Advertising Online: Facebook Flyers

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Okay, call me an addict. First, there was chocolate (thanks, mom!), then, my “Crackberry“, now Facebook. What can I say, I get obsessions. Art is an obsession, no harm in that, right?

One of the features on Facebook I’ve decided to try for my “virtual open studio” (ie, cleaning out my studio sale) is “Facebook Flyers”. It’s a neat idea. Remembering that Facebook is built around the idea of friends, virtual neighborhoods and so on: at home, how would you advertise a garage sale? Sure, start with Craig’s List…but you’d post fliers, right? That’s the idea with Facebook flyers. You can post advertisements that feature your sale, and most important: target them to networks, be it neighborhoods or schools.

So, I’ve devised a little test. I’ve taken one of my paintings from my “virtual open studios” and targeted it using Facebook Flyers. The one I selected was my painting of the USS Hornet for the “Jewel by the Bay” paint out this past summer. So now the question is, where do I target? You can target by gender, age group, neighborhood and school. There’s Alameda…yes, I could target delivery of the flyers to people that live in Alameda where the USS Hornet is docked. But I realized there is a school of alumni that may be most interested, the US Naval Academy!

So, there it is. My Facebook Flyer, targeted for delivery (5,000 flyer ads for $10) delivered to only current students and alumni of the US Naval Academy.

Facebook Flyers - Naval Academy Ad

I’ll let you know how it goes.  To learn more about Facebook Flyers, check out Charlene Li’s Blog, “Groundswell”.

Join me on Facebook: Plein Air Painters Group

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If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re familiar with social networks, like Facebook, MySpace, etc. I’ve been following Facebook for a while (as part of my role at Wells), and think it has a lot of potential to connect people/groups in much more meaningful ways than MySpace. So, I’ve set up a group called “Plein Air Painters“, and I’d love you to join us!
The group is focused on the art of painting “plein air”, outdoors in natural light. For now, membership is restricted to plein air artists, of any level. This is a place to learn, make connections and share your experience. We’ll be able to start online discussions, submit photos of paintings to share or critique, and list events–like shows, paint-outs, workshops, and so on.
Here’s how to join:
If you’re not a member of Facebook,

  1. Click here to register
  2. You’ll then need to check your email for a confirmation from Facebook, click the link in the email to confirm with Facebook.
  3. Click here to visit the group.
  4. Click the “Request to Join Group” link on the right, below the painting.

If you are a member, click here to visit the group, then “Request to Join Group” link on the right, below the painting. Here’s what the page will look like… See the link “Request to Join Group” under the painting, below right:

how-to-join-plein-air-painters-2.jpg

Virtual Open Studios Sale

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It’s time to clean out my studio, and offer paintings at a discount for you holiday shoppers! November is apparently the largest retail month, so I’m going to join in with an online-only, unframed studio sale.

Starting November 1st, I will have web pages set up for this sale that will allow you to select a painting, pay online (using PayPal’s site) and enter your shipping address/information.

I am also going to experiment with online advertising, buying targeted ads on Facebook. (“Facebook Flyers”) For those of you that sell your art (probably the majority of my readers), I will let you know how that works out. If you have any online sales/advertising tips, please chime in with comments. I have noticed a wide variety of sales approaches by other artists, from eBay to specialized art sales sites. What works for you?

I am going for volume here, so these unframed prices are big discounts (hope this doesn’t hurt me later!):

$100 – 6×8
$150 – 8×10
$175 – 9×12
$250 – 11×14
$275 – 12×16
$500 – 16×20

A Fateful Connection

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Yesterday was…conflicting. On the one hand, it was an extraordinarily beautiful day–one with the level of clarity you see after a couple of days of rain–and on the other, a very sad one. I painted the view below of the Golden Gate Bridge from El Camino Del Mar, just past the Palace of Fine Arts. … Read more

Pier at Baywood Park, Los Osos

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My last day at San Luis Obispo Plein Air, I had a relaxing morning and just painted for the fun of it. I needed that, because unfortunately, painting for these competitions can be a bit stressful…a bit like painting a commission–only 6-10 in a single week! I continue to have fun with the texture of … Read more

SLO Plein Air ‘07, Pick your favorites

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Okay, I need your help blogosphere! I need to pick the top 3 paintings for the jury, and top 6 for the exhibition. I’ve listed my picks below. This group has done a great job last year, making suggestions and providing a much needed second pair of eyes. You know when you look at your … Read more

SLO Plein Air ‘07, Day 4

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Last night Doug Martin, Walter Porter, Daisy de Puthod and Stephen Sanfilippo and I got together for a dinner and critique as part of this year’s San Luis Obispo Plein Air 2008 competition. The group had wonderful work, some will surely win something. Walter showed us a painting of boats in Los Osos that was … Read more

SLO Plein Air ‘07, Day 3

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Great day today! The weather cooperated, my paint cooperated and my mind and brush worked together in harmony. That’s a relief after yesterday. Let me know what you think of these! I started out the morning in an area of Los Osos called Baywood Park. I’ve seen this spot before. There’s a small shore and … Read more