Social Media marketing is all well and good but sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone. Push the boundaries. Feel a bit stretched.
Sometimes You Have To Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Responding to Opportunities
In a previous blog I talk about the importance of having a marketing plan. I talk about conducting a basic ‘SWOT’ analysis, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In that blog I ask the question:
Are you aware of the opportunities open to you personally as an artist? Where can you sell or promote your work?
I always have an eye out for ‘opportunities’ to promote my work, and recently two such occasions presented themselves.
Opportunity One: International Women’s Day
A fellow blogger, Sneha Jhanb, organised a live video marathon as part of International Women’s Day and I took up the opportunity to be one of the speakers. This was a little outside my comfort zone I have to say. I have only just started creating live videos on Facebook so it was a big jump to do a 15 minute live video for an international audience. However, Sneha was very supportive and in the end I enjoyed doing the video. It was received well and the video is now available on my YouTube channel. If you haven’t seen it, here it is for your delectation.
Why did I do the video?
Well, the video afforded me the opportunity to be seen and heard by a wider audience than I might usually attract. And who knows who clicked on my links and looked at my art as a result of my presentation?
I also learned a lot about how to do the live videos, preparation etc. It was worthwhile from the perspective of my own development, even if I was outside my comfort zone and then some!
Opportunity 2: A Presentation in Italian to Soggetto Donna
Soggetto Donna is a local women’s group in Castiglione del Lago, Italy, the town I can see from my back terrace! The group has regular meetings and social events including courses and support activities. I was asked if I would like to make a presentation to the group on 23 March 2018. The only catch, and where going outside my comfort zone comes in, is that the presentation has to be in Italian. No pressure then!
The presentation will be a mix of watching some of my YouTube videos, looking at examples of my work and me hopefully not making too many major mistakes with my Italian! I am looking forward to it. This sits firmly within one of the key objectives of my marketing plan for local marketing activities. I will let you know how it goes.
Update: The session was a great success, my Italian coped and the ladies were very forgiving and corrected my worst mistakes! I made quite a few sales and everyone was very happy with the experience, myself included!
And The Moral Of All This?
Don’t be afraid to push yourself, step outside your comfort zone and do something different. That is how you and your art, or whatever you are promoting, will get noticed.
Before you go
My name is Dorothy Berry-Lound an artist and writer. You can find out more about my art and writing at https://dorothyberryloundart.com.
You can follow me on Facebook.
Thank you for reading!
I am taking your advice Dorothy and trying to reach farther with my marketing. This week I’ll be officially joining a new local arts guild. I enjoy reading your blog.
I am glad you like my blog. Good luck with the local arts guild, that is a brilliant opportunity to pursue.
Great advice Dorothy.
Thank you Clearissa
Hi Dorothy – just ‘met’ you through your comment on my blog – I couldn’t resist popping over and checking out your blog too – and now I’ve seen your video I feel like I know you even better 🙂 Italy is a long way from Australia but that’s one of the joys of blogging isn’t it – Connection!
Yes! Blogging makes life so much more interesting.