by Becky Sciullo | Nov 24, 2020 | Artist Blogging 101, Events
Free Presentation! Use Blogging to Build Your Art Business
Registration is now open for Blogging for a Visual Art Business on December 5, 2020.
This free presentation will explain how to use blogging to create an effective marketing system for your visual art.
This presentation uses my personal experience and real-life examples to outline a system any visual artist can use. The information is relevant for many popular web platforms such as WordPress, Weebly, Squarespace, or FASO. Learn how to consistently share work with an audience across various marketing channels such as social media and email marketing using an easy to use blogging platform as the driver for your business.
My goal is for you to gain a new enthusiasm for building a web presence, whether you are starting from scratch or improving upon an existing website. I will offer tools and advice for starting and maintaining this system in a manageable way.
Reserve your spot at the link below.
Blogging for a Visual Art Business
December 5, 2020
10:00 am EST
Register Here
by Becky Sciullo | Nov 23, 2020 | Learning
Monday Morning Marketing Ideas is a new weekly blog post series to offer ideas that you might use in your business. These ideas will cover a wide variety of medium and marketing methods. Some may seem a little crazy. Others, you might say, now why didn’t I think of that? These are ideas that pop into my head or come across my desk as I work through the week. I don’t always have time to write a full blog post on the subject, but I thought they might be worth sharing.
This series was supposed to start last Monday, but a power outage delayed the first post:/ Some of these ideas involve the holidays, so get busy!
10 Art Marketing Ideas for a Monday Morning
1 – Create a series of work as a unique product that would interest your target market. Can you take a favorite image and turn it into a cool t-shirt? Or, can you sculpt a series of functional artwork? I saw an artist recently who painted a series of crystal balls. She offered them as limited edition pieces of art. Get creative and think of a fun series of work you would like to create as a unique offering to your collector base. Then, once the series is ready, share it through all of your marketing channels.
2 – Do you feel stuck in a rut with the cancellation of live events? Skim sites such as CaFÉ or Artcall regularly, looking for interesting opportunities that might be a good fit for your work. You might be surprised at the spaces or communities that you discover. Do this consistently. Once you score an opportunity, make sure you publicize with press releases and blog and social media posts.
3 – Are you a portrait painter? Do you take commissions for people, houses, or pets? With permission, ask clients if you can put up a blog post about your projects. Share the post on social media and tag your clients. They might share your work with friends and family, directing people back to your site. Also, consider including sketches and work in progress pieces along with the final portrait.
4 – Do you create something that would make a perfect holiday gift? Did you know that many media outlets are currently looking for suggestions for their gift guides? Sign up for HARO and get PR Opportunities delivered to your inbox daily. Then, check the list for opportunities and pitch when appropriate.
5 – Prepare to take part in Small Business Saturday. Hat tip to Score for this handy list. I like the idea of researching local media outlets that typically promote this date. Then, reach out for some media love.
6 – Gift certificate and gift card purchases increase a lot this time of year. Consider offering the sale of gift certificates, encouraging people to gift your art.
7 – Submit your work to the Art in Embassies program. Established by the United States Department of State in 1964, the ART In Embassies Program is a global museum that exhibits original works of art by U.S. citizens in the public rooms of approximately 180 American diplomatic residences worldwide. Entry into the artist registry is free. Then, don’t forget to announce your addition into the registry.
8 – Update your website to create a “holiday appeal” around your art. Adjust your copy to entice people looking for holiday gifts. When fitting, share images of your work or product in a holiday setting.
9 – Consider sending a small end of year appreciation gift to your best clients. You don’t have to break the bank. It could be a selection of your greeting cards, a small print or other item. They will appreciate knowing that you appreciate them!
10 – Do you send out a regular email newsletter? Make sure you are encouraging your followers to subscribe via all of your social media platforms regularly.
Do you have a marketing idea that you’d like to share? Send it to becky@artisan-advantage.com.
To make sure you don’t miss any updates or new information, subscribe to my newsletter here.
by Becky Sciullo | Nov 16, 2020 | Artist Blogging 101
Everything Starts with A Vision
My daughter came home from her youth group meeting recently with this vision board a few weeks ago. I’m not down with getting a cat, but otherwise, I love it! It got me to thinking about how your business vision should influence your art blogging plan.
Do you have a vision for your art business?
One of the first things you should do if you are serious about starting an art business is to map out a vision. Things you can as yourself include the following:
Where do you see yourself in five years with this business?
Who is purchasing your work?
Where is it being sold?
What kind of projects do you undertake?
The questions and answers that contribute to your vision will be unique to you. When building a blog based website, it’s also important to have your business vision in mind.
How Your Vision Impacts Your Blog
Just like your business, you have to have an end goal in mind for your blog. There are many different things you can do with your blog. You can focus on a niche, post instructional videos, or blog about the inspiration for your work. Your vision will help you to understand what kind of content to publish. It will direct the type of information that you offer to your visitors. Be mindful of your vision as you put your blogging system into place.
Things to Consider
Use your business vision to guide the steps you take in the following areas:
Content
What kind of content will you publish on your blog? New work is an obvious choice, but what about work in progress or behind the scenes shots and explanations?
Audience
Who do you anticipate will purchase your work? How can you craft your blog to appeal to this audience? Where will you share your blog to find this audience?
Income
Is there a way that you can earn income directly from your blog based website? Can you provide a way for people to purchase originals right from your site? Is it easy to get in touch with you to request a commission? If offering workshops, can they register directly on your site? Have a clear idea of how you will make money with your art business, and then set your blog up to facilitate the sales.
Consider an Artist Blogging Statement
You probably have an artist statement. Consider the same principles, and put together a blogging statement. You don’t have to publish it, but use it to remind yourself why you are going to the effort of publishing a blog about your art. Like your artist statement, it helps put together a written outline that defines who you are, what you do, and what you want to share with your audience.
Use your blog vision to stay on track with your blog to meet your overall business goals.
For more help with your art marketing, join my Create! Sell! Newsletter.
by Becky Sciullo | Oct 26, 2020 | Audience
Dilemma Two: How do I reach my target audience?
Last month, I posted about how to figure out who the audience is for your work. Once you figure out who the audience is you want to target, you have to figure out how to reach them.
If you’re using a blog-based website for your art business, it’s not good enough to start blogging, hoping that your audience finds you. The key to a thriving art marketing system is finding this audience and connecting with them proactively.
Use Marketing Channels to Reach Your Audience
Think of these places that help you find them as the marketing channels for your art business. They are the spokes in your art marketing wheel. Here are a few marketing channels that can help you to connect with your audience.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a universal channel that every artist can use. If you already have a list of contacts who have agreed to receive news and information from you, you can contact them directly via email with updates and information about your work. Your best bet is to use an email marketing service to do this. Share new work, events, and any other information that you think would interest them.
If you don’t have a list, that’s ok. You can start by asking friends and family if they would like to receive updates about your work. Then, every time you interact with a customer or fan, make sure you give them the opportunity to receive your email.
Social Media
Social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are examples of marketing channels. Depending upon your audience, one may be better than the other. For social media, don’t worry about being on all platforms. Choose the ones that make the most sense for your business and focus on sharing work there.
Publicity
Don’t underestimate the power of a well-written press release. You get to decide what is newsworthy for your audience. Have you won an award? Did you complete a series of work? Are you offering a workshop? Do not overlook sending out a press release to media outlets and blogs that have audiences potentially interested in your message.
Your Art Marketing System Can’t Run without an Audience.
Remember the example of the art marketing wheel? Your audience is the tire – a critical part of moving your business forward. First, identify your audience, then figure out how and where to reach them. Use your artist blog as your home base for all of the content you want to share with them.
Follow this blog as we start to dig into the details of art marketing channels and audiences over the coming weeks.
Join my Create! Sell! Newsletter here.
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
by Becky Sciullo | Oct 26, 2020 | Learning
Dilemma Two: How do I reach my target audience?
Last month, I posted about how to figure out who the audience is for your work. Once you figure out who the audience is you want to target, you have to figure out how to reach them.
If you’re using a blog-based website for your art business, it’s not good enough to start blogging, hoping that your audience finds you. The key to a thriving art marketing system is finding this audience and connecting with them proactively.
Use Marketing Channels to Reach Your Audience
Think of these places that help you find them as the marketing channels for your art business. They are the spokes in your art marketing wheel. Here are a few marketing channels that can help you to connect with your audience.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a universal channel that every artist can use. If you already have a list of contacts who have agreed to receive news and information from you, you can contact them directly via email with updates and information about your work. Your best bet is to use an email marketing service to do this. Share new work, events, and any other information that you think would interest them.
If you don’t have a list, that’s ok. You can start by asking friends and family if they would like to receive updates about your work. Then, every time you interact with a customer or fan, make sure you give them the opportunity to receive your email.
Social Media
Social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are examples of marketing channels. Depending upon your audience, one may be better than the other. For social media, don’t worry about being on all platforms. Choose the ones that make the most sense for your business and focus on sharing work there.
Publicity
Don’t underestimate the power of a well-written press release. You get to decide what is newsworthy for your audience. Have you won an award? Did you complete a series of work? Are you offering a workshop? Do not overlook sending out a press release to media outlets and blogs that have audiences potentially interested in your message.
Your Art Marketing System Can’t Run without an Audience.
Remember the example of the art marketing wheel? Your audience is the tire – a critical part of moving your business forward. First, identify your audience, then figure out how and where to reach them. Use your artist blog as your home base for all of the content you want to share with them.
Follow this blog as we start to dig into the details of art marketing channels and audiences over the coming weeks.
Join my Create! Sell! Newsletter here.
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
