For many artists, college graduation can be a bit of a false start because you may have a degree, which suggests the credentials of a professional, but landing a well-paying art career seems close to impossible. However, there is hope for the "starving artist." If you are willing to work hard and stay positive, self-marketing can be the difference between barely surviving and successful striving. For all of you creative professionals who desire to live up to your potential, you must develop self-marketing skills.
What is self-marketing? It could be defined simply as selling and promoting one's self. However, for the sake of clarity, I will define the term in greater detail. Self-marketing is the ability to promote and communicate one's strengths and talents to the appropriate audience. The appropriate audience will be receptive and in a position to hire you, buy from you, or recommend you for an opportunity.
The task of self-marketing can be a daunting one, and the hours may appear endless; however, it is worth the time and investment. I am of the strong conviction that we are all obligated to contribute what we do best to the world. My fellow creative professionals, let's dig deep and use our resourcefulness. We have many accessible forms of communication available to us; it is wise and necessary to exploit all of our resources.
There are many ways for artists to show off their talents. A portfolio website is a popular and affordable way for an artist to showcase a body of work. There are many companies, like Weebly, that make it easy to set up a free website. Another way to expose your body of work is through volunteering. This creates a win-win situation. You are able to circulate your name and talents, and the charity benefits from your good work. In addition, it is very rewarding to support a cause you believe in. A third way to gain notoriety is to enter an art contest. Winning a well-established art contest is the equivalent of launching a rocket. It has the potential to get your artistic career off of the ground. Winning an art contest can be a momentous start to a substantial art career. Participate in as many relevant, legitimate contests as you can find because you cannot win a race if you have not even entered.
There are many ways to show off your creativity. For instance, if you are a performing artist, you can record yourself doing what you do best and submit the video to every media outlet you can think of. Create a YouTube channel. If you are a video artist, YouTube is your best friend. Because you are an artist, I suggest that you use what all creative professionals have in common, which is creativity. I must share with you a motto I coined because it is relevant to this article. That motto is "Think Outside the Word." I publish a blog of this title. Think Outside the Word means to use your imagination and activate your magic to achieve feats you once thought were impossible. Your magic is your super subconscious brain. The great news is that the super subconscious is the equalizer of those who come from privileged beginnings and those who come from modest beginnings. Program your mind to run as smoothly as the most reliable computer ever created. The good news is that your ability to succeed is only limited by your imagination and your ability to act on what you envisioned. Decide right now that you believe in yourself as an artist because you are.
I saw a movie created for Deaf people a year ago titled "Deaf Jam," and one of the girls from the movie signed, "I am my language." This is a strong statement because it is true. The young lady defined herself by the way she communicates, not by how others perceive her. You are a creative professional, so you must behave as a creative professional. Your goal is to have others see you as such and to acknowledge you as an expert in your field. This attempt is called self-branding. From this moment on, your name, your reputation, and your talent make up your "brand." It is up to you to define and promote your brand.
I use a self-portrait that I drew for my profile picture online because it allows me to stand out amongst my creative peers. You should try it too. If you do not draw, there are many websites that provide drawing services. You can also visit my website to learn more about using a drawing as a profile picture.
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