When I’m coaching my artist clients we do what is called a blue sky session. We think of different art marketing strategies to help them sell their art. Not to be confused with a blue ocean strategy, our ultimate goal.
During this creative session there is one very simple rule. Record every idea and negate none. Simple? You’d be surprised.
When artists get out of their own way and pause their self-limited thinking, the sky is the limit, pardon the pun.
We can hatch big ideas during these blue-sky sessions. Or it can be a time when even seemingly positive artists kill opportunities before they are even born. “That won’t work.” “I hate this or that.” My constant response. “Just focus on the exercise, pretend, have fun. There’s no right or wrong.” Self-doubt and lack of confidence become very evident. Sometimes they play along during the session and then their attitude kills the ideas later.
Artists who really engage in this creative process, kind of like you do when you make art, win. Because the blue sky strategy is simple and it works.
This is a creative exercise that many marketing strategists use. The good news is that artists are in a particularly good position to come up with creative and new marketing strategies. But they have to stop thinking about themselves and think about what value they can create for a target market. Why? Because your compensation is in direct proportion to the value you offer.
Most artists have been told to craft artist statements to explain their work as a way to sell it. These statements are all about them and their process. Unfortunately I have rarely read an artist’s statement where I didn’t cringe and say “Oh, please.”
If you want to sell your art, ultimately it’s not about you. It has to be about the unique value you offer to a specific target market.
The other good news is that you are free to create this value and assert it any which way you please, kind of like you do when you make art.
Marketing is a creative process like making art. And that’s why I love it too.
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I agree with much of what you say except that you can do something different if you offer a unique value proposition to a target market. It’s about being deliberate and focused in your marketing.
Find something that works for you and work with it
If you want to be successful, find something that works and stay with it, refine it, expand it, define it, exploit it, but above all be consistent. If you need to try something new and different: Just do not do it. Your current work pays your bills.
Conversely, if you are not getting the sales you need, you need to find out why. Is the look just not commercially viable, or is the work not strong enough in a market where collectors have overwhelming choices? It could be you have: the concept, the technical ability, but lack the creative verve to make it compelling enough. That may be a harsh assessment, but if it is accurate, wouldn’t you want to know? You have no chance to fix the problem if you cannot pinpoint what it is.
It is always fun to be creative and expressive. But, that is not what being successful as an artist is about. To gain enduring commercial success, you have to tap into your collectors in a persuasive way, or your art just will not work.
The ability to convincingly connect to your patrons is something every successful artist has to do. You need to get to people in a way that touches them and makes them want to buy into your creativity. Whether instinctively or by design, such artists’ know just who it is they are painting for.
Hi Peggy,
As I mentioned, I do not recommend artists statements so I do not have an example to share with you.
Take a look at previous posts on online marketing.
Cheers,
Ann
I’m an “after-work” artist trying to learn about marketing my art. I have not yet finished my artist statement and your comment about artist statements caught my attention. Can you provide a sample artist statement that states “the value you add to a specific market” without it sounding like a commercial? Thanks!
I’m so happy to know about this site. I publish open edition art reproductions for the middle market (Target, Bed,Bath&Beyond, hotel jobs, etc). I’m so frustrated at artists who do not understand what it means in the business of marketing their art. It sounds like Ann Rea’s website tells it like it is. If I can be of any assistance, I would be pleased to do that.
I agree with the statement that “Record every idea and negate none.” sometimes an idea strikes and even before I have given it a chance to be worked out completely the voice inside my head will say ‘ Nah ! that won’t work’ I guess it’s time for me to tell the voice’ Yup it will work, just give it a chance”
This is a very inspiring thought , Thank you !