Making your art is difficult, and so is selling it. Over the period, the traditional method of selling paintings through a gallery has changed, and it is good that artists are adopting alternate channels to reach their customers. But, trading is not a one day work, although it may look like it; every product sold on the market is the outcome of the consistent selling effort. The marketing of any product starts with the process of knowing what customers need and making sure their needs are met and thereafter, doing a follow-up.
Art marketing, however, might be a little more complicated than that, as art is a luxury product and not a necessity; people may not buy an art easily. It is essential to understand the unique needs of this market. To bring out marketing effectiveness and to reach out to our customers better, we need a more customer-centric approach rather than just focusing on running ads hopelessly. Here are seven amazing ideas that can help you earn greater success from your marketing efforts.
1. Define your work
There are plenty of artists that are trying to market their art online. To make your art stand out and be more marketable, you must choose to narrow down and define your craft. So that it becomes relatable and people find it easy to connect with.
You can choose a niche like some artists to add an artistic touch to their paintings and sell it to a particular sector. Others using zodiac collections, animated characters are also serving the same purpose of catering to a unique set of clients. Make your art more search-friendly by using defined hashtags, pointing out every aspect of your painting, so that clients who use certain filter tags color, form, object, etc. can land to your page.
2. Polish your ads
The online art market shows huge potential, and many artists are taking advantage of this. With a series of ads running everywhere across social media channels, it is challenging to catch your customer’s attention. You might be breaking bucks on running those ads, but people are not interested unless you get them intrigued.
One excellent way to do that is to make your ads more informative and entertaining. You can do that by making a small time-lapse of your art studio while creating a piece of art. It will engage your buyers far better. Sometimes, looking at the process of how a particular piece emerged will increase the sense of involvement. As a seller, that is what you would want from your marketing efforts.
3. Feature contests and giveaways
The word free attracts a lot of customers if you plan a few giveaways across the platforms it can help you create a considerable level of publicity for your art. A giveaway can be anything from your small piece of work to a quick sketch. The idea is to run a contest where people can participate and spread the word to earn a strong chance to win.
At the end of the competition, the winner gets to take away the prize, and you have a list of potential buyers, who are well acquainted with your work. Also, pitching them at a later stage can increase your chances of selling.
4. Go local
Sometimes the traditional ways of selling art can work wonders for you. To begin with, your local build of the clientele goes a long way, as they are often your repetitive customers.
Statistics state that people spend the right amount of money at art auctions, and you may want to tap on that opportunity. Look for some exclusive customers and events that particularly match with your style of art. You can choose to target your niche, for example, if you are into flower paintings, you might want to market your product at flower and nature festivals.
5. Go for established platforms.
If you wish to market without spending resources on the internet, you can take advantage of the online art platform that displays the artist’s work for free. In return, they might charge you a percentage when you make a sale. Some of these platforms, like Saatchi art, do a great job of marketing artwork by featuring them across print media and international fairs.
6. Get hold on your target customers.
Giving a constant reminder to your target customer is an excellent way to maximize your sales. Sending them direct messages, emailing them about what is new can help hold their attention. You can call them for an exclusive preview that will help in fetching some awareness for your brand. Even small gestures like hand notes and festive greetings can help keep your customer relationship healthy.
7. Establish alternate channels
You can get in touch with agencies and firms that handle interiors for private and corporate clients that can recommend your work. Likewise, you can call corporations, lounges, coffee houses, etc., basically places that are refurbishing and have a demand for artwork. Any sale to a significant customer can bring your work in the limelight and also a streaming flow of income.
The bottom line
The marketing of your product goes beyond putting your product out there. It is more like leading an audience towards your product so that they eventually convert into your buyers. These strategies can help drive new customers to your business as well as help in sustaining the established ones.