I booked my tickets to Surtex/National Stationery Show in New York and as well as the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. I am looking forward to seeing all the new styles and trends, meet some incredible people and take a few workshops while I am there.

I am a perpetual student of licensing and as you know I love to share my resources as well. With that in mind, I have an incredible woman that you must meet!

She has transformed the way I think about licensing. She has helped her clients achieve wonderful levels of success. I trust you have heard of DILBERT™for example . . . she is a genius marketing strategist and has her own business called Character Matters with partner Tom Wilson (ZIGGY™).

Her name is Jeanette Smith. I had the opportunity to learn from Jeanette last year at an advanced art licensing program she held out here in Denver. The information she has shared has really opened my eyes to new and fresh ways to do business as an art licensor (with or without an expensive trade show booth).

Like many of my art licensing friends, I am free from an agent and love it that way. Jeanette’s classes have given me the freedom, knowledge and support to venture out on this journey with out an agent. She teaches about not only finding the ideal manufacturer, but how to negotiate with them to get what you need!

As many of you know, I am honored to be the moderator on LinkedIn’s Art of Licensing Group (www.ArtOfLicensing.com). Jeanette is extending her support by offering us (the ArtOfLicensing.com community) updates on her upcoming classes. She also gave me permission to share this info on my personal SomethingToCherish.com, art licensing blog.

If that sounds like something that you might be interested in, you would be remiss not to check out Jeanette’s upcoming webinars.

Register Here:JNetClasses.ArtOfLicensing.com

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A quick overview:

TOMORROW!-Hot Trends in Art Licensing & the PR Tactics to Turn UP the Heat!

Next Week – Professional Creators Licensing Series – Open Doors and Close Deals

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artists interested in trends and PR tips:
Hot Trends in Art Licensing & the PR Tactics to Turn UP the Heat!
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Jeanette Smith

Presented by Jeanette Smith, DILBERT™ Marketer and Regina Cooper, former Senior Editor, Art/Home/Brand categories of License! Global Magazine, this class will explore how to pinpoint the current trends in Art Licensing, so you can follow the flock or skip ahead to the cutting edge.

We have gathered data and insights on trends from artists, publications, manufacturers, and retailers in order to give you the most up-to-date information on the state of art licensing today.

Then after talking trends, we will delve into the details of PR tactics that you can use to get the word out about your art, designs and licensing deals! We will address:

• exactly how to approach publications
• who to target and why
• how to write the most effective press releases
• plus how to use multiple press strategies for maximum coverage

Learn what you can do to increase your business potential today!

The presentation will be provided in PDF format and the TelEvent will be a combination of live phone and screen-sharing.

Presenters: Jeanette Smith, J’net Smith Inc. and Regina Cooper, freelance editor/consultant

Date: April 30th, 2009

Time: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm (Pacific Standard Time)

Price: $60.00

Register Here:JNetClasses.ArtOfLicensing.com

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artists on a budget interested in licensing their artwork:
Professional Creators Licensing Series – Open Doors and Close Deals
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Join us for this informative and fun TelEvent!

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 — 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm PST

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 – 3:00 to 5:00 pm PST

Thursday, May 7th, 2009 – 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm PST

This is an enhanced version of the classes I took last year from Jeanette and due to the economy, Jeanette is offering it for a limited time for only $100! When she came to Denver, my friends and I paid way, way more. I told her she was a little crazy to lower her price this much, but she really wants to get this info in the hands of artists like you who really need it.

Register Here:JNetClasses.ArtOfLicensing.com

Don’t let the brevity of the descriptions fool you, this is the real deal and Jeanette will answer all of the burning questions you have about art licensing.

Presenter: Jeanette Smith, J’net Smith Inc.

PCLS-1: Introduction to Art Licensing & PCLS-2: Licensing Presentations & Websites Have you ever wondered how creators’ get their art on all those beautiful products in those small boutiques and huge retail stores? Artists, Illustrators, Cartoonists & Graphic Designers — this is a fast-paced introduction to art licensing that will show you how to begin to expand your creative and income potential.

Topics include: What exactly is licensing and how does it work – Types of licensing – What you MUST know about the retail marketplace BEFORE you start – Protecting your rights – Royalty rates – Artist requirements -Agent services – and much more! Learn how to create presentations that will sell your art and collections to manufacturers and retailers. This online course is filled with details and examples that will enable you to produce scintillating presentations and web sites that will get you noticed, clinch the deal, and put money in your pocket!

Topics include: Know your Audience – Branding “Yourself” – Preparing Materials – Productive Web Sites – Online Portfolios – Ask J’net Q & A – Get Answers to YOUR Questions

PCLS-3: Licensing Sales Techniques
An absolute MUST for artists struggling with exactly how to go about licensing their Creations. Learn the most successful strategies for approaching manufacturers and retailers; what they expect and how to give it to them; and how to go about creating and closing the sale! This class also discusses how to find reputable agents and what to expect. With low-cost and highly productive techniques, this step-by-step process has been designed to help you take your art from portfolio pages to licensed products on the retail shelves.

Topics include: Researching Manufacturers – Marketing Plans – Strategies and Timing – Sales Calls – Public Relations – Agent/Artist Relationships – and more. Don’t miss this course, unless you have more sales than you want.

PCLS-4: Licensing Negotiations and Contracts
This is a very HOT and IMPORTANT topic today. Everyone from artists and illustrators, to graphic designers and cartoonists need to learn how to negotiate and navigate the all-mighty contract with confidence. This course shows creator’s how to make the vital business decisions that go into each and every licensing contract, from royalties to product descriptions, exclusivity to protecting creative control, and other critical terms. This course also deciphers the legalese by explaining what contract elements are required and what they mean to you. J’net is not a contract lawyer and does not give legal advice, but after two decades of negotiating hundreds of contracts, her experience and perspective is an invaluable asset that no creator should be without.

Topics include: How to make licensing business decisions and have them reflected accurately in your contract -Tools to keep contracts moving forward -? Negotiation techniques…when to stand up and when to back down and WHY – Recognizing contract “tricks” that some try to pull on novices – What to do after the contract is signed – and more.

This information can easily save you a fortune in future revenues. DO NOT sign anything until you take this course!

Take all these classes for the value price of $100.00!

Register Here:JNetClasses.ArtOfLicensing.com

I look forward to hearing back from you. If you are planning at being at an upcoming show or class, let me know so we can connect.

I wish you much joy and success with your artistic goals. I am so happy that we are on this exciting journey together!

Best,

Cherish Flieder

Illustration – Design – Art Licensing - Marketing

Visual Solutions for the Young at Heart

720.298.9069 – PO Box 49 – Golden , CO 80402 – Twitter@CherishArt
SomethingToCherish.com – CherishedSolutions.com – ArtOfLicensing.com

by Cherish Flieder

I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”

You may have been sent an e-mail with this exact request on more than one occasion by a friend or colleague. If you have dismissed this invitation as just another one of those time wasting, friend collecting sites, then you may be at a considerable disadvantage.

So, if it’s that important, what exactly is LinkedIn you ask . . . and that’s a great question!

LinkedIn, found online at http://www.linkedin.com, is by far the largest and most professional, business-oriented, social media, networking site on the World Wide Web. Although it has only been around since 2002, it has over 25 million participants worldwide and grows at the rate of over 130,000 members each week!

LinkedIn is easy to use and opens the doors of opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with key players of the human race, in a new and effective way. The basic concept of how it works beckons back to the theory of “six degrees of separation.” On LinkedIn it will only show you up to three degrees of separation, but that alone will connect you to millions of professionals once you start linking up with other users. Your network will consist of your connections (1st), your connections’ connections (2nd), and then the connections to which they are connected (3rd). This dynamic function will start to make more sense as you begin see it in action.

It’s a good idea to create and maintain a professional LinkedIn profile page if you want:

• a beneficial way to promote your art brand, products and/or services online
• to meet key players in your areas of expertise
• to discover new business or job opportunities
• to learn about a new industry in which you hope to expand
• to reconnect with colleagues, classmates and clients

5 Things I Love About LinkedIn

• LinkedIn helps me to “stay in touch” and “touch base” with people that are important to me. Often, we get so busy that we never follow up on important connections and we loose out in the long run. LinkedIn is a superior tool for keeping you cognizant of your important connections and gives you an easy way to contact with them when the time is right.

• LinkedIn gives you a visual reference of your network, helping you readily discover commonalities. You can find someone with a skill you desire. You can post jobs or even apply for them online. When you are looking to join or serve with a new company, you can use LinkedIn to conduct preparatory research. LinkedIn makes it easy to discover which connections you have working with that company or who is associated with it, even before you have your first interview.
• LinkedIn is a great way to learn about any industry. You can see what other people are up to, see how they are promoting themselves and view their notable accomplishments.
• LinkedIn manages my database of connections for me. I don’t have to go and look up an e-mail for anyone that is connected to me or even open up my e-mail composer to send out a message. It gives me an instant connection to their e-mail in-box from their profile page.
• LinkedIn makes it simple for each member to keep their own information current for the benefit of the community. This feature helps users quickly access updated job summaries, aspirations, interests, status, website links, and more.

One last thing about social media sites . . . there are so many of them out there. If you are using them for your business you will need to carefully select the ones that help you best maintain professional connections and ultimately keep your brand in front of your clients. Professionally, I use Plaxo, Facebook and Twitter, in addition to LinkedIn. MySpace can be good too, if you approach it with a professional touch. But, if you only choose one, I urge you to go with LinkedIn, as it will give you the most professional online presence and effective online networking available.

10 Tips to Making the Most of Your LinkedIn Profile

> > > > > Wait, there’s more! < < < < <

Get the rest of this article “Leveraging LinkedIn’s Networking Power for Art Licensors” including the “10 Tips to Making the Most of Your LinkedIn Profile” when you sign up for my e-zine.

These complementary LinkedIn profile tips and information on how to use them will dynamically shift the way you use LinkedIn. Get ready to turbo-charge your online networking activities and reach out to your industry!

Also, when you sign up for my “Something to Cherish Souvenirs E-zine” for occasional art and info updates, you can also gain exclusive access to the Cherish COLOR” Trends Toolbar for your Mac or PC. If you are inspired by colors, you will appreciate having this little tool in your back pocket as you use the internet, giving you access to color trend and color mixing information from all of the leading sites on color.

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About the Author: Cherish Flieder is a visionary illustrator, designer, art licensor, and marketer. She loves the adventure of discovery and freely teaches others what she has learned. Cherish is the founder of Cherished Solutions, llc and art licensing brands Something to Cherish® and Painting for Life™. She assists publishers, manufacturers and other niche businesses with art services and thoughtful marketing strategies. She and her team work on the development of custom designs and licensed illustrations for consumer goods, product collections, books (especially children’s books), packaging, print, web, and marketing. Of course if you want to know more, feel free to visit Cherish’s LinkedIn profile at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cherish.

by Tara Reed

Tara Reed has wonderfully jam packed this how to guide with information that you would normally pay several thousand dollars and years of trial and error to learn. Plus you get three insider interviews (artist, agent, manufacturer) that will illustrate clearly how the licensing process really works. If you are serious about learning how you can succeed in this very exciting industry, you would be crazy not to get a copy and give your art career the support it deserves.

Want to learn more? Click here!

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