Running a business based on the art, craft, or trade you love is a big but rewarding task. Getting feedback from customers who love what you do and want to be able to purchase more is always a good sign and you’ll need to find ways to improve on the processes you follow. You’re likely hard at work creating new products, taking orders, sending them out, and doing your best to manage it all. If you have a website, when’s the last time you updated it?

ACT is here today to give you a few tips on how to best improve the website you’ve created and haven’t changed since. Plus, we’ll give you some information on how artist insurance can benefit you and your online sales through 2021.

TIP #1: UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE!

How long ago did you put up a website? Like most small business owners you may have used Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, or a similar host to get started. It’s helpful to be able to choose between various templates and feel like you’re putting a bit of your personality into the design.

Now, how long ago did you update it?

It’s okay if it’s been a while, the great thing about having a website is that you can change or customize things whenever you want.

You should make sure the template you have is still easy for visitors to navigate and find products and art you’re selling. Also you want it to look as appealing as possible. Maybe the color theme you had before doesn’t fit the vibe you're going for anymore, maybe the images of your art are too small for visitors to adequately view and consider, maybe there is a more clear way to display pricing or descriptions, or maybe your template is simply outdated and there’s a better option. Whichever the case, know that a simple redo may make a world of difference.

Now, your domain. As much as a website called “yoursmallbusiness.weebly.com” will get clicks, how much better does it look when it reads, “yoursmallbusiness.com?” Domains can be a pain, but these days they’re much easier to deal with. Each of the website hosts we listed has their own domain purchasing process which you can visit here:

• Square Domain Purchase
• Weebly Domain Purchase
• Wix Domain Purchase

You can make it easier for customers to find and remember your website by having your own domain. Plus it can show your professionalism and dedication to your business by investing in a vanity website name.

TIP #2: CREATE CONSISTENCY

If you’re not wanting to do an entire overhaul of the design on your website, we suggest you find smaller things to change in order to create better consistency as customers find your page and scroll through.

You could try:

• Formatting products similarly
• Ensuring all fonts fit together, complement each other, or are the same
• Removing old listings that no longer serve your customers
• Creating similar spacing on all pages

We know you’re not web designers, neither are we, but these are some of the easier tasks you can do to make sure things look inviting and appealing to your site’s visitors. If you want a beginner’s guide to design check out this beginner’s guide for more info.

Bonus Tip: Try to keep the number of fonts on your website to a minimum. You can play around with different weights and sizes within the same font family. But our friends at UX Planet suggest not using more than three fonts or it can make your website look unstructured or unprofessional.

All of these little items could either help or hurt your ability to sell your products or art on your website.

TIP #3: OFFER AN EMAIL LIST

If you have a website that is already doing pretty well (aka consistent visitors and sales), you like the design, you don’t really want to change anything, but are still wondering how you can improve things, consider creating an email list for your frequent customers or past customers that you hope to come back.

You’re constantly producing more art and want to showcase things to the world, with an email list you’ll be able to send out information regarding new pieces, print options, products, sales, or any other update. Maybe you’re partnering with another small business and doing a product collaboration or maybe you have surprise products that you want to hype people up for. Whatever it is, you’ll find it worthwhile to have the means to communicate with your audience.

TIP #4: CHECK OFTEN

How often are you checking your website? Are you the type of person who doesn’t look at things once you’ve put them together? As much as you can hope that you’ve set up your website to be successful, that’s not always the case. Sometimes links break, or uploaded photos don’t show up properly. You may even run into issues with your contact form no longer working properly.

We recommend you check your website yourself on a regular basis to ensure that everything is up to par with your goals. What is a regular basis? We don’t have a set rule on how often, but start small (especially if doing this isn’t in your current routine or isn’t something that you particularly like to do). You could set up a calendar reminder on your phone or computer for once a month, bi-weekly, or every quarter.

While scrolling through your website, we recommend you start with reviewing, addressing, and fixing the following items:

• Broken links
• Images that need to be updated
• Verify pricing and product descriptions
• Any formatting that has shifted

Through your website host, you’ll be able to make whatever adjustments are needed.

BONUS TIP: CARRY ARTIST INSURANCE

Did you know that as an artist, you still have some risk exposure when selling your handmade art online? And if you’re an artist who travels to shows, markets, and festivals, on a consistent basis, those risks could multiply.

With artist insurance from ACT Insurance, you provide yourself with a safety net that could provide assistance from financial fallout if you were to ever get sued. An annual insurance policy includes liability and product coverage (and other possible coverages) and is designed to protect you in the case of a third-party lawsuit that your handmade products or business operations caused someone harm.

When you’re at a show, risks can include slip-and-fall accidents in your booth that cause injury or loose material from your booth falling over and causing harm. As an online seller, you may not know that your products can also cause potential injury as you may have choking hazards you’re unaware of or sell items that cause people allergic reactions.

By carrying an artists’ insurance policy, you improve your credibility and professionalism as well as show your customers how committed you are to your business. You can buy an artist insurance policy completely online and in less than 10 minutes. ACT has simplified our application and made it easy to navigate on your own. However, if you run into any issues you can talk with our licensed agents over chat or by phone.

Don’t leave the “what ifs” to answer for themselves, put up a guard and purchase your artists insurance policy today.

Is everybody just folding up tent?

I recently posted two items that were meant to start a discussion and gather information on substantive issues we are all facing in the art fair business.  But I have not received a single comment on either post.  Perhaps you missed them as they were buried in a sea of “Tent for sale” posts that now dominate this board.

We used to have excellent discussions and reports on this board.  Why, at this moment in time when we are faced with more existential questions than ever, is there no interest in sharing information and discussing important changes and challenges?  Is it because everyone on this board is folding up tent and quitting the business? 

Or are some of us still trying to make it work?  If so, let’s talk.

Here are some existential topics begging for reports and discussion:

• Covid restrictions: Some fairs are restricting traffic, requiring face masks, requiring vaccination, spacing booths apart, not allowing more than two people to be in a booth at the same time, etc.  Are these rules keeping your customers away?  Did you know about them before you set up?  Were they enforced?  Can you make money under these rules?
• Is the art fair business copying the cruise industry in asking for up-front cash payments for events that may not take place or may be rescheduled, and for which you may or may not get your money back or get “future cruise credits” for instead? Are some art fairs in 2021 pretending to jury in new applicant while rolling over all 2020 invitees?  Which promoters are most likely to go under with our booth fees in their pockets?  How can we prevent that?  Escrow accounts?  Are promoters collecting booth fees for events that they do not yet have all of the permissions for?  Should they be required to tell us when that is the case?
• Are suburbanites still willing to go downtown for an art fair in this era of social strife and exploding urban murder rates? Any sign that art fairs could be targeted?  Is art fair security being compromised when there is a demonstration in another part of the same city?

You probably have more topics like this.  What would be most useful would be reports from people who have experiences with these topics that they can report on, rather than just opinions.

Well, the shoe has finally dropped! It is with great sadness I'm reporting that the 2021 Ann Arbor Art Fair has been canceled. I live in the Midwest and have been involved in the art fair business since 1978, and have attended it every year since 1976.

If your history is similar to mine you understand the importance of this event in even establishing the art fair business. It has been THE show to do for thousands of artists for many years. Many 100's of 1000's of people see it as a centerpiece of their summer. Chartered buses brought people from Cleveland to Indianapolis and Chicago to attend.  

• The rest of this story.
• and this link includes a live interview with Mo Riley, director of the Ann Arbor Street Festival: Ann Arbor Art Fair Cancelled Second Year in a Row

Whereas there is surprising news from the Three Rivers Art Festival in Pittsburgh, June 4-June 13. “We were so excited, and a little surprised, to hear that the mandates were going to be lifted as of Memorial Day,” said Sarah Aziz, director of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival and director of festival management for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Learn more.

The folks in Des Moines have been holding their collective breath to see if they would be hosting their extravagantly fine art festival at the end of June. Their "drop dead" date to cancel has past and the team and artists are looking forward to getting together June 25-27. So exciting! See what is brewing in DM.

Good news also from Kansas City where there will be 3 art fairs in a row in September, Art Westport, Brookside and the Plaza Art Fair. Learn more here, this link includes a video.

After over a year without art fairs, I'm planning to get back in the game this summer, but with a few significant changes. Less art fairs is one of them. I've got Muskegon, Michigan in June, Krasl in St. Joe in July, Naperville in September and Belleville in October... that's it. Easy Peasy...

But there is a more significant change that I'm making. The set-up. For years I've used a Trimline with Propanels... the closest to a bomb-proof art fair setup I could find. It's worked great for me, with no significant problems due to weather and wind. I love it... once it's set up. But it's the set up that kills me. It typically takes me five hours of brutal physical exertion to get it all up and running.

I'm 75 years old... and tired. Also, my trusted assistant (my wife, Marcia), has called it quits. She refuses to do another art fair with me. She has "retired." In the past I've done the occasional art fair without her and thinking about those art fairs makes me even more tired. After a year off, I can't imagine setting up that Trimline and Propanels all by myself again. I've hired helpers in the past to ease the heavy lifting, but I just don't feel that is a reliable alternative. And, I've toyed with renting a tent and Propanels, but that gets expensive.

Last year my Chiropractor son-in-law bought a top of the line EZ-up. The shipping from Amazon got screwed up and they had to send him another one. A wheel was missing on the one he finally got. He complained, and they sent him a replacement tent but told him to keep the damaged tent. Then, a week later the first tent he ordered was delivered. He wound up with three tents! He's giving me the one with the damaged wheel. I went to EZ-up and found a "wheel kit" for $16. So, now I have a EZ-up pop-up tent, and I plan to use it at the next art fair (weather permitting).

I'm also considering buying mesh panels for the EZ-up to eliminate another back-breaking task (Propanels). If anyone out there has a mesh panel set-up for an EZ-up they want to sell me, let me know.

I'll keep the Trimline and Propanels. I want to see how this lightweight alternative works for me. If the forecast looks threatening, I can revert to the Trimline (my aching back). If the weather looks good, I'll use the Pop-up. If pop-ups are banned (like Columbus) I may just rent a tent. I just want to get in a few more years of art fairs before I "retire," like my wife.   

How did Artisphere work out with its gated entries, reservation tickets, 2 1/2 hour visit limits, and two customers per booth restrictions?

Technology has made selling your work easier than ever but it comes with a variety of risks. Here's what you need to know about Cyber Insurance.

In 2020, the FBI reported 791,790 complaints of suspected internet crime—an increase of more than 300,000 complaints from 2019—and reported losses exceeding $4.2 billion. The top three crimes reported by victims in 2020 were phishing scams, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and extortion (fbi.gov).

Nearly 1 in 4 businesses have experienced a cybersecurity event. When you collect or store customer or business data, you need the right coverage in place to protect you against worst-case scenarios

How do you protect your online business?
The answer is Cyber Insurance.

ACT Insurance offers affordable Cyber Insurance solutions that will protect your online business from cyber crime.

A fun post.

John Ritter with his first wife Nancy Morgan and three month old son Jason Ritter. Taken in May 1980 at New York City Central Park South art show. I kept a small point and shoot camera with me in the event someone famous walked by. And yes, they bought those prints from me that Nancy is holding. I just came across this 41 year old slide that I thought I had lost.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

Patty Gregory Becomes Belleville’s First Female Mayor, Unseating Longtime Incumbent

Gregory, 67, is a former teacher who established the Art on Square organization in Belleville and serves as its executive director. The art show will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2021 and previously has been ranked No. 1 nationally in terms of artwork sold. This was the first public office she has sought.

Gregory said a “a lot of hard work” from her supporters paid off in the election.

Learn all about this cool news right here: https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2021-04-...

You can travel 'cross this entire land.There ain't no place like Birmingham. That's from a Randy Newman song.

I haven't written a review in a long time, but, I have a week before I get to Greenville SC for Artisphere. I'm sitting in a coffee shop on  the border of Georgia and South Carolina in Lavonia Georgia, population 2600.

I just did the Magic City Arts Festival. I had never been to this show before, so, I didn't know what to expect. If fact, I have never been to Birmingham. Hell, I had never been to Alabama except once passing through on the way back from Florida. They used to make steel here and the show was on the grounds of an old steel mill, the Sloss Foundry, that they turned into a museum of sorts. One look and I was thinking that I made a big mistake coming here. It's not the most picturesque place for an art fair. It's in the middle of industrial buildings and manufacturing businesses. I was thinking "who would come here." Trains ran in two directions constantly and you couldn't talk to anyone when they were running or worse when they would blow their whistle. The warning sound of oncoming trains at the train crossing pinged nonstop. It only took 5 minutes to start driving me crazy. I set up anyway. Once I pay my booth fee, I will do the show. I'm too cheap to blow off the booth fee.

The show was in 3 sections. There was an "exclusive" section that had a special jury. Those booths were $215 more for some reason. I was in the yellow section which was next to the exclusive section. I saw no difference. In fact, I think the yellow section was better than the more expensive booths. They did get a certain amount of hype and those people in that section said that they usually sell more, maybe because they are promoted better. There was a third section, the blue section, that was seperated from the other two. I feel sorry for those people who got stuck there. It was a ways away from where we were. I think people just got to the end of the yellow section, turned around, and went home. People had to pass my booth on the way in and on the way out. Except for the constantly moving trains, I liked where I was. To be fair, because of COVID, they moved the show here from downtown. They hadn't worked out the kinks. The director did say they would eliminate the blue section next year.

Booths were spaced out with 6 feet in between booths. I noticed there were a lot of cheap EZ Up tents with inadequate weights. I think they let in a lot of locals who did this as a hobby probably because not a whole lot of professional artists were there.

The crowd was sparse. They charged a $12 gate fee. Usually not a good sign. However, people who came, came to buy. I had a really good show. It was better than any of the Florida shows I did this year. I did twice what I thought I would do. I was just hoping to pay for the trip, which includes Artisphere, which is maybe the second best show in the country next to Main Street Fort Worth. I more than doubled what I expected. Everyone I talked to had a good show. Most were surprised. I didn't talk to anyone in the blue section. I was afraid of their answer.

It was supposed to rain on Saturday. It only rained all Friday night and stopped at 8 AM Saturday. Perfect timing. It was a three day event and I sold about the same every day. At 5 PM Saturday, just before the end of the day, a huge storm came in that lasted only 15 minutes. About 25 of those EZ Ups and those Euromax tents went down. The booth next to mine flew into my walls and knocked over a couple of pieces. Only one got destroyed. The weather was worse in that blue section. If I had been there you would still see the steam coming out of my ears. I'd be asking for my money back. I wonder if ACT paid those people who buy their full insurance got replacement value for their damaged booths? If someone dealt with them and sees this I wish they would report on their experience. I always wonder if they really pay off or it's just a scam. They did do a podcast here extolling the virtues of their insurance. I've certainly given them money over time.

I'll probably go back next year unless I don't get into Artisphere. Usually it's the same weekend as Oklahoma City. So we'll see.

I decided to go bold again, like the old days. (Talking type style)

This show was last weekend, it is held at a county park about 10 miles north of downtown Melbourne.

It used to be right downtown until they moved to this park.

Frankly the old location was far better, it brought a better class of patrons, a lot of them from the beach.

But it is now going to be here at the park.  They squeezed 200 plus booths around a lake.  It is a pretty setting with nice grass and trees. It is a long walk for patrons plus they have to park a ways from the show.

In spite of that, they came in copious numbers and bought, and bought all day long on Saturday.

Sunday, a heavy storm dumped tons of water on our canopy’s around 1pm.

It lasted almost an hour, and drove the crowd away, many did not return after the storm ended around 2pm.

The storm also created streams and lakes that flooded many booths.

Still, most artists had killer sales at the show. I was not one of them.

Let me tell you about demographics of theMelbourne show.

This show is held northwest of downtown.  It attracts a lot of retirees who do not buy much and when they do, it is mostly Lowend.

It attracts a younger crowd and they buy, mostly conservatively and mostly beach stuff.

If you are doing seascapes, palm trees, birds, fish, mermaids, etc. you can kill here, especially if you are priced low.

My neighbor did mixed media collages, all like the above mentioned.  She sold nonstop all two days long.

Along the Atlantic coast from Daytona to Melbourne they love beach stuff.  It rules the day.

Sadly, fine original art goes unnoticed. Very few buyers.

When it was downtown I always did good, it was a steady $3-5K show.

Now, I cannot even break $1500.

I have done this show over 20 times, but it is time to give it up.

Luckily, I have the Winter Park show coming in three more weekends.

Hopefully it will be a winner.

Later Gators.

I've always had the capabilities of scanning 35mm slides for artists. Now with the purchase of a transparency adapter for my tabloid scanner I can scan film up to 8x10. I have four scanners and can scan all film sizes, positive or negative film. 35mm, medium format, 4x5 and 8x10. Or any size prints or artwork. If you are interested, give me a call at 412-401-8100 with quantity and size film and I'll give you a quote. All scanning includes color correction and formatting for whatever your needs are. If you're in the Pittsburgh area, after the initial scanning, you are welcome to sit with me at the computer while I color correct and crop your images.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

I was about to fire off an email off to a promoter, but then it occurred to me that these are really questions that all promoters need to answer for all of us given the current situation:

1. Will the show staff, artists and crafters be required to be vaccinated?
2. Will masks be required?
3. Will the show be capacity limited?  If so, by how much?
4. Will the booths be spaced 6’ apart in all directions?
5. Will temperature checks be required for entry?
6. How can I be confident that the promoter will not do a “Sugarloaf” and declare bankruptcy after collecting booth fees?
7. Does the promoter have all of the permissions and signed contracts necessary to hold the fair, or is he or she speculating that they will be finalized sometime before the date of the fair?

Can you think of any additions to the list?