website question

[gary grossman <grossman@zzzzzzzzz>]

Greetings Carvers,

Norman asked - what's the purpose of exposure? and John provided a good
example -- if you have a web site you can say to folks "if you'd like to
see examples of my work go to my site"  This works for potential
clients, potential dealers, friends and relatives, and potential
auditors.  I can't tell you how many times I've had someone approach me
saying "I want to buy an impressionist 19th century painting" and then I
took half a day off work to show them what I had or could get and when
they arrived at my gallery (second story of my house), they said "those
aren't impressionist paintings, I really want a picture of the kids with
big eyes", yada, yada, yada. The point is, the site weeds out those who
don't want what I have, without my having to do anything more than
provide a url.

For dealers you don't have to lug around a big portfolio.

For business - I don't want to get into a discussion of the tax code,
because I'm not an expert, but there are certain key requirements that
have to be met if you're claiming your enterprise is a business and
advertising is one of them (i.e., gee are there any IRS employees on the
list, perhaps they can share their expertise?).  The site certainly
provides that function.

Sites are also good for colleagues and contacts, especially in email
signature blocks.  I've had lots of folks go look at my site after
emailing them for unrelated things.  Most of these folks had no idea
that I was a carver.

Sites are good for exposure in the carving world -- the more folks that
know you're out there the more name recognition you'll get, the more
pieces you'll sell, invitations to symposiums, etc. etc. etc.

If you're strictly carving for yourself then there's no need to have a
site, but most of us are interested in more than that, at least in
sharing our work.  It's a hell of a lot easier than lugging a bunch of
photos to a thanksgiving dinner <g >.

cheers, g2

Gary D. Grossman

G. Grossman Fine Art
http://www.negia.net/~grossman/

Distinguished Research Professor - Animal Ecology
http://www.arches.uga.edu/~grossman/

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