THE INSPIRATION PLACE PODCAST
Miriam Schulman: Build your own community. Host your own events. I always told my kids the best way to be guaranteed that you’re invited to the party is to host the party.
Speaker2: It’s the Inspiration Place podcast with artist Miriam Schulman. Welcome to the Inspiration Place podcast, an art World Insider podcast for artists by an artist, where each week we go behind the scenes to uncover the perspiration and inspiration behind the art. And now your host, Miriam Schulman.
Miriam Schulman: Well hey there, it’s Miriam Schulman and welcome to the Inspiration Place podcast. I’m your curator of inspiration and today we’re diving into strategies for building your audience. Some of these ideas are going to be about pitching to the press. Others will be other things. And if you really want to join me, live to find out how you can use your type of art, your personal brand story to pitch the press, build the audience, get your art in front of the right people. I’m actually hosting a live workshop next week, next week, or this week. Oh gee, it’s this week already. Time goes fast. All right, I’m hosting it this Thursday, November 7th, and I’d love to have you join me. So if you want to check that out, go to SchulmanArt.com forward slash audience. All right, now let’s get on with the show. Five ways to build your audience, starting with strategy number one. So strategy number one is to become someone else’s best case study. So if you’re taking somebody else’s course, if you’re working with a coach, if you’re working with a mentor, and they have a popular blog or podcast that is one of the easiest ways to get in front of them. To get on their podcast is to become their best case study. Who are they going to pay attention to? You? They want to brag about their best students.
Miriam Schulman: I know I do. So, for example, you’ll hear me always talking about my best students. You’ve heard me talk about Priya Gaur, Marianne and Nielsen, Kara Gillmor, Lynn Sams. They’ve all been featured because they took the work inside of the Artist Incubator seriously and achieved amazing results. Of course I want to talk about them. So if you want to get on somebody’s podcast, take their course and become their best student. Do the work. And then it makes it really easy to pitch them, because now all you have to say is, hi Hey, Miriam. I’m a student of your Artist Incubator, and I’ve done whatever it is you’ve done. X number of sales, x amount of new people on your email list. Maybe you got all these press opportunities and I’d love to share that with your audience. Now you don’t. This doesn’t just work with me. This is going to work with any course that you take. So if you’re taking a class that is focused just on, I don’t know, what are you taking classes in oil painting and that person has a podcast. You want to be their best student. Hey, because of your techniques, my art now is sold out collections and I can’t wait to share that with your audience. Okay. Strategy number two investing in exclusive opportunities. So one of the most effective ways to build your audience is through relationships.
Miriam Schulman: One of my friends, Michael Roderick, gave me this key piece of advice, and that is and I don’t know that he’s made up this quote, actually, but I’m just going to give him credit since he’s the one who told me about it. And that is the keys to the doors you want to open are in other people’s pockets. So that means that any opportunity you want is usually available to you by building those key relationships. I remember when I joined my first high end mastermind with Jason Van Orden, I wasn’t just investing in what he could teach me, I was investing in his network. That’s how I met Michael Roderick. That’s how I met so many of the people who you’ve met on this podcast in the early days, and those relationships led to other relationships, Other masterminds. I’ve met so many incredible people who opened doors for me, people like Selena Suh who have significantly impacted my career. And these smaller, more intimate groups allow you to form deeper relationships. So in my world, the programs I offer the Artist Incubator is my larger group program, and I do get to know some of the artists in there, but the artists who I get to know the best, of course, are the ones inside the inner circle, and they form relationships with each other. And these relationships, they last long after the end of the program.
Miriam Schulman:: I do know many artists who I coached years ago who are still friends with each other, and I see them tagging each other on social media or commenting on each other’s posts, and it just warms my heart to see these friendships being formed. Strategy number three be the most active participant in the groups you’re already a part of. Okay, so this is kind of playing on top of the first two strategies. The first strategy that I shared with you is being the best student. So that’s getting the attention of the teacher. The second strategy was really investing in more of these high end masterminds or groups, because you’re going to form better relationships not only with the person running it, but with the people in it, and also with the coaches network, the friends of the coach. Strategy number three is about getting the attention of other people in the group by being a strong contributor. So again, I’m going to tell you how I see this in my group. There are people who are very active about commenting inside the Facebook group and helping other people. Those people form really good relationships and get noticed. But I’ve also noticed this inside some of the groups I participate in. So sometimes there are people who are very generous with helping out their time and by helping up their time.
Miriam Schulman: I don’t mean that you’re really giving free coaching or free art or free whatever to somebody else, but if you’re in a, let’s say, an ask me anything call when people are asking questions, you’re somebody who raises their hand and say, hey, I have experience with that. And I’ve seen this again in groups I participate in. There are people who during those calls are very generous with sharing their knowledge. They’re not saying, oh yeah, I have a course about that, or I have a book about that, and if you read the book, then you’ll get the secret tip. No, they’re sharing the tip right there and then with the other people in the group. And that builds a lot of trust and connection with the other people. Now, what does this have to do with building your audience? Well, for example, I belong to a group and I was sharing about my new book idea, and I wanted feedback on it. And one of the people who was the most generous about giving me feedback that I actually could use, not feedback that I didn’t like, but the feedback I could most use. I invited him to come on the podcast, so he’s going to be building his audience because I noticed him. I noticed him in that group. Hey there. When we come back, I’ll be sharing two more ways for you to network and build your audience.
Miriam Schulman: But before we do that, I wanted to pull back the curtain and share with you some of the juicy ways that I’ve been helping one of my clients who’s in the inner circle, Martha, rewrite her messaging. Because oftentimes you don’t have a marketing problem, you have a messaging problem, and it’s really hard to come up with unique messages that stand out. Especially if you’re trying to just get ChatGPT to do it for you, but you don’t quite know how to use it in a way that creates something that only you can have. So Martha is in my inner circle. So I just wanted to share with you two of the marketing messages that we came up with together. And this is a sample of the kinds of things that you will be taught how to do during my audience building workshop that is happening Thursday, November 7th. The link to that is SchulmanArt.com/Audience. One of the things that we talked about was really what her values are, and Martha believes in respecting personal choices. She believes in having faith in a divine force in the universe, and she has a love of the natural world as a creation of God. Those values are unique to her, so that we can talk about her art without just saying it’s good to decorate the room or it’s colorful or whatever.
Miriam Schulman: Something very generic. One thing we came up with was that her art is an expression of free will and individuality. So Martha’s abstract work resonates with collectors who value personal sovereignty and choice. Her art embodies the freedom of interpretation, allowing each collector to connect with her pieces in a way that feels personal and meaningful to them. One of the things she shared with me was her feelings about the divisiveness and the hate that’s in the world. So we talked about having her art being an expression of universal themes of joy. That’s a unifying force, and that reflects the type of world that she wants to create. In times of stress and conflict, nature is often viewed as a source of healing, and her focus on natural unnatural elements like birds and landscape and abstract representations of the environment offers her collectors a visual reminder of the world’s beauty. So that’s just a sample of the kinds of messages that you can create once you drill deep and really connecting your values with your art. I hope that you will join me on November 7th to join us for that audience building workshop. Go to SchulmanArt.com/Audience. Okay, and now let’s get back to the show. All right. Strategy number four for building your network and building your audience is hosting your own events to build connections. I’ve talked about this before, but I’m going to talk about it again.
Miriam Schulman: One of the most effective things I’ve done over the years is to host my own lunches or dinners. So pre-pandemic, before I moved into the city, I used to do this every month I would pick a date date that worked best for me. I would book a table in a restaurant, and I invited some of the coolest people I knew, and we all split the check when it was in the restaurant. Now that I live in New York City, I host gatherings in my apartment. I don’t do it every month anymore because, well, you know, my husband’s involved and sometimes he’s in the mood and sometimes he doesn’t. I prefer having it in my apartment. I prefer treating everybody. It is more high quality when you’re able to do it in that kind of space. But when you’re the person who are connecting other people, your name gets mentioned. Even when you’re not in the room. When you are the connector, people will naturally gravitate towards you. And a lot of these people who I’ve nurtured through feeding them falafel every month. Now recommend me to be on another podcast. Some of the podcasts I’ve been on. Oh my gosh, I can think of at the top of my head like 3 or 4 podcasts that I was recommended to be on just by one of my falafel eaters at my dinners.
Miriam Schulman: So as an artist, being an artist can be lonely. And one of the things I talk about is that one of the best ways to build your career is to have other artists friends. You sought out Gertrude Stein with her salons, with Matisse and Picasso. Build your own community. Host your own events. I always told my kids the best way to be guaranteed that you’re invited to the party is to host the party. Finally, here’s strategy number five is about promoting the people you serve. So when I presented this in strategy number one, I was sharing about how you can be someone’s best case study and they’ll promote you. But one of the things that is really important is if you have a community of artists, if you have a community of creatives, or maybe you’re listening to this podcast and that’s not what you do, make sure that you promote the people who you serve. Unfortunately, not everybody does that. I was very disappointed when I was reading an influencers book where she or he, we’re not going to say what the gender is. That person had presented case studies of their students, however, they left off their real names. And I get that not everybody wants their real names highlighted in a book. When I wrote Artpreneur, one of my favorite case studies, I had to change the name of the person that was Faye in the beginning of the book.
Miriam Schulman: That’s not her real name, but I went to all the artists who I featured in the book and I asked them permission. Can I use your real name? And if I could get their permission, I would use their full name because that gives them free publicity. So it’s really important to treat other people the way you want to be treated. If I was somebody’s best student, I would for sure want them to talk about me on their podcast or in their book, and that’s why I do the same. So if you have a community that you serve, make sure that you promote your star students or your star people. Platforming your students not only strengthens your brand, but it leads to other opportunities. So when I pitch myself to the press, it’s not all about me. It’s usually about the results I get for other people. So that’s a very important strategy. If you’re using this to build your network, build your audience, or pitch to the press. All right, so now we’re up to the Claire and Mitch discussion. And today they’re going to be discussing chapter four of my book Artpreneur, which is all about taking the first step. So enjoy this deep dive into chapter four of Artpreneur.
Claire LM: Okay. So ready to dive into something kind of fun? We’re going to dig into this whole idea that everyone who is like, got a creative side dreams about right, turning that passion into actual money.
Mitch LM: You have a dream.
Claire LM: I mean, we’ve all been there. We love what we do, but figuring out how to get paid for it, that’s the tricky part, which is why I think Miriam Schulman: Artpreneur is such a good one to look at.
Mitch LM: It really gets at that mental block. You know, so many creatives I know struggle with that. Like, wait, can I even charge for this? Is that allowed?
Claire LM: Totally. And Schulman just jumps right in with this idea of step zero. Did you ever. When I first read that, I was like, step zero. Did we forget how to count?
Mitch LM: Right? Like, where do we even start with that?
Claire LM: Exactly.
Mitch LM: But her point is really interesting that the biggest step is actually in your head deciding I have a creative entrepreneur. Even if you don’t feel totally ready yet,
Claire LM: It’s like giving yourself permission. Kind of.
Mitch LM: Exactly. It’s that permission. And then all the practical stuff flows from there,
Claire LM: Which she totally proves with that story about designing posters in college. Yeah, that’s a good one. She’s already doing the work, but for free. And meanwhile she’s seeing other people getting paid to do similar stuff. Big light bulb moment.
Mitch LM: Absolutely. Yeah. She’s volunteering hand lettering these amazing posters. But then at the same time, she’s got this work study job where she’s putting up, like, the professionally designed stuff, getting paid for that. Yeah. And she’s like, wait a minute, there’s a budget for this. And I could be the one doing it.
Claire LM: It’s so true though. Like once you see it, it clicks, it clicks. And that kind of leads into, I think the next big thing Schulman digs into, which is this whole idea of setting financial goals that actually excite you.
Mitch LM: Yes, because it’s not enough to just be like, I want to make more money.
Claire LM: Right. That’s too vague.
Mitch LM: Yeah. It’s got to be tied to something that actually gets you fired up.
Claire LM: Like, I want to make enough from my art that I can finally take that trip to, you know, wherever it is you want to go.
Mitch LM: Exactly. Or I want to be able to ditch my day job by this time next year because my art is supporting me. Like that’s a goal.
Claire LM: Yeah.
Mitch LM: And it’s amazing how much our own mindset can hold us back.
Claire LM: Oh, for sure, we’re our own worst enemies sometimes.
Mitch LM: Shulman uses this analogy of just driving around aimlessly. No destination in mind. Okay, I’ve done that. Not productive. Right. You might eventually run out of gas, but you’re not going to end up somewhere you actually meant to go. It’s the same with vague income goals. You know?
Claire LM: So instead of I want more money, it’s I want this much money by this time, and this is what it’s going to allow me to do.
Mitch LM: Yes. Having that clear vision, it makes all the practical steps, like figuring out how to price your work and all that. It makes it feel less scary. But then even when you know what you want to charge, it can be so hard to actually like, say the number out loud, you know?
Claire LM: Oh, tell me about it. Pricing your work. That’s like next level stuff, right?
Mitch LM: How do you even put a price tag on something that you poured your heart and soul into? It can feel almost wrong somehow.
Claire LM: Totally. But Schulman reminds us that think about it. We’re surrounded by examples of what she calls perceived value all the time.
Mitch LM: Oh for sure.
Claire LM: Remember that t shirt example? I mean, that one killed me.
Mitch LM: Oh yeah, the t-shirts. That’s such a good example. She talks about seeing a plain black t-shirt. Bergdorf Goodman, $120.
Claire LM: Okay. Ouch. But also.
Mitch LM: Right. And then she’s at Neiman Marcus. Another plain black t-shirt. This one’s $455.
Claire LM: Okay, see, now I’m curious. Like, is there something magical woven into the fabric? Right?
Mitch LM: Like, what is going on? What’s the deal? And that’s the whole point. It’s not about the actual t-shirt. It’s the story behind it. The brand, the feeling, the idea that you’re buying into.
Claire LM: So it’s like, what are people willing to pay?
Mitch LM: Yes. If that perceived value. And that goes way beyond just like the cost of your materials or the hours you put in, which.
Claire LM: Don’t get me wrong, those are important.
Mitch LM: Of course. Of course, but it’s got to be more than that.
Claire LM: So you’re saying it’s more about like, the story you’re telling with your work?
Mitch LM: Absolutely. It’s the experience, the emotion you’re tapping into. Like, think about the difference between buying like a print from one of those big online places versus an original painting. Okay.
Claire LM: Yeah, there’s a huge difference there, right?
Mitch LM: And part of that is about how you position yourself, how you communicate the value of what you do.
Claire LM: This is making so much more sense now. Okay. So let’s say we’ve done the mindset work right. We’ve got those big exciting goals in mind. And we’re starting to understand this whole perceived value thing a little better. Now what. Like how do we actually get down to business with our art?
Mitch LM: Well, I mean, Schulman talks about this idea of like, you got a business-ify it. And one of the first things she says is open a separate bank account like right away.
Claire LM: Really, even before you’re like officially, officially a business?
Mitch LM: Yes. Because think about it. It just makes everything so much clearer. True.
Claire LM: Because when I first started freelancing, I just used my personal account for everything. And let me tell you, that was not fun come tax time. Not fun at all.
Mitch LM: Exactly. And it’s not just about the taxes. Having separate accounts makes it so much easier to actually see what’s coming in. What’s going out.
Claire LM: Okay. Yeah. Like actually tracking your money.
Mitch LM: Exactly. Yeah. Which is crucial. It’s like having a clear dashboard for your creative business. You know what I mean?
Claire LM: But even with all the practical stuff, the accounts, the pricing, there’s still that part of you that’s like, oh, what if this doesn’t work? You know.
Mitch LM: 100%? It’s totally normal to feel that fear, though, right?
Claire LM: Putting yourself out there, risking a no, maybe even like straight up failing. It’s funny.
Mitch LM: Though, Schulman talks about how we actually need to get comfortable with that risk. Like, see it as part of the journey.
Claire LM: Okay, I’ve heard that before. Like get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Mitch LM: It’s kind of like that. She compares it to when babies are learning to walk. Yeah, they fall down like a million times, right?
Claire LM: Yeah, more than a million, probably.
Mitch LM: But they keep getting back up. They don’t think, oh, I’m a failure at walking. It’s just part of figuring it out.
Claire LM: That’s a good way to look at it. It’s so easy to get hung up on doing everything perfectly. But honestly, those screw ups, we learn way more from those.
Mitch LM: Totally. And that leads to something else Schulman talks about that’s huge, which is making decisions.
Claire LM: Oh, the dreaded decision making.
Mitch LM: Because it’s easy to get stuck. You know, trying to analyze every single angle make the absolute perfect choice. But sometimes you just got to go for it.
Claire LM: Trust your gut.
Mitch LM: Exactly. Make the decision and then adjust as you go. You’ll figure it out along the way.
Claire LM: So much good stuff here. If we had to sum up like the big takeaway from Artpreneur for everyone listening, what would it be?
Mitch LM: You got this incredible talent, this passion. Like the world needs what you create. You know, I love that. And Schulman’s book, it gives you the tools and the permission to actually own that, to set those big, exciting goals and then take action, even if it’s a little scary at first.
Claire LM: Because at the end of the day, the only way to really mess this up is to not even try, right?
Mitch LM: You got it. Every single artist out there, every creative entrepreneur who’s killing it, they all started right where you are now with that spark, that passion and the guts to share it.
Claire LM: Okay, I love that energy. So as we wrap this up, let’s leave everyone with something to think about. If fear wasn’t holding you back, what’s the one bold move you’d make right now to turn that passion into profit?
Mitch LM: Yeah. Think about it.
Claire LM: Let us know we want to hear it. Find us on social media. Use #passiontoprofit. Until next time. Keep creating. Keep believing in yourselves and those dreams. We’ll see you on the next deep dive.
Miriam Schulman: All right, my friend. So thank you so much for being with me here today. Don’t forget that I have my live workshop is happening this week on November 7th. I hope to see you there. Go to SchulmanArt.com/Audience. We’ll have lots of strategies for building your network, building your audience, practical tips that you can take home, worksheets and lifetime access to the recording. But I would love if you join me live. So again, SchulmanArt.com/Audience happening on November 7th. All right. So thank you so much for joining me here today. And I’ll see you the same time, same place next week. Until then stay inspired and bye for now.
Speaker2: Thank you for listening to The Inspiration Place podcast. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/schulmanart, on Instagram @schulmanart and of course, on SchulmanArt.com.
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