Art Marketing Action Podcasts from Alyson B. Stanfield and ArtBizCoach.com

Are the titles of your artworks working for you? Do they help people relate to your art? Do they at least cause viewers to stop and think, "Hmmm . . . I wonder what that means"? Titles don't have to say everything, but they should say something. There are five very good reasons for spending time on your titles.

You can't just build a website and wait for the traffic to pick up. You have to encourage visits consistently. Look at your online presence, and check all of the details for each outlet. Are you driving traffic to your site wherever you can?

It's hard to keep going when your art isn't selling well. You could be bummed and negative that your art isn't getting the recognition you think it deserves OR you could invest in your future and persevere. I believe persistence is the number one reason most artists succeed.

Your art isn't for everyone. Once you understand this, you'll have an easier time finding the people who appreciate your work. The more people see your art, the more likely you are to hit upon someone who falls in love with it. Likewise, the more you get your art out into the world, the more you'll be able to direct your marketing message to the people who were meant to see it.

Artists should practice saying "Yes, and . . ." It's hard to do, but it's powerful. Saying "Yes, and . . ." immediately changes your outlook from negative to positive. It opens up your world to other possibilities.

It's necessary to send out artist newsletters and email blasts, but that isn't your genius. The work that you do in the studio is more important than anything. It should always come first.

Your friends are not open targets for bulk email messages. Ask them politely if they want to be included in your list and make it easy for them to subscribe. Remember to send them a sample of what they'll be receiving and tell them how often they can expect to hear from you. If they don't sign up the first time, email them again in 3-4 months.

Postcards are relatively inexpensive to print and mail. Yes, postcard mailings still cost money, but they're cheaper and more personal than buying an ad. Postcards are real mail sent to real people who know and like you. They have an image of your art on the front (hopefully with your name there, too) and are likely to stick around longer than email in an inbox.

Artists who are concerned about showing older work can give it secondary links from the primary art pages on a website. If you're proud of the work and it's still for sale, there's no reason to remove it from your site, but you might not want it featured. Use descriptive categories and treat every page as if someone might land there first -- before seeing the home page.

Artists: Do what you can to protect your images properly -- such as providing proper credit lines with every online image you post -- but don't be so fearful that you miss out on opportunities for others to promote your art for you. Make it easy to be talked about!