Focus the Lens - Make a List of EVERYONE You Know

This week, I begin a series of articles on referral marketing.  I firmly believe that for most artists, the majority of their market will come from people they know and/or from those with whom they have a personal connection.  Seth Godin, marketing guru, writes about an interesting way to look at Internet marketing where a person become a "lens" to "focus" traffic upon a specific area of interest.  For example, my blog is a "lens" focusing people upon aspects of marketing art.

For artists (and other marketers), I propose that the "lens" concept works in another way.  Think of your network as "light."  Your network is EVERYONE YOU KNOW.  The goal of your marketing is to encourage, coax, entice your network to view/purchase your art work.  YOU ARE THE LENS.  The lens provides focus.  The lens directs the "light" and focuses it upon the goal.

In the upcoming days, I will "shine some light" upon several specific ideas regarding how to focus the lens.  But like most worthwhile projects, action is required upon your part.  So here is today's action plan:  Make a list of EVERYONE you know.  What you need to record is each person's name and email address.  If you have a phone number and physical address, record that too.  If there are specific "items of interest" you need to remember regarding specific people, jot them down (ie birthday, kid's names, hobbies).

So just who do you know?  Probably a lot more people than you realize.  Here is a list to get your brainstorming started - family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, people from your church, people you know in the PTA, past clients, other artists you know and anyone else who has ever expressed interest in your artwork.

Focus the lens - Make a List of Everyone You Know.

Sincerely,

Clint Watson
Software Craftsman and Art Fanatic