Getting My Name Out There (aka marketing?)

Lately I have been taking advantage of any contest or blog promotion that will get my name and illustrations in front of new people. Here is a short list of what I have been doing in the last two months.

1. In October, I entered my first blog contest that was hosted by They Draw and Cook. I found out about the contest just a week before the contest ended and I didn’t look at the specifics until there were only two days left. Finalists from this contest will be published in a compilation by Weldon Owen Publishing. I just got word that they will be announcing the finalists this week and either way (win or not) I will post my recipe Spam Musubi here for all to see and maybe try. You can see a sample illustrations below.

2. Yesterday, I entered my second contest hosted by They Draw and Cook which is themed around the holidays. I did a comic book version of Russian Tea Cakes. (Title illustration below) This one is particularly exciting because it is again going to be viewed by art directors from Weldon Owen Publishing and The Food Network. Not only will the recipe be shared on The Draw and Cook but each day one lucky recipe will be posted on The Food Network’s The FN Dish with cross links back to the artist’s website.

3. Also yesterday, I also submitted a holiday card design to Kate Harper’s Blog. Kate Harper is a greeting card designer and maintains a blog for card designers, artists and writers. Her blog has a couple of thousand visitors a day and she will post a few submissions each day for all the visitors to see. You can see my submission (penguin with ice cubes) and some of my other card designs @ http://curtistaylor.biz/zencart/



These kinds of “marketing” opportunities are out there but you just have to dig a little to find them. I am taking each opportunity very seriously because I know I am not going to find the right person at the right time if I don’t keep trying.