Art Strategy - When Selling Your Art It Is Important to Have a Specific Strategy
Do you know how why having a specific art strategy will increases your chances of success as an artist, increasing your exposure, and allowing you to make a living as an artist? You will when you read this article on the importance of having a specific art strategy.
Whether you are an artist just starting your art career or if you are already a successful artist, clearly defining your strategy into a concise vision is paramount for your success.
So many artists believe that they will just be discovered and that someone will take care of the entire business aspect and everything associated with it.
Normally this is an unrealistic fantasy.
Now this does happen to artists from time to time, but one of the most important things artists can do to help their own career is to learn, practice and develop good sound business skills.
Who is going to be more passionate about your art than you the artist? Who has more motivation for the artist to succeed than you the artist? Does anybody have more desire for the art to be seen by people more so than the artist? Having good sound business, marketing and selling skills are paramount for the artist to succeed.
Competition in the art market is fierce and highly competitive.
How is your strategy going to be different from all of the other artists you are competing against? What are you going to do separate your artwork from everybody else (your competition)? Now, there are several aspects that need to be consider, when you first start planning your art strategy.
1.
How are you going to fund your art strategy? Do you have money saved up from a previous job? Do you have friends and family that can lend you some money? Are you going to start small and then keep reinvesting the profits back into your art business? Where are you going to get the funds to initially start your art business and to start implementing your art strategy? Some expenses that may be involved are: artist living expenses, canvas, frames, commissions, art materials, budget for art promotion, etc.
2.
How are you going to reach your potential clients? Are you going to sell Business to Business, through galleries and other retail locations? What art strategies are you going to use, when working with gallery owners? Are you going to sell Business to Consumer and sell directly to your clients? If you do this you need to be thinking of distribution points where clients and prospects have access to your art, so it can be purchased.
This can be done in a variety ways, when just starting out as an artist.
• Fairs/Festivals • In Home Art Shows • Direct Mail with postcards, direct mail, catalogs, etc.
• Networking through family and friends • Door to door selling to businesses • Painting on location en plein air, where you can sell right from your easel.
• Kiosk or store in a mall 3.
A couple of other aspects you need to consider, when putting together your art strategy are: * Who is interested in purchasing your art? Every business starts with the customer, so you need to think about who would want to purchase your art and why.
This will help you focus on those people who will be most willing to purchase your art.
This will save you a lot of marketing expense and it will help you focus on one type of person that is most likely to buy form you initially.
*Pricing Strategy *How are you going to price your art? Your art pricing needs to be consistent and then as demand builds for your art then you can increases prices over time, but how are you going to initially start pricing your art? *Time management aspect of your art strategy *One last aspect that you need to consider is how are you going to manage your time? Owning and managing an art business along with having a career as an artist is a very challenging occupation but it can be extremely rewarding.
Some of the items that you should carve out time in your schedule for are: • Creating your art • Planning your art strategy • Marketing your art • Managing your budget and expenses • Learning new things • Improving your skills • Meeting with clients • Personal time • Having fun • Etc.
Whether you are an artist just starting your art career or if you are already a successful artist, clearly defining your strategy into a concise vision is paramount for your success.
So many artists believe that they will just be discovered and that someone will take care of the entire business aspect and everything associated with it.
Normally this is an unrealistic fantasy.
Now this does happen to artists from time to time, but one of the most important things artists can do to help their own career is to learn, practice and develop good sound business skills.
Who is going to be more passionate about your art than you the artist? Who has more motivation for the artist to succeed than you the artist? Does anybody have more desire for the art to be seen by people more so than the artist? Having good sound business, marketing and selling skills are paramount for the artist to succeed.
Competition in the art market is fierce and highly competitive.
How is your strategy going to be different from all of the other artists you are competing against? What are you going to do separate your artwork from everybody else (your competition)? Now, there are several aspects that need to be consider, when you first start planning your art strategy.
1.
How are you going to fund your art strategy? Do you have money saved up from a previous job? Do you have friends and family that can lend you some money? Are you going to start small and then keep reinvesting the profits back into your art business? Where are you going to get the funds to initially start your art business and to start implementing your art strategy? Some expenses that may be involved are: artist living expenses, canvas, frames, commissions, art materials, budget for art promotion, etc.
2.
How are you going to reach your potential clients? Are you going to sell Business to Business, through galleries and other retail locations? What art strategies are you going to use, when working with gallery owners? Are you going to sell Business to Consumer and sell directly to your clients? If you do this you need to be thinking of distribution points where clients and prospects have access to your art, so it can be purchased.
This can be done in a variety ways, when just starting out as an artist.
• Fairs/Festivals • In Home Art Shows • Direct Mail with postcards, direct mail, catalogs, etc.
• Networking through family and friends • Door to door selling to businesses • Painting on location en plein air, where you can sell right from your easel.
• Kiosk or store in a mall 3.
A couple of other aspects you need to consider, when putting together your art strategy are: * Who is interested in purchasing your art? Every business starts with the customer, so you need to think about who would want to purchase your art and why.
This will help you focus on those people who will be most willing to purchase your art.
This will save you a lot of marketing expense and it will help you focus on one type of person that is most likely to buy form you initially.
*Pricing Strategy *How are you going to price your art? Your art pricing needs to be consistent and then as demand builds for your art then you can increases prices over time, but how are you going to initially start pricing your art? *Time management aspect of your art strategy *One last aspect that you need to consider is how are you going to manage your time? Owning and managing an art business along with having a career as an artist is a very challenging occupation but it can be extremely rewarding.
Some of the items that you should carve out time in your schedule for are: • Creating your art • Planning your art strategy • Marketing your art • Managing your budget and expenses • Learning new things • Improving your skills • Meeting with clients • Personal time • Having fun • Etc.
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