by Lou Belcher

Created on: February 01, 2009

Marketing your artwork

To carve out a piece of the art market for yourself, you must let your creative mind consider all possibilities. Tap into every opportunity you can to grab the attention of the market and set yourself apart from the others. Here are some tips on how to go about devising a marketing plan that will work for you:

1. Create a brand that sets you apart. Devise a look for your advertising and paper and on-line communications that shows off your artwork. For example, if you are an oil painter and you paint mainly landscapes, you would do well to include one of your favorite landscapes on your business cards, on post cards that you use to announce your art events, and on newsletters that you send out to tell people what you are doing. Choose one picture and don't change from picture to picture. Essentially, you want people to think of you when they see that picture.

2. Create a presence on the Internet. You should have a website at the very least. Remember to use the painting you chose for your brand and the predominant colors in that painting on your website as well. That's your brand. It goes everywhere.

3. In addition to a website, create a blog and publish frequent articles about what you are doing as an artist. This will draw traffic to your website. I know artists who post sketches of artwork-in-progress to draw people to their websites.

4. Hook an on-line gallery into your website so you'll have a means to sell your artwork to those who don't live in your area. It will also give you a means to show your artwork to customers near and far.

5. Be active on the Internet. Visit blogs and galleries. Submit your work to reputable on-line galleries. Also, chat with other artists. You never know when they might hear of someone looking for your type of artwork. Do a good deed and recommend their work as well.

6. Don't concentrate only on the Internet. Continue all the traditional ways of creating a presence. For example, join art groups and associations in your area and other areas if they pertain to your type of work. Enter your artwork into local exhibits. Join the local chamber of commerce to spread the word about your artwork.

7. Show your work locally and in surrounding areas. Many times libraries will welcome an exhibit of artwork, and many city government buildings and hospitals enjoy having exhibits by local artists.

8. Keep your customers and potential customers up to date about what you are doing. Learn to write a professional press release. Create a mailing list on the Internet and one for the regular mail. Every time you show your work, send a press release to these two lists. Keep your name and your activities in front of the public by sending short notices to community magazines that publish a monthly calendar of events. Publish a newsletter on at least a quarterly basis to update previous customers and to let potential customers and groups know about what you are doing.

As an artist, you are an asset to the community. Be sure to keep everyone up to date on what you are doing and the artwork you are producing. Your contributions to the world of art around you will be one of your greatest marketing tools.

Learn more about this author, Lou Belcher.
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