Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

I think most people will assume that any link-only email is definitely spam, probably porn, and possibly a phishing scheme. You're likely to get your profile deleted from Facebook and cause ill will. You don't say how long you've been on Facebook, but I think the reason you haven't seen emails similar to what you're describing is because they are not permitted.

A better (but slower) way is to actually become a genuine part of the art communities by making interesting non-promotional posts and adding value. Use a good signature line so people get to know who you are. Don't try to sell anything to anyone. Work on building real relationships without expecting anything in return. As people get to know you, they will become genuinely interested in what you do, but you can't force it.

Partner with some other artists and hold a virtual gallery crawl. You can post this on your events section and announce it on your wall and to your friends. You can also add it to your signature block. It doesn't have to stay Facebook only--you can send out a press release. I had tremendous success with an online book preview last year.

Is there any single piece of art you would be willing to share free as a profile background or button? That's another possibility to get your work known. Musicians offer free sample songs and writers offer free e-chapters all the time because it works.

You don't say whether you're using your page as an active art center for your work or not, but you can use the apps to upload a videoblog of yourself with your work at a live event, and you can link to a blog where you talk about art. Again, these are low-key ways to sell, but that's what using social media is all about.

You can also invite interesting people to be your friends on Facebook, but the invitations need to be personal and sincere, not mass emails. Spend some time in the art groups and look for people you actually want to get to know. Strike up a conversation. Then friend them. You can also use your web site, newsletter, etc. to let everyone you meet offline know about your Facebook and ask them to friend you. I do this at book signings and it works very well. Now you've got a genuinely interested group that wants to hear from you. And you can ask them to introduce their friends.

You might want to check out some of the excellent online classes on using social media for marketing. Ruth Klein does a great teleclass (www.ruthklein.com) and so does Marilyn Schwader (www.clarityofvision.com). I've taken both of their classes and they're very good.

I've been using MySpace as a platform for my books for over a year now very successfully and it's been an important part of my marketing plan. Just move slowly, make friends, and enjoy the connections instead of seeing everyone as a potential sale.