Posted by Tara Reed on Jul 22, 2010 in Art Licensing
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.
Posted by Tara Reed on Jul 19, 2010 in Art Licensing
You might think that is a bad thing but I'm here to tell you - I'm so proud! One of my goals with my introductory information - be it the Beginner Basics Teleseminar or How to Get Started in Art Licensing eBook or any of the interviews I do with others - is to polarize people.
When you are trying to make a living as an artists, being neutral or unsure about many paths is a dangerous place to be.
To sit and say, "Well... I could do kids books. Or I could create things and sell them on Etsy. Maybe I'll do website design. Why don't I license my work. Hey - here's an art gallery - I should try that." This type of artist will more than likely be confused and going in too many directions to get anything done well or make any significant progress.
Many artists like the concept of art licensing - they like the idea of being paid by multiple people for the same art collection. They like that they can get paid over a period of time and share in the success (or less than stellar success) of the product without have to do the production, marketing, etc. If they are left to focus on that, with little or no information about what it takes on a daily basis and from a creative standpoint to get the deals and licenses in the first place, they could waste a lot of time.
That's where my mission comes in and I've had it from day 1: give some real world examples of what it takes so artists will know right away if it isn't going to be a fit or if licensing deserves more time to investigate.
Some will still think it's a fit even if it turns out to not be. (Those are the artists who then complain about the type of art manufacturers are looking for and want to educate the masses as to what "real art" is ... good luck!) Others won't be turned off - they may say, "hmmm.... this is interesting, tell me more." And some will get so excited and just KNOW art licensing is for them.
I was on Twitter last week and got a message from an artist - thanking me for helping her realize art licensing isn't for her, just by listening to one blog talk radio interview. I was so excited! (She has given me permission to share the tweets...)
SO... if you are new to art licensing, here are a few ways to find out if you feel like @artsong does, or if you want to hang around and learn more.
BEGINNER BASICS TELESEMINAR: 45 minute replay of a teleseminar I did that goes into the nitty gritty of what working in art licensing is like. www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/start.html
As you know, I'm a big fan of social media. It's a great way to find people from all over who share common interests, reconnect with people from your past and learn what's going on. There is a group of artists interested in Children's Book Illustration who "meet" on Twitter every Thursday for an hour to discuss... whatever. (They start by handing out virtual cupcakes - always a great way to start anything!) Just like we use the hash tag #ask during the monthly ask calls to find each other, they use #kidlitart.
I think I happened to be online during one of their chats a few weeks ago (they aren't private - just streaming through Twitter) and someone asked something about art licensing and I replied. Then I got a direct message asking me if I wanted to be the first "Special Guest" - someone from another art arena, to answer questions the #kidlitart twitterers had. Why not?
So last night I spent an hour watching and typing and talking about art licensing in 140 characters or less... if you want to see what we talked about, they have the full transcript online at http://kidlitart.blogspot.com/
I got to chat with some new artists and learn that they have similar issues, just in a different arena. We create collections, they have to create books and then figure out how to make the cover art compelling. We discussed how you almost need several art brains - one to think like you license art, one to think like an illustrator, one to figure out how to market yourself so you can keep creating art...
If you have any interest in learning more about Children's Illustration or want to join in on their discussions - head over to Twitter on Thursdays ( 6 pm Pacific / 9 pm Eastern ) and tweet away!
Thank you to Bonnie and Wendy for inviting me - it was fun!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 16, 2010, we will be focusing on technology - specifically, how the WordPress platform can offer artists ease and flexibility with their online needs.
Join me at 5:30 pm Pacific / 8:30 pm Eastern as I ask Kim Beasley your questions about how WordPress differs from other blog platforms, how to create password protected areas and more.
The call is free if you listen live and because this is Kim's first call - it will be free even if you don't! (The replay will be free when we are done the quick-edit.)
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.
Posted by Tara Reed on May 25, 2010 in Art Licensing
Paul Brent and I will be doing a recap of SURTEX on the Ask Paul Brent call tomorrow night (Wed, 5/26) - will you be listening? We have the questions all organized and will get to as many as we can in the hour. As usual, artists have submitted some great questions so it will be another info-packed call. If you don't have the dial-in details, head to www.AskPaulBrent.com to register. (Just put "no question" in the form, give us your name and email and we'll get you the details for the call.)
Here's a quick video I did if you want to see what booth setup looks like in the meantime.
Let's keep getting social!
Here's how it can work on Twitter:
During the call, add #ask to any tweets about the call.
If Mary says something quotable or that makes you go "A-HA!" - then tweet it! (don't forget to add #ask)
If you use TweetDeck, or HootSuite - set up a column to track #ask so you can see and interact with others who are on the call. You might make new friends - I always do! Just remember to set up your columns to track the hash tag (#ask) BEFORE the call starts so you aren't in a panic!
If you want to make sure I see a tweet, be sure to include @ArtistTaraReed - but I'll be checking the #ask stream after the call.
Start talking. Just like on Twitter, if you hear something that makes you go "A-HA!" - add it! Comment on what other people are saying. Get to know your fellow licensed artists.
One advantage to Facebook is that the stream stays - it doesn't limit you to 140 characters and people can go back to it later - almost like group class notes.
I hope you can make it - the call is free if you listen live. If you can't make it, don't worry. The audio replay will be a mere $15 through June 5th and $25 after that.
P.P.S. Plan ahead for June! Kim Beasley, the WordPress Lady, will be doing the June call on Wednesday the 16th. Head to www.AskAboutWordPressForArtists.com to submit your questions anytime.
Posted by Tara Reed on Apr 22, 2010 in Art Licensing
Another great call is completed - thanks go out to everyone who submitted questions because as I say every month - YOU create the content. So do you want to know what we talked about? Here's the run-down...
The burning art licensing questions covered...
Starting out, is it better to have an agent?
How long should it take to get feedback for art submissions?
How much art should I have on a website before trying to find an agent?
How many collections should I have before approaching a manufacturer?
Can I show past work I've done for clients to prospects or do I need my own collections to offer for licensing?
How and what do you paint each day?
What was your biggest lesson learn when you started?
Do you ever "give up" on a potential client?
How important is showing product vs art at a trade show?
Please explain "Direct to Retail" licensing
Where do you think art licensing will be in 10 years?
Should you avoid worldwide contracts at all costs?
What file formats do I save art in and do I send it to licensees on CD?
We got social again - it was fun to watch people tweet on Twitter and post on the Facebook Fan Page while I talked - interesting to see what strikes a chord! Here are some excerpts -
The personal experience about the company she has been sending post cards to since 2005 and just started working with 6 months ago is inspiring.
Listening to the Art Licensing call with artist Tara Reed and Kim the WordPress gal. WordPress is great by the way. Looking forward to her interview and will have some questions for her then.
Thanks, Tara, for a GREAT call! Fun to tweet with the group, too!
Great! As always, powerful questions and answers! I can't wait till next month!
If you missed the call, the audio replay is now available to purchase.
The cost? A mere $15 through May 1st and then it goes to a whopping $25. Have you looked at the cost of live classes? This is a deal... no, a steal! Get your copy today!
(Plus, to be honest, selling some audios helps offset the cost of creating the infrastructure and time spent on these calls so ... much appreciated!)
An artist could be intimidated by that... I was when I first realized who I was following. But since I'm very good at finding the silver lining in most things, I decided it was all good. Last month you heard from a woman who has been licensing her art for 30 years... tonight you get me - going on 7 years and much closer to the day-to-day activities of building a newer business.
I've decided that that is the beauty of what we are building with the monthly Ask Call series: a variety of perspectives and stages in the business.
During the call, add #ask to any tweets about the call.
If Mary says something quotable or that makes you go "A-HA!" - then tweet it! (don't forget to add #ask)
If you use TweetDeck, or HootSuite - set up a column to track #ask so you can see and interact with others who are on the call. You might make new friends - I always do! Just remember to set up your columns to track the hash tag (#ask) BEFORE the call starts so you aren't in a panic!
If you want to make sure I see a tweet, be sure to include @ArtistTaraReed - but I'll be checking the #ask stream after the call.
Start talking. Just like on Twitter, if you hear something that makes you go "A-HA!" - add it! Comment on what other people are saying. Get to know your fellow licensed artists.
One advantage to Facebook is that the stream stays - it doesn't limit you to 140 characters and people can go back to it later - almost like group class notes.
I hope you can make it - the call is free if you listen live. If you can't make it, don't worry. The audio replay will be a mere $15 through May 1st and $25 after that.
P.P.S. Plan ahead for May! Paul Brent will be doing the May call on Wednesday the 26th - the week after SURTEX. We'll have a short show recap and questions. Head to www.AskPaulBrent.com to submit your questions anytime.
Yes, you are probably well aware that I love Twitter. But now I am taking 70 minutes to explain why.
I have combined 18 months of experience using Twitter and all the questions I get from people about how to decide if it will help them in their business.
The audio isn't specifically for artists - but for any business owner who might want to get more insight than they are getting in newspapers and magazines.
SO, in the vein of Twitter I'll keep this blog post short - if you or anyone you know wants to learn more about what can be accomplished with Twitter for business and some tips to make the most of your time and effort, please check out all the details at www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/twitter.html
And of course, if you are on Twitter - follow and chat with me!
One of my favorite things about Alex's Teleseminar Secrets class is the social interaction that goes on during the live calls. People are tweeting or posting to Facebook - it's fun and informative. So if you are up to it - let's give it a shot tonight!
Let's get social tonight!
Here's how it can work on Twitter:
During the call, add #ask to any tweets about the call.
If Mary says something quotable or that makes you go "A-HA!" - then tweet it! (don't forget to add #ask)
If you use TweetDeck, or HootSuite - set up a column to track #ask so you can see and interact with others who are on the call. You might make new friends - I always do! Just remember to set up your columns to track the hash tag (#ask) BEFORE the call starts so you aren't in a panic!
If you want to make sure I see a tweet, be sure to include @ArtistTaraReed - but I'll be checking the #ask stream after the call.
Start talking. Just like on Twitter, if you hear something that makes you go "A-HA!" - add it! Comment on what other people are saying. Get to know your fellow licensed artists.
One advantage to Facebook is that the stream stays - it doesn't limit you to 140 characters and people can go back to it later - almost like group class notes.
I won't be able to be tweeting and commenting on Facebook since we don't want typing noise on the audio and I need my full attention on Mary. But I really hope you all connect and comment - it will be interesting to see what you you have to say and share!
So let's take these calls up a notch and interact. I'm excited - are you???
I wanted to report in - I gave my 4 minute Teleseminar Secrets Challenge Speech last night and it went really well - or so I'm told! I was a little nervous but nothing like last year!
What I had to do was explain why I thought I should win "Top Vote Getter" for the Veteran Category - meaning I had made more than $1 with Teleseminars. It was supposed to inspire others, show my passion and what I felt teleseminars had done for my business. Would I be a good spokesperson for teleseminars? Did I make sense? Those were the parameters on which we were judged. (No results in just yet...)
When I sat down to write my speech, I thought about how much teleseminars had changed my business - how they have helped me connect with artists and other industry experts who have come on board to share. Most of all, I wanted to show how I felt it has helped all of us - now you can learn in the most remote region in your fuzzy slippers and you don't have to travel to New York, Atlanta or Las Vegas. (and neither do I! I'm in fuzzy socks - every time!)
I think I got the point across and here is why: a fellow student was giving me feedback on my speech on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/LoydLarue)
First he said: you did a gr8 job @ the challenge.
I of course thanked him!
Then he said: You Are My Everything @Michael Bublé ==>http://bit.ly/7f8PsV ==>this could be your biz song mantra...?? just a thought.
I didn't understand so I asked for an explanation. (Honestly, I have that song as the ring-tone when Craig calls so to me it was a romantic song)
@LoydLarue replied: I was just thinking of your passion towards your prospect / clients.. "You are my everything" made sense @ the time..lol
So I'd say my love for this side of my business shined through - yippee! I am also happy the speech is over so I can get back to my art and look forward to our upcoming teleseminars. You are coming right?
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:
