of themselves" doesn't really apply.
So now let's consider a microscope. The microscope allows scientists to see minute details that aren't visible with the naked eye. Looking at your business through a microscope is akin to watching the details. Creating your daily or weekly 'to do' list, watching cash flow, responding to emails, things like that. If a company or an artist only looks at their business through a microscope, they will miss changes in the market that could negatively affect their business. They might miss key trends on the horizon and not add them to the mix.
The key to a successful business is to use both binoculars and a microscope.
If you are the only person in your business, you need to learn to use both. Or perhaps you have several team members who take different roles. A book keeper works with a microscope with the finance guy, who forecasts and looks at money in a more long-term way, has binoculars firmly in hand. Balancing the long and short term needs of your business will help you stay in business.
– Tara Reed
P.S. If you want help in creating the long-term and short-term balance in your business, consider The Goal Wheel for Artists™. You will learn strategies for balancing the three main areas you need to focus on to build a successful, creative business. Head to www.TheGoalWheelForArtists.com for more information.
SEO - or Search Engine Optimization - can help your business. If your website comes up on the first page or 2 when someone enters specific keywords, you could get new clients, more awareness for your art or products, press coverage and more.
If you listened to the free Ask About SEO for Artists call in February 2010 with Daniel Tardent, you might remember that he mentioned that the website for the call was coming up on p. 1 of search engines if someone searched "SEO for Artists". By adding the key words to the URL, being very specific and honing in on niche key words and simply paying attention to keywords, meta tags and descriptions, I was able to do well. (If you missed it, the replay is available for free - go to www.AskAboutSEOforArtists.com to get your copy.)
I recently learned the power of SEO when Women's World Magazine contacted me for an article about Bunco.
I have a website, PrintYourOwnBunco.com - that has themed Bunco party kits. In case you don’t know about Bunco, it’s a dice game that got its start in the Victorian Era. Played by an estimated 7 million women in the US on a monthly basis – Bunco serves as the cornerstone of girlfriend gatherings. 12 players. Rolling Dice. Taking chances. Keeping score. Beyond a dice game of chance, Bunco gives women throughout the U.S. a reason to get out and have fun with neighbors and friends.
The article was in the August 30, 2010 issue - p. 26 if you want to check it out!
I obviously did a decent job with the SEO because the magazine found me. They even featured some of the art from free Bunco Score Sheets (the Bunco Queen theme) and a link to my website. This kind of national coverage will surely drive traffic to my site, what happens then remains to be seen. I'm of course hoping for good things!
So, the next time you think filling out the SEO details on your website is too tedious or learning about SEO in the first place is a waste of time, think again!
Here's to your creative and SEO success!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Check out Daniel Tardent's "SEO for Artists" eBook* - it is packed with great information!
* this is an affiliate link and I will earn a small commission if you click this link and decide to make a purchase. (Thanks!)
I'm often asked how to spot trends. Trends are all around us - the key is to learn to spot them when they are just starting and not when they are already big and about to jump the proverbial shark. There is no tried and true way to be sure that something is a trend - but you can develop habits of noticing things. If you start to see things multiple times - for example, all of the sudden you notice butterflies on clothing then butterflies on home decor - you can take an educated guess that butterfiles are trending.
Here's a silly video about trend spotting that I was inspired to create today because a few of my friends called me from an event in New Jersey and I felt like the grounded kid missing the slumber party. We were joking on Facebook and Twitter about NJ - and I asked if I needed to wear a Bump-It to join the fun. (Not that I could since I was sitting in my studio in Oregon!) Then inspiration hit - my friend Angela and I headed to the store to pick up a Bump-It and the rest is crazy accent history. (Please forgive my slipping into a southern accent at the very end... oops!)
Alyson Stanfield, also known as the Art Biz Coach, recently emailed me to get my opinion on this question she received from an artist. Since I've never done gallery work, I gave her my best guess and suggested she let me share her opinions with everyone over here at the Art Licensing Blog. Here is what Alyson had to say...
How does this affect the gallery and or collectors who hold the originals. As the artist we retain the right to the image, yes? So, do we have to notify the gallery that it's going into licensing? or the collector who purchased the original?
Yes, it’s true that you retain the right to the image. I encourage artists and galleries to educate collectors* of this fact at the time of sale.
No, it isn’t required that you notify a gallery or collector that their original image has gone into mass reproduction. BUT, it is a courtesy. If you want to maintain healthy relationships with people, you should look at the situation from their point of view.
Collectors of original artwork aren’t necessarily savvy about the reproduction market. They have no need to be because it’s not where their interests lie.
Imagine being a collector of originals who happens to run into a work of art you think no one else in the world owns? You and I both know that owning reproductions isn’t the same as owning the original, but it has the potential to be an unpleasant surprise to the collector.
With a little bit of effort on your part, the collector will be thrilled to own the original source of such a popular image.
Now, about those galleries.
You should always notify a gallery that your work is going to be licensed. If you think a collector might be unpleasantly surprised coming across multiples of your work, increase that unpleasantness tenfold to get a gallery’s response. Or, just say bye-bye to the gallery.
The gallery has invested time, space, and sweat into selling your work. Check your contract with the gallery first and then discuss the situation with the gallerist. I would encourage this step before signing a contract with the licensing company. I would further hope that you would discuss this in advance of joining other gallery stables.
It’s much harder to overcome damage to a relationship than it is to notify collectors and galleries in the first place.
– Alyson Stanfield, The ArtBiz Coach
Thank you for sharing your insights Alyson - helpful as always!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Alyson is the author of "I'd rather be in the studio!"* a great business reference for any artist serious about their business. I highly recommend it for your art library. She also has a wide array of audio and live class options that you can see on her site at www.ArtBizCoach.com*
* I'm proud to be an affiliate of Alyson's and the links in this post are my affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you click them an make a purchase. I appreciate your support - it helps me keep blogging!
If you are new to the art licensing business, organizing your data might seem like no big deal. You create art, you show it to manufacturers, they license it and you get paid. What's so hard about that? Nothing when you are starting out and have the mental capacity to remember everything.
But what happens as you grow?
More art… More manufacturers… More contracts… Montracts coming up for renewal… Mew people interested in the same art… Ms it available in that category? Who has licensed that collection again? Where did I jot the notes? Which contract should I look at again?
And don't forget the art collections - what are the names, are they coded, what are the codes, where is it backed up, have copyrights been submitted, have you received your registration numbers… ?
The data you need to manage and coordinate grows like a snowball rolling down hill - you want to control it as early as possible!
I'm very excited to announce that there is now a solution that is accessible to any artist serious about licensing. I've been working with Hal at CampSoftware.com to create a database for my business and from the start, wanted to design something that could work for others as well. (I honestly think he dismissed this idea with a "yeah, yeah, another one of those clients" at first, but then he came around!)
Here's a video demo of the just released Art Licensing Manager. This product is sold through CampSoftware.com but because I paid to have it developed and decided how it should function, I'll get a commission for each product sold. (Consider that the FTC disclosure, thanks!) Watch the video then get all the nitty-gritty details over at www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/data.html. You can download a free trial to see how you like it before you commit to buying the full software - what have you got to lose? Check it out today - this has been a business-changing system addition for me and I hope it can be for you as well!
Last Saturday I had the honor and fun of heading to Seaside, Oregon to see Paul Brent at work in the monthly Art Walk. Nestled in the Fairweather House and Garden on Broadway Paul was working on a new oil painting. Never having painted with oils - except in maybe 7th grade which I don't think counts – I was watching the process in awe. It didn't seem as scary as I'd made it out to be in my head.
I was amazed at the number of paintings - both watercolors and originals - Paul had done of local homes and seascapes. Just as in the licensing side of his business, he can produce, produce, produce for the original / gallery side of things too.
They served wine and hors d'oeuvres, people milled about and many stopped to talk with Paul while he worked.
I've never done anything like this so I found it very interesting to watch and study. How is doing an Art Walk similar or different to art licensing?
The Art Walk was similar to licensing, in that Paul was there presenting his brand. His art, style and the way he interacted with shoppers were all a part of it. Much like showing his art and interacting with manufacturers at a trade show.
A key difference was the subject matter. In licensing, art often has to have a broader appeal - the beach should look more generic so it could sell on both coasts for example. However when selling originals in a beach community - people are more apt to expect art from the local area.
This is a great example of how you need to understand your customers - during the Art Walk they were people who would potentially buy originals for their homes. (Yes, he sold a few!) For licensing, the customer is the manufacturer who doesn't want to sell one of a kinds but quantities of a product.
Thanks again Paul for letting me come and enjoy the event!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Mark your calendar now! Paul Brent will be the October 20, 2010 Ask Call expert. In addition to answering questions from artists, Paul Brent will discuss how to plan your art collections for a trade show. Planning your collections, pacing yourself to get the work done and designing for trends for the new year. Head to www.AskPaulBrent.com to submit your question at any time.
If your house burnt down and you lost all of your clothes, what would you buy first? Would you buy an expensive and flashy cocktail dress that people would remember - and realize that you were wearing day after day - or would you go for the basics - jeans, basic shirts and of course, black pants. (Assuming of course, that you are a woman. I hope no men that read this blog are going to head right out and buy cocktail dresses! But if you do, I won't judge!) Most people would get the basics and then build their wardrobe from there. So do you follow that approach when building your art licensing portfolio?
When I work with artists who are new to the industry and just starting to think and design in collections, they are often very stressed and need direction. They have so many great ideas and concepts but don't know what to do first. I find myself talking about black pants.
If you are just starting out, it's a good idea to create some basics that will give you a good idea of how your art will fit in the industry before branching out into more niche topics.
If you paint holiday themed art for example, create Christmas and Halloween collections first since they are some of the most licensed holidays - don't start with Grandparents Day because the need for that type of art is very limited. Your "black pants" would be Christmas - which manufacturers are looking for year after year.
Now let's say you like doing coastal art. Your "black pants" might be generic beaches with palm trees and your "party dress" is a very specific and identifiable beach scene. The generic beach will appeal to more manufacturers but there will be those looking for specific locations as well.
If you build your foundation of art to present to manufacturers when you are starting out, you will get better feedback. Instead of "we don't need art from that island" they many say, "We like the scene but the colors are a little off." Any feedback can then be used to strengthen the next collection you work on.
Of course even artists who have been in licensing for a while might check their portfolio and see if it could use another pair or two of black pants... sometimes it's the basics that keep you in business.
I got an email the other day saying that a friend recommended this blog for TeachStreet's Featured Blogger Program. (Thank you unknown friend!) Having never heard of TeachStreet before, I decided I should do my due diligence before adding the badge to the blog (you will find it down on the right).
So what kind of due diligence did I do?
First, I went to the website to see what they were all about. Looked interesting...
Next I went to compete.com to see what kind of web traffic they get. VERY interesting... they get a lot so they must be offering something of value.
Then, I wandered about the site some more and finally decided, this is the kind of website I'm proud to be associated with.
Since I had never heard about it, you may not have either. Here is what TeachStreet is all about - directly from their "about" page:
About TeachStreet
TeachStreet is a place to Teach or Learn Anything.
TeachStreet is a dynamic online community that brings motivated learners and talented teachers together. On one hand, this is a place where people who love to learn can find classes that are just right for them. On the other, we offer a public forum that helps teachers, coaches, and other experts share what they know. In the process, TeachStreet helps these experts grow their businesses with simple online tools they can use to promote their classes, workshops and special events. So they can then focus on what they do best—teach.
In short, the TeachStreet team is a bunch of dreamers and tech geeks who want to encourage people to get away from their computers, get out into the real world, and learn something new. So we support that goal by helping people find experts in their own neighborhoods who can teach them face-to-face.
TeachStreet is privately-funded and located in downtown Seattle, WA. We've formally launched in major cities all over the U.S. and are growing bigger all the time. In fact, customers have listed classes in more than 500 cities across the country.
Joining TeachStreet is absolutely free, and it takes only a few minutes to register. Once you become a member, you can take advantage of all of TeachStreet's features and benefits. Members can:
Review classes: Students can spread the word about classes they love, or get the scoop on a course they've been thinking about taking. And teachers can promote their work with starred reviews that tout their skills.
Search (and be found) with ease: No more wasting hours online trying to find a class, or bugging friends for a lead. TeachStreet makes it easy to search thousands of local classes, by subject or teacher.
Achieve your goals: Teachers can grow their businesses while doing what they love; and students can browse articles, take classes, and get the resources they need to learn something new.
Our beginnings:
TeachStreet is the brainchild of Dave Schappell. (Yes, it's pronounced like the Dave Chappelle. And sadly, no, our Dave isn't that funny, but we like him anyway).
Before launching TeachStreet, Dave worked at Seattle-based Amazon.com as a Director of Product Development, and later as the Vice President of Marketing at JibJab in Southern California. While he was at JibJab in warm and sunny Santa Monica, Dave decided that a scooter would be a great way to commute. Two problems though: 1) He returned to not-so-warm-and-sunny Seattle and 2) He had no idea how to drive the aforementioned scooter.
Undaunted, Dave sought a teacher at his scooter dealership and was directed to an old bulletin board at the back of the store. Thinking, “There’s got to be a better way,” Dave discovered that there wasn’t. So he created one. And—after a bit of brainstorming, many sticky notes, and some generous funding from investors—TeachStreet was born.
Dave’s hope is that by making it easier to connect learners and top-notch local teachers, TeachStreet can, in its own small way, help build stronger communities and contribute to putting smarter and more interesting humans out there in the world.
Go to the homepage at www.TeachStreet.com and they will know where you are and show you the types of classes that are available in your area. (The internet is an amazing thing!) You don't have to learn about art either - step outside your creative box and take a yoga class, learn to salsa dance, learn about the stars in an Astronomy class - this is a pretty cool website!
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you are just in sync with things? Last week an artist asked if I had any written information or eBooks about copyright law and registering copyrights. I answered, "Unfortunately, no."
Not four days later and I get an email from Sarah Feingold, telling me about her eBook called... Copyright for Artists. Talk about timing!
I went and bought a copy at the introductory price of $14 because I didn't want to recommend something to you that I had never seen. (It's just not how I operate.) A legal book that can make me laugh is a hit in my eyes. Sarah was a jeweler and wanted to protect her creations so what did she do? Became an attorney! That amuses me. She is saving us from years of study by creating the eBook - thank you Sarah!
After looking the eBook over, I will be adding it to the website and can put my "Tara Reed stamp of approval" on it for what that is worth to you. It has a great explanation of the legal terms and differences between copyright, trademark, patents and more as well as detailed information about what the different sections of the online copyright registration system are asking for. (It is a bit confusing at first.)
Here's to your creative and legally protected success!
– Tara Reed
FTC disclosure: These are affiliate links and I will receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Thank you for your support - commissions help me have time to keep blogging!
The other day, I re-learned a lesson that I knew, but have chosen to disregard in many areas of my business. The lesson is:
If you read instructions and learn to do things efficiently, you will save time and effort in the long-run.
I know that men get an especially bad rap for never reading instructions, but I will be woman enough to admit that sometimes I skip them too.
Other sayings that say the same thing include "Look before you leap" or "Measure twice, cut once" - I sometimes leap and cut my way to a more complicated day!
I figure out the basics and then charge ahead - often to the detriment of my work flow and time. How many times have I said, "I'm self-taught on Photoshop. I'm sure there is so much more I could be doing with it, but I'm too busy to take the time to take a class, watch tutorials, learn new things..." That applies to many other programs on my computer as well.
If you read my blog regularly you will realize what a fan I am of Daylite - a contact management software system for the Mac. And how many times have I lavished great praise on Matthew Bookspan, a Daylite partner who I hired to talk me through the setup. He asked questions, learned what I wanted the software to do and helped me get it ready to roll. Maybe I wouldn't be writing this post if I had a Matthew for every software program... but alas, I don't.
One of my goals for 2010 is to start documenting what I do in my business and creating systems. As of December 2009, everything that was done was stored in my brain. What would happen if something happened to me? What happens if I *gasp* want to go on vacation and not check email - truly leaving someone else in charge for a bit? Without anything in writing, that would be impossible.
The first thing I decided to document was the Ask Call procedures. Everything I do, all the systems I use, to do the free monthly calls. Shouldn't be too bad, right? You would be amazed how much goes into it - 57 pages of documentation and I'm not sure every last bit is there.
When I started, I decided to split the information up into a group of Word Documents - I had 6, each on a different category. The websites, the audios, etc. But then it became a mess to find anything - the process was long and the page numbers kept repeating and trying to do a table of contents was ... well... not an easy task.
So I slowed down and learned how to set up my Word document so it would create and update the Table of Contents for me. By spending 30 minutes googling I found a great article about how to easily accomplish what I wanted (Microsoft Word 2008 Generating a Table of Contents), thought through my document, set up my headings that would be pulled for the TOC and got down to business. I then had to copy and paste from the 6 different documents to create one master Ask Call plan, but it was well worth the effort! Now it will be easy to see where the information is that I need - or better yet, that an assistant needs - to get things done. And the next thing I document will be faster still because I'll do it right the first time.
I'm sure there are many of you shaking your head that I didn't know how to do this - but I didn't. We all start at different places with technology and computer programs. The point is, we are all very busy with many demands on our time - sometimes it's easy to justify saying,
There may be a better way, but I know this way so I'll just get it done.
and to believe that you are saving yourself time and accomplishing more. I'm here today to question that theory. It isn't always true. My new theory is
LEARN BEFORE YOU LEAP.
I'll be asking myself if there is a better, more efficient way, on a daily basis, will you?
Binoculars let you see farther than you can with your eyes alone. This would be the perspective you are looking for when you are trying to spot trends or forecast your royalty potential for the coming year, for example. This is the work of strategic thinking and planning for your business.
So now let's consider a microscope. The microscope allows scientists to see minute details that aren't visible with the naked eye. Looking at your business through a microscope is akin to watching the details. Creating your daily or weekly 'to do' list, watching cash flow, responding to emails, things like that. If a company or an artist only looks at their business through a microscope, they will miss changes in the market that could negatively affect their business. They might miss key trends on the horizon and not add them to the mix.
I have a website, 
When I work with artists who are new to the industry and just starting to think and design in collections, they are often very stressed and need direction. They have so many great ideas and concepts but don't know what to do first. I find myself talking about black pants.
TeachStreet is the brainchild of Dave Schappell. (Yes, it's pronounced like the Dave Chappelle. And sadly, no, our Dave isn't that funny, but we like him anyway).
