Publicity for artists?

When it comes to publicity and marketing, most artists aren’t sure where to start.

After all, it’s not as if you can build an art career with just a listing in the yellow pages, or a website no one has heard of.

Art careers often involve working — all by yourself, or just you and your model — in your studio, some dusty attic or a loft apartment.

Or, you might be outdoors, in the middle of nowhere, painting a landscape… all by yourself.

In other words, art careers aren’t necessarily sociable. 

The cliche of the unknown artist in the unheated garret may be accurate in many cases. Publicity for artists is even more difficult when you’re in a fifth-floor walk-up apartment, or loft, or garret, on the wrong side of town.

(Want to see the garrets of some artists who later became famous?  Click to see artists garrets in the slideshow at New York Magazine.)

So, for artists, the whole marketing, PR, and publicity routine… it can be daunting.  In personality terms, we’re often the polar opposite of used car salesmen.

We don’t want to “sell” anyone anything.  We want to be loved and appreciated for our art.

In a perfect world, that would be enough.  In our imperfect world, you need to find easy ways to promote yourself and your art.  You don’t have to be a marketing pro, and you don’t have to spend a cent.

The best and easiest sources of publicity for artists… well, they usually free, too.

Here’s one of my very best tips: HARO.

Publicity for artists – HARO to the rescue!

HARO stand for “Help A Reporter Out.”

Here’s the concept:  Reporters, journalists, authors, TV producers and bloggers post their needs on the HARO list.

People subscribe to HARO, and — when they see something that fits their profile — they contact the reporter (or whomever), directly.

Often, this results in an article or a news story, or you’re in magazine or a book.  And, since the reporters are usually working with an urgent deadline, the results are fast.  HARO provides almost instant publicity for artists.

Even better, this entire process is free.

How cool is that!

Publicity for artists – A few HARO dos and don’ts

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Sign up for the (free) HARO mailing list.
2. Look for requests that are an exact match for your skills and interests.
3. Write a short blurb that makes your expertise crystal clear, when you contact the reporter.
4. Include full contact information, especially a phone number and your email address.

Here’s what not to do:

1. Don’t limit your replies to art inquiries.  Even if the reporter is asking about ski slopes or cookie recipes, it’s okay, as long as the quotation from you says, “Artist so-and-so says…”  The point is to be mentioned as an artist, whenever you’re quoted.
2. Never forget your spell-checker.  Reporters can be in a hurry.  If they’re going to have to correct your spelling and grammar, they’ll feature someone else, instead.
3. Please don’t be coy and cute, and leave out important information, saying, “To find out more, you’ll have to call me.”  Yawn.  Reporters have deadlines, and if you’re playing hard-to-get, you’ll remain in obscurity.  No games and no phone tag, please.

So, go sign up for HARO.  Start with the free version.  That may be all you’ll need.

Reply to requests where you have a unique, interesting story to share, or you have the kind of expertise that will make the writer’s article shine.

And then, when they ask how to describe you — and they usually will — give them the adjectives that portray you as a successful artist.  Or an interesting artist.  Or… well, however you want people to think of you.

You want that article in WWD or Vogue to say, “Nebraska artist Jane Doe’s cupcakes feature scenes from Monet’s haystack series in the frosting.”

Or, in Yankee magazine,  “‘The best place to see Boston’s Fourth of July fireworks is from atop the Museum of Science parking garage,’ said noted Back Bay landscape painter Fred Smith.”

If you give the reporter a good enough quote, blurb, or story, he or she will return later, when an art-related story is assigned.

If you’re fun to work with, reporters will come back to you again and again.

HARO has been a “trade secret” among self-promoters.  Now, you know about it and can make it your secret to success, as well.

In the past, getting out and generating publicity — for artists, anyway — is like asking us to learn a completely foreign language.  We’re not interested enough to bother.

HARO makes publicity for artists easy.  And, it’s free.  If you want to be a star, HARO is the best shortcut I know of, and — if you get started today — you can be famous tomorrow.

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