Sunday, March 22, 2009

Marketing Sheer Almshouse

I am faced with a marketing dilemma. I need your input.

On the eve of getting my new toys (camera and accessories), I have to figure out just how I will market myself. Yes I have been in the marketing business for some time, but I have marketed corporate entities, not artists, and certainly not one who uses a pseudonym in blogshpere.

I have two URLS that I bought almost two years ago. One was for my company and the other for a programme that I had in the can. That programme is lost, but the URL is a good one. But very Caribbean specific.

My company was focused on broadcast, communication and event management. I am now re-focusing to deal with audio-visual and literary communication. This includes photography, writing and audio-visual programming for broadcast media (radio, tv, web).

The broadcast element will be the last on stream, because it will take some more time to actually get around to produce the shows I have in mind. One treatment has been completed for a year now. I am still working my way through the other one. Progress has been limited by lack of access to television for research purposes.

Nonetheless, I want to continue to include my photography in this blog, as it has been a crucial part of my expression, but I also want to build my portfolio with the intention of going pro as soon as I conquer most of my learning curve.

Do I market my photography separately from my company or as part of my company? Would I therefore need to register a url in my name?

I was early on the internet... from the mid 90s. Until perhaps 8 years ago, I was the only one with my name online. I searched my name in search engines enough to know. Now there is a proliferation of young women bearing my name, but it seems I am the only black person. Not enough of a distinction for me. My techy programmer ex boyfriend who introduced me to computers way back when, has always encouraged me to purchase a url in my name (more because I use three different versions of it -first and middle, first and last, first middle and last- to protect my identity on the web. They are all still free, because it appears that I share my name with many younger people who are more concerned with social networking than purchasing URLs. I am finally going to take his advice.

So other question is...

Should I build my portfolio as
*the real name
*the real name linked to the company
*the company alone.

Talk back to me.

2 comments:

Azikiwe said...

Market the photography as part of your company....
The URL can be any name you choose,it still leads to YOU.....so fully build your portfolio in your REAL name...Companies can always be taken over just make sure your and your work don't fall apart and YOU remain marketable.....

Do everything to protect YOU!

Sheer Almshouse said...

Salient points.

I will follow your advice.

I cant wait to get my hands on my baby!

 
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