Any artist who is interested in marketing and selling their work in galleries, art festivals, or online needs to know a few things before getting started. This article will discuss five main components beginning artists should think about before embarking on their journey as successful artists. The first is to believe in yourself. Second, create works of art that sell, and third, become a business. Lastly, find a place to sell your work to help build your name and credibility. Let’s take a look at each one.
1. Believe in yourself. One of the most common negative traits that many artists have is not believing that they are good enough as an artist. This is a lot of bologna. If you have sold any artwork, it is good enough. You may have to work on some things, but you have to start believing in yourself. I know an artist named Eric McCray who said that he put on a sign that said “Believe in yourself” until he became the artist that he wanted to be. So please believe in yourself and tell all the negative thoughts in your head to shut up.
2. Create works of art. Create 20-30 works of art that are consistent with each other. Do not paint landscapes, pet portraits and abstracts. Pick your niche and stick to it! When collectors and galleries see your work, they are looking for consistency. It is obvious that you are a professional. He also creates art that sells. Don’t create art that is boring, drab, or dark. People like to feel upbeat, so create your art accordingly.
3. Become a business. Install yourself as a company. Get business cards, business licenses, separate checking accounts, etc. The worst thing you can do is be at an art show and not have a business card. You are completely missing out on sales. Next, get a website to help market yourself as an artist. Websites are pretty cheap these days and can be easily set up in no time. Also, read about starting a business and having an entrepreneurial mindset. Selling art is not just about applying for art shows, selling on Etsy, and being represented in art galleries, but about non-stop promoting yourself using various marketing strategies that will help boost your business. I encourage you to read more books on marketing and sales as much as you read books on creating art. This will help you develop the right mindset to run a successful business.
4. Find places to sell your work. Apply to art shows, art festivals, gift shops, galleries, and the like. Do not go to libraries, coffee shops or restaurants. People don’t go to these places to buy art. Just like in real estate, where location is king, the same goes for finding places to sell your work. You have to get your art in front of people who would be willing to buy your art without a problem. Be sure to consider locations that are conducive to your market. You also want to get your art in front of people who are in your niche. If you paint birds, you may want to sell them at bird shows or various gift shops. Since I paint images of musicians playing different instruments, I apply them to music festivals. Do you see what I’m trying to get at?
5. Build a name for yourself. When you start selling your work at festivals, galleries or online, get your brand off the ground. Market yourself in such a way that when people think of art, or your niche, they think of you. The more you get your art in front of people, the more likely galleries and other art venues will seek you out. You can also build your name by giving yourself a nickname like “the bird painter” if you paint birds. This could serve as your brand when building your customer base. I use a slogan that says “Jazz Up Your Life” as I paint musicians who play jazz music. Every time I do an outdoor show I have a banner with that slogan above my store. People respond very well.
Using all of these tips can create a huge impact for anyone trying to sell their artwork in their local area. There is so much information out there that many of these tips will be mentioned over and over simply because they work. The more you focus on creating art without planning how to market and sell your artwork, the more you lose. So follow these tips and move on to become not only a good artist, but a best-selling artist.