April 11, 2017 
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The Business of Art & Crafts: Sustainability Without Selling Out
Opportunity to qualify for a grant program up to $2,000 from the City of Lowell
Are you an artist or crafters looking to learn more about sales and marketing? Do you find yourself lacking the time or know-how to promote your art?
Our goal is to see you succeed in your business—to continue to be able to do the work you have a passion for. Learning how to sell your art, whether it be your painting, sculpture, jewelry, woodworking, photography, fabric, glass, soap, or clay piece, is essential.
The City of Lowell is pleased to support Lowell artists with a grant program to help them achieve their business goals. Ten grants of up to $2,000 each will be available to eligible artists who plan to implement marketing ideas generated through the Business of Art Program. For more information about this grant program and eligibility requirements please contact Allison Lamey or Maria Dickinson at 978-674-4252.
Get inspired and join other artists in these four sessions designed to help you focus on your marketing and sales goals. Being in a group gently holds you accountable to take the next step – and have fun along the way.
When: Mondays – May 8 and June 5 and June 19
Time: 10 AM to 12 PM
Where: Innovation Hub, 110 Canal Street, 3rd Floor Lowell, MA 01854
Cost: $90 for all four meetings (8 hours of instruction and interaction) as well as any additional materials, including instructive PDFs.
Contact: Please email Szifra Birke at [email protected] or Susu Wong at [email protected] for more information. If you’d like to register, you can make an online payment by visiting this link: https://www.paypal.me/MarketingForArtists (Click next to the $; it will “flash” and you can put $90 in and hit next to go to PayPal. Limited to the just 20- so sign up right away.
Program Details
In this practical program, professional marketer Susu Wong and executive coach/financial behavior specialist Szifra Birke will share strategies that artists and other creatives can use to enhance their sustainability. The four-session course will equip you with the tools and confidence you need to turn passion into a more profitable business.
You will learn easy-to-implement, low-cost marketing strategies that will increase your comfort level with business– to promote yourself and your work without selling out. The program will be customized to the needs of the participants.
Curriculum
Course 1: Marketing Mindset
- Identify your attitudes and habits about selling and money
- Revise beliefs and attitudes that limit your success
- Create new possibilities
Course 2: Marketing Canvas
- Develop a straightforward, easy-to-implement marketing strategy (a marketing plan)
- Identify your target customers, market segments, and customers’ profiles
Course 3: Using Social Media Effectively
- Create a comprehensive social media strategy
- Use tools to manage your social media postings and engage with your fans/followers
- The Web and email marketing
- Understand more about Constant-Contact
Course 4: Putting It All Together!
Frequently asked questions:
1. What if I can’t attend all the meetings?
Not a problem. Hopefully, you will be able to get notes and PowerPoint slides.
2. Are the registration fees refundable?
If you let us know seven days before the start of the first course, we can refund your registration fee minus a small $5 processing fee.
Format: Seminar- Oriented instruction with lots of time for interaction
Session topics will help you:
- Identify your goals
- Create a marketing plan that fits your personality and financial resources
- Decide on precise, achievable tasks to accomplish between meetings
- Identify practical, doable free and low-cost marketing and publicity ideas
- Keep your motivation and interest high
- Add to the repertoire of marketing skills you can use long after the group
Dangers of doing it on your own
- Slow-moving progress due to little accountability
- Inconsistent focus on marketing
- Lack of a sounding board, isolation, loneliness, discouragement
- Confusion about which strategies to implement
- Getting overwhelmed by the process
Groups have a proven track record as a safe place to get feedback and encouragement, and an effective way to keep us all on track.
These workshops were partially funded by a Mass Cultural Council Grant, which we very much appreciate.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]