In any profession there is the desire for growth, improvement, and refinement of skills. For the artist that may look like painting something small every day or gaining inspiration from others’ work. I believe that there are small habits that anyone should make part of their life in order to see big improvements over time.
For the professional arts marketer there are lots of ways to grow in their craft. In this post I’d like to share with you the top five daily habits every arts marketer should master to continually grow.
First, I’ll say this about habits. I am not perfect in my craft and there are lots of things I could be doing better. For me, it’s progress over perfection, and that means being loyal to a process. Many drops of water will eventually fill a bucket. That’s what I keep in mind.
Reading relevant books on marketing
One habit the arts marketer should get into is continually reading books on general marketing principles and trends. Books such as the ones listed in a previous post are a great start and books specific to arts marketing should be part of a daily diet of learning.
Listening to podcasts in the industry
For me, I love listening to audio content in the form of podcasts. While at the computer, in the shower, on the way to work, I’m always learning or being exposed to something new whether it’s an interview format or monologue. There’s just something to be gained from someone else’s perspective that is helpful in my own work.
Participating in forums and groups
Arts marketers have to be wizards and experts in various technologies and applications. If there is a special application that your organization is using for your work, I would suggest that you spend some time in the forums and user groups for these apps so that you can keep your skills sharp, and help others who are newer users. The interaction you get might help you increase your skill in the program and help you do your job better as a result.
Brainstorming new marketing ideas
I think that every organization can fall prey to the status quo in short order, if not already. There are things that the organization knows works and those things will never completely go away. However, your job is to be able cut through the noise and get your message heard in the market. Maybe you should spend a little time each day to imagine new ways of promotion of your season, new partnerships that could be created and developed? Seeking out those new ways to market will help your organization continually stand out.
Evaluating data and analytics
Every day you should look at whatever analytics or data you have coming in from your campaigns (social media posts, email campaigns, ad placements, etc) to see how they are performing. You’re constantly improving and using the data and analytics you have available will help you see if you need to change things around in the budget or alter your campaigns moving forward to opening night. It will also make you a better marketing professional because you’ll have a better sense of what works and what won’t in the future.
Conclusion
There are daily habits that everyone should have in their day to improve, grow, and master their craft in arts marketing. These are, read relevant books on marketing, listen to podcasts, participate in forums or groups, brainstorm new marketing ideas, and evaluate data and analytics. These habits will help you grow into a better version of yourself quickly.
Now it’s your turn! What habits do you have daily in your career? What would you add to this list? This is your “Yes! and!” moment! Let us know in the comments below!
