People like to buy from people they know and like.

How can anyone get to know you, if they don't already, on Amazon.com?  With video reviews, they can.

Here are the rules and requirements for any video review - of your product or someone elses - from Amazon.com.  (Not having read the rules before creating the review, I had to go back and take off my website url.)

General Review Creation Guidelines

Amazon wants your opinions to be heard!

We recommend your reviews be between 75 and 300 words long, but there is a 5,000 word maximum for written reviews. For video reviews, the maximum length is 10 minutes, and we recommend that you write a brief introduction - about 75 words or so.

Who can create customer reviews?

Customers! Anyone who has purchased items from Amazon and is in good standing in the Amazon community can create reviews.

What to include:

• Your review should focus on specific features of the product and your experience with it.
• The best reviews include not only whether you liked or disliked a product, but also why. Feel free to talk about other related products and how this item rates in comparison.

What not to include:

Amazon is pleased to provide this forum for you to air your opinions on the products we feature. While we appreciate your time and comments, we request that you refrain from including any of the following in your review:

• Spoilers! Please don't reveal crucial plot elements.
• Other people's material. Your thoughts and opinions are what matters.
• Time-sensitive material (i.e., promotional tours, seminars, lectures, etc.).
• Commenting on other reviews visible on the page. Other reviews and their position on the page are subject to change without notice.
• Profanity or spiteful remarks.
• Obscene or distasteful content.
• Single-word reviews. We want to know why you liked or disliked the item.
• Phone numbers, mail addresses, URLs.
• Advertisements, watermarks on videos, or promotional material.
• Availability, price, or alternative ordering/shipping information.
• Solicitations for helpful votes.

A review is not an appropriate place to tell us our catalog has typos in it. If you'd like to tell us about a specific problem, please contact-us.

Any review in violation of these guidelines will not be posted.

• Maximum file size: 100MB.
• Maximum length: 10 mins
• Accepted formats: avi, flv, mov, mpg, wmv

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here is a link to the 2010-2011 trade shows schedule (found it when I was looking up the NY Tabletop Show):
http://www.greatrep.com/trade_shows.asp

I'm sure there are many 'little' shows on it, but for an artist to walk a little (and presumably less expensive) show is a great way to get their feet wet, gain experience speaking with other artists, manufacturers, buyers, etc and gain some confidence.....I wish some of these were close to me so I could do that very thing!

also, links for gift shop magazine and stationery trends magazine:

http://www.giftshopmag.com/ (even though it's for retail shops, it helps to see what shop owners are ordering for their retail space)

http://www.stationerytrendsmag.com/

and another source I sometimes use is to check out the new home/design/scrapbooking etc. mags each month (house beautiful, etc), there are always new products/manufacturers showcased in them, and I check out the ads in the back of the magazine as well.

– Leigh
www.LeighHannan.com

Decision makers are not usually at the smaller shows, like the Gift Show in Seattle.  There you will find sales reps who probably on't know what to tell you.  You can get an idea of the product lines but not get contacts with decision makers.

Otherwise, great resources and great ideas.  Thanks so much Leigh!

– Tara Reed

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.

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!)

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!)

I hope this amuses and inspires you - I'm putting myself out there with this one!   @FawnKey, @KimBeasley, @KellyRudolph, @KellieFrazier, @AlexMandossian and the rest of my teleseminar secrets friends in New Jersey - this one's for you!

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Here's to your creative success!

– Tara Reed

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.

Why risk important relationships?*

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

– 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!

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!

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– Tara Reed

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.

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.

Here's to your creative success!

– Tara Reed

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:

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!

Head over to TeachStreet.com and learn something new today!

– Tara Reed

P.S. Thanks for reaching out - I'm excited to explore your site more.