Featured E-Marketer: Independent Artist, Priscilla Serafin

Q & A with Priscilla Serafin

We're Hiring: PatronMail Account Executive (New York)

 

06.13.06
VOLUME FOUR
ISSUE SIX

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Featured E-Marketer: Independent Artist, Priscilla Serafin

Priscilla Serafin is a landscape painter living in Rowley, Massachusetts. After earning a Bachelors of Fine Arts from West Virginia University in 1984 and a Masters of Fine Arts from Yale University in 1986, Priscilla built her own business as a graphic designer before returning to painting in 1996.

As well as running her own successful studio (in a restored barn), where she exhibits and sells her paintings, she has recently completed a stay as artist-in-residence at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont where she studied with Wolf Kahn, Suzanne Coffey and Stuart Shills. Her award winning work has been featured on Bob Villa, is held in numerous private collections and can be viewed in local galleries.

Q & A with Priscilla Serafin

To begin, Priscilla, tell us about your background and how you make your living?

After building a solid client base for my freelance graphic design business, I found the space (an incredible barn) and time to resume drawing and painting, something I'd put on hold since graduate school. For the past ten years, I've been devoting more and more time to painting.

I started showing my work in local galleries on Boston's North Shore in 1998, I've hosted an annual Open Studio in the Barn since 2000, and I use my design skills to maintain a Web site showing available paintings, all of which have helped sales of my paintings increase steadily each year.


As an independent artist, what were your main tools for promoting and selling your works before you started using PatronMail?

Before I began using PatronMail, I tried advertising in local publications, which is expensive, but I mainly relied on postcards which were also expensive - not only to print but also to mail - so I only used them about once a year for my annual open studio.

While printed cards are still nice take-aways for gallery visitors, if used to promote a specific event like a gallery opening they become quickly outdated. PatronMail can be used as a timely reminder of an opening and it's much less expensive.


How have you integrated e-marketing into your 'business'?

I started using PatronMail last September - my early list included people who've attended my gallery shows in the past and those who have purchased paintings or have an interest in my work. Since September, I have been sending a Painting of the Month e-postcard every month showcasing a recent painting. The e-postcard always includes a link that leads to my Web site where many of my paintings are displayed.

People tell me they love getting it and I can tell that they forward the e-mails to others. It keeps them abreast of my current work and keeps them up to date on where I'm showing and makes it easy for them to contact me. I always include an e-mail link and my phone number.


What kind of success have your Painting of the Month campaigns generated?

My monthly campaigns have resulted in more consistent sales during the year. Five out of six of them have lead to direct sales. One patron was contemplating what to give a friend for a wedding gift when she got my e-mail, revisited my Web site and decided to purchase one of my paintings as the gift. Another patron forwarded the campaign to a new contact at gallery. As a result, I started showing at the gallery last month.

I've been so happy with how easy the campaigns are to create while letting me control the design so the look is consistent with my Web site.


Tell us about your Open Studio and how e-mail has helped you promote it.

For the past 5 years I've held an annual Open Studio in the Barn the first weekend in October that is open to the public and includes a few open studio specials. Clients can view my latest work during a festive wine and cheese reception on Friday night (with live music) or visit the studio on Saturday or Sunday afternoon if they want to browse in a more subdued atmosphere or engage in an in-depth discussion of the work.

I used PatronMail to advertise the event for the first time last October and attendance tripled from the previous year! Before, people told me they had intended to come, but forgot the date or lost the postcard. The e-mail invitation made it easy for them to put the date on their electronic calendar and provided a link to my web site so they could view more of the show. And while the weekend is open to the public, the e-mail categories allow me to easily promote early viewing opportunities to select clients.

It was a beautiful weekend. Sales increased 650% from the previous year and more than doubled my total sales for the year!


What advice would you offer to other independent artists who may be considering e-mail as a more serious promotional tool?

I think using e-mail is an excellent promotional tool to advertise an upcoming show or event and to lead contacts to a Web site. And the fact that e-mail can be easily forwarded to additional contacts means that you benefit from viral marketing that leverages your initial investment many times over.

We're Hiring: PatronMail Account Executive (New York)