Marketing Tip 5th Week

Very good points!

I cannot count the amount of times I have had to ask people "Which city?"(when more local) and "Which timezone for 8pm?" when international

What it feels like is that they are speaking only to their friends, not giving more general information.

A lot of it comes down to respect - does the person at the other end feel respected? ( have you given correct and or easy to find information?)

I can think of two examples:
Here on FAA, Abbie (with an "ie") was extremely helpful when I had problems with Premium site payment, My card was not accepted. I never felt it was my fault, I felt I was being helped as much as possible. In the end I stayed, and a year or two later tried again with another card, it worked, here I am. Credit to Abbie for her professional support.

Second example - a food delivery app charged me twice - long story short - I cancelled my credit card, after three weeks of feeling I was being indirectly called a liar by the support TEAM, proved the error, they rather ungraciously said "Here's your money" I replied thanks, you just lost a client, uninstalled the app and went elsewhere.

In the end, as Abbie pointed out in her list, cover all main points including contact if there are questions.

edit: in electronic communications, if using images put details such as address as TEXT so it can be copied.
I try to think of it like this, step by step to where I want people to come (whether a site, event or whatever it might be).
If I gave my website, did I give my artistic name so they can google me? If an event, place, how to get there (metro, bus, parking?).

I have been job hunting, I make an A list and a B list. The B list is those companies that on their website have no physical address, no phone number (as a last resort I can google the phone number to find an address.) The reason is it may be in the same city, but if it's two hours traffic-wise, I won't even bother.

Once again, thanks to Abigull Shoes! (yes I read the signature too)

hahaha I did wonder if anyone would notice that

I have seen business online with no details on how to get to them (if physical) and no way of contacting them either. Never good if you are trying to earn a living

You got a proper laugh out of me.

Another point I thought of:

If using an image with all the details, provide the text form as well.(online version) so people can copy the text.

I often email addresses to myself, or copy to a notepad on my phone, or take a screenshot (if the image fits or is legible that size !)

I have found that reading what I've written out loud (instead of reading it silently) is often more effective for finding mistakes, typos, miss offs, etc., especially if what I've written is lengthy and/or if I've made revisions. I think it forces me to look at the words and wording more carefully. It also helps me to notice when auto correct has corrected to something far from what i intended.

Good idea. Speaking aloud the words can really help.

If it is important details in an email, letter or even my blog entries, I will either read it out aloud, read it to someone or send it out to be proof read by someone who is detail orientated and doesn't mind helping a girl out.

Great idea!

Abigull Shoes...lol

Hardly anyone pronounces my last name correctly, so on the rare occasion they do, it leaves a positive impression!

I talk to my phone and dictate rather than suffer through the tiny keypad, and have to always double check auto correct, especially on names.

Ps...bet few of you will SAY Mibus correctly... Some names are difficult, and when I encounter a name I'm not sure of I always ask the person, "How do you pronounce your last name?" Rather than guessing and getting it wrong.

Mibus is MY-bus. Almost everyone says ME-bus. When I politely correct them I say, Not YOUR bus, but My bus, and that helps them remember.

Hahaha YES!! I've been pronouncing it correctly!!!!

That's impressive Abbie!! :-)

Abbie, how many names have you used since you started here on FAA? Be honest.
As for me, choosing between Brad and Bradford has been a lifelong problem.

Two Bradford.

Which is more comfortable to you?

Impressive thanks for sharing

Great one, Abbie! Now it’s hoping that it is read and applied.

We have an international group of artists, and English is not their first language. So it has to be challenging, as the English language is not the easiest. Especially with spelling (the same word having different meanings), and phrasing. Getting the name right should not pose the same challenge though.

Thank you for your assistance with your tips, to help us with the challenges of marketing.

Thank you so very much Abbie for these spot on, valuable tips!

People constantly write my name with two "Ls." Sometimes with a Y instead of an I. I've seen:

Allison
Allyson
Alyson
Alisen
Alysen
Alicen
Alycen
Alysian

When I tell someone how to spell my name, I say, "Alison with one L." But then I may end up with Alyson or something from the list above.

The funniest is when people call me Frank. It has happened since I'm a kid - like on the first day of school when they call names - "Is there a Frank here?" It happens in email quite a bit.

My brand is NaturAli Images. It's pronounced "naturally" but I incorporated my nickname, Ali, into to brand. The cool thing is, when I comment on a friend's photo, lately they are saying, things like, "Wow, that's a compliment coming from you, NaturAli!" So it's just a nice hint of brand awareness. I made myself a logo from day one and still utilize it. It just sort of stuck.

I worked in PR for a period of time, so I have an understanding about the function and form of a press release. It is worthwhile to brush up on how to write an effective press release if you plan to utilize the feature here. If anyone is reading this and has questions, I'm happy to assist. I have worked as a writer/editor for a magazine publisher so I am also a skilled proofreader. Happy to look at any materials if any of my fellow FAA artists need a second pair of eyeballs.

Thank you Abbie for these posts.

As a home remodeling contractor, I always made it a point to get potential customers names correct.
Regards proof reading, (especially for photo descriptions) I do that, but really rely on my wife, to listen to what I'm writing and though she is from Korea and English isn't her native tongue, she will always have good advice.

When I had a marketing company, we used to have 5 different people proof-read everything. And still found errors.

And Alison, I get the Frank a lot too. It's not even close.

I think I should probably just change my name to "Smith" as my birth name bewilders pretty much anyone not Hungarian and from a marketing POV absolutely does not stick. I've taken to inventing semi-lexical names for URLs, entgrove.com redirects to this site, for instance. People are sometimes able to remember that one.

Dear Abbie, Thank you so much for your weekly marketing tip advise. Can't believe, here we are at week #five. I'm still at week #2 tweaking words and laboriously now going through all my uploads and collections particularly line item #2 about editing keywords. I so wish at the time of uploading my images, I had paid more attention and understood the meaning of this great tip and used the software you suggested. $10 so worth the donation :-)

That was nice of you, Bonnie!

Now I've got to get time to do all mine also, lol

I agree with all the above, these marketing tips are so valuable. I, too, had to re-key word my images, I had only a few in each image - no more than 50 spaces. It took me 3 months to go through each image, but now I have a spread sheet with key words to refer to when uploading new work.

As names go, I was taught at my other job to make sure and pronounce names correctly. I worked with many doctors at a hospital and they were extremely annoyed if their names were not pronounced right. When I sent emails to the doctors on my boss-doctor's behalf I re-read it several times before sending because I was representing her too. I had a few where I cringed at a boo-boo I made.

Thank you, Abbie (Abigull) for doing this valuable service.

You are very welcome, all of you !

Hello I new in here, and iam from czech republic, Can anyone describe to me how it works here in brief whether I need a premium or free account so far I have published only one image from digital creation :-)

The most important part of the site

https://pixels.com/controlpanel/main

You should enter your details before uploading. You need the admin area which we call Behind The Scenes. All the tools are in that area. I always suggest taking a while to just look around and see what can be done. Instructions are on each page.



DEFAULT SETTINGS and put in what you want there. That is called your markup area and what you add is what you would earn on a sale

PAYMENT INFORMATION and fill out that (Paypal email) and if in the USA,
TAX INFORMATION

Then go here https://pixels.com/controlpanel/updateartwork.html?newartwork=true

Do not take too long and NEVER leave the page before finishing and clicking on SUBMIT

A lot of the products will only show on your account on https://pixels.com (same log in details and instructions as Fine Art America)

You will find this useful https://pixels.com/showmessages.php?messageid=4839599 Easy to read (hopefully) Lots of reading but worth it. Especially if you read it before you start uploading

IMPORTANT - Please note you will not be in the search until you have had a headshot and 10 images put up for a week

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Abbie Shores
Community Mgr, Technical Support Mgr, Fine Art America | Pixels.com

I have the same problem with my name. It’s impossible to count how many times my surname has been spoken or spelled Rasler or Raiser.

Abigull Shoes...WHAT?

I can bet that people who spell other people's names wrong and don't check for the spelling don't have problems with people mispronouncing their own names. And it's not just the more difficult names. With a difficult or unusual name people are more prone to check the spelling. It can be the seemingly easier names where people don't bother to check.

Yes I know I seem to have 2 first names, so I have 2 problems: getting lots of people calling me Jenny instead of Jessica. And it's Jenney with an E LOL!

As Abbie wrote above: "It is their individual identity. It is very important to get it right. If you spell their name correctly (or pronounce it correctly) it shows a respect for them that will go a LONG way further than you think it will. It's not only important when doing business, but anytime when addressing others as in this forum or on Facebook.

Abbie, I find that any platform that I add an odd spelling name to my "dictionary", it will accept it the next time I type it. I have had my name for 53 years and have had it spelled with and without vowels added and moved. I finally identify myself in my descriptions as: My name is Mary Grden. My name would be Mary Garden, but my name has no "apple." I guess if you don't get the "quip", you don't have my sense of humor, but I try and that's all that counts. I have never become angry or upset with anyone over my name being spelled wrong, I try to take advantage of the misspelling and give them a business card or type the above with the missing "a,"

We once lived in Florida when John Gruden was coach of the "Buccaneers" a football team. We would get call all hours of the night asking what the coach was going to do about the scores being down. I have to ask the question, would John Gruden have his number listed. (many years ago).

I have a little fun with people when they have to say your last name and they say "miss mary" instead. Most people try and when they get it right, I tell them they are one in a million who tried and it got it right and that means a lot. Grden is said Grrrrrden, no vowel. My husband is Polish, I am Irish.

As to press releases, remember your high school journalism class and the 5 Ws

Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
(and in this context, usually HOW MUCH?)

Making sure you've answered all these questions for every press release will take you a long way.