Resources for Success

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This page is dedicated to resources that have been tested and are in use by us and others. Each has been selected based on it’s ability to help your business because it does any or all of the following:

• Saves time- lets you set up systems that are repeatative so you can do what you love most…your art!
• Helps you improve your business by providing tools that are immediately useful as you work to share your work with the world.
• Affordable and valuable-they are high in value and relatively low in cost given their purpose
• The products and services offered are of high value and they are recognized leaders in their field. And more importantly they are hype free.

We welcome additions to this list so if you have a resource you have found useful and would like to share it with other artists either e-mail it directly or submitted it as a comment.

WORDPRESS

This is my first time using WordPress and I have to say I wish I had done it sooner! Previously my other blogs have been hosted on TypePad which I was and remain happy with…however I noticed I wanted more and more customization for this site, something that TypePad offers very little of, unless of course you are Super Coder. the thing abut WordPress is that is self hosted, meaning that you can host it on your server or hosting service, and the customization choices are limitless. See, WP is basically an open source framework meaning that there is huge network of Super Coders who have created all sorts of cool themes or skins that can themselves be customized even further.

Anyway one of my favorite blogs is Copyblogger designed by Chris Pearson so when I heard he had released a new theme similar to his other Newspaper style ones I checked it out and immmediatly fell in love with it’s clean style and great typography.

This blog is Chris’ Thesis them a highly readable one and more than just human eyes. The theme is highly optimized for search engines and with the addition of a few plug-ins it becomes a magnet for search engines. If you like what you see here check out this page to see just what great possibilities are available with Thesis. Thesis Showcase Gallery

Blogging

As many of you know I am a huge believer in the power of blogs to stay connected with your patrons. Blogs are easy to set up and maintain and because of the dynamic content you add they are continually indexed by search engines making you more accessible to your followers.

If you have never blogged never set up a blog and would like guidance from one of the leading bloggers in the world here Yaro Starak is a good place to start www.becomeablogger.com. It is a free program that is designed to get you started.

If you would like to learn how to bring in extra income from an existing blog then Thesis Showcase Gallery

Click here to download the Blog Profits Blueprint also written by Yaro. He will describe the multitude of ways you start a passive income stream from your blog.

Yaro has recently re-opened his legendary Blog Mastermind group and training program for a limited amount of time. I am currently in the program and I have to say that it is one of the most thorough programs I have been a part of. Yaro has set it up to accomodate a wide variety of learning styles that allow you to make progress at your own pace. The best part is you can do everything from your home whenever you want. He has video, audio and PDF versions of each of his 27 lessons. I download them to my iPod and listen while I am walking my dog!

Another important aspect of this program that is found in very few is that Yaro himself is available for personal help and guidance…something that is very rare these days! If you believe in self investment as a key way to grow your business I would strongly suggest checking this out Click here to join the Blog Mastermind Mentoring Program. Don’t worry you won’t have to do a thing but watch the videos Yaro has created explaining the program.

Allyson Stanfield is probably one of the best business coaches for artists. any of her products meet the criteria above. Her newsletter offers very relevant content and her podcasts offer and action oriented approach.

Some of her other programs that I would definitely recommend:

How to Save Money and Generate Buzz on a Shoestring Budget

Full of ideas that actually work to help you generate attention for your work without breaking your budget.
These amazing stories come from a chapter in her book  I’d Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist’s No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion. But they are added to and expanded on. And she walks you through a process to help you come up with ideas for generating your own buzz. 45-minute audio + 12 page illustrated handout.

Become an Online Art Magnet

If you are just beginning to establish your web presence or feel that you really don’t know what you are doing I would suggest this. It is a two hour-long conversations with software craftsman and art fanatic Clint Watson, which show you how to boost your Internet Presence.

Website Basics: How to Get Your Art Online without Spending a Fortune

If your eyes gloss over and you start to feel dizzy at the mention of setting up a web site this  one hour
audio is an excellent starting point. Web designer Pat Velte debunks the myths and interprets the geek-speak that have scared you away.

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