Share your notes

Illustration Marketing Series

Kids tell other kids about the kid who shares their notes. That’s the goal, that’s marketing. - Adam Ming

I listened to an interview of Grimes and she pointed out that we’re moving out of a monoculture. This creates dialects. English words are taking on different meaning to different cultures.

I bring this up now because the last time I wrote a post about marketing, I lost 5 readers. And when I brought the topic up with a mentor once it was as if I had brought up some taboo-blackmagic-subject.

I deduce from these two incidents that ‘Marketing’ is a word that seems kind of gross, especially in relation to the pure and noble art form of illustrating for kids.

I’ve gained a bunch of new readers since then so I’m willing to risk loosing a few more, for the benefit of those who are staying - by brining up the subject of marketing once again.

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In a class room, the most popular kids are the ones who share their notes. The might not be the smartest, but there’s know way of knowing who the smartest ones are. You can only know who the smartest of the people who share their notes are. Sharing your notes is a form of marketing. A means for gaining popularity.

Unless your notes are unclear or plain wrong. In which case they will either be ignored or corrected. This is another great reason to share your notes, and this is also a from of marketing. It says that you are willing to commit to what you know and speak up and maybe get things wrong. Which means that you are willing to learn and grow.

It does not take you much effort to share the notes you are already making for yourself and the act of sharing causes you to make better notes. It’s a virtuous cycle.

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When I share my notes, I’m repackaging what I think will be useful for me, into something that I think is useful for you. It’s a way of starting a conversation and connecting around a topic that’s related to my work often, without repeating my self.

I’m reminding you that I’m an illustrator and advertising aspects of my work, but I’m doing it in a way that brings more value to the reader, which makes it a welcome.

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Kids tell other kids about the kid who shares their notes. That’s the goal, that’s marketing.

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ps: if this note is any good, please share it (if you don’t I’ll know its rubbish ;)