RULE #1 DEVELOP A CONSISTENT STYLE

Some buyers of your work may relish your line drawing skills, your choice of colors, or your composition. Once you receive plaudits for your work, choose one direction and move in that direction and make it your style. My style by the way is to paint a detailed background and sometimes blur it out so nothing in the background distracts from the main subject.

RULE #2 AIM FOR A NICHE

When I started my art career, I did some portraits of famous people like race driver Carroll Shelby, then segued to the cars he built. I also tried a nature scene — a dock at Malibu Beach — but decided there were too many artists painting beach portraits. And then I realized there were only a few making car portraits. The whole idea here is to pick a niche, paint a few, then go to an event and see if you can sell your prints.

RULE #3 ADOPT A LOOK FOR YOURSELF  

Almost a separate subject but this can also be important to establishing your brand. I once ran into an author doing a book signing at a bookstore in Hollywood. He was a young man in his 30s and looked splendid in a white suit with a white bowler hat. It was Thomas Wolfe and he wore white suits for decades and fans came to expect it as his look — “the man in white.”

A similar white suit has become my standard attire when I go to car events. I am not quite as famous as Wolfe but it has created an image.  When I go to car events I am often eagerly welcomed because with such sartorial elegance they assume “whoever he is, he must be important.” I considered the cowboy look but “the man in white” image fits with the classic cars I portray at classic car events like the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Once you have a niche, work that niche for all It’s worth. If I were pursuing equine art, I would donate prints to libraries on the horse scene, and look for which organizations need art. I would write articles for their newspapers, magazines, and websites, offering my art as illustrations.

Don’t worry about the niche imprisoning you. You can always diversify with other niches, creating collections. Perhaps it’s sailboats — find a local yacht club who will let you roam their venue, donate some prints to their next banquet or event and soon you’ll be sailing.

Automotive art has been my focus ever since I calculated the profit. When I found clients who didn’t blink at the price for a 20” x 30” canvas print (which was very cost effective for me), I decided I was comfortable. Of course, there are lots of potential collectors in other high end lifestyle genres to pursue. Who knows, you might find me one day painting horses for thoroughbred racing enthusiasts.

Once you’ve chosen your niche, look for websites and magazines devoted to that niche. If I were just beginning, I would try multiple directions initially — a trout fisherman one time and a horse racing the next. See what gets the most attention and sales and build your collector and fan base in that direction. Know also that people that love your work will be excited to see an occasional foray into other subjects.

In summary, look for environments you enjoy. Are there events that bring people together? Do those events look welcoming for an artist who wants to depict them? Check it out, then go for it!

______________________________

About the author:

Wallace Wyss is letting it be known that he’s open to submit work on consignment to galleries for those interested in an adventure into automotive art. He can be reached at malibucarart@gmail.com

All images courtesy of artist Wallace Wyss.

The post Promoting Your Art: Advice on Choosing a Niche appeared first on Art Business News.

CREATE A ROBUST ONLINE PRESENCE

The best place to start is to work on your online presence. You need a good website that will allow you to showcase your work. You can direct interested buyers, curators, art collectors, and museums to your website if they want to see more of your work or find updated information about you. You could also use your website to apply for a project or register for an art competition. Fortunately, websites are easy to create and cheap to maintain. You can use builders like Wix to create your first personal website.

PUT ALL YOUR ART IN ONE PLACE

Talking of creating a lasting impression, your audience won’t know how good you are if you don’t showcase the pieces you have already made. Again, one of the best ways to get exposure to your artwork is to create a killer portfolio where visitors and potential clients can see all your art in one place. Take time to gather all your work, take quality photos, and post them on a separate section of your website.

POST TOP-TIER CONTENT

Now that you have a polished website, it’s high time you beef it up with quality content that will keep your audience coming back for more. After all, your clients won’t be interested in your stuff if they have no idea what they are buying. Your strongest skill is visual not written, but you can still be creative enough to play with the words in the product description. You could also spice things up and write about the creative process and all the work that goes into making your art. You can also work with an agency with connections and in-house specialists who do guest posting services to get your content to bloggers.

ADD A LINK TO YOUR STORE ON YOUR WEBSITE

Most clients want you to meet them at their convenience. They might lose interest in your stuff if they must click away from your website to search for your online store. You could make things easier for them by embedding links to where they can buy your artwork. You can also create an online shop right on your site. In this case, your website visitors can complete the purchase without any redirection.

DESIGN A UNIQUE LOGO

A logo is an excellent way to take your art career to the next step and get you noticed. You don’t have to design a complicated logo that will take time to complete. A good logo can be as simple as your signature or a symbol that your audience can recognize as yours. Tap into your creative side and do deep introspection to determine what other people associate with you or what symbol you resonate with most.
Tip: You can also outsource logo design to a freelancer to make it fast.

CAPTURE THE TRUE ESSENCE OF YOUR ART

Unless you sell your art locally, most of your potential clients won’t get to see your pieces in person. Therefore, it would be wise to take quality photos with high resolution so your audience can see your art for what it truly is. Capturing the true essence of your art also means portraying it in action. For instance, if you created a glow-in-the-dark painting, you could take a picture with the lights on and off so your audience can get the full experience.

NETWORK WITH INFLUENCERS

People who have amassed an enormous following online are valuable in helping you get exposure to your artwork. Once they introduce you to their audience, chances are your content will get more engagement and conversion. Connecting with influencers is also excellent if you want to combine two different audiences. For instance, you could liaise with a fashion blogger and bring together your art-based audience and their fashion-based audience.

However, finding the right influencers to partner with can be tedious. An excellent solution to this predicament would be to use blogger outreach services like Outreach Monks which work with influencers to help secure relevant links to increase traffic to your website and boost your SEO rankings.

LEVERAGE MORE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

As an intelligent artist and entrepreneur, you shouldn’t trivialize the power of social media in boosting the reach and visibility of your products. However, you could miss the mark if you post on the wrong platform. First and foremost, we advise you to determine which platform your target audience uses and make it your primary focus. You can then tailor your content and visuals to suit your chosen platform to reach your potential clients. As you continue posting on your leading platform, don’t forget to use other social media platforms to broaden your reach.
Tip: Tap into new platforms like TikTok to showcase your art

TELL A DESCRIPTIVE STORY

Gone are the days when clients were more engrossed in the final product. In addition to marveling at your art, your visitors and potential customers want to know why you decided to get into the art industry and where you draw inspiration. Perhaps telling your unique story could be the key to pushing your art into the world and reaching your target audience to notice you. Optimizing your store copy gives your audience a chance to connect with you on a deeper level and cherish the pieces you make.

CONSIDER PEER-TO-PEER PROMOTION

One other clever way to take the tedium out of trying to promote your artwork without compromising on the effectiveness of the process is to encourage your followers to share your work. If you are yet to find a creative way to incentivize your audience, you could ask them to tell a friend or loved one about what you do. You could also create giveaways and get your audience to make a post that mentions your company or uses one of your hashtags. The winners could go home with an art piece of their choice or a gift voucher.

LIAISE WITH OTHER UPCOMING ARTISTS

Chances are you have come across numerous artists struggling to gain exposure for their work in your niche. Teaming up with these artists is a budget-friendly yet effective way to push your own work into the market. They could introduce you to their audience and vice versa, allowing you to cast a wider net. You could also learn from the artists you interact with and incorporate the new skills into your creative process to develop better art pieces for your portfolio.

WRAPPING UP

The biggest mistake you could make as an artist is an inaction. Failure to take the first step will leave you stuck in your current situation. You wouldn’t want to leave your stunning pieces tucked away in the attic when you could find a new home for them. It would also be a shame to let other people talk you out of your dreams and vision. The best time to start working on your goals and get exposure for your unique art is now!

Author Bio: Imala Green works with Outreach Monks as senior content head. She holds her expertise in business and technical writing. Her aim is to provide information about advance business trends worldwide, along with changing working parameters in an easy language.

The post How to Get Exposure For Your Artwork appeared first on Art Business News.

An art gallery is a business where dealers organize multiple exhibitions for the artwork. How does a gallery dealer find new clients and keep the current ones? You need a smart solution for this problem. What about a CRM? It can be the solution that creates a focus on what is needed.

Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

WHAT IS A CRM?

CRM stands for “Customer Relationship Management” and is a software system that helps business owners easily track all communications and nurture relationships with their leads and clients. If you are suffering from business issues like client gathering, a CRM is your support. It is a management tool through which you can gather more information about your clients. It can also simplify communication with your clients.

HOW A CRM CAN HELP AN ART GALLERY?

Are you using spreadsheets to keep track of your clients? If you are doing this then you are limiting your opportunities. Many small galleries aren’t able to invest in a system. Instead of doing double work, get the right CRM software to do some of your work for you.

Unless you have a photographic memory, CRM will help you maintain your contact list, the collector’s interests, what they have purchased in the past, and what they may be interested in purchasing in the future. All consolidated in one place no matter which member of your team interacts with the client.

WHAT FEATURES ARE NECESSARY FOR AN ART GALLERY CRM?

There are multiple systems in the market for your art gallery. The thing is, you have to set your criteria to know which one will work best for you. Here are some must-have features in an art gallery CRM:

1. Filter Contacts

You can’t contact everyone in your contact list for a newly released painting. Not everyone is even interested in this painting. The software will help you to filter your contact list so you can contact and tag only those people that may be interested.

2. Sales & Inventory Invoices

Try a CRM to integrate sales and inventory lists. This way, you can manage your sales and inventory at the same time. And save time and effort while you’re doing it!

3. Calendar Syncing

A good CRM will provide you with an online calendar facility. You will be able to see all the meetings scheduled with your clients. The upcoming tasks and important events will pop up on your screen by using a good CRM system.

4. Ecommerce Options

In an art gallery business, you need to use an e-commerce method for maximizing sales. An image of the artwork along with details gives collectors a virtual means of seeing the work you offer.

5. Mobile Access to System

Running a gallery is as tough as any other retail business. You have to manage different activities simultaneously. A good CRM system will help you do that, even remotely.

6. Personalized Emails

Have you thought about how can you offer discounts to your clients? Marketing your gallery is the solution. How about designing some emails for your clients? A CRM will do this for you. It will design personalized emails and offer discounts to your clients.

7. Data Security

Do you think your business is data safe? To make sure it’s safe, try a CRM in which all the data of your art gallery will be online. The software will check it daily and update you if there is any issues with it.

8. Project Management

No matter, whether the project is large or small, planning is necessary. Searching for the perfect idea for your next exhibition? The right CRM will present ideas for you. The system will manage all your upcoming exhibitions and offer great ideas for sales.

9. Customized Report

When you are running a business, you need to watch every aspect. A regular  reporting system can help you track any issues that might arise in the business. The CRM will help you design professional reports for the gallery, giving you insights on problems and how to improve the situation.

10. Sales Record

Keeping the record of clients and business sales is different. Sales are the only way to increase your business value. A CRM will maintain all the previous and upcoming sales records. By viewing this record, you can forecast your business sales for the present and into the future.

11. Website Integration

Want to link your website with the other services? Great idea and CRM software will help you with the task. Your gallery’s clients can contact you easly via the website and more.

12. Immediate Response

When a client calls, you need to respond. It’s a priority. The system will support you in answering your business calls. It will further generate a response message for the client letting them know you will be with them quickly.

WRAPPING IT UP:

A CRM is the most suitable source to establish your relationship with clients. An art gallery needs a system that let’s the dealer maintain existing clients while attracting new clients. The CRM will make it easy to manage multiple business activities. Now, instead of managing tasks manually, you will be able to streamline your processes and manage things efficiently online.

________________________

Author Bio:

Basit Ali is a Digital Marketing Manager with many years of experience in the marketing field. He studied various business methods and skills over the past few years. Now, he is helping multiple gym owners through Gym Software for managing the gym and achieving their goals. You can follow Basit Ali on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

The post Role of CRM in the Art Business appeared first on Art Business News.

This article breaks down the best professional roads you can take after getting your Arts degree. Here are the jobs you might find yourself doing in the future.

1. Arts Teacher

If you enjoy spending time with young, creative, and enthusiastic people, consider a career in teaching. Transferring your skills and knowledge to the younger generations can be a rewarding process that never gets monotonous and boring.

Plus, you get to use your own creativity and use it in your methodology and pedagogy approach.

2. Illustrator

Illustrator is another interesting career choice to consider. Illustrators use their creativity to bring messages to life and tell stories. It requires a specific level of artistic skills, since you need to adapt to the source materials and find the best way to bring words to life.

3.   Professional Artist

If there’s nothing you enjoy more than creating your original art, maybe you’re supposed to be a professional artist. This is not the easiest path to choose, but it’s certainly one of the most exciting.

You’d need to find your style and artistic expression. You’d also need to find a way to get the attention of art lovers, galleries, and your target audience.

4. Graphic Design

Graphic designers are truly in demand these days since everyone needs a visual representation – from small businesses and brands to international companies.

As a graphic designer, you’ll oversee designing visual materials, visual identity, and brand materials such as logos, posters, flyers, social media posts, website visuals, and more. You’d be able to express the full spectrum of your artistic skills and embrace new and exciting projects regularly.

5. Museum Tour Guide

If you love spending time at art museums and enjoy the history of art, there’s a spot for you in an art museum somewhere. Your main responsibility as a museum tour guide would be to welcome visitors and help them make the most out of their museum visit.

You’d talk about the works of art that are exposed, the artists, and share stories on how they lived and created. You’d help them find what they’re looking for and learn as much as possible during their visit.

6. Art Workshops Leader

There are so many people out there who enjoy creating art, as amateurs. You could be the one to make this happen. You could organize and lead art workshops and help people express their creative side.

Your job would be to organize these events, come up with a theme, provide the materials and help people learn and have fun at the same time.

7. Curator

Many people who have an Arts degree decide to pursue a career as curators in art galleries. Their jobs carry a lot of responsibility but are exciting and dynamic.

The job of a curator implies:

• researching artists
• collecting works of art for the gallery exhibitions
• putting exhibitions together

They’re also responsible for the presentations, publications, events, and other details related to their gallery. It requires knowing the art scene, doing research, and representing the gallery successfully.

8. Marketing

Every marketing team needs that one artistic person to help with visualization and designing marketing materials. You could be the person in charge of this side of a marketing campaign. You could use your skills to design, create and put together marketing materials that would reach the target audience and conduct the messages you designed.

9. Art Magazine Editor

Writing about art could be your calling. Art magazines need someone who is knowledgeable and creative to help deliver a great issue every time. If you know a thing or two about writing, and you can see yourself as managing a team of people, consider being an art magazine editor.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, having an Arts degree opens so many doors for you. Depending on your preferences and strongest skills and qualities, you’ll be able to choose a career path that suits you best. The important thing is that you find the job that you love doing – that way, you won’t ever feel like you’re working.

Hopefully, our list inspired you to think about your career choices and start making the first steps towards finding your dream job.

________________________________

Author’s Bio: Barbara Fielder is a career counselor and a blogger working for Top Writers Review. She specializes in helping people find their ideal career and take the key steps towards reaching it. She loves sharing practical tips and tricks.

The post What Can You do With an Arts Degree? appeared first on Art Business News.

Nevertheless, without a considerate strategy and plan for marketing and selling your art prints, you won’t be able to be successful. You might upload your images for sale on an open platform like Pixels.com for example. But just imagine how many other photographers do exactly the same thing. That is why your promotion strategy is vitally important to let you stand out from the crowd.

In this article, we would like to advise you on where to start and how to market and sell your fine art photography for the most benefit possible.

USEFUL STEPS FOR MARKETING & SELLING YOUR DIGITAL FINE ART PRINTS

You do not need to get an academic degree or even take a photography course to start doing this part of your business. You need to join the community of photographers who sell their photos online or develop your own recognizable website. Defining your personal style is also a good place to start before you get your prints seen and bought.

Let’s have a more thorough look at how to do your fine art photography sales and make them as beneficial as possible.

START MARKETING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are great options for starting your marketing campaigns, even if you do not have your personal website or blog yet. Get accounts established there, remembering that all your followers are your potential buyers. Use the different advertising options provided by these platforms to make your edited photos recognizable and increase your exposure.

Ask your friends and colleagues to like or follow your page and share it with their acquaintances. Let everybody know that you are selling your fine art prints and word of mouth together with the ads in the social media will quickly spread. You can also start interacting with people who are potential fine art photography buyers interested in your work. Answer their questions or write short photography-related posts informing your potential customers that you have created a new piece of artwork. This can be a bit time-consuming, but it can result in positive outcomes.

HOW TO MARKET PHOTOGRAPHY VIA YOUR PERSONAL WEBSITE OR BLOG

It’s not a secret that, if you have your own website, you get more control over the interactions with potential customers. Of course, it will take more time and effort, but it will be beneficial in the long run. You can either utilize your own domain name to establish a store or create an online store on such reputable platforms as BigCommerce or Shopify. These platforms require small fees while others, such as Wix, provide free templates to get started. Choose your templates, which will integrate payment processing and order forms. You can buy a domain as well to introduce a paid service for more selling options.

If you cannot develop your website yourself, you can hire a development company to create a photography website according to your needs. The developer can also teach you some basics on how to maintain the website, integrate the keywords for search engines and keep your website optimized.

You can also create your personal blog where you will be able to show your fine art stock photography and write some interesting articles on photography. Your potential customers will be able to email you and ask for more information or shipping details if they need them. Such a convenient payment service as PayPal is appropriate for receiving payments. 

CREATE EMAIL LISTS AND MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

As you gain blog followers, you can start creating email lists for further communication. It does not matter much whether you have your own website or use social media or other websites to introduce your images. You just need a place where you can communicate with your potential buyers. A place where you can receive emails from them and send them newsletters and notifications about your new pieces of fine art photography.

You do not have to share all the new pieces with your followers, of course. Give them just enough to stay in touch and get interested in what you are doing. People should see you as a real person and like you and everything you do.  If you have a blog, keep them informed about your new ideas and let them see you behind your art.

You can also collect the email addresses via a giveaway or raffle, by using Facebook or local contests, everywhere you can to make people remember you. These small marketing campaigns are sure to boost your sales and provide you with a lot of benefits.

USE LOCAL OPTIONS

To find the new market for photography, you can also develop an interest in what you are doing at the local level. You can offer to hang your artwork at the local coffee shop. You can also go to art galleries and ask them if they can accept your photos as exhibits.

You can offer your prints to local businesses that can use your business cards with fine art images for further promotion. A local restaurant or retail outlet may want to have your photos on their walls. They obtain free artwork and you get a free advertising option. Or go to the local libraries and offer to make a display of your photos on a monthly basis.

The option of placing your fine art photos for sale in local fine art stores should also be considered. Such shops will charge you some fees only if your artwork is sold. Leave your business cards so buyers can refer to you directly if they are interested.

You can expose your fine art prints at an art fair. That is the place where you can network with different enthusiasts of fine art photography and your colleagues. Start by finding out how selling your photography at the fair works, the terms of such cooperation, and possible fees at art fairs in your area. Bring some of your prints with you and let them be sold immediately. You can also leave your business cards and flyers to the organizers. This is also a great chance to get email addresses and other contacts of your potential buyers. Offer people to sign up for a raffle to win your print.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Do you really want to start selling fine art photography? Then there is a lot of hard and interesting work in front of you. We think you’ll find it is a rewarding experience.

Communicate with your potential clients as much as possible. Let them know you and what you are doing. Get noticed via small marketing campaigns. Focus on the sources and means which you can manage easily.

Of course, you will need to invest a lot of time and effort in all this. Don’t rely on selling fine art photographs as the only means of living. Take it up as a hobby first and then you will see that you will start selling your work both online and offline and your business will grow. You will be delighted knowing that your pieces of art decorate people’s homes and offices. It’s a great feeling of success — so get busy and try it now.

Author Bio: James Baxter is a professional ghostwriter, online marketer at photo retouching company, and blogger, who loves sharing his experience and knowledge with readers. His hobby is photography and traveling, so he has already been to 35 countries.

The post How to Market and Sell Your Fine Art Photography appeared first on Art Business News.

The first step – pinpoint your initial location 

We all are unique people with our strengths and weaknesses. You must know yourself. Do you dislike all talking, or only with strangers? Can you stand the critic of others, or is it too much? It is vital to know your limits and how far they stretch. The truth is, you will have to leave your comfort zone at times. It is inevitable if you want to get somewhere. The trick is in the preparation and patience. Knowing oneself is a better way to balance one’s strengths against weaknesses.

The second step – define your target audience

Defining the target audience is the classic. Basically, it is your destination (or its vicinity). It does not need to be statistically accurate data. We are making a draft, remember? Your interests and style might change in the future, and the same goes for your audience. For the moment, you should not think far away. What type of people would appreciate your art? Keep that foremost in your mind and plan.

The third step – choose your platform

Next, we need to make a sailing boat, a gallery(r)y of your art. It will be your promoting vessel. Old-fashioned Facebook, noisy Twitter, dandyish Instagram, visual Youtube, your self-tailored website, or something else – every type of media has its set of rules, potential audiences, and requirements. It is your turn to deal the cards.

Here, the first two steps are becoming handy and merge with the third one. You should carefully examine all your aces, what you lack, and which way you go. If you know how to make and edit videos, you can monetize your talents on YouTube. Photos? There is Instagram to frame those. Do you want to leave catchy or profound thoughts alongside your art – there is more than enough leeway to choose.

But, you might exclaim, “It is not that easy!” Yes, indeed. This is where you have to steer the outcome.

The fourth step – balancing and keeping afloat

To advance, you need to consider it all. What is it that you cannot stand? Do you think that Instagram is a great marketing place, but you hate the idea of handling it? Are you a painter or sculptor in your soul and heart, but you do not want to get close to posting? Do you simply not know what to choose?

First of all, do not agitate beforehand. Take your time. There is no necessity in jumping headlong into unknown waters. Go back to the first step. Remember, there is always some way around it:

• You may ask your friends to help. Find a co-conspirator, an advisor, or needed support.
• Also, you can try experimenting with concepts. What do you not like about Instagram: stories, selfies, your photography skills? Maybe, you will discover a compromise in cutting out some elements while improving the quality of others. Consider creating a closed profile and make it your training ground. Show it to your friends and ask their opinion.
• Is Twitter too loud and crowded? Leave it for others. There are many other places and opportunities to work with; you are not obliged to force yourself to use something overly alien or exhausting.
• In case your friends can’t help you, find professionals to back you up. For example, you can hire freelancers to do specific jobs (advertising videos for your art, taking control over your account and promoting it, etc.) or reach out to proven experts in the field (SEO outreach service to boost your site) as a way to get the best safeguards for your projects.

No one pushes you to make a certain decision. And you can always turn back. Don’t forget you are the captain of this ship. Do as you like. Stop everything whenever you feel like it. Drop anchor from time to time to chill and relax. When something does not work as it should, try to find another approach. Working smart has to be your motto!

The fifth step – do it better

It’s all about practice. Knowing your weaknesses, you probably want some of them to disappear. Again, nothing too cardinal or hasty – one step at a time. You don’t jump into side splits or ice baths right away. Preparation is the key. Break challenges and problems into smaller portions, then deal with those. Educate yourself: read books, watch tutorials, take some online courses. Maybe you will learn about extra tools that will fit your narrative. As long as you do not stop completely and keep moving forward, there will be growth and development. Solutions will appear to you more often and you will get better.

The draft for uncharted waters

Be honest with yourself throughout the journey. Unless you are honest, you will have issues evaluating your progress. People tend to turn a blind eye to their faults and mistakes, never learning from them. As a result, they repeat the same mistakes over again. For instance, if multitasking is not for you and makes you feel overwhelmed, consider changing your methods. The whole point of this journey is to get closer to your dreams and not burn to out along the way. There are no strict defining rules. There are only recommendations. This is your map to success – only you can draw it and no one else.

Conclusion

Introversion does not cancel the successful marketing future of your brand. It may define you to a certain extent, but it does not outline your limits. If you are persistent at whatever that your heart desires, you will achieve great things. Just be smart, patient, and eager to learn.

Author bio:

Frank Hamilton has been working as an editor at guest posting service Adsy for a year. He is also a professional writer in such topics as digital marketing, SEO, and blogging.

All photos courtesy of Pexels.com

The post Marketing Hacks for Introverted Artists appeared first on Art Business News.

Initially, it may appear that success on Instagram is linked to the number of followers you have. But this isn’t completely true. Several Instagram art pages have thousands of followers, yet no likes, comments, or engagement on their posts. Likewise, they have zero business profit. That huge number of followers is just a façade, and nothing is interesting and motivating to its followers about it. Take your time to grow your page on Instagram.

If what you share is genuinely beautiful then the right followers will automatically come to you. To help you out in the process and make it simple, here are a few tips to grow an art page on Instagram.

Choose a niche

A niche and a relevant theme are very important when you wish to grow an art page on Instagram. Many people find this step trivial and believe whatever they post will be beautiful to attract followers. But this approach can attract a divergent audience which is not particularly desirable. What you want is the right audience — this way you know what they expect from you and you can deliver for those expectations. This will also happen when you have an appealing theme. Use the right colors, not too many, depending on the type of art you do. This will help them recognize your art easily anywhere on Instagram. You want to continually find a connection with your audience.

Develop a proper Instagram profile

Having a proper Instagram profile works like magic for growing an art page on Instagram. There are a few steps to do this properly.

• Don’t choose a random user name:

The name of your page is your identity. It defines who you are and what you do. So, choose a name that suits your art. It should be striking and yet easy to remember. It can be your name or your tagline, either of which will give connection and relevance to what your audience sees and reinforce your brand at the same time.

• A relevant profile picture matters:

Your profile picture should be such that people recognize who you are the minute they see it. Also, try to be a bit illustrative. Don’t keep it simple. It should reflect your style. Use something that appears in your artwork frequently.

• Mention your full name:

If people find your artwork appealing, they’ll probably be interested in knowing more about you. They will likewise check your art page for your details. So don’t shy away from mentioning your full name in your Instagram profile if it isn’t already your user name. Let them know it’s you behind all those stunning art pieces.

• Craft the right bio:

The 150 characters in the Instagram bio must reflect your personality. Focus on adding and mentioning yourself as an artist and what type of art you practice. You can use relevant emojis too. 

Post consistently

Posting consistently on Instagram gets you where you want to be. Hence, the count of your daily posts is very important and should be consistent over the long run. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the number of posts made daily is directly linked to getting new followers. But at the same time, you should be determined to post regularly. Don’t forget to show variety in your posts, make them appealing. Try to post at least once or twice a day and throughout the week.

Follow fellow artists

There are thousands of other artists like you on Instagram. Each one of them has their own unique identity in terms of the artwork they do. What you can do is you can simply follow them and support them. Like their posts and comment on them. Let them know what you feel about their artworks. This will show them that you truly are an artist and not just a random admirer. Chances are their followers will be curious as to know who you are and may end up following you as well. This will help you in building a strong community of artists while you grow an art page on Instagram.

Spice up those hashtags

Although we urge you to utilize hashtags that bode well with your posts, that doesn’t imply that on the off chance that you post a photograph of a sculpture, every one of the 30 hashtags you use must be explicitly about sculptures. Artwork photographs can incorporate hashtags about workmanship, inventiveness, motivation, being a craftsman, where you are based, selling work, or even commissions if you offer them! Blend and match them depending on the thing you’re posting about.

What’s more, try to distinguish your hashtags when you post about shows, media highlights, works in advancement, and the sky is the limit from there. Make hashtag blocks for every one of these situations (or download our rundown below to utilize as models!) and save them in your notes.

Instances of approaches to fluctuate your hashtags:

• Medium: #sculptors #collageartistsoninstagram
• Area: #seattleartist #londonartists
• Craftsmen: #womenartists #artistsofcolor
• Style: #abstractartists #expressionistart
• Shading: #ihavethisthingwithpink #colorpassionjoy
• Materials: #workonpaper #oilpaintings
• Subject: #petportraits #landscapeartists

Try to get featured on well-known art sharing pages

Instagram has several pages that provide a boosting platform for growing artists and their artworks. Try to search for a good and relevant art sharing page that accepts humble requests to feature your art with credits given to you on their page. Many such pages may provide free service but there might be some that require payment. If you are going for a page that takes money for featuring your art, see how many followers they have and what type of audience engagement they get. Try to see how many likes and comments they receive on their featured posts. Remember, audience engagement rather than the number of followers matters the most.

Conclusion

These are a few ways that will help you to grow an art page on Instagram. There are many other ways as well, but these are some of the most effective and widely used methods in the process. Once you investigate a bit further, you’ll be astounded at the number of artwork pages that have more modest followings with authentic followers but have created higher engagement and higher benefits with their audience than others. Additionally, more than just followers, this is a way to construct a community of companions around you; friends and fans who love what you are doing and are eager to see where you’ll be going in this art venture of yours.

About the author

Amit Bhosle is a writer and blogger. He has written many good and informative articles on different categories such as Social Media and Travel. You can also visit on his website.

The post How to Grow an Art Page on Instagram appeared first on Art Business News.

To help you find an agent that will suit your career needs best, we have compiled a few questions you should ask before hiring an agent. You need to know what an agent will do for you and how much it will cost you. Also, you need to figure out if having an agent representation is the right option for you. If it is, how should you go about getting one?

What is it that an art agent will do for you?

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that all agents are made the same. Despite what you may think, not every agent will be able to provide you with the help you specifically need as an artist. There are many ways of doing the job of an art agent, so there is no telling if the one you have picked will be the right choice for you unless you ask them what they do exactly on behalf of their clients. Their answer will let you know if they offer the type of representation you need.

Typically, agents will represent you, promote your work, and sell it. However, there are many more reasons to hire an agent besides finding a larger audience for your work. For example, they can help you negotiate better contracts and increased pay. Moreover, they can scout for potential sponsored and buyers. They will also function as a middle man between you and other professional contacts, thus safeguarding your privacy.

It’s advisable to think about your career goals and then set out to find an agent who can help you achieve them. Do you want to sell your artwork? Do you need someone to scout out commission opportunities? Are you interested in appearing in the media or at important events?

How much are an art agent’s fees?

In most cases, the agent will take a percentage of what is sold. This is excellent because they will only receive payment when you do, rather than working on a retainer. However, it is essential to find out how big of a percentage will go to your agent and how you will perform the payment. Usually, agents will collect payments on your behalf and deduct their fees and other expenses. They will give a reminder to you. Therefore, you must know how much they will deduct and what the additional costs can be.

Who are the artists an agent has worked with before?

As in any other business, referrals are the best. So, what better person to tell you what to expect from an agent than their other clients. Talk to their previous clients and ask about their experience working with your prospective agent. Also, check they have delivered what they promised to the earlier artists. Knowing how someone has behaved in the past is the best way to predict their future actions. Therefore, if the person you are considering is hesitant regarding disclosing their previous clients, look elsewhere.

What do you need to do so your agent can be successful at their job?

A good agent will let you know from the start what it is you need to do for your cooperation to be a productive one. You need to know what their expectations from you are, so there are no unpleasant surprises later. Letting go of an agent who hasn’t been the right fit for you is one thing, but firing one who has had unreasonable expectations from you is a different story.

Check your potential agent’s credibility.

During an interview with a potential art agent, besides the questions mentioned before, be sure to get answers to the following:

• How long have you been working in the industry?
• How long have you been working as an agent?
• Have you ever worked as an art dealer, or have you ever owned a gallery?
• What are your academic qualifications?
• Do you have any professional qualifications?
• Who have you worked for? Watch out for any excessive embellishments.

Also, it is vital to observe how they look at your art. And allow them to ask you the questions. Listen carefully to what they ask you, and don’t be the only one asking questions.

Make sure their integrity is in check.

When you know what an agent can do for you, you must also understand how they will do it. Therefore, ask them how they promote artists. See what strategies they use. And again, we have mentioned the importance of referrals. So, be sure to ask for the references. You want them to relate to credible artists.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, remember that just as you are looking for agent representation that is the best fit for you, agents are also looking for artists who fit their goals and practices. You are in this together, and you want to find someone who understands and who will provide you with the services you need. There are quite a few questions to ask before hiring an art agent, but the answers to them will ensure that you make the right decision. When you find the right person for your particular needs, it’s vital that you both nurture your relationship — that is the only way to form a partnership that will be beneficial for both parties.

______________________________

John Pricket is a consultant at Allstate Moving and Storage. His work has made him come across a few artists and art owners who needed their work transported. The special care that this type of work requires sparked his interest in art. Consequently, he tunneled this interest in writing blog posts concerning art preservation, incorporating art into home design, and the artists’ life.

The post Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Art Agent appeared first on Art Business News.

If a rejection is particularly harsh or comes to an artist at an especially vulnerable time, it can have the tragic effect of causing an artist to have serious doubts about their own talents and worth. Worse still, it can cause some artists to stop creating altogether.

So how does an artist go about boldly creating and expressing themselves when rejection is sure to be a part of their lives?

You Are Not Your Art

Ultimately, the ability to handle the rejection of your art without feeling as though it’s a rejection of you as a person comes from a mental separation of yourself and the work you create. This is a difficult thing to do. 

There must be a mental separation that causes you to understand that through your art is an intimate expression of yourself, it is not your actual self. You are an entity that exists outside of your art, and as such, can remain unaffected by the judgments others have about your creations.

Creating this separation can take some time and effort, but there are a few things that can help you get there:

Understand the Relationship to Your Audience

Your audience is not the final authority on the quality of your art. They can express whether your work inspired, amused, moved, or entertained them, but their subjective opinions have no ultimate meaning when it comes to the value of your work. Don’t allow their words to take up real estate in your mind and plant seeds of doubt.

Practice the Power of “Yet”

Practice having a growth mindset. A growth mindset allows space to exist between success and failure in a way that encourages further improvement. An example of a growth mindset is practicing utilizing the power of “yet.”

For instance, instead of feeling devastated by a setback, you can reframe obstacles by saying, “I have not found the right audience for my art yet.” “I have not reached my career goals as an artist yet.” “My work is not in a gallery yet.”

Having this point of view allows you to be encouraged and try again because you understand that when one (or many) doors close, it is not the end; the correct door just hasn’t opened yet.

Remind Yourself Why You Created the Work

As an artist, it is important to acknowledge to yourself that there are some people who simply will not understand or even like your work. What they perceive as “good” or “bad” should not cast a shadow on what you know to be the truth in your art.

If you find yourself starting to cave to the opinions of others and doubting the quality of your work, remind yourself why you created the work in the first place.

Do you feel you accurately and authentically captured the elements of truth you were aiming to convey in the work? If so, then your piece is a success, no matter how others may feel about it.

Know Your Market

If you find that you are consistently being rejected from professional opportunities, it may be time to change your approach. Here are a few things you may need to re-evaluate:

1.  Research the Market – The words “marketable” and “art” can sometimes feel like absolute contradictions to the artist, but it’s extremely important to know your market if you are trying to sell. It’s just as important to understand that creating art for the market is not selling out. You can create and express as authentically and truthfully as you are able while still being intentional about the marketability of your work.

Study the market and challenge yourself to see how uniquely you can express your vision while also being mindful of the market you are targeting. 

2.    Refine Your Pitch – Artists can really struggle with talking about their own art. However, learning to pitch yourself is an essential skill for your career. If you find you’re not getting any responses, or the responses you are receiving are mostly negative, take a look at your pitch and see if that’s where the issue lies.

Are you too aggressive? Are you too informal? Are you scattered and unclear? Are you accurately representing your work? Are you making the pitch all about yourself and not discussing how your work can further the goals of the gallery/collector/curator?

A well-crafted pitch can work wonders for you, so take the time to get it right.

3.    Adjust Your Approach – It is good to persevere when something you try isn’t working. However, persevering does not mean trying the exact same thing over and over again. Instead, persistence should include constantly testing new ideas and creatively approaching obstacles until you find the path that works for you.

Have you been trying to get your work into galleries without success? Pivot. How about putting on your own show? Getting several of your artist friends together, renting a small space, and see what comes of it? The press and success of independently taking initiative could very well lead to interest from galleries, all because you took a fresh, creative, and self-reliant approach instead of endlessly sending cold emails to galleries that are already inundated with artist emails.

If you’re struggling to make sales online, maybe the vertical you’re currently using isn’t right for you. Maybe Instagram doesn’t serve your art as well as setting up at the local farmer’s market will.

Keep pushing yourself to find new avenues to pursue and pushing your art further into the world. You are your work’s greatest advocate, so give it all you’ve got.

Trust in the Universe

Few things can be more frustrating than hearing well-meaning friends try to comfort us by saying, “everything happens for a reason.” But the truth is, if you begin to trust that certain opportunities fell through for you because even better ones are in store, it can be tremendously helpful in learning to handle setbacks with grace.

When you see every “no” as simply moving you one step closer to a “yes,” you stop seeing closed doors and start seeing signposts leading you further down the correct path.

Disappointment is natural, even some anger and sadness is to be expected. But the sooner you can learn to put these feelings down and shift your perspective into one of trust, hope, and gratitude, you’ll be more than ready to try again when the next—and better—opportunity comes your way.

___________________________

Author Bio

Alia Sinclair is a writer, musician, and Editor-in-Chief of Patchwork Mosaic, an online magazine for creatives. An avid art enthusiast, Alia lives on the West Coast with her ever-increasing library of books.

The post A Rejection Just Shortens the Path to Yes appeared first on Art Business News.

You might be thinking that you should not annoy people by trying to sell them something. But you are convinced that real art should have nothing to do with commerce since gifted and talented artists often disregard material needs. When you are popular enough, you may well hire a producer who could help you with your promotion. But until then, you either forget about creativity and find a more mundane job or learn to sell your artistic works.

Choosing the second option will allow you to overcome a lot of difficulties and get rid of a firestorm of fear facing the commercial side of your activity. For that, an artist should have an effective marketing plan to stand out among competitors and get an opportunity to sell personal pieces of art to as many customers as possible. To create an artist’s marketing plan, you first need to identify your problems, describe your goals, and take your time.

Start Talking About What You Do

Thanks to digital technology, you can tell the world about your readiness to fight for your place under the sun. You can act as a creator who rebels against the common prejudice that an artist should always be poor, live in his small apartment, and starve every day. You really have an opportunity to make good money using your talent and experience. Make a decision to use your abilities for the greater good.

The words “marketing” and “sales” scare many artists. If you are one of them, start communicating with people. Just talk to them about what you are doing. Once you realize that you are making your creativity accessible to people and feeling that they are interested in it, your tension and fear will disappear. People want new impressions, strong emotions, and inspiration. After all, you have a social obligation to share your works of art with people.

Believe in Yourself and Be Patient

Prepare yourself for a long haul. Your way will not be easy, and you will have to learn a lot. You will build your castle of success brick by brick. But before that, you need to master the basics of marketing, attract fans, and, most importantly, be ready for hard work. Ask yourself what your audience likes and dislikes, and what it worries about. Ask your friends, fans, and clients about what they think about your creativity. You can also use online resources like Survey Monkey.

Operational marketing strategies for artists imply the creation of a website or a blog. All your posts on social media should have links to this online resource. Your task is to attract the attention of interested people to yourself and your creativity. You can ask your followers or the most loyal fans to tell other people about what you do. You might take your abilities for granted, but how many people can say they can do something as good as you? List a few key characteristics that distinguish you from your competitors and tell that to your audience.

Create Compelling Stories

Tell people how you came to the present day and your story. Daredevils do not jump off the Eiffel Tower right away — they usually start by jumping from the refrigerator in their own apartment. Telling stories is a great way to create an interaction with your audience. How did you become who you are now? What were your turning points? What difficulties did you overcome? What have you learned? Start a blog about your creativity and accomplishments. Be yourself, do not be exceedingly modest, and use humor.

Try to answer the following questions: What is your mission? Why do you do this? How do you want to help people? Using a blog, website, and social media is a mandatory part of business planning for artists today. In this way, you can share what motivates you to take action, as well as how you stay creative and entrepreneurial. People who share your values will automatically become your devotees. Collect feedback from other people about you and your creative activity. What other people say about you often matters more than what you say about yourself.

Become Necessary to People

It is not enough only to remind people of you. Your next steps should break their stereotypes. Start by thinking about how you can give people what they need. Feeling and knowing what your audience wants is your job. People do not just buy pieces of art. They do not care about a book, music CD, or painting. They want to purchase feelings, impressions, memories, and emotional experiences. Determine for yourself what you are really offering.

Dive into the thoughts of your audience and focus on one generic person in your marketing actions. You can do this by creating a profile of your typical fan and imagining that you are talking to this person. Next, identify the key needs, problems, and desires of your customers. Consider whether your creativity can help reduce pain or cope with a loss. Perhaps you can inspire people and allow them to enjoy life with a vengeance. In this way, you can adjust your activities and give your fans what they really need.

Unite Like-Minded People

No one can achieve outstanding results alone. Usually, a whole team works behind the scenes of any show to make sure everything is top-notch. It does not matter how famous you are, you should have your own support team. Gather all the people who are ready to follow you to the earth’s ends and let them become part of your team. Start with family and friends, then expand from there. They can spread your words, distribute special offers, and bring new people to special events.

Find people who influence public opinion in your niche and make friends with them. Do not ask them for anything — just stay sincere and helpful to them. You can involve your fans in the workflow, show what inspires you, and tell them how you collect ideas. Also, do not forget to maintain good relationships with other artists. You have to make friends and help other artists promote and share their works of art.

In Conclusion

To be a sought-after artist, you need to constantly improve yourself and your skills. Create new masterpieces, fascinate people, but do not forget to devote some time to your marketing activity every day. Consider marketing artwork as a way to become even more proficient in your creativity. In this way, you will be able to claim your rights to a happy and secure life of a true professional in your field.

Author Bio

James Baxter is professional essay writer, ghostwriter, and editor at write my essay online and blogger, who loves sharing his experience and knowledge with readers. He is especially interested in marketing, blogging, and IT. James is always happy to visit different places and meet new people there.

The post Surviving the Pandemic: Writing an Artist Marketing Plan That Works appeared first on Art Business News.