by Rebecca Sciullo | Dec 19, 2019 | Artist Websites, Learning, Resources, Tools
What’s Going On…
Earlier this year, I decided it was time to refresh my father’s website. I built his first site with the now discontinued Microsoft FrontPage back in 2007. About five years later, I had a new site built on Squarespace. At that time, it was a solid reflection of his work. But web design trends change quickly. The website looked outdated, and as I’m more familiar with WordPress, it was not the easiest for me to maintain. After a round of art marketing round tables this fall, I took some time off from this blog to update his web presence.
It took some time, however, to decide how we wanted things to look. The Squarespace site provided a complete gallery of his artwork, which was becoming unnecessary, as we now use Artwork Archive to keep all of the work up to date online. We decided to use the WordPress.com platform to build a blog based website, and then link it to Artwork Archive. Once a decision was made on how to proceed, the website came together in about a week.
Above is a snapshot of the site before the refresh.
Below is a preview of the new look. Click here for a full view.
Back to Blogging
Quick success with his first website was a direct result of using a blog to promote his work. It was time to recommit to this tool and set his blog as his home page on the new site. We plan on using the blog to reconnect our network, promote his art, and get back to giving his audience more of the story behind his work.
Artwork Archive Component
Artwork Archive is an integral part of his web presence. We’ve been using it for several years to inventory work and keep track of sales. We are now using all features of this system, including the ability to build an online portfolio for different audiences. So, instead of creating an extensive gallery on WordPress, his website links directly to his Artwork Archive profile. Visitors are always viewing the most current work along with relevant information, such as whether or not the piece is still available.
As I move forward with this project, I look forward to posting more things I’ve learned while revamping his web presence as well as the transitioning of his brand from Appalachian Studio to Robert Yonke Art.
Are You Updating Your Website in 2020?
Do you have plans for building or updating your website in 2020? Stay tuned to Artisan Advantage for more content focused on building your web presence.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
by Rebecca Sciullo | Nov 12, 2019 | Learning, Tools, Writing
This Photo Was Me Before Grammarly Grammar Checker
Before I found Grammarly Grammar Checker, this is how I felt before posting an article or publishing a newsletter. I was afraid to hit “publish” or “send” for fear of typos. Because let’s face it, spell checkers do not catch everything. Finding Grammarly has reduced my time spent editing and stressing before putting a post, email, or product out into the world.
Grammarly is an online proofreader and grammar checking tool. It checks for errors with spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Choose from a free or premium paid version. The free version is an excellent place to start to get an idea of how the program works. The premium version has more bells and whistles, giving style and vocabulary recommendations along with a plagiarism checker.
Cool Features
The paid premium version also allows you to set goals for your writing, such as whether or not you want to write in a formal or informal tone, or whether or not you want to excite or persuade someone.
Did I mention It’s Free?
I started with the free version and immediately found myself saving time in the editing process. Finding it easy to use, after a few months, I decided to try the premium version. I am now hooked on this tool and run everything I write, from lengthy emails to blog posts and writing presentations and products such as my cheat sheets through this tool. It is effortless to use, and the editing tool is remarkable. Not only does it point out errors, but it offers suggestions on how to correct mistakes or improve readability.
In the past, I would worry that I missed something before publishing and spent hours going over and over the text. Yet, I would still miss errors! I no longer worry about this, as Grammarly catches everything. I can edit and finalize copy much faster than I can on my own. So, in addition to helping me reduce errors, it is a time saver.
If you are writing anything that you will share publicly, whether it is your artist statement, bio, or copy for your website, give Grammarly a try. There is no time limit on the free version, and you can upgrade at any time.
Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
by Rebecca Sciullo | Nov 11, 2019 | Artist Websites, Learning, Tools
Are you missing out on timely information?
If you are a subscriber of Artisan Advantage, you should be receiving a newsletter once a month from me.
In talking with a few artists recently that I work with, it seems some of you are not receiving my messages. I’ve also been surprised that winners of my Artisan Advantage Book Club giveaway are not responding to claim their free books! Then it dawned on me that my emails are probably ending up in junk or spam folders.
It is not uncommon for an ISP (Internet Service Provider) to use filters to send an email newsletter to junk or spam folders. It happens to me too. Even my daughter’s school’s emails go to my spam box. And it’s a little embarrassing to not respond to the teacher!
Let’s fix this problem.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Oct 19, 2018 | Consultations, Learning, Planning, Productivity, Resources, Tools
Are you ready for 2019? Don’t wait til January to prepare! Now is the time that you should be reviewing how this year went. This helps you to put ideas and plans into place for next year. If this is something that you’ve never done effectively, I’d like to help. I’m devoting November and December to Micro-Consults focused on this topic
Get ready for next year.
My Get Ready for 2019 with an End of Year Review Micro-Consult is designed to help you use what you learned in 2018 to implement an effective business plan for 2019. This consult will provide you with a tool to help you effectively review the past year in all areas of your art business including marketing, sales, inventory, time management and productivity. Using this information will allow us to determine what steps you can take now to get ready for 2019. We will also develop a quarterly schedule for you to keep yourself on track over the coming year.
If this sounds like something that could help you, please click here to schedule a “Getting Ready for 2019 with an End of Year Review” Micro Consult
Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash
by Rebecca Sciullo | Nov 13, 2017 | Consultations, Planning, Resources, Tools, Uncategorized
I love nothing better than working with artists who are eager to grow their businesses. If this sounds like you, we need to connect!
Also, I am excited to announce some enhancements to my Personal Consulting Package. The package still includes a review of your art business along with a written plan of recommended actions to take. I’ve added a follow-up component, including weekly email and monthly phone calls for three consecutive months after your consultation. I decided to add this component after “piloting” it with a recent client. She felt that the weekly check-ins were a big part of her being able to push her business forward, so I’ve decided this needs to be a part of the package.
Additionally, any lessons or programs that are included in my Sell Your Art program will be provided to you at no charge. Some of these tools include:
Finding Your Vision Lesson and Worksheet
Writing Your Artist Statement and Bio – Lesson and Worksheet
Sell Your Art Overview Video Presentation
Managing Your Contacts Tool
Managing Your Prospects Tool
The Personal Artist Consulting Package including all of the follow-up calls/emails and tools is $300.
I am currently scheduling consultations for January. There is a limited number of artists I can work with so I encourage you to commit now to doing this for your business in 2018.
