Ask Calls in case you are going through withdrawl
There is no official ask call this month – the next will be on July 20, 2011 with me. Head to www.AskTaraReed.com to submit your questions.
If you are worried that you will go through withdrawl without us, check out some of the free replays of past calls.
Here are the links to free replays with artists… have you heard them all?
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
We’ll be live again next month – talk to you then!
– Tara Reed
Giving Thanks
Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. – a day when we gather in groups to eat too much, watch football, cook, laugh and give thanks. I would like to give thanks for all the wonderful things that have been going on in my art licensing info business – none of which would be possible with you.
I give thanks for…
… the internet.
Without we wouldn’t have a way to connect via blog, social media, chat and more. Before the internet our ability to connect with others was usually limited to where we lived or where we traveled. Now we can click a few buttons and learn, interact and absorb so many things!
… the Ask Call experts who have been kind enough to share their knowledge with you.
Here’s a list of everyone from the past 2 years – you can get a free mp3 of the first call (if there have been a few) with them by clicking the links and registering for the replay.
- Paul Brent. www.AskPaulBrent.com
- Mary Engelbreit. www.MaryEngelbreit.com/askme/
- Dena. www.AskDenaDesigns.com
- Jill Seale. www.AskJillSeale.com
- Daniel Tardent (SEO expert) www.AskAboutSEOforArtists.com
- Kim Beasley (WordPress expert) www.AskAboutWordPressForArtists.com
- Hal Gumbert (database expert) www.AskAboutArtLicensingDataManagement.com
- Suzanne Cruise (agent) www.AskSuzanneCruise.com
- Cheryl Hodgson (attorney) www.AskCherylHodgson.com
- pre-thanks go out to Drew and Maria Brophy who will be our experts in January. www.AskDrewBrophy.com
… social media.
I love being able to connect with artists and more – regardless of where they are – on social media. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are my favorites and yes, in that order.
… 1ShoppingCart.
Yup! My shopping cart provider makes the list – with this one resource I organize my eNews lists, broadcasts, product sales and delivery, coupons, and affiliate programs. It’s a great service to get things done – all in one place. (here’s my affiliate link in case you need this too: www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?pr=1&id=130170)
… you!
Of course, last but not least, this wouldn’t be fun at all if I didn’t have anyone to interact with. So thank you for your friendship, your feedback and your enthusiasm.
– Tara Reed
What I learned about fishing and art licensing from the movie “The Social Network”
My son and I went to see “The Social Network” – the story of Facebook and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. When I Tweeted that I didn’t know the history of Facebook and found the movie interesting, a follower was quick to point out that this movie was more story than history and not overly accurate.
In an article by The New York Times, entitled No Stopping Movie View of Mark Zuckerberg , they say:
The film’s truthfulness, however, has been strongly questioned in forums like Slate, the online magazine, and The New Republic .
Many of those who know Mr. Zuckerberg argue that it is inaccurate in significant ways. David Kirkpatrick, who wrote a company-authorized history of Facebook titled “The Facebook Effect,” said, “The reality is, it’s a really good movie — however, it’s not a true story.” Mr. Kirkpatrick has written critically about the movie on the Web site The Daily Beast.
The article has an interesting analysis of what legal recourse might be available for the less than documentary portrayal that many people seeing it believe to be “the true story” as well as the potential implications for Facebook if the movie continues to grow in popularity. Interesting - CLICK HERE TO READ IT.
Of course, as I am apt to do, I found something in the movie that reminded me of art licensing and thought I’d share my thoughts. In one scene, Napster founder asks Mark Zuckerberg if he’s ever seen a fisherman with a photo of the 14 trout he caught in a day. No, of course not. Fishermen keep photos of the big Marlins – not the many small fish. So he then asks – do you want Facebook to be a Marlin or trout?
Not being a fisher-woman myself, I still found this to be an interesting analogy.
Who are the artists in licensing catching the Marlins and who are getting trout?
Who are you?
- If you are just getting started, you are basically shopping for gear – the pole, the bait, finding the place to cast your line. You are learning about how to create the art, who to contact, what to create.
- If you’ve been in licensing a while and have licensed products featuring your art, you are certainly collecting trout. (That’s where I put myself.)
But how do you get the Marlin?? Is there a magic formula, some secret fishing hole that only a select few know about… I don’t think so. I believe the secret to getting the Marlin is consistent and persistent hard work – both on the art and the business. That is what we are striving to do at ArtLicensingInfo.com – provide valuable tools for artists getting started and catching trout – to help you improve your chances of getting that big fish for your business.
If you want to get your mp3 replays of the hour long Ask Call audios from some artists who have caught the proverbial “Big Fish” of art licensing - Paul Brent, Mary Engelbreit and Dena of Dena Designs – click the links below. They are free once you sign up.
www.AskPaulBrent.com
www.MaryEngelbreit.com/askme
www.AskDenaDesigns.com
Paul Brent will be doing the October 20, 2010 call so be sure to submit your questions today and mark your calendar to listen! (details at www.AskPaulBrent.com)
In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the trailer for the movie.
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Have you bookmarked the Art Licensing Info Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/ArtLicensingInfo ? Head over and say hello!
P.P.S. See all the past call replays that are available for free or for a small fee at www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/audio-archives.html
Dena of Dena Designs over-delivered with great insights about art licensing!
Last night artist Dena of Dena Designs joined us for the Monthly Art Licensing Info Ask Call Series. As always – another great call! I am always thrilled and honored to be able to interview others in the industry who have built great businesses and are willing to share their insights and experiences with the rest of us. Over 120 artists listened live and I’m sure hundreds more will enjoy the replay. My mouth was on the floor when she told us how she got into art licensing – with one paint brush and a pizza pan! (Seriously!)
In case you missed the call, here is what you can learn if you download the free mp3 replay…
We began with some background on Dena’s beginnings in art licensing and how she grew her business. Other topics included:
- How did you get on the DIY Network show, “Embellish This”?
- Is your art done by hand or computer?
- What advice do you have for artists just starting out?
- Any ideas for how to network other than trade shows?
- Did you ever have doubts about your ability to succeed in licensing?
- How do you create your repeat patterns?
- What do you feel is the key to personal branding?
- I have an existing product line, how would you recommend I evolve into licensing?
- How do you approach trend spotting?
- How do you use your blog in your business?
- What inspires you?
- Is it best to create designs for art licensing in a series? How many do you think an artist should have before putting them “out there”?
To get your free mp3, sign up below.
Fun on Social Media!
During the call, it was great to see what people were saying on Twitter and Facebook.com/ArtLicensingInfo – here are a few of the comments -
FROM TWITTER…
#ask @ArtistTaraReed> Dena says shopping & looking at manufacturers of products is a BIG plus 4 licensors.
“Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to building an art licensing business.” #ask
#ask @artisttarareed Dena thinks of her work as a regular job & tries to stay on track – even working out of her home.
Great call with Dena! Lots of “Pearls of Wisdom” from a Pro 
FROM FACEBOOK…
That was amazing and inspirational. Ha! I won’t get my hopes up but maybe I won’t beat up on myself so much about not meeting art school standards.
Tara…. Fabulous call with Dena!
Yes, unfortunately it is called a morgue. I remember this from my old magazine editor days. (morgue relating to reference material clippings…)
Here’s what is coming up next…
Wednesday, October 20, 2010: www.AskPaulBrent.com
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.
Wednesday, November 15, 2010: www.AskAboutArtLicensingDataManagement.com
I will have Hal Gumpert, the FileMaker developer who created my art licensing data base, on the line to explain in more detail how it works, and to answer any questions you have about it. Learn about the software at www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/data.html – then download a trial version to try it out and see what questions you have!
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara Reed
P.S. To see what we talked about on past Ask Calls, visit www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/audio-archives.html
P.P.S. During the call Dena talked about personal branding and was right in line with what Paul Brent taught in his teleseminar, “Brand Yourself for Success in Art Licensing”. For artists serious about this business – I highly recommend you check it out! www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/branding.html
P.P.S.S. Dena also loves working with an agent. Decide if an agent might be for you by taking the survey… go to www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/agent-or-alone.html
Dena of Dena Designs will be the newest Ask Call Expert – TONIGHT!
Just a quick reminder that Dena of Dena Designs will be answering the questions submitted by artists like you tonight. This is Dena’s first call and I’m so excited to learn more about her and her experiences and advice about art licensing!
If you’ve signed up for a call before, you should have received the dial-in details by email.
If you’ve never participated, head over to www.AskDenaDesigns.com and sign up. Since we have already organized the questions, you can just put “no question” in the box then fill in your name and email and you will get the dial-in details.
The call is at 5:30 pm Pacific / 8:30 pm Eastern and will last for an hour. It’s free to listen live and since it’s Dena’s first call – the replay will be free as well!
I look forward to chatting with you tonight!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Don’t forget! Let’s get social on Twitter (use #ask when tweeting so we can find you!) and Facebook during the call. CLICK HERE to download all the details.
The Ask Dena Designs call is in 2 weeks, have you submitted your question?
Two weeks from today our newest Ask Expert, Dena of Dena Designs, will be sharing her experience and expertise in Art Licensing. Are you going to join us on Wednesday, September 15th at 5:30 pm Pacific / 8:30 pm Eastern? Have you submitted a question?
Designer, TV Host, and entrepreneur, Dena founded internationally acclaimed Dena Designs Inc., as a full service design and merchandising studio. The studio has won 17 Louie Awards including Greeting Card of the Year from the international membership Greeting Card Association. Dena has also been nominated for Best Art Brand Program of the Year at the prestigious 2008 and 2009 annual LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards.
For more than 20 years, Dena Designs has created powerful best-sellers which have sold globally in the hottest stores, from specialty retailers to the nation’s leading chains. If you have a question for this art licensing power-house, head to www.AskDenaDesigns.com now and throw your query in the hat!
Want to see Dena in action?
Watch this video clip from an episode of “Embelish This!” on the DIY Network! I couldn’t get it to embed but click the link and you can watch it on the DIY site. How to turn a simple pair of shoes into Sassy Shoes with Dena. http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/sassy-shoes/5329.html
Here’s to your creative success – hope you join us on September 15th!
– Tara Reed
Cheryl Hodgson once again provided valuable insights into the legal issues surrounding art licensing
Once again, great questions were asked and helpful answers were given by Attorney Cheryl Hodgson. Last night Cheryl was my guest for the third time as part of the Art Licensing Info Monthly Ask Call Series – we had some technical excitement (something about Comcast and the conference call service switches maybe?) but I edited out as much of that as possible.
Here is what we covered:
- Should I make my company an LLC?
- How do business DBA’s work if I already have an LLC?
- How can I protect a product design concept that I might submit to a company with art?
- How to respond to Trademark infringement concerns.
- How do we determine if we can use what seem to be common sayings in our art, without having trademark issues?
- How do you protect your tagline?
- If we register copyrights in groups, does it limit our protection?
- What recourse do I have if I see something created commercially that looks a lot like an image I posted to my website?
- What are the rules about using paintings of private homes for commercial use?
- Should we add copyright watermarks to everything we post to the internet?
- Do I have to re-copyright art if a company slightly modifies previously registered work? Say color or layout changes?
- Can I still copyright my designs if I’ve posted them on my blog or printed them on cards?
- What should you do if you find out your images have been copied?
- Do you recommend artists audit licensee accounting records regularly?
If you want a copy of the audio replay, it is $15 through 8/28 and $25 thereafter. We appreciate your support in purchasing these calls – it helps us continue to attract and create the great content artists have come to love and expect each and every month!
What’s coming up next…
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 – NEW EXPERT Dena Fishbein will be answering your questions. Head to www.AskDenaDesigns.com to learn why I’m so excited to have Dena join the ranks of Ask Call Expert.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010: www.AskPaulBrent.com
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.
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Learn more about Cheryl Hodgson on her blog at www.BrandAideBlog.com – be sure to sign up for her ezine to continue to build your legal savvy muscle!
New Ask Expert on board for September 2010 – Dena of Dena Designs
I am very excited to announce that in September we will have another new art licensing expert on the line. As a new contributor to the Art Licensing Info Monthly Ask Call series, Dena has graciously agreed to share her more than 20 years of experience in art licensing with us.
I first became aware of Dena at a SURTEX trade show – she always has an amazing booth that is draped in fabric and very inviting. Then as I started designing fabric and thumbing through Quilting and Sewing magazines her name and face would show up again… Dena boasts an amazing career of art, design and honors in the industry – the studio has won 17 Louie Awards including Greeting Card of the Year from the international membership Greeting Card Association. Dena has also been nominated for Best Art Brand Program of the Year at the prestigious 2008 and 2009 annual LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards.
Dena knows art licensing. Designer, TV Host, and entrepreneur, Dena founded internationally acclaimed Dena Designs Inc., as a full service design and merchandising studio.
For more than 20 years, Dena Designs has created powerful best-sellers which have sold globally in the hottest stores, from specialty retailers to the nation’s leading chains. Join us for Dena’s live (FREE) 60 minute teleseminar on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 (5:30 pm Pacific / 8:30 pm Eastern).
To submit your questions, head to www.AskDenaDesigns.com
Dena has several home decor and scrapbooking books at Amazon.com – one of the most recent being “Embellish Your Home*”.
Learn more about Dena on her website, www.DenaDesigns.com and be sure to mark your calendar for Wednesday, September 15th, 2010 for this great new expert!
– Tara Reed
P.S. If you can’t make the live call, as is always the case with new experts, the audio replay will be available for free after the call.
FTC disclosure: The Amazon links are affiliate links and Tara Reed will receive a small commission if you click the link and make a purchase. Every little bit helps us keep blogging and creating these calls!
85 people listened to the “Ask Tara Reed” call live – were you one of them?
My sister, Christine, who many of you have met over the years at SURTEX or who you may have heard on the Trade Show Tactics Teleseminar, helped me on the July Ask Tara Reed call. We always have a lot of fun together – including her pre-call threats to do one of the following:
- forget the call completely and leave me stranded
- be asleep and if she woke up, she’d be groggy and hard to understand
- swear and embarrass me in any way she could come up with
- use different accents for each question
She didn’t forget and behaved very well. The only problem reported was that we sound so similar that sometimes people had a hard time figuring out who was talking. (We get that – especially over the phone. Lots of fun to tell our dad it’s “His favorite daughter” and listen to him pause – trying to figure out who it really is and then say the others name!)
Here is what we covered on the July 21st call:
- What are the first steps you should take before you try to license your art?
- Do you need an agent to license your art?
- Is it better to email or snail mail submissions to agents?
- Is there a “set” advance price for artwork?
- What types and sizes of files should you submit to agents or manufacturers?
- Should you follow online submission guidelines to the letter or make follow-up calls?
- How do I make calls to companies without sounding like a newbie?
- What are the pros & cons of a contract with a “worldwide” territory?
- How can I build marketable character-based art without having a Saturday morning tv show?
- Trade show preparation strategies / tips
- How do you use social media (Twitter, Blogs, LinkedIn) in your art licensing business.
Thank you so much to Laura for her fabulous question about cold calling and willingness to let us tease her (we are twitter friends so I knew it would be ok!)… we are now applying peer pressure to get her on the phone and then to report back on how it was, on the blog. Send her a message of encouragement on Twitter – she’s @CreativeGirl – to keep her moving forward.
Facebook was a little quieter than usual but on Twitter it was so cool to see people joining forces to stay accountable! Social media is such a great connector!
If you want a copy of the audio replay, it is $15 through 7/31 and $25 thereafter. We appreciate your support in purchasing these calls – it helps us continue to attract and create the great content artists have come to love and expect each and every month!
What’s coming up next…
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 – Attorney Cheryl Hodgson will be back to answer your legal questions. www.AskCherylHodgson.com
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 – NEW EXPERT Dena Fishbein will be answering your questions. Head to www.AskDenaDesigns.com to learn why I’m so excited to have Dena join the ranks of Ask Call Expert.
Connect
Business Resources*
