The Year 2020, Let the Marketing Plan Begin

Here we are in the year 2020. This year always seemed so far away. The number has a special ring to it.

1818. 1919. Those years don't sound nearly as special. Perhaps the "Roaring 20s" of the 20th Century make it sound a bit foreboding. I don't know.

For the year 2020, I'm not making any resolutions--only plans. My first plan is to write a blog each week for this year.

My second plan is to write about my marketing discoveries and ideas. I have a lot to learn about marketing, so research will be key to fulfilling my plans.

For this week, my plan for writing is to revitalize my Goodreads connection. Long ago, I had books on Goodreads and probably an author's page. Now, I don't recall what I did or how. Getting things up-to-date and going on the Goodreads web site will require some time, but I am determined.

Blog first, then Goodreads. That's my plan.

Also, along the way, I need to filter in my artist as well as writing plans. This week, I plan to enter the Gloucester Arts on Main juried show. That requires choosing photos of work to enter and will take some time. Also, "Winter Blues" is an invitational art show, of which I am a par,t at Gloucester Arts on Main in Gloucester, VA with an opening on January 3, 6 to 8 p.m. that I plan to attend. My 4' x 6' oil painting and a pastel painting are part of this show. The oil painting has not been on view ever in this area. It was part of my Graduate Thesis Show at Anderson Gallery (Virginia Commonwealth University) in Richmond, VA and a One-Person Show at 20th Century Gallery in Williamsburg, VA.

People often don't keep their new year's resolutions, but plans are more difficult to discard. I intend to keep my plans going throughout the new year.

Building a Marketing Plan

Building a Marketing Plan. That's something I've been thinking about most of this year and many times before that.

After all, I have a few published books, languishing in the darkness, waiting for the light. Years ago, when my first novel was released, I had a few good plans and had scheduled lots of book signings. It was September 11, 2001. I had my first big signing set for that evening at a large Barnes & Noble venue in Richmond, VA. You know what happened to that.

"Hilton Head Waves" ©Mary Montague Sikes

The next week, we headed to Hilton Head Island into the most morose setting imaginable. Everything and everyone had fallen apart; no one wanted to promote anything, nor plan ahead. The art gallery owner with whom I had a prior business relationship told me she was only interested now in promoting the work of local artists. She was clearly upset.

Very early one morning, I slipped down to the beach to watch the waves roll in and to listen to their sounds. No one else was there. Had those waves started at an earlier time on a far away shore along the coast of Africa?, I wondered. Now with an ancient rhythm, they splashed along our sandy beaches.

The waves calmed me that day. I continued with plans to promote. Doing something was better than not doing anything at all.

My book promotion and my art marketing were not organized. I was younger and filled with the enthusiasm of a first-time author, even during those days of darkness for our country. Now, older and wiser, I am setting up an organized plan.

My goal for 2020 is to see clearly with 20-20 vision a marketing plan that will reveal an audience and buyers for my work. I will build a detailed marketing plan.

Art and Writing As Viable Businesses

What is it about artists and writers that makes them avoid business at all costs? At all costs can be a lot.

"We just want to paint. We just want to write," we say.

Is that really true? After all, it is nice to cash a big check sometimes. It's rewarding to feel the pride after the sale of a large favorite painting. What an amazing high comes to us when a nice royalty check rolls in.

Unless you are especially lucky or have the backing of a very talented entrepreneur, that is not going to happen without a lot of work on your part. You need to swallow your pride and step out into the world of business.

Do you have a web site? You need one with your name as the major focus. You need this as the place to send your clients whether you are an artist or a writer. Put your web site on business cards and send folks there. Long ago, I claimed the domain name Mary Montague Sikes. My web site is marymontaguesikes.com and I use it all the time when people ask.

Last week, I attended  a seminar, "Art as Business", presented in Gloucester by Marc Wilson, Virginia Small Business Development Center. He brought up many tools a small business owner (that's what creatives are) can use to develop their business.

Marc suggests making a 30-second video of your elevation speech. (We've heard that before, haven't we, writers?) That speech should explain why the person should care about your work and will their life be better because of it? I plan to do it.

High on Marc's list is developing a business plan. That's something I think I have, but I don't. That is something I intend to create in 2020.

Perhaps you would like to follow me, starting in December. Let's build a plan, piece by piece. Let's follow our plan and see what happens.

Art and writing can be viable businesses. Business can improve our lives, if we let it.

What If You Could Find the Love of Your Life Once Again?

"Waterlilies" pastel ©Mary Montague Sikes

There she is standing in a lovely field of flowers, near a pond of waterlilies. Strangely, it all seems familiar to her. The sounds of birds chirping in the trees. Red blossoms blowing in a gentle breeze.

Kathryn takes a deep breath. The sweet scent surrounds her. She closes her eyes, and images drift through her mind like long lost children dancing from the past.

Her lips quiver. She is here on the tropical island of Jamaica with a special job assignment. Her thoughts confuse and disturb her. They are whimsical and so unlike the usual thoughts of the strong businesswoman she has become since moving to New York City.

But from the moment she met Flynt Kincaid, quite by accident, things have changed for her. And he keeps showing up, unexpectedly, to add to the utter confusion she feels.

Now, Kathryn opens her eyes and studies the field of blossoms she has discovered not far from the resort where she is working. She turns and stares at the waterlilies that appear so out of place here.

Real or unreal? She is not quite sure.

Love lost. The thought drifts into her mind. How can that be?

What if things are not always as they seem?

To learn more about Kathryn Calder and the experiences that threaten to change the course of her life, please read Hearts Across Forever. It's a story you won't soon forget.

In Search of Xanadu

"Tangled on Xanadu" watercolor ©Mary Montague Sikes

The news is disturbing. I have to turn it off. I love baseball and will follow it closely until the St. Louis Cardinals' season is over.

With my art, I can hide from the craziness of the world. I can search for a simple place where beauty dwells and love and peace reign.

That place is Xanadu.

The name fascinates me. Images grow in my imagination. Colors glow and tremble on paper and canvas. Already I have an entire series of work developing with this amazing destination in mind. If it does not exist for us now, it will one day soon.

Somewhere, deep in the universe, a special planet glimmers in the darkness. Its light brightens every nearby star. Unknown colors gleam like gems of light. People smile. The color of their skin matters not. Only the touch of a warm hand, a sincere embrace create memories. Life is in the moment without treacherous thoughts to cloud the future.

In my paintings, I will continue to seek the secret, elusive planet of Xanadu. It lies hidden somewhere beyond the clouds. Just outside of our sight.