Since marketing and promotional training are missing in most art education programs, the International Guild of Realism provides its members with personalized marketing counseling by email all year round, focusing on each artist’s main queries.  Marketing is key to supporting sales and creating a reputation. Promotional campaigns are vital to building greater name recognition, which leads directly to a larger potential collector base.

Unfortunately, most artists rely solely on their galleries to publicize their artworks. This creates gaps in any promotional campaign when there's a long lull between exhibitions. Research has shown that a potential collector (or any consumer, for that matter) needs at least 3.2 annual exposures to the artist's creative work before the name and signature style begins to make a lasting impression.

The three most common mistakes artists make in marketing their artworks are:

• Advertising or publicizing a painting that's already been sold.
• Having reviews or magazine coverage appear after the exhibition is over.
• Not building a "critical mass" of audience impressions across a wide range of media.

Most galleries, if they advertise at all, run only one ad per artist in one magazine. Yet no art magazine in the world reaches more than 10% of the potential buyers for artwork at any given time.

MARKETING COUNSELING

The Guild is committed to provide expert marketing counseling and career guidance to its members. Upon joining the International Guild of Realism, members will be able to receive personalized advice and support by email. This information will deal with all aspects of building an art career, catered towards the member’s personal circumstances.

For example, members have asked about:

• How to effectively advertise in a cost effective manner.
• How to obtain media coverage, including articles, press releases and reviews.
• How to gain representation by galleries in the major art markets.
• How to create a portfolio.
• How to prize artwork.

MEMBER WEB PAGES

The Guild is now offering web pages for our members. A web page is an excellent idea for those interested in having an Internet presence with increased market exposure through Guild association. Member web pages consist of six images of artwork, additional information about the artist, links to other websites and the artist's contact information. The Guild website receives a lot of traffic, and is known to attract influential visitors such as museum curators, art gallery directors, and high-level art collectors.

For page design click here for example. All the members pages will be made in this design, no exceptions.

Members taking advantage of the member webpage will have a star * added behind their name.

FAQs

The cost for this excellent marketing tool is $125 initially, then $50 annually. This fee includes page design, publishing, and hosting for the duration of one year.
Once the website has been approved by the artist it will be placed in production.
From that moment any change(s) to the website will cost $25.
When new works (or more than the standard 6 works) have to be entered we will charge you one full hour of web design at a cost of $45.
We will communicate to you upon receipt of the new information when more than one hour of web design is needed.
Upon your approval we will start with the design work.

We prefer to receive all the information by email, but sending us a CD with images by snail mail is also an option. If you need to send your information on CD, please email us for instructions.

Email to: info@realismguild.com

The International Guild of Realism does not exhibit or include works which are mass produced. Limited edition prints that are signed and numbered are allowed to be shown on the member webpage (but are not allowed to enter in our juried exhibitions).

Please keep in mind that all computer monitors display images and colors differently. Thus, images that appear somewhat dark on one person's screen may appear light on another's, etc. We make every effort to match your images as closely as possible to your originals.
Please allow at least 4 weeks after receiving the materials for realization of the personal web page.

When the personal web page is ready, the artist will receive an email with a link to a test site in order to preview his or her personal page. You will be able to access this test page by simply clicking on the link (blue underlined) in your email. The artist should carefully read the entire contents. If there are any mistakes or typos, this is the time to alert the Guild's web designer. We aim for the artist's appreciation and satisfaction.