JAVS Spring 2011

Second Rule in Sales: Be a Free Resource Several years ago, I had a conver sation with a friend who is a med ical supplies salesman. He told me of the countless hours he spent with clients, offering free advice and information with no expecta tions of an immediate sale. Why? Because he knew that if he invest ed the time into his customers, when they had money to spend, they would come to him. It’s easy for a musician to feel taken advantage of. After all, the things people expect for free from us would never be expected of a doctor or lawyer, and yet most of us are as capable (if not more so) as the average collections attorney. So we need to be careful, yet fos ter an atmosphere of goodwill toward our efforts. When I first moved to my current town, I offered free, unlimited coachings to all of the schools in the area. I was constantly offering free help to organizations who would take it. The first year yielded me little. But after the next eighteen months, I had a full studio of pri vate students, a full-time job at the performing arts school with salary and benefits, and several spots on local arts organizations boards. When someone works tirelessly as a free resource, they will win. Collaboration is Reciprocal Don’t go it alone. Many hands actually do make work light. Working with others is challeng ing; it presents many complica

tions—different artistic ideals, different business visions. But it also affords you safety in num bers, an expanded network, and the ability to share the load. Some relations will fizzle, but keeping good relations strong and avoid ing burnt bridges while staying inviting and open to others will only serve you. Remember, always be collaborative in spirit. Never hunker down and claim your territory. It is so outdated and radiates an entire aura of self doubt—you will soon find your self out of friends and work. It’s natural to be protective of your work; after all you need it. Work pays your bills, gives you food, and allows you to perform in the field you love. When you work with others, open yourself up and surround yourself with allies and colleagues; you will always have work. As you include others in jobs, ideas, and visions, they will include you. They will refer you, and they will feel inclined to sup port you. Why? Because every viable artist knows that in the end (no matter how cheesy this sounds) we are all in this together, so why not help our friends?

able, capable, and ready to get involved with others. There are several different ways on the web to do this, many of which are outlined below, but the main point is that you need both online content and offline content. All musicians need a business card with updated contact information that presents their services well. In addition, a website, Facebook page, Twitter account, etc., will help promote your activities in the areas people dwell. $2 to $300 spent paying a professional to optimize your website for Google searches is very well worth it if you have a need to attract the general community. Today’s violist needs to be a musi cal pioneer. The methods of find ing employment in our field have changed rapidly, and the skill set you employ needs to reflect a business mindset coupled with changes in technology. That’s a lot! – Jason Bonham The Internet has become a vital resource for advertising ourselves. While many of us are aware of the practical uses of a professional website and e-mail campaigns, it is important to also consider the usefulness of the networking tools popping up all over. Here are a few of the most common sites that artists are using and some ideas for how to best use them: Facebook (www.facebook.com): easily the best-known networking site, it was originally created with Part II: Online NetworkingTools

Self-Promotion

You can’t be afraid of it. While it can still be overdone and take a bit of self-confidence, there is a 99% chance you have not done enough of it.

The objective? Promote yourself as someone who is knowledge

J OURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 30