Research

Research The most important questions to address when setting out to promote or publicise what you do are: • who are you trying to attract? what is the most effective way to do it? There isn't a standard format for publicity and every situation needs individual attention. You need to: • Plan carefully and well in advance. • Decide which groups you particularly want to attract – business people, schools, private collectors, tourists, etc – and direct the majority of your publicity at those ‘target groups'. • Decide on your budget for publicity and examine each item for cost-effectiveness. • Don't under-estimate the value of free publicity – which comes from sending press releases and good photographs to local, regional and national press and media or to the specialist visual arts, crafts and media magazines. Although colour postcards are a relatively cheap way of publicising your work to a wide range of people, they are not generally suitable for reproduction in the art and craft press and need to be supplemented by sending transparencies or black and white photographs to key magazines.