I have really been putting a lot of thought into this whole idea of making a living as an artist and although I do intend to continue with “How to Sell My Art Online”, I wanted to take a step back and look at the big picture of making a living as an artist.
First, I came up with a very general list of tasks to complete:
- Determine your USP and identity (similar to brand and image, but more real).
- List all the possible products you could sell.
- List all the possible services you could sell.
- List all the possible ways you could sell your art.
- Advertise (spread the word).
- Network (build relationships).
- Build your online presence.
- Change your lifestyle (possibly).
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Now let’s take a closer look at each one.
1. Determine your USP and identity (similar to brand and image, but more real).
This one we have talked about in detail already (see last week’s post). Also, think about how you may be seen through the eyes of your customer and how you can help them cultivate the image you really want.
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2. List all the possible products you could sell.
Some products that come to mind are original paintings (various sizes), prints, cards, tiles, coffee mugs… you know, anything you can get your image on. Maybe you could sell tattoo designs (be creative here). Some other products might include your own series of art instruction books, books of your art accompanied by stories, a story book accompanied by your art, and so on. How about digital products? You could sell CDs and DVDs of your art, ebooks, downloadable prints, online guides, and more. Just make a huge list of every possibility you can think of. Remember the rules of brainstorming, don’t filter anything at this stage or think of why you can’t do something, list all possibilities.
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3. List all the possible services you could sell.
Again, follow the rules of brainstorming. You can do commissions, give classes (online and offline), give workshops, lead tours, write books and guides…. and many other ideas I haven’t listed here. Please, add more ideas in the comments below.
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4. List all the possible ways you could sell your art.
What are the ways that you have used to sell your art? Galleries, shows, competitions, your website, online stores, art fairs and other similar venues, on the street, directly to people you know, opening up your studio one day a month, farmer’s markets, to businesses, through magazines… again, please add ideas to the comments!
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5. Advertise (spread the word).
There are many ways to advertise. Magazines, newspapers, other print media, billboards (gutsy, I know), word-of-mouth, signs up on bulletin boards, and many online methods such as forums, Craigslist, and even Adwords. Can you think of more?
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6. Network (build relationships).
As with any selling, your relationships are vital. These might be relationships with gallery owners, previous customers, potential customers, local businesses… your business relationships are vital and can help you in ways that don’t reveal themselves until much further down the road. Always be willing to go the extra mile to establish a relationship. Even if that relationship never helps you sell or make money, the karmic goodness you receive is always worth it.
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7. Build your online presence.
This is what this website and series is all about, helping you learn how to sell your art online. Plan this out before just diving in and trying everything. Do you want one main presence (your website) or do you want to spread your presence through several avenues (online stores, Facebook, forums, etc.). If you spread your presence, do you always send people back to your website or do you want to sell from each of these avenues.
What is the purpose of each piece of your online presence. Is it to communicate? Establish deeper relationships? Sell specific works? Learn and explore? Create possible joint ventures? Keep people coming back? How does each piece fit into the whole plan?
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8. Change your lifestyle (possibly).
This is one area where a lot of people do not want to compromise, but it could make a huge difference. This is especially important if you are considering a switch from a full-time job to a full-time artist. How cheaply can you live? Think of each chunk of your life. How small of a dwelling can you live in? Can you move to a small rental space somewhere and cut your housing bill in half? What extras can you live without? How about moving to another country where your dollar can go much further? There are many creative ways to cut back on your living expenses, some of which are less radical than others. Brainstorm!
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That is a very brief look at the big picture of making a living as an artist. Many of you have been through this process, maybe more than once. But it always helps to take a step back now and then and think about the big picture.
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Chris O’Byrne
www.OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com
[Comments]
It is easy to think of selling online as totally different than selling offline (as in a store or gallery). The truth is, there are more similarities than differences. You can definitely do far more online than you can offline, but you have to begin with the offline mentality.
Start by planning a brand new gallery that you are going to open, the Gallery of You. This will be a gallery that you open on your favorite street in your favorite town, only it will hold only your art and it will be designed by your own specifications. (This planning/dreaming is actually a lot of fun, in addition to being practical.) What would you do to get customers to your gallery? How would you treat them once they came? Here are some ideas that come to mind:
- Create your USP. Here are some previous articles to help get you going:
- Advertise locally - get your name/brand/image out there in front of people.
- Make it easy to buy from you.
- Collect the names and addresses of EVERYONE that comes into your gallery.
- Communicate often and personally with every one.
- Network like crazy.
This is just a short list to get you started, the real benefit of this exercise comes when YOU do it. This is YOUR gallery, the Gallery of You. You can run it anyway you want! What will you do to create your own true fans?
[Comments]
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Chris O’Byrne
www.OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com
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[How to Start Selling My Art Online]
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Many artists find it difficult to think like a salesperson. Most of us have a less than flattering image of salespeople. Words that often come to mind are ’sleazy’, ‘pushy’, and ‘dishonest’. Please, change that image so you can take on the mindset of a salesperson. Replace those words with phrases such as ‘problem solver’, ’solution provider’, and ‘helping hand’. Real salespeople, successful salespeople, have that image in their minds.
Well… how do I start thinking like a salesperson? I start by thinking like my customer. Do not think about their needs, think about their wants. Customers don’t need another mom. They don’t want someone trying to fill their needs. They want someone who cares about what they WANT and is willing to provide that for them. How do I know what they want? I ask them! Ask your customers why they wanted your art enough to buy it. Most people will be flattered that you care that much about their opinion.
Here are some concerns your customer might have:
- How do I want the artist to act towards me?
- What else would I like from this transaction?
- What sort of follow up would I appreciate?
Let’s tackle these one by one. First, How do I want the artist to act towards me? Personally, I want artists to be friendly and easy going, ready to answer questions, and willing to go the extra mile. I like them to be a little chatty, but definitely not too much. I like to hear something interesting about a piece of art, but not have them go on and on.
Second, What else would I like from this transaction? I wouldn’t expect anything more than just what I was buying, but if something else was thrown in for free I would be delighted. We recently bought a piece of art and it came with papers that gave extra information about the piece along with some refrigerator magnets. It did not require much work, but we sure were impressed. Always give the customer more than they expect. Small items like refrigerator magnets, cards, postcards, or anything else you can think of are not only appreciated, but will make you stand out in the customer’s mind and make them much more likely to buy from you again. As one example, you could include three postcards with a color image of what the customer bought. Pre-stamp the postcards and ask the customer to mail them out to three friends. What a great way to spread the word without being too pushy. Plus, you are feeding into the vanity of the customer. I would love to brag about the new piece of art I bought and if it is as easy as writing somebody’s address and slipping it into the mail, you can bet I’ll do it.
Third, What sort of follow up would I appreciate? About a month after the sale, send your customer another little something. I would love to receive a blank card and envelope with the image that I bought on it. Don’t ask me to give the card to someone, just know that I probably will. After that, send me something about once a quarter. Monthly is a little too often for regular follow up, but every three months is just about right. After three months I will probably have forgotten about the transaction and then all of a sudden there is something in the mail that just brightens my day. Make sure to give me some special deal every time and make it easy for me to buy again from you. If you use a service like E-Junkie for selling online (which I do!), you can include special discount codes that you only give to certain people. It’s a great way to reward your customers.
Lastly, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS add every customer to your mailing list. This is so important and most people do not even bother. Your best potential customers are your previous customers. They are the ones that cared enough to buy in the first place and you have a golden opportunity to stay in contact with them and build your relationship. Please, do not let this opportunity pass you by. If you do, you might as well just start throwing money out the window or use some to light a fire. Your customers WANT you to stay in touch with them. Don’t let them down!
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Chris O’Byrne
www.OnlineArtsMarketing.com
www.YourArtMarketing.com