I just read yet another article about the “dos and don’ts” of art marketing and it has me in a tizzy. Why? Because it is about the same old thing, image instead of substance. Their advice is always the same and it is always about your brand or image and how people perceive you. They ignore the deeper and more important stuff which is how to really connect with people.
You cannot just advertise and get the word out about you and then sit back while the orders come pouring in. You may be able to sell a little bit this way, but it is without substance and skips the important stuff. You want… you NEED to connect with your potential customers. You have to be real, not just a storefront somewhere with cool stuff for sale.
How do you connect? I think you already know this. Have a blog. Write to connect with people, not to talk them into buying from you. Tell your story. Be alive. Your newsletters and emails and postcards should all be about connecting with people, not pushing sales. Your gallery site should tell a story about each and every piece of work.
So what place does advertising have? Use advertising as the means to get people to the places where you connect. If you put an ad in a magazine or other print medium, send them to your blog. Meet people online and really talk to them. The point is to connect with people, not sell, sell, sell.
Make sure, however, that people can easily purchase from you. Make it easy for someone reading your blog to then make one click and go straight to your online store. It’s not all about selling, but that doesn’t mean that you should make it difficult to do so. Encourage it, in fact.
Okay, enough ranting for one day. Thanks for listening and see you on Friday with my newest Featured Site!
Chris O’Byrne
OnlineArtsMarketing.com
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Here is some information about art education:
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12 comments ↓
Great post, Chris. I agree with you on the importance of communication in selling art, or anything for that matter! People sometimes come to me for a reading simply because they have met me and like my energy. Once they find out I am an artist, they may want to own my work.
Blogging has helped me express myself more clearly; my intent, my stories, my ideas. You write something wise here; “Your gallery site should tell a story about each and every piece of work”. This is my next step when I recreate my art website.
And, absolutely, make it easy for people to throw money at you!
I totally agree, that connecting with people is the essence of Marketing one’s art, for me personnaly I am a beginner, but connection with people through my Blog helped me a lot so far…with lots tips, advice…..perspective, subjetcs,etc…
By the way thank you very much for the comments you wrote on my Blog, really appreciate it.
Take care
PS: I’ll be a regular visitor here
@doudy: Thanks for coming by, man! I look forward to our continuing conversation.
Excellent insight - thank you. Need to be more regular too and also go back to your prior posts.
Thanks, John!
Yes I agree with Kris, (and Chris) about every work needs to tell a story. I am trying to add that “story” quality to my own web site…right now I am doing it by writing about each work (the story) on my blog and then linking that blog post (about the work) to the static web site. This year my goal is to better improve the professional look of my web site. I built it myself with no know how and now need to complete the task. Communication, connection is the most important thing in getting art work seen…but learning your own special way of connecting with the world at large can be a form of art all in itself. Great post, thanks for sharing.
@Heather:
(I figured you only wanted one of these posts, so I deleted the first one for you.)
Thank you for your comment. When I get confirmation like this that I’m on the right track and that this blog is actually of help to people, it really makes me feel good about the whole thing and want to keep plowing away. I look forward to reading your stories!
I just discovered this site following the links from Kris’ site and the advice here is excellent. Connection is what both sides want. It is so easy to lose sight of why we make art in the marketing process. Well said - and I subscribed!
Now I plan to spend some time going through the rest of your site…
@Michelle: Thanks for stopping by and for your comment. Don’t hesitate to ask questions!
Hi Chris,
This is an excellent post!! I agree … when I read this, I always wonder how I can do better. Be more real, make it easier to buy, make sure I am not pushing selling … so much! But I mainly need to keep being as authentic as I can be!!
~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog
This is so interesting to find this article on your blog, Chris. My husband ventured to come to me last night saying, “don’t get mad at me” — and I was thinking, “uh-ho!”. And he proceeded to tell me that he has been watching me as I interact with various folks getting consulting help to develop the business side of my art — trying to build my skills in that area, you know?
Anyway, so he says to me, “You are asking all the right questions, but to the wrong people.” And goes on to say that he is witnessing me tell people that I want to make a living doing what I love. But he feels that he’s seen the other person always only hear, “I want to make a living”. So they begin to give me answers to address that part. But he felt that no one seemed to register yet with “by doing what I love” so the answers seem out of context.
It was sooooooooo interesting to hear this from him. I’m sitting with it for now. Really looking at how I can take all the valuable information others have very graciously given me in the context of “I want to make a living” but adapt it to fully embrace the context of “by doing what I love.”
Anyway… somehow this entry from you resonated with that for me — like a little synchronicity (sp?) telling me I’m on the right track, keep going… Thanks for that!
miracles,
k-
@Kara: Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond, I’ve been on the road. I loved hearing this! I started this blog because I had several friends and family that wanted to learn how to make a living from their art, especially online. As I talked with them and applied what I already knew, things just kept moving in this direction. I soon realized that I was on a path that I was meant to be on for some reason. I had a mission! Although I am interested in helping people make money online in a broad sense, I am especially interested in helping the artist. Many of my ideas resonate with some people and not others, but that’s okay. I just keep coming up with more!
Thanks for the boost and I look forward to more conversations!
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