Art Marketing 101
I have seen many online business changes since I launched my first online art business in the early 2000s.
Even though it seems like new tactics pop up every day for online marketing, one thing stays the same.
You need to build a strong foundation.
It would be best to become a master of art marketing 101 before you can see any benefits from more advanced marketing strategies.
It is an exciting time to be an artist, and I would have never been able to make a career from my art without the internet’s help.
However, every positive comes with a negative.
With so many options available for people to start an online business, some of the basics are lost.
People want to dive right in and jump to the latest, most significant way to grow a business fast.
The truth is that there is no quick pass.
If you want to stay in the game, you must know art marketing 101 and build a solid foundation.
In this post, I will talk about everything you need to focus on to learn how to get publicity as an artist.
Vision And Goals
If you have been following me for some time, you have heard this speech.
You need to have a clear vision of where you would like to be in the next five or ten years, and you must set goals to get there.
Goal setting is one of the most important activities you can do in your small business, regardless of how old your business is, where you are located, how profitable it is, or what you sell. Goals help you stay focused, and they can prevent your business from becoming stagnant. (Source: The Balance Small Business)
Start by writing down your long-term goals:
- Where would you like to be in five years?
- How much yearly income would you like your art business to generate five years from now?
Make yearly goals that support your main objectives:
- How much art will you have to sell every year to reach your goal?
- How much would you have to charge for your original art and art prints to reach that goal?
- How many drawings or paintings will you have to create every year to achieve that goal?
- Where will you be selling your artwork?
- Will you have other income streams to help support your goals?
Break your yearly goals into monthly goals:
- How much art do you have to sell this month?
- Where will you sell your artwork?
- How will you market your artwork?
Filling out your goals will provide you with a roadmap for your art business.
You will know what you need to do daily to achieve your art business goals.
For more information about goals, visit:
Artist Vision and Mission – Online Business
Sell Art Online Basics Setting Goals
Online Art Gallery
It doesn’t matter if you plan on selling your artwork online or not.
Having an online art gallery will help you build your art business.
If you are not selling your art online and are selling at craft shows and or through Galleries, your online site will help you build an audience and be your portfolio.
An online art gallery will allow people to view your artwork and learn about your upcoming events at their convenience, no matter where they reside.
If you are selling your art online, you must have a place for your buyers to buy your artwork.
Your Online Art Gallery will be the foundation of your business and the platform for people to visit and purchase your products.
You can choose from many options when deciding what platform you will use to showcase your artwork.
Your options art:
- Building a website you own on WordPress
- Use a website builder (most website builders have a monthly fee)
- Use a third-party platform (you will be limited with what you can do on third-party platforms)
Before you decide, read the posts highlighted below and review your business goals.
Decide what option will be best for you to achieve your art business goals.
For more information, visit:
- Should You Sell Your Art On Third-Party Websites
- 15 Places To Sell Art Online And Make Money
- Sell Art Online – 16 Websites And Website Builders For Artists
- Why Artist Websites Should Be Built On WordPress
Art Blog
Art blogs are the number one source of the traffic to online Art Galleries.
Your art blog is the artist’s diary that will allow people to get to know you and feel connected to you.
Think of blogging as a way for you to share your thoughts and views of the world. The more articles you write, the more gateways you will create for people to discover you in Google’s search.
You will not get an instant like or comment on your post as you do with social media. However, your blog posts will be searchable in search engines for years and years to come.
Read some of the benefits of blogging, 6 Blogging Benefits You Can’t Ignore.
Social Media Platform
Social media marketing is a powerful tool that will help you to build brand awareness quickly. Unfortunately, many people do not market correctly on social media. People think they will receive more sales if they sign up for every social media account and post their artwork.
The best way for you to tackle social media marketing is by using one or two platforms. Unless you want to spend eight hours a day on social media and zero hours in the studio, one or two platforms will be all you can handle.
Your goal should be to pick a social media platform you will enjoy. If you enjoy the site, you will put in your best effort. Learn everything you can about the social media platform you decided to use and become a marketing master.
Assess and Adjust
To grow your business, you must evaluate and adjust your marketing strategies. Do not waste your time searching for a guaranteed marketing strategy to give you instant results. It does not exist.
Many people are afraid to start something because it is not perfect. If you are waiting for a plan to be perfect before you start it, you will never begin. Develop a plan and put it into action. Assess the outcome and make any adjustments necessary to move forward.
The most successful businesses are successful because they are experts at assessing and adjusting.
Promote
If you want your artwork to sell, you must become a salesperson. That doesn’t mean you should be dishonest. Many believe if they post their artwork online, people will find it and purchase it. That is simply not the case. You must develop a strategic marketing plan to drive traffic to your online Art Gallery. The more people see your art, the better your chance of landing a sale.
Learn
The last point I would like to discuss is to keep learning. Learn from your mistakes, learn from other artists, and learn from other successful businesses. Do not be afraid to ask for help. The more you learn, the more successful you will become.
Conclusion:
Before you start trying every new hack under the sun, build a solid foundation. You will get to where you want to be quicker if you do not skip any steps. Be patient, work hard and keep learning.
Related Posts:
How To Sell Drawings Online By Building A Strong Online Presence
How to Sell Your Art Online – Strategies That Work
How to Sell Art Without a Gallery
7 Ways You Can Sell Art Online Free
