Notice that I am heading this post with “Art Marketing then Art Sales?”

In conversation we hear “sales and marketing.” This is backwards.

It could be also be titled:

·      “Music Marketing then Music  Sales”

·      “Film Marketing then Film Sales”

·      “Photography Marketing then Photography Sales”

You get the picture so follow the yellow brick road.

1.    Identify your unique value proposition and target market

2.    Create a marketing strategy

3.    Execute a sales campaign

4.    Rinse and repeat

Creatives must start by defining a unique value proposition and target market and then a sales campaign to execute each strategy.

Step 1 -  Identify your unique value proposition and target market

For example a fashion photographer who I was coaching identified his market: fashion boutiques in San Francisco that have eCommerce sites.

This is a very specific market with an ongoing need for fashion photography.

Now he could start the conversation with his prospects by showing them his portfolio and resume and all of his credentials and blah, blah, blah.

But as I’m always telling the creatives I coach, “It’s not about you, it’s about them.”

Step 2 - Create a marketing strategy

So he led his conversations by quoting a client, “Since working with Cody, our web sales are up 200%. His photography pays for itself in the increased business we see.”

Bam!  That’s what I’m taking about!

See how the truth is the best marketing strategy?  So that endorsement formed the basis for a marketing strategy to a target market of fashion boutiques.

Why have a handful of fashion boutique cleints when you can have a bunch?

But we are just getting started.

Step 3 – Execute a sales campaign

• The sales campaign consists of walking door to door to each boutique to find out if they have an eCommerce site and to determine who the decision maker is for hiring a photographer.
• Then this photographer has to contact the decision maker and relay his unique value.
• The sales execution is not for the weary.  It requires persistence.  Why?  Because it’s a numbers game.  Prepare for 99 nos to every yes.
• It takes great courage to believe in yourself and that is why sales people must build their self confidence and fuel their motivation.

Step 4 - Rinse and repeat

Once you have completed executing a sales campaign you must examine its effectiveness, then  rinse and repeat.

The point of this post is to simply outline the logic of the sequence that many artists have confused.

It is ten times easier to believe in yourself when you a logical have a plan.  Without it your efforts are backwards.