the artist as used car salesman
Creativity does not exist without its perils. If you’re going to make a career of your creative efforts you must also be willing to engage in a fair amount of self promotion. It’s a bit of a shock to put your heart and soul into a piece and, upon completion, find out that there’s a lot of work left to do. We creative types tend toward being slightly self absorbed but we’re not generally fond of acting as the official spokesperson of our work.
Isn’t there someone else who can do that part? Isn’t it enough that I’ve slaved away for decades in my dark little room?
Unless you’re happy sitting penniless in that little room, no, I’m afraid it isn’t. Each artist – whatever the medium – must become CEO of her own Public Relations, often without any experience or inclination in that regard.
At first self promotion feels trashy and not a little embarrassing. It’s difficult to move from artist working quietly in studio to heylookatmeheylookatmeheylookatme. Some people, in fact, never take that leap because the sacrifice is more than they bargained for. Others are more realistic and eventually come around to the idea that if they want any degree of financial success there must first be self promotion. This realization does not come easily. It is often a well rooted tooth pulled with a pair of rusty pliers.
After a time, however, we see the task more clearly and can separate it from the artistic process. It is possible to develop an efficient skill set for the heylookatme aspect of being a career artist and, thankfully, the ickiness of it dwindles.
Ickiness is, in fact, a technical term.
What every writer, painter, sculptor and so on realizes is that while the artistic process is intensely personal – heart on sleeve, kind of stuff – the business of promoting oneself is just that: business. It’s like filing your taxes or getting the car washed. It’s got to be done, you do it, you don’t act like it’s the be all and end all of your existence. I mean, you didn’t get up this morning and moan that making your bed compromised your artistic integrity. Nor should you for creating a Facebook account to promote you latest novel. You go to the bank, you stop at the grocery store, you go home and post to your Facebook account and say hello to your new followers on Twitter. It becomes a part of the fabric of your day and is no more or less difficult a task than any other.
That said, it’s not easy taking those first steps. As with any unfamiliar territory there is a learning curve but rest assured that it gets easier. Yeah, you’re going to feel like throwing up a little because telling people how awesome you are just doesn’t sit well and, you know, it might always feel a little used car salesman-y. That’s okay. Just keep picturing that life you know is out there if only you can get past this one bit of – technically speaking – ickiness.
Here are a few tips on how to let the world know how awesome you really are:
1. Twitter. Obviously. So many people feel like Twitter is a giant waste of time and it can be. It’s important to think of why you’re using Twitter and if it is to promote yourself or your work, create an account specific to that end. A personal Twitter account often feels like it has to be a matter of creating lasting friendships rather than creating a buzz about whatever it is you’re trying to sell. An account aimed entirely at developing a type specific following will be easier to look at with a slightly detached business eye. It’s important to maintain a degree of warmth and connection to the people who follow you for your business account but at the same time, it is a business account and has a different feel than a personal one.
2. Facebook. I don’t currently use Facebook for self promotion but I know that it can be an effective tool. As with Twitter, Facebook is a free social network with widespread popularity. Other more specialized sites also exist but Twitter and Facebook appeal to the Everyman and have a greater incidence of viral marketing possibilities.
3. Linkedin is an excellent for creating a network of people within your industry which can be a great source of information and support.
4. A website. Creating a website for self promotion is a great way to display your work but getting the site itself seen then becomes a part of your overall marketing efforts. Still, it’s well worth the extra work because it establishes an important link to your prospective consumers.
Promoting your work isn’t likely your favorite thing to do but it’s a necessary evil. If you can get past the natural tendency to shy away from it, self promotion can become an easy part of a successful creative career.
