Based off the article I posted by Denise Dorman concerning dwindling sales at comic conventions thats going around. I made a lengthy response but the reply was dozens of posts down and I wanted to share it with my entire friend and follow list. While I think Denise makes some good points, I think theres a certain amount of responsibility lacking on the artist. These are a handful of things I do to keep myself relevant and make most every convention I attend a success both financially and as a marketing opportunity and Ive seen many artists success rate increase when they begin applying a few of these methods. Hopefully this helps some artists out there trying to improve their luck at shows. 1) Produce product that people want. Yes, its a bit of pandering but luckily my tastes line up pretty well with what people dig (for now) so this isnt too hard. I also try to produce exclusive stuff for bigger shows that you can only get at that show which tends to help a lot. Try to make your stuff unique from everyone else. Why not get a custom embosser and stamp each print? Sell slipcases with each print so the patron walks around showing the print off? Youd be surprised how many sales I get from folks seeing people walk around with something of mine in full(protected) view and come to get something too. Dont just be an also ran, think outside the box. 2) you got to spend money to make money. For the larger shows like SDCC and NYCC I walk into the show thousands of dollars in the hole because Ive spent a lot of money of having a really pretty artbook or a oversized print on good paper. I also spend a lot on my booth to make it eye catching and attract attention. its a battle for peoples eyes and youve got to have the prettiest gingerbread house. Its stressful to spend so much money without having the guarantee that it will pay off but its almost always paid off is spades. 3) Youve got to market yourself! Its great to have a good product but you cant expect people to know where to find you if youre not letting them know. Im not above being a huge online social media whore and youll probably notice I bombard FB, Instagram, and Twitter with notices when I have something new or to announce a big con appearance. It feels very self centered and braggadocios sometimes but its a necessary reality that has proven vital and correct. 4) Youve got to constantly remind people that youre there. In between shows I try to constantly post work whether its a new cover, sketches, or whatever. I also produce speed videos for You Tube and post process stuff. This keep people interested and (hopefully) coming back to your various social media accounts. You have to supply content and the traffic will come which, in turn, will supply the base for conventions. 5) Let your fans be your army. You can only do so much to get people to discover you but your fans in legion can do some much more. Retweets and word of mouth can accomplish so much. Im not above asking for retweets or telling a fan to tell a friend where to find me. And above all, treat your fans like gold. The kick-ass print they just bought may make them want to run and show a friend but the story of how cool and nice Mark was when I met him that one time will last much longer. You have to be your own ambassador. 6) this is the harshest one but unfortunately its come to become a reality that weve had to accept. I love my cosplay friends including my favorite cosplayer and friend Riki LeCotey who was kind enough to post and this has nothing to do with my personal feelings on the cosplay phenomenon for which my opinions are mostly positive. The reality is that weve found that, for the most part, if the show is a heavy cosplay show, we wont make near as much money as we do at shows that have a low or medium cosplay presence. Sure, there are exceptions like SDCC but for the most part weve found this to be true and had to take this into account when considering our show schedule every year. Take that in the spirit in which its intended and I infer nothing positive or negative with that statement. We can speculate all we want about why this is but Its just a simple truth weve realized. Same thing goes for heavily rostered celebrity shows. Lastly, heres list of shows that Ive found to be extremely successful if you apply the points listed above and I would encourage any artists to attend these shows if at all possible. The expense can be high for some of them but I find the payoff to be worth it. This are shows I can guarantee that I will walk out well in the black and have a great time at a well organized show with great fans to boot. Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, WA San Diego Comic Con International New York Comic Con STGCC(Singapore Toy and Games Comic Con) Big Wow In San Jose, CA This is no dis on any show not listed and weve done well at nearly every show weve attended but for us, these 5 are the big daddies.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 22:09:58 +0000
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