Artists - Do You Need Help Marketing?

I've just launched my business ARTrageous Success! Woo-hoo!

And . . . I've been bombarded by creatives who have no idea how to market their creativity. It's really sad to me, but I TOTALLY understand. A few years ago, I was just like everybody else watching the music industry turn upside down. At the same time, I was having vocal issues and not sure I'd ever sing again. With our future uncertain and our bank account dwindling, I jumped head first into the world of online marketing. Since then I've read, studied, attended seminars, tele-seminars, webinars, been coached, mentored, challenged, stretched, and I'm still learning. 

Why?

To break through the "I'm an artist not a business person" mindset. And . . .  so I can help you! I don't want any of my friends or fellow creatives to fall into the "starving artist" trap of just surviving. I believe that we were created to thrive! Yes, we may face dark trials and desperate situations, but with God's help and wise counsel, we will walk out of the wilderness into a season of fruitfulness once again. But we need tools, strategies and wise plans. If we want to be world changers we must have resources.

I long to share tools and wise counsel. I hope to teach many of you some strategies that will give your creativity a giant push into the market place.

I'm open to seminars, webinars, tele-seminars, one-on-one coaching, or all of the above. Please tell me what you need. What are your biggest challenges? Where are you stuck? How can I help?

Would you attend an online webinar? Would you join a member site for creatives? Are you willing to pay for instruction? Let me know your thoughts.

Wanting to bring out the best in you,
Deby Dearman

P.S. I do have an upcoming artists weekend event -  Éclat de vie Weekend. We'll be teaching some key marketing principals for creatives.

Click here for more information about Éclat de vie

The Blessing and the Curse of Creatives

Many creatives have been blessed with a sensitive nature. It's the part of them that responds to beauty and truth . . .  the part where creativity is born. It's the amazing intuitive gift that hears the music, envisions the painting, feels the dance, and writes the stories that tug at heart strings. This gift of sensitivity is an incredible blessing, but it can sometimes puts artists in position to be precariously vulnerable.

The beauty of the intuitive nature opens your senses to perceive and create, but also opens your senses to feel passionately the pain of the world around you and all the stresses that it brings. With our current economy and international tensions, the artistic souls can easily become overly anxious.

Recently, I had an interesting conversation with a friend, who is also well-known author of over 58 books.

We discussed this problem of 'overwhelm' that many are finding themselves caught in. It can be an obsession with the world situation or the nightly news or ones financial woes, but it causes the sensitive souls to grow increasingly negative and non-productive, even to the point of being immobilized by fear and anxiety.

If that is you or anyone you know, it's important to act immediately and change this cycle. It's vital to turn OFF the news and fill your mind with positive material.

My friend,  the author,  told me of his friend who has had success with a new and simple technique. This person suggests that you proclaim 'out loud' your intentions to stop dwelling on the negative, choose the good and to change course - and do it regularly. He says that we can actually change the neural pathways, or 'grooves' in our brain, by speaking loudly and stating our new path.

It's working for some - I don't know the scientific evidence to back all of this up, but I'd say it's worth a try.  I do know that each of us must fight for what is good,  for our families, our futures. Why then does it not make sense that we also fight for hope?

"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  Philippians 4:8

Those of us with sensitive natures often struggle to keep our heads above water  during stressful times.

At my house we are proclaiming whatever is true, lovely and good . . . makes sense to me!

Let this correction in thinking move into your creativity. Paint, sing, dance, write, sculpt, create and draw your proclamation!

I also encourage you to write out your proclamation below that says you will no longer bow to the negative forces that are trying to pull you down - then shout it to the housetops!

Who says learning stops when you get out of school? The fact is, we are never out of school! The thing I’ve realized about learning is that it's much more fun and productive when it’s a subject you are interested in. And it’s much more enjoyable when it’s my choice to study!

I can’t seem to get enough time lately to study all I want. I’m always on a learning spree of one sort or another. Last week was no exception. I pushed to get to Orlando for a one day seminar. Actually, it was called the "Momentum Mastermind" and it’s led by my coach, Carrie Wilkerson and fellow coach/writer/speaker Paul Evans.

We were challenged, motivated and instructed on how to make our online presence more productive. Also how to figure out what our fans want and how to fill that need.

Recently I was challenged by a scripture that talked about stewarding your talents. While reading I knew that I was being commissioned to learn how to steward my gifts. Now that I’m learning, I’m being challenged to learn how to pass these strategies on to my fellow creatives.

How many of you have noticed another creative in your field who was knocking it out of the ballpark? Their work was being featured, talked about and getting rave reviews. All the while you sit back and think that your talent is better but confused about how they are getting all the attention, while you are not.

I figured it out . . . either they are working much harder, or they know a thing or two about marketing and they are implementing those strategies.

How do you turns things around and catch up? Here's how: You determine to work harder than ever and learn everything you can about marketing, even if it’s not your area of expertise!

I’m not a marketing guru and I don’t like to sell, but I do like to meet needs and help people. I’m learning that this approach can be very productive.

The next 5 people who comment on this blog below are invited to join me in a teleseminar. Next Tuesday evening I’ll be sharing the tips I learned in Orlando to just a few.

If you have or want to have an online presence, and if you long to turn your vision into provision, please join me!

Only five slots available, so comment NOW!

Take Action!

I’m headed to Orlando this week to spend a day with my coach Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive!  I’ll be learning a lot and I know I’ll be stretched!

I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and moving into THE zone!

How about you? What do you have on your schedule that will stretch you? Are you planning to attend any conferences related to your area of interest? I highly suggest that you get in the middle of what’s happening in your niche. Surround yourself with others that are moving forward and having successes. Put yourself in situations to be taught by leaders.

After working with Carrie I definitely see how my productivity has increased. She is pushing me out of my comfort zone and holding me accountable. I sense that we all need some sort of accountability, otherwise it’s too easy to procrastinate.

I’ll be sharing my notes from the conference with the next 5 people who leave a comment. So jump in and take action!

A New Start - Plans Equal Productivity!

Are you off to a good start in this new year? Do you have solid goals in place and plans to reach them?

Well, I do - and they make me a bit nervous! I've found a coach who nudges me forward and holds me accountable. She will play a big part in making sure I meet my goals this year.

Why am I so determined?  I don't have a choice!

The music industry has changed and the way we've worked in the past is no longer working. So we're in the middle of "reinventing" ourselves. And I must say . . . I'm having fun and getting excited about this new direction and certain that what I'm learning can be of great help to you too.

Want to join me?

I've been learning the 'new way!'  We've got so many tools to work with and much to take advantage of. We just need to get over the obstacles and overwhelm.

If you are not using the internet, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., to market your creativity, you are missing out on  great income-producing opportunity. Or you may be using them but don't have a plan in place to use them effectively. Either way . . . you're missing out.

I hope to lead you through some of the difficult steps and help you launch into making a living with your creative gifts.

Here is a good step to start with: My word for the new year is "CONNECT!"

Who have you been meaning to talk to? Who do you wish you could sit down with and ask a load of questions?

Well . . .  step out and send an email or make a phone call and invite them to lunch!

Most of our dreams are met through relationships. People are the 'stepping stones' to our future. I'm not suggesting that you 'use' people but genuinely 'love' people and see what happens. This thinking leads me to the Zig Ziglar quote:

"If you help enough people get what they want, you will eventually get what you want!"

Ya know what? I wholeheartedly agree with Zig!

Who can you help? They might just be the person that can help you too.

So grab your calendar, make a few calls, set up those lunches, coffees, meetings. Be prepared and know what you want. Then ask yourself, "What do I have that might be of benefit to this person?" You never know, you may be holding a key for them as well.

This is a fun way to get off to a good start!

Let me know if you want to join me by chiming in on the comment section below. Posts when you make that call and set up your appointment. Post again if your meeting turns out to be a stepping stone to your future. If you've already tried this and have a success story please share that too. 
Here's to a great new start of a great new year!

Unleash Your Superhero!

Moving was a big part of my growing up. I spent my early years in Japan and Italy, so I missed out on much of the typical American "kid stuff," and especially the TV scene. However, I did have an older brother who somehow managed to find "Mighty Mouse" cartoons. And I have to say, Mighty Mouse made a mighty big impression on me! Maybe it was the fact that he was a singing mouse who belted out in his huge, operatic voice: "Here I come to save the day!" Or that he was lavished with hugs and kisses from the grateful population of Mouseville, when they were rescued from yet another disaster. I was a huge fan.

Each cartoon consisted of a crisis, which needed extraordinary, 'super power' help to resolve. Then, just in the nick of  time,  Mighty Mouse would appear and "save the day." He seemed to always find those who needed help.

I want to speak to the superhero in you! You may not possess 'super powers,' but you do possess the power to bring extraordinary help to someone in need.

The second line to the "Mighty Mouse" theme song is: "When there's a wrong to right, Mighty Mouse will join the fight!" I believe that when you 'join the fight,' you actually find new strength. 

Earlier this year, my hubby and I jumped in to help our friends, Bob and Jayne Farrell. When Nashville flooded, they lost their home and everything in it. We were compelled to help. The fascinating thing is that we did what we normally could not do, or would not do, for ourselves. We felt empowered to 'fight' on behalf of the Farrells. We made phone calls, wrote letters to ask for help, created a video, sang in a benefit concert with some artist 'heavyweights.' Normally, I would shrink back and think, "I can't do that!" But because it was for someone else - someone who needed my help - I found the strength or 'power' to do what I normally cannot do.

Lately, I've been contemplating how artists who find a 'cause' to represent seem to move mountains, reach higher, have more energy and inadvertently draw more attention to their art.

So, I'm "Calling All Supehero Candidates!"  It's a call to artists everywhere: Find a cause that you can get passionate about, then use your art to promote it, raise funds and give to it.

Some of you may be thinking, "Well, I'd love to do that, but I'm a 'starving' artist and I can barely feed my own family." You are the ones I'm especially talking to. When you are in a bind, the most productive thing you can do is to find someone who's needs are greater and give to them.

It will take some time to consider the options and catch a vision.  But if you ask God to put a specific people group, a segment of society, a school, an orphanage, or someone who is less fortunate, on your heart, He will lead you to them. You can then write a song, take photos, or create a painting.  Whatever your art form is, use it to serve - and to raise funds for - your cause. Believe for enough to provide for your needs, then to overflow to give to your cause.

I recently met Zig Ziglar and his famous quote comes to mind: "You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want."  I believe this is true. It's not that we should give in order to get, but in giving, we can't help but receive!

So, what do all you 'superheroes-in-training' think? Tell me . . .  Are you ready to "save the day" for someone who needs your help?