Recent Posts
Following Featured Artists
The following is one of the little secrets few advertisers understand and a trick employed rarely. When art magazines print stories about a particular artist we frequently see galleries advertise paintings by that artist in that issue. This is a common practice and recommended. However, I they are missing an opportunity. Human beings are... well....lazy. A reader may read about an artist or see an ad in a magazine which they think, "I'd like to own that painting or I'd like to own something by that artist." Then life gets in the way and the thought fades. Unless the reader takes immediate action to buy the painting while that thought is with them you have lost a potential buyer... unless you find a way to remind them. With 20+ years in magazine publishing this is one of the least known, yet most effective techniques and advertiser can employ. Remind the reader by showing up in the issue FOLLOWING the issue which featured the artists. This acts as an effective reminder. You could even tag the ad with "This artist was featured in the December issue of Fine Art Connoisseur." This reminder is a second chance to grab those with good intentions who have either forgotten, put their magazine on a shelf, or wondering "where did I see that again?" Advertisers who might have several artists who have recently [...]
Standing Out
Every magazine has its own special editorial focus. Some focus on traditional artworks while others focus on abstract artworks or regional artworks. So does it make sense for an Abstract artist to advertise in a magazine of traditional art? From time to time I get questioned about whether or not a dealer selling a style of art other than what is the primary style of a magazine should advertise that art in a different environment. Assume for a moment that you sell abstract modernism. Should you advertise in a publication which features primarily representational art? Your belief systems and feedback from your customers is a great starting point. Do you believe (or hear from customers) that buy other kinds of art like representational? If so it makes a great deal of sense. Dealers are encountering more buyers who “mix it up” in their home. They tell us some collectors will hang abstract and representational paintings in the same home, which is happening more with the new breed of younger collectors. Frequently collectors who love different kinds of art will hang one type of art in their main home and another style of art in another home just as they often decorate them in different styles. I recently visited one significant collector who had three collections: A collection of very traditional Victorian art in his offices, a smaller collection [...]
Showing Up
“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” -Woody Allen Reluctantly I once ran an ad in a publication, which I was not convinced, was a complete fit for my target but I took a shot at advertising in it. I was not thrilled by the results because I did not receive any phone calls. But being true to what I preach about marketing I continued to advertise because I know advertising is not an event it’s a cumulative effect. My rule is that if I advertise somewhere I need to commit for at least a year because the audience does not know my product, has not yet developed trust, and needs to get comfortable before they buy from me. I’m often so close to my product that I think everyone knows about it, yet I am reminded how wrong I am anytime I advertise to a new audience thinking I’ll get instant results. According to marketing author Roy Williams showing up consistently is one of the hidden secrets of advertising success and advantage is gained by understanding this. While your competitors try something a time or two with a new audience and back down due to lack of “success” they do not understand the process that is quietly happening in the minds of readers who see your ads. Meanwhile you’re building a reputation with an entirely new group [...]
Elements of An Ad
Advertising can be frustrating to those of us on the "sell side". Frustrating because some advertisers get great results while others do not. Many elements impact results. Your brand and the level of awareness and trust, the economy, the product you are advertising, timing, positioning, frequency, etc. But the first place I start is with the advertisement. Gallery marketing is a little different than other advertising because most galleries do exactly the same thing.... they show an image of a painting, put the name of the artist at the top of the ad and the name of the gallery at the bottom. It's not terribly creative, but then again in most cases the name of the game is to sell THAT specific painting or artist. The first principal of advertising is to ZIG when others ZAG. In other words don't do the same thing everyone else does. Be different. But willing to be different and stand out may mean you have to think differently and that involves risk. One advertiser recently told me his ads in another publication were not working. He said he had been advertising pretty much every issue for 20 years and he no longer got calls. He told me he was going to cancel his advertising and shift it to my publication. In spite of my urge to sell him advertising I told him [...]
TIME AND BRANDING
What is a brand? A brand is the PERCEPTION potential customers have of your business. It is the CUMULATIVE effect of everything you do. Everything impacts your brand, and everything you do needs to reflect the brand you hope to project. Branding starts the day you open your doors. Every impression a customer has of your business builds their perception of your business. It starts with the first contact with you the business owner. Does your appearance reflect the brand you are trying to project? It continues with your logo, your letterhead, your web site, your email signature, the interior of your gallery, the neighborhood of your location, your exterior signage, your booth at art fairs, your business cards, and your advertising. YOUR MOST VISIBLE FACEThe reason advertising is often thought of as the key impact element of a brand is because advertising is, more often than not, the face the community sees more frequently. Every part of your advertising must project the image you want people to believe about your business. (It's up to your business to BE what you are projecting. Pretending will only damage your brand.) Brand-savvy marketers understand that where you advertise is as important as what you advertise. They understand that the wrong colors, the wrong type, the wrong design, and the wrong copy will instantly change the perception of the brand. Every [...]
Thoughts on Brand Environment
Branding is sensitive. Luxury brands understand that the slightest misstep can damage their brand. Luxury marketers understand that the perception of the media or event in which they are participating is important in reinforcing the brand itself. Why do you not find high end retailers in low end shopping malls? Environment. A high end brand of course is less likely to sell in a low end environment. But more important... if a high end brand's customers feel their brand is not exclusive, is being made available to "average" people (or below average) it deteriorates the special essence of the brand. Mercedes, in my opinion, lost their panache when they started producing lower cost models for the middle class. Though I don't know if it was good for their business financially I do believe it drove affluent customers to seek something the middle could not afford. After all, cars are transportation. If affluent people only wanted transportation they would by a low cost KIA (by the way, KIA has become a HOT! brand and is growing in popularity among the middle affluent due to service, quality, and design of some models). Many affluent want an automobile which reflects their stature and thus the reason brands like Bentley, Rolls Royce and others excel. So what does environment have to do with gallery marketing? Of course it depends on who you [...]
Tracking Phone Calls
"I'm calling to discuss why my advertising did not work" said an advertiser on the phone. It’s a call I've had before and one every magazine person on earth gets once in a while. Advertisers expect results and it's our responsibility to help them get results. So a phone call like this from time to time is not unusual. Frankly, it’s never fun to have this dialogue. The customer always wants to blame the media and rarely do they want to look at what they may have done to cause the problem. But, if it’s my fault I'm ready to take the blame. So... why is it that I can have six advertisers in the magazine who call with RAVE results... lots of business generated from the ads and in the same issue I can have one or two who get no results?Why, if all things are equal do some ads work and others do not? First, all things are never equal in marketing. For instance one advertiser may be more established, have a stronger brand (translation awareness and trust), taste in what was advertised that appeals to the taste of the reader, have a more effective web site, a better ad, a better receptionist.... Let’s start with the receptionist. An advertiser phoned me and said I'm not getting any phone calls from your advertising. After our discussion [...]
R.I.P. Art Gallery
Rest In Peace... friends of mine just closed their gallery. It was a sad day watching them close the doors, return the artworks to their artists and let their creditors and landlord know that they were not going to get paid for a while. What went wrong? I'm only guessing of course. This gallery was less than a year old, was based in a prominent art market with substantial art buying traffic. Why did they fail? It's never one thing, it’s always many things. 1. Unrealistic Expectations: They opened the doors thinking that their quality inventory, their contacts and location would make them successful. They had just enough capital to get them through about six months time. I think they expected too much too soon. One needs to play the what-if game when opening a new business... what if the market is off? What if it takes us 2x or 3x longer to succeed? What if the economy tanks? Etc. Bottom line: If you don't have a banker willing to fund you for the ups and downs or if your capital is insufficient... you're at risk. 2. Promotion: A new business is disadvantaged. The best way to overcome it is to promote like mad. You must tell the world you exist, keep telling them for about three years very consistently, and you must find unique reasons they should [...]
Tattoo This Inside Your Eyelids!
Recently, I was in the market for a product. Once the salesperson got me on the phone, this is what I heard: “Mr. Rhoads, this is the best product on the market, light years ahead of our competition. I can get it for you at a really good price right now. In fact, I can take 20 percent off the top.” Here’s what went through my head as he spoke: Salesperson: “Mr. Rhoads…” My thoughts: I hate to be called Mr. Rhoads: It drives a wedge between us, making the salesperson seem alien. Salesperson: “This is the best product on the market…” My thoughts: Says who? Prove it. More important, I want the product that will work for ME. I will determine who has the best product. He’ll say it’s the best, but I can’t believe him: He’s the one selling it. Salesperson: “Light years ahead of our competition...” My thoughts: I didn’t know there was another company. I wonder who the competition is? I’ll trick him into telling me their names, then I’ll call them. If this guy feels compelled to mention the competition, he must be losing sales to them. There must be a reason. Salesperson: “I can get you a really good price right now…” My thoughts: I was willing to pay the price on the website, and he’s dropping it already. They must be [...]
Anyone Else Would Have Been Fired
If Radio were a company whose share of market remained in the single-digit zone against weak competitors for as long as ours has, the board would’ve long ago forced us to reinvent ourselves, to hire someone to identify the problem and then to execute dramatic change. Perhaps grubbing for the crumbs that fall off the media table has been good enough for Radio. Our consolidated owners continue to grow, and I suppose that keeps Wall Street happy — for the moment. But Radio’s “growth” is coming from budget cuts and tight management, not from getting a higher percentage of the total advertising pie. Owners aren’t likely to pay attention to the need for Radio’s share-of-ad-budget growth until it becomes the only alternative left for growing their companies. By then, it will likely be too late. I’m not so delusional as to think that Radio will displace broadcast television and cable TV to become the leader in nabbing electronic advertising expenditures. I just know we’re a much stronger medium than we get credit for, and we can do much better. I believe we can get a respectable 20 percent, instead of a pathetic 7 or 8. But I don’t think Radio believes it. I know in my heart that Wal-Mart, America’s largest retailer, could use long-term Radio to significantly strengthen its brand in the hearts of Americans, but Wal-Mart [...]
