marketing venue

[xtranch]

I have a few things in local galleries, set up at arts and craft shows, and have tried some online selling websites. my best method is local word of mouth, with limited results. Recently I was contacted by artLA.com because they liked what they saw in my galleries( they are not sold there). naturally I am a little suspicious of any company that calls me. there is no shortage of people taking advantage of artists of all stripes. artLA has a very nice site, a high fee, and a draconian users agreement. has anyone had any success marketing with this company?

[KLaban]

If cold callers offer me their money I listen, if they want my money I hang up.

Much the same applies to online cold callers, aka emailers.

[louoates]

The approach is always "I love your work and...". Then comes the request for money. Beware of any flattery attached to your work. It's the strongest pitch they've got.

This approach is still used by new micro-stock sites wanting current micro-stock contributors to upload their portfolios. It used to work successfully until so many got burned with putting in a lot of work with zero returns.

[louoates]

Sorry I missed your other issue: 
Those "draconian" agreements you mention are becoming the norm for these kinds of outfits. I don't know what that specific agreement you cited actually says. But in many cases with other companies you are giving them the rights to do anything they want with your images with no compensation due you whatsoever. You may also be giving them the copyright to sell your images to third parties, again with no compensation to you.  You may find yourself in the outrageous position of violating THEIR copyright by using your own image. It's a legal minefield out there. I'd call it pure and simple theft from the uninformed.

[jecxz]

I got a call from them too. I was offered a home page spot (for free) if I signed up (not free). I asked them for statistics on web traffic, percentages for photography versus paintings searches and I also asked them for their marketing methods and how they attracted companies to their website. I was promised an email with this information, over a week ago, nothing yet. They already use one of my images on their website (for free and for a while it was under their Featured Artist link) and I checked my web logs for click-thru links to my site and over the past year not one visitor can be attributed to artLA.com (http://artla.com/artists/artist.cfm?m=814) so I suspect they don't attract many website visitors or my photogaph is of no interest to their viewers. Without statistics, it's hard to know the effectiveness of this type of advertising.

Kind regards,
Derek Jecxz
http://www.jecxz.com
http://www.facebook.com/derek.jecxz.photographer

I have a few things in local galleries, set up at arts and craft shows, and have tried some online selling websites. my best method is local word of mouth, with limited results. Recently I was contacted by artLA.com because they liked what they saw in my galleries( they are not sold there). naturally I am a little suspicious of any company that calls me. there is no shortage of people taking advantage of artists of all stripes. artLA has a very nice site, a high fee, and a draconian users agreement. has anyone had any success marketing with this company?

[KLaban]

There is now an enormous V A N I T Y industry out there being funded by artists and photographers. Why?

Every successful artist and photographer I have ever known has 'paid' for promotion and services by a commission as a percentage of sales rather than being expected to pay upfront for dubious promotion services. Promotion and representation have always been the function of galleries and agents.

[xtranch]

I appreciate all the great input from more experienced photographers. it seems that photographer rip off is a major industry. I think I would just as soon just be a hobbyist, its more enjoyable . I have managed to sell enough locally to pay for a series of printers, including the current Epson 3800, paper and ink. Mostly I just enjoy shooting and showing my work. thanks, Russell.

[louoates]

There is now an enormous V A N I T Y industry out there being funded by artists and photographers. Why?

Every successful artist and photographer I have ever known has 'paid' for promotion and services by a commission as a percentage of sales rather than being expected to pay upfront for dubious promotion services. Promotion and representation have always been the function of galleries and agents.

If you look at the millions of atrocious images posted on Facebook everyday you can understand that there is an enormous group of folks who think that every click of their point-and-shoot is creating an artistic masterpiece. That is a made-to-order gullible group thirsting for more recognition. It's no surprise that there are so many clever folks ready to separate them from their money.