Common sense and altruism still rule and maybe even more so.  People are embracing authenticity, transparency and simplicity.  Duh.  Why would one ever move away from that to start with?  I dunno but many have and it has caused most of us to turn a deaf ear to anything from a sales and marketing perspective.  Our BS detectors are on high alert.  Good.  It gives small regional artists the opportunity to capture more clients for the mailing list.  

We are tired of the pundits on high draggin’ the whole system down. As a result, “we are increasingly shutting out “marketing” and “news sources” and turning to our friends and families – our smaller, more intimate and immediate circles of influence – and appreciating them more, sharing information with them, and (likely as a result) bs’ing less” (Janet Lee Johnson, November 25, 2008) 

If you agree with this it means that social media marketing is even more important.  More and more people are exploring the opportunity to use social means as a marketing method.  People trust people they know and interact with. Generally people will ask family, friends, followers for input and advice when researching just about anything.  It again does create a huge opportunity to blast your brand like never before…and targeted.  So just as Janet Lee Johnson suggests it is time to:

Listen more than we speak
Offer expert service more than braggadocio
Engage rather than cajole
And show rather than tell…

Rethink everything.  Be real.  Until next time, Live, Love and Laugh.

Portrait Artist Rod Evans has become renowned for his innovative portraits by combining an intense love of art and a visionary style.  He has been requested to lecture nationally as well as internationally for a host of venues including PPA’s Imaging USA, WPPI, and Senior Portrait Artists Events.  Rod’s images have been exhibited in art galleries, showcased in Canon training books as well as magazine publications, and he has been featured on the cover of Professional Photographers of America Magazine.  He is also featured as one of 11 top photographers for Canon USA’s workflow training DVD.  He is a PPA National Award winner who has been on Photoworkshop.com and PhotoVision Video Magazine.  Rod was selected to be member of the prestigious Society of XXV and the Canon Explorers of Light Program.

Rod’s background in art and photography has taught him to relax and study his subject, bringing out the best in each person he photographs.  The art is in communication and learning to feel the image verses just seeing the image.  This is how he is able to create art in each subject he photographs.

 “Photography is more than a two dimensional media to me, if done well you can capture a beautiful part of a persons soul.”  -Rod Evans

Here is something else cool about Rod.  He is a fun, upbeat guy.  I interviewed Rod today and had an absolute blast.  What was refreshing about Rod is that he is seemingly without ego.  For someone at his level in the business he is grounded in what is real and what is important.  That is huge.  Rod also understands the importance of  a business plan and marketing.  A rarity indeed.  Although I would argue that most of the people at high levels of success in any industry understand this.

Listen to Rod’s views on studying or listening to PMA (positive mental attitude) book’s, cd’s and dvd’s.  He has unique insight specific to self help as he worked with an industry giant that you have heard of.  We talked about mentorship…is it important, how does it work.

Rod also exposes a few hot marketing campaigns that they are working right now today.  Would you be intrigued if there  was a 4 digit increase in one area of business using some of  these?  Yeah, 4 digit.  Awesome. And finally,  thoughts and comments on creativity and keeping fresh, social media marketing, digital painting, and much more.  Go see his web-site and check out his work.  He has some awesome things coming up.  A digital painting instructional DVD and…… Italy anyone?  go to Rod’s site and get the scoop on a digital painting workshop in Italy. Then next week check out this podcast.

Here is access to a few other resources we talked about in the interview.

The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind”

Think and Grow Rich”

The Secret”

Fables and Fortune Hunters

An American businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village on doctor’s orders.  Unable to sleep after an urgent phone call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head.  A small boat with just one fisherman had docked,  and inside the boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish. 

            “How long did it take you to catch them?” the American asked.

            “Only a little while,” the Mexican replied in surprisingly good English.

            “Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American then asked.

            “I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends,” the Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket.

            “But…What do you do with the rest of your time?”

            The Mexican looked up and smiled.  “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Julia, and stroll into the village each evening, where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos.  I have a full and busy life senior.”

            The American laughed and stood tall. “Sir, I am a Harvard M.B.A. and I can help you. You should spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat.  In no time, you could buy several boats with the increased haul. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”

            He continued, “Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product processing and distribution.  You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village, of course, and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually New York City, where you could run your expanding enterprise with proper management.’

            The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, senor, how long will all this take?”

            To which the American replied, “15-20 years. 25 tops.”

            “But what then, senor?”

            The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part.  When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich.  You would make millions.”

            “Millions, senor? Then what?”

            “Then you would retire and move to a small coastal fishing village, where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with you wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos…..”

So what does all this have to do with social marketing, attraction marketing, social media marketing, photography or digital painting?  Everything.  If you don’t spend the time defining the “why” of putting your business together it wont work.  What if you get down the road and find out you would be happier doing 4-5 paintings a month or just one, instead of photographing seniors or babies and all the rest?  What if you really want to work 2 days and just hang with your family the remaining time?  Most of us plan and goal set according to previously defined social moire’s.  Why?  I think because we don’t spend the up-front time to really defined what “our”  perfect life would look like.  I am guilty of this…. bigtime.  Next-time we can pick this up again and take a look at some other issues pertaining to the “why” of your business.