Visit most artist’s websites. What will you find posing as marketing copy? Two things:
1. A resume or CV
2. and typically a boring, self involved, and unrelatable artist’s statement written for other artists versus collectors
Why do artists do this? Because they think that they have an art career and what they really have is a business.
And why is that? Because artists don’t have a job, they do not receive a W-2.
So we have to know our target market and we must speak to them directly.
• Web site visitors have a short attention span so they must be engaged quickly and clearly.
• Collectors have not been to art school, they don’t speak our lingo so we need common and relatable language.
Can you imagine if Apple used Steve Job’s resume as their primary marketing copy? Job’s resume would be very impressive but it would not immediately prompt us to buy the new iPad. I know this is obvious, yet most artists don’t think past their resume.
So what should you do?
1. I recommend writing a pithy bio in the third person tense. Then you can brag about your accomplishments and your fabulous self. Remember, you are selling yourself.
2. Then translate the features of your creative process into benefits for the collector.
List all the features of your work that you have written or spoken about and translate them into benefits. Ask how will each feature be of benefit or of interest to your collectors.
And go back to your collectors and just ask them why they purchased from you, what your work means to them. Ask if you may use their endorsements or quote them.
The truth is the best marketing strategy.
Did you enjoy this article?
I can’t really understand it either. Thank you for helping me make my point.
Title: WatercolorWhen looking at the set of art peices this was piece caught my eyes immediately. The colors that were chosen are very vibrant and calming. The simplicity of the piece allows the colors to tell a story and show the movement. The use of purple and yellow in the clouds shows the sun is setting and makes a beautiful background. Title:Perez mixed media artThis piece strikes me as a little odd. Though it is confusing it allows my eyes to move around the piece. Just by looking at the piece, you can see that there are a lot of textures in the different objects. The colors bring out the emotion and the vibe that I think is meant to be expressed. I can’t really understand it but I think that it shows growth in nature and of world. I enjoyed this piece and loved trying to understand the concept.
Half the time when I finish reading an artist statement I say, “Huh, what in the heck did that say?” Thanks for reminding all of us to be ourselves.
I’ll throw in my two cents, based on my 35+ years of experience in mass marketing communications. Say the most important thing in the first one or two sentences, because many people will not read beyond that. I agree about addressing your audience — know who your client is, and speak to that person. An artist who sells small daily paintings will have a different audience than one who sells larger works in galleries, or to a high-end clientele.
Always remember to talk about what’s important to your client, not to you. I haven’t yet sold much of my art, but I’ve observed a lot in different venues; and my guess is that most people buy a painting because they like the color, or the subject matter speaks to them emotionally. I doubt that they care how many degrees the artist has, but they might be interested in how a subject captured the artist’s attention or imagination, and what motivated the artist to paint it.
Ahhh yes…..”juxtapostion”
Yes. We agree.
What I am addressing is that too many, if not most, artists do not have a clear understanding of the features versus the benefits of their creative offerings.
Artists are blindly following a convention of presenting their work that simply does not help collectors connect with their art.
Amen, Amen, Amen ! If I read the word “juxtapostion” in one more artist’s statement I am going to puke. !
Now that I said that, I am thinking I really need to rewrite mine too. Thanks for a great article. Looking forward to following you!
I agree that we need to speak to our target market, but shouldn’t the benefits of the ART be the first thing adressed? The art and the collector’s emotional connection to it is what we are selling, right? The creative process should be explained in a way that enhances the collector-art relationship. Especially if your market is not comprised of artists. Thoughts?