Are you afraid of competition?
Mar 27, 2014 20:41:25 #
Back in 1966, when I was but 11 years old, my wise old grandmother, who had adopted me 8 months earlier, helped me start a typing company for college students at Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas.
One year later, I was the #1 typing company in my little hometown of 23,000 people and a college community of 5,000.
I have used what my wise old grandmother taught me then to successfully found, build, and sell 37 companies, some of them in extremely competitive industries (such as computer sales in the late '80s and early '90s), wireless telecommunications (early '90s to early 2000s). One thing that I have never done is shy away from competition.
Recently I joined the arts community at Fine Art America. I had immediate success, and the success just keeps building.
The secret to selling isn't sitting back and waiting for people to find you. It's taking the horse by the reigns and leading it to water. If the water looks and smells good enough, the horse will drink. It's the same with your product. If your work is good enough, and priced right, it will sell.
I had a lengthy comment in the thread "Selling prints from a booth at street fairs"--see http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-195017-1.html . The comment is here: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-195017-1.html#3305295
I had a few other comments after that one, to which one person responded about Fine Art America: "So they do everything. It almost seems too good to be true. Just upload your images and you are in business...against 100,000 other artists."
See my response to him here: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-195017-3.html#3307417
I was in the process of doing a much lengthier post about Fine Art America when I got six emails from Fine Art America announcing sales. Wow! So what did I do?
Well, I took the reigns of the horse and led him to water. It looked good and smelled good, so he tasted it.
First, I offered to create Photographic Art for 20 people, but only of their pet dogs or cats. I made this offer at my Word blog--see http://russelrayphotos2.com/2014/03/25/free-photographic-art-for-the-first-20-respondents-dogs-and-cats-only/ . I made the same offer on my Facebook page.
People sent me pictures of their cats and dogs. I made Photographic Art, sent the digital file to them for free. (Taking the reigns of the horse.) I also uploaded their cat or dog to a private gallery at Fine Art America (see http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-russel-ray.html - click on Galleries, click on Custom, and use code pabrrpafaa to get in. (Leading the horse to the water.)
No sooner had I uploaded those pictures but the pets' owners were buying greeting cards and art prints.
The cool thing about Fine Art America is that you get to decide what your profit is. However, if someone comes to Fine Art America and buys other stuff, including framing or other things that Fine Art America does, you can make a commission off of whatever stuff Fine Art America sells.
As I was writing my UHH post, another email came in from Fine Art America. It's one of those emails where they are preaching to the choir, but it says very succinctly what I was going to say in my post here.
Since Fine Art America provided a link to share with others, I share it below. For those who don't understand marketing and business, if you don't understand the message in the link below, I'm thinking that you really don't want to sell too much.
http://fineartamerica.com/why-every-artist-and-photographer-in-the-world-should-be-selling-on-fineartamerica.html?id=664508
One year later, I was the #1 typing company in my little hometown of 23,000 people and a college community of 5,000.
I have used what my wise old grandmother taught me then to successfully found, build, and sell 37 companies, some of them in extremely competitive industries (such as computer sales in the late '80s and early '90s), wireless telecommunications (early '90s to early 2000s). One thing that I have never done is shy away from competition.
Recently I joined the arts community at Fine Art America. I had immediate success, and the success just keeps building.
The secret to selling isn't sitting back and waiting for people to find you. It's taking the horse by the reigns and leading it to water. If the water looks and smells good enough, the horse will drink. It's the same with your product. If your work is good enough, and priced right, it will sell.
I had a lengthy comment in the thread "Selling prints from a booth at street fairs"--see http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-195017-1.html . The comment is here: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-195017-1.html#3305295
I had a few other comments after that one, to which one person responded about Fine Art America: "So they do everything. It almost seems too good to be true. Just upload your images and you are in business...against 100,000 other artists."
See my response to him here: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-195017-3.html#3307417
I was in the process of doing a much lengthier post about Fine Art America when I got six emails from Fine Art America announcing sales. Wow! So what did I do?
Well, I took the reigns of the horse and led him to water. It looked good and smelled good, so he tasted it.
First, I offered to create Photographic Art for 20 people, but only of their pet dogs or cats. I made this offer at my Word blog--see http://russelrayphotos2.com/2014/03/25/free-photographic-art-for-the-first-20-respondents-dogs-and-cats-only/ . I made the same offer on my Facebook page.
People sent me pictures of their cats and dogs. I made Photographic Art, sent the digital file to them for free. (Taking the reigns of the horse.) I also uploaded their cat or dog to a private gallery at Fine Art America (see http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-russel-ray.html - click on Galleries, click on Custom, and use code pabrrpafaa to get in. (Leading the horse to the water.)
No sooner had I uploaded those pictures but the pets' owners were buying greeting cards and art prints.
The cool thing about Fine Art America is that you get to decide what your profit is. However, if someone comes to Fine Art America and buys other stuff, including framing or other things that Fine Art America does, you can make a commission off of whatever stuff Fine Art America sells.
As I was writing my UHH post, another email came in from Fine Art America. It's one of those emails where they are preaching to the choir, but it says very succinctly what I was going to say in my post here.
Since Fine Art America provided a link to share with others, I share it below. For those who don't understand marketing and business, if you don't understand the message in the link below, I'm thinking that you really don't want to sell too much.
http://fineartamerica.com/why-every-artist-and-photographer-in-the-world-should-be-selling-on-fineartamerica.html?id=664508
Mar 27, 2014 20:43:55 #
Mar 27, 2014 20:54:00 #
Mar 27, 2014 23:09:55 #
Mar 28, 2014 01:37:11 #
Looks like there are at least two people who don't want to sell anything............... :mrgreen:
My wise old grandmother also taught me that some people just don't care.
My wise old grandmother also taught me that some people just don't care.
Apr 13, 2017 12:27:21 #
russelray wrote:
Looks like there are at least two people who don't want to sell anything............... :mrgreen:
My wise old grandmother also taught me that some people just don't care.
My wise old grandmother also taught me that some people just don't care.
russelray wrote:
Looks like there are at least two people who don't want to sell anything............... :mrgreen:
My wise old grandmother also taught me that some people just don't care.
My wise old grandmother also taught me that some people just don't care.
Although I have no ambition to sell my photography, having had a lifetime fascination with entrepreneurial activities and having been heavily engaged, I appreciate that you took the time to share your ideas, examples, and these resources with others who might be able to avail themselves of the information but it isn't clear, as you say, "that all horses are thirsty." It was generous of you to take the time to share this. With 95% of all startups failing in the first six months due to "no clue," it is refreshing to see a person who is enjoying some success taking their time to share the formula with others who might have the desire. I commend you for your generosity and wish you well in your continuing endeavor.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.