The Back Road
Find your back road. The one where your kindred souls travel.
Imagine you're driving down a busy interstate highway. The congested roads demand your concentration and billboards shout at you from all directions, trying to entice you to exit and part with your money. This is mass marketing, and every exit promises a Chili's, a Home Depot, a McDonald's and a Starbucks.
Now imagine you're driving down a secluded country back road. There are no billboards, no traffic, no Starbucks. occasionally, you might see other people...kindred spirits with whom you have something in common: a love of the road less travelled, and indeed a shared interest in this particular road.
All of a sudden, you see a bright green sign in front of a bright green treehouse that promises "The Best Banana Bread on the Planet." Do you stop? Of course you do! Things like this are exactly why you take the back road.
This metaphor is actually real, and the road is the Road to Kahakuloa Village on Maui. Many parts of the road are only one-car width wide. [1] My wife and I were delighted to find Julia's Banana Bread that day. Certainly much happier than if we had found yet another Chili's or Starbucks!
Here's the thing: "working" on your "SEO Keywords", measuring user engagement, pouring over Google Analytics graphs, working on increasing the number of "Facebook Likes" and trying to "reduce bounce rate." Those are all mass marketing activities. If you're Starbucks, you should be worried about your bounce rate.
But, unless you're someone like Thomas Kinkade, who at one point had his art in malls, marketing your art is a back road activity.
And, face it, your not Starbucks, and you're not Thomas Kinkade. And that's a wonderful thing.
So why do you insist on setting up your bright green shack next to the interstate and then wonder why the cars zoom by without even glancing at you?
Be like Julia instead. Find your back road. The one where your kindred souls travel. And then sell them the "Best Artwork on the Planet."
Remember, Sharing Art Enriches Life.
Sincerely,
Clintavo
PS - "How many eyeballs are passing by is a useless measure. All that matters is, "how many people want to hear from you tomorrow?" - Seth Godin
I've been on the back roads for many years, and I like it that way. People come to my website because they want to be there. My bounce rate is 0. And if I'm ever so fortunate as to get to Maui, you can be sure I'll find the way to Julia's!
And Phil, since you seem to want advice, I humbly offer mine: Find your kindred souls slowly, one at a time, wherever they may be (probably not on the Facebook freeway). And when you find them, invite them to walk with you on your road. When they accept, make sure the journey is as fantastic for them as it is for you. Tell your stories and listen to theirs. They will become your friends, and their homes and businesses will be filled with your art.
Ok Clint I am betwixt and between on some of your stories. Unlike a true beginner I am at a stage where answers would work much better than realizations of how it is. I agree with what you are saying but really you leave no advice of how to get on these back roads. Plans and ideas and examples of approach would be beneficial than a simple nice story. Apologize for the bluntness but that is where I am right now.