Dear Exhibitors,

“I believe you could double your Chico Art Festival sales by posting three times a week on social media such as Facebook (starting now), and if you submit calendar announcements. To help you take advantage of available free and effective advertising, create posts with 3 parts: Part 1 – the event’s name, dates, times and location; Part 2 – paints a word picture about an artwork (use different piece of art for each post); Part 3 explains something about your making process.  Each post should include: 1 image, 50 to 75 words, 3 paragraphs.” – Dolores Mitchell

Here are some other simple steps you can take to invite your friends and customers to your booth and increase your sales. 

On Facebook and Other Social Media

• Visit our Festival page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicoartfest/
• Like us and share our posts.
• Visit our Facebook Event Page: https://fb.me/e/3qs6YvHNj – Click that you are going. Share this event and invite your friends and patrons to join you. 
• Post on the Discussion on the Facebook event. Click on the tab [Discussion] right under the dates. 
• Share our website pages and news posts on your feed.
• Post often about works of art you are preparing for the show, work in progress, newly finished pieces and add @ChicoARTFestival and #ChicoArtFestival to the posts.

On Your Website:

• Add the Chico ART Festival on your show schedule with a link to our website and our Facebook event. If you need any of the Chico ART Festival images, you are welcome to use any of the ones on this website or our Facebook Pages. If none work for you, we can make one up to your specifications. Just email us.

Posters and Quarter Sheet Handouts

• Post them and hand them out around town and at your shows prior to the festival We have printed ones. We will be handing them out at Saturday’s Farmers Market on Saturday, April 27th and May 4th. Come by to get some or if you need them earlier arrange to pick them up by emailing us here.
• Or print them yourself. Get the PDF for the poster HERE and the quarter sheet handout HERE.

More advice can be found on social media and effective posts for artists

• What To Post (and What Not To) As and Artist on Social Media by The Art League HERE
• Best Practices for Artists on Facebook by Creative Capital HERE
• 5 Strategies for Successfully Marketing Art on Social Media by Jason Horejs on RedDotBlog HERE – Make sure to read the comments, they are interesting too. 
• Marketing Art on Social Media in Art Journal HERE 

I know it sound daunting and almost like a full time job…. That’s the reason, companies hire social marketing professional, but really it is actually not that difficult and it can be a fun!

– Marion Hunziker-Larsen – Volunteer in charge of ChiVAA’s website