by Becky Sciullo | Mar 15, 2021 | Learning, Productivity, Resources, Social Media
Here are some marketing ideas for your Monday morning.
Six Art Marketing Ideas
1 – When crafting your PR strategy, don’t overlook radio stations, particularly your local public stations like this one in my hometown. Many times they interview visual artists. And, the stations have websites where they will be able to share images of your work and the recording.
2 – If you have a strong presence on Etsy or another e-commerce site, edit your Facebook header button for followers to take action by creating a “Shop” button that goes directly to your online store.
3 – If you’re new to Etsy, you will not have any feedback or testimonials, which can put some buyers off. Work on nurturing testimonials to build credibility so people will trust purchasing from you. If friends and family typically purchase directly from you, ask them to make their next purchase through the platform so they can leave reviews for you. Or, start with a product at a lower price point so buyers can take a chance on you, allowing an opportunity for your to build their trust.
4 – Interior designers are always on the lookout for on-trend artwork, and if you have it, you can make multiple sales by targeting this group. Be proactive. Connect with interior designers in your local market and send them a message. Don’t spam them or try to sell right off the bat. Just make a connection. You will get rejections and not everyone will respond. Don’t take it personally; stick with it. Eventually you should find one who clicks with your work.
5 – Are you frustrated that you don’t have enough time in your day for marketing? Take time to evaluate how you spend your time. You can do this by keeping a simple list of what you do every day. After a week or two, see if you can identify activities that you can streamline or eliminate to open up time in your schedule.
6 – Whenever a magazine or other publication features your work, make sure you are referencing and linking back, giving props to that media outlet through tagging on social media or sharing their site on your blog.
Get More Art Marketing Help
Would you like weekly updates with information like this to help your art business? Sign up for my mailing list here.
If you’re signed up for my email newsletter and NOT receiving my weekly updates, please check your spam folder
by Becky Sciullo | Dec 14, 2020 | Learning, Resources
Here are some art marketing ideas for your Monday Morning.
Seven Art Marketing Ideas
1 – Use the power of video to grow your art business by creating a YouTube channel. Then, you can upload videos of demos, a visit to your studio, or creative slideshows featuring collections of your work.
2 – Create a Google My Business account. It lets you show up on Google Maps, and it’s free.
3 – Have an experimental mindset. Do you want to try a new platform or have an idea to market your work but are afraid to leap? Try something new for a time and be willing to let the chips fall where they may. This mindset can help with procrastination and might open up a whole new opportunity for selling your work. An experimental mindset led to this.
4 – Do you create a line of functional art (think ceramics and glassware)? Consider setting up a wedding registry on your site. You can do this right from your website using password-protected pages for each registrant. In addition to encouraging more sales of your work, you might make some new fans for your work.
5 – Resist reducing prices. In my work with artist Robert Yonke, we increased prices in 2020 and continued selling art. Look around when you are shopping, the cost of most goods is not going down, Neither should the price of your work. If you do have art that you would like to move out, consider limited time only sales where you create a sense of urgency to encourage sales from people who love your work.
6 – Stay organized. I use and am an affiliate for Artwork Archive. It is probably my number one favorite tool for managing an art business. In addition to organizing your work, you can create custom viewing rooms, keep track of your clients, maintain a history for each piece of work, plus much more. Give it a try with a free trial period.
7- Participate with your state or town’s artist registry. Most of them are free and will allow you to create a detailed public profile about you and your work. An artist registry is just one more opportunity to get found.
Get More Art Marketing Help
Would you like weekly updates with information like this to help your art business? Sign up for my mailing list here.
If you’re signed up for my email newsletter and NOT receiving my weekly updates, please check your spam folder.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Apr 14, 2020 | Learning, Resources
Here in Pennsylvania, where I live, we are five weeks into our “stay at home” order. In my household, we’ve been figuring things out as we go. Emotions have run the gamut from fear to frustration to gratitude. Things that have sustained me include my faith, family, neighbors, (aka social distancing) and staying busy.
Where I’m Focusing During COVID-19
After the initial shock of this situation, I have been attempting to focus my business in a few areas.
– Finishing projects that were long overdue.
– Making changes to my business plan for the future.
– Maintaining relationships.
I have spent some time learning and watching webinars specifically focused on how businesses can manage through this crisis and thought I would share some things that I learned with you from them:
Business Survival Takeaways
– Look for good news. Focusing on the endless barrage of negative news will not help your mindset for business. It’s okay to check in once a day but avoid overexposure.
– You have a choice. You can respond or react to the situation. Choose “respond”.
– Acknowledge reality. Own it. Solve it. Do it.
– Give yourself moments to breathe.
– Over-communicate.
– Adjust your plans and act accordingly.
Watch this webinar.
For visual artists, I recommend watching this webinar offered by Artwork Archive – Strategies for Running an Art Business During COVID-19. It is full of ideas and resources to help you adjust your business to this situation.
This 30-minute webinar will provide you with the tools, strategy and resources to transition your art career online and help you decide what areas you can control during these unprecedented and difficult times.
One last word. It is normal to have a “bad day”. I have experienced my fair share during this experience. Stay strong! We will get through this.
*Legal Disclaimer. The information contained in this webinar, in Artwork Archive materials and on the Artwork Archive or affiliated websites is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this webinar without seeking legal or other professional advice.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Mar 28, 2020 | Artist Websites, Learning, Resources
Recently I posted about staying on track during the “shut down” disruption. One thing mentioned was taking advantage of this downtime to focus on a project for your art business. One necessary but often dreaded task you might consider is working on your artwork inventory.
Putting together a comprehensive inventory is something that every artist needs to do. It’s one of those tasks, though, that can get put on the back burner. It’s probably not the most thrilling part of your art business.
If you are looking for something to occupy time when you aren’t creating, now is a perfect time to take an inventory of your work.
Inventory Solutions: Here are my Top Two Ways to Inventory Your Artwork
Artwork Archive is my-go to resource for maintaining an artist’s inventory. We use it for my father’s work. I love Artwork Archive for the following reasons:
1 – It’s intuitive and easy to use. I don’t think I’ve ever had to consult a tutorial or help desk once when using this system.
2 – It is much more than just an inventory tool. It also allows you to track your sales and contacts, showcase your artwork online, and store and share high-resolution images. You can also access your work anywhere from any device.
Artwork Archive costs $6 to $19 a month, depending upon the level you choose. They offer a free thirty-day trial. I recommend giving it a try.
Below is a screenshot of a piece of art that I’ve added to Artwork Archive. This gives you an idea of some of the detail that this system can capture about a piece of your work.
Spreadsheet It
If you want a free and straightforward solution to maintain a basic inventory of your artwork, use a simple spreadsheet such as Google Drive or Airtable, both of which are free. With this method, list each piece with a column for each bit of detail about the work. Columns can include details such as name, size, medium, price, location, status, and a link to the image. Depending upon your work, there are other pieces of information that you may choose to collect.
Be proactive and inventory your artwork!
You’ll be thanking yourself later for storing all of your collection details and financial records in one easily accessible place.
If you decided to test out Artwork Archive’s trial, and you have any other questions on using it, shoot me an email at becky@artisan-advantage.com and I’ll try to help you.
Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Mar 21, 2020 | Learning, Productivity, Resources
So, today I picked up a lot of sticks. It was brush that fell on our property over the winter. It was very cathartic to be outside, keeping busy. My husband and I are both self-employed. His business is dependent upon people being able to visit him in person. We have a lot on our minds. There is a lot to think about as we consider how to maintain an income without leaving home Many of you can relate. Millions can relate.
Figuring it Out
At this point, our primary goal is to keep ourselves and our family healthy. After that, we are figuring out the best ways to adapt our business. Mine is easier, yet some tweaks need to be made. His situation requires more work, so I’m helping with that. We feel like me have to move fast in this regard, yet we are standing still.
As I make adjustments to Artisan Advantage, I will post them here, so that you can see what I’m doing. Maybe it will help you with something in your business.
Here’s a Tweak to Help Somebody
When we are not picking up sticks, tending to household tasks or of course the business dilemma, we are doing the same things that you are – reading, watching movies and playing games to name a few. These last parts are nice. We are reading a lot, so when I read this article, it clicked.
Stay Well!
Stay tuned for more updates including the next post in Artist Blogging 101 as well as how you can get in on some free consulting hours.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Feb 13, 2020 | Artisan Advantage Book Club, Learning, Resources
Next up for the Artisan Advantage Book Club is Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
Here is an overview of the book taken from Goodreads.
Many of us insist the main impediment to a full, successful life is the outside world. In fact, the most common enemy lies within: our ego. Early in our careers, it impedes learning and the cultivation of talent. With success, it can blind us to our faults and sow future problems. In failure, it magnifies each blow and makes recovery more difficult. At every stage, ego holds us back.
The Ego is the Enemy draws on a vast array of stories and examples, from literature to philosophy to history. We meet fascinating figures like Howard Hughes, Katharine Graham, Bill Belichick, and Eleanor Roosevelt, all of whom reached the highest levels of power and success by conquering their own egos. Their strategies and tactics can be ours as well.
Who is Ryan Holiday?
Ryan Holiday is a best-selling author and media strategist. I’ve read his book The Obstacle is the Way and follow his blog. I enjoy receiving his Reading List Email, where he encourages his followers to read and provides lists of a wide variety of recommended books. Read more about him here.
Win a Free Copy of the Book
I’ve made some changes to the Artists’ Book Club. Instead of randomly selecting a winner from my email list, I am going to offer a trivia contest. The last book selection will be the source of the question, giving you another reason to follow along with the Club!
The first person to email me at becky@artisan-advantage.com with the correct answer to the trivia question below wins a copy of the book.
What does Lisa Congdon encourage you to learn to navigate in Chapter Four of Find Your Artistic Voice?
Join the Club!
It’s easy. All you have to do is get your copy and start reading! Stay connected to the Artisan Advantage blog for posts about how you might apply principles from the book to your visual art business, as well as for opportunities to share your comments about the book with others.
Click here to read more about the Club.
Sign up for my email newsletter here.
Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
