When I ask an artist, “Who’s your target market?”

If they respond with something like, “Affluent women in their 50s.” They’re in real trouble

Just so that we’re clear. This is not an example of a “target market.”

Allow me to offer a story about luxury retail to clarify the concept of a target market.

Why luxury retail?

Because as artists we are in the luxury retail business.

Imagine, if you will, a professor of biology who recently retired from the University of California at Davis.

She’s attending a New Year’s Eve party and will be wearing a worn black cocktail dress but she needs a new pair black pumps to go with it.

Now imagine a hot and sexy, 33 year old, intellectual property attorney who works in the Financial District of San Francisco.

She’s also attending a New Year’s Eve party wearing a new black cocktail dress and she also needs a new pair of black pumps. She actually already owns over a dozen pairs.

By the way, they both wear the same size shoe.

They’re both affluent and in the market for the same product for the exact same reason.

But are they?

• How similar do you think their black pumps are going to look?
• What’s going to be different?
• How are their values different?
• What problem needs to be solved for each of these women?

The young attorney’s problem is not just that she needs another pair of black pumps.

Her problem is that she wants to look stylish and feel sexy. Comfort and price are not factors. She wants the latest designer shoes to broadcast her success.

So she purchasing a pair of ankle breaking high heals with toes so pointy that she could kill a cockroach in a corner.

The retired professor’s problem is that she’s downsizing. She’s keen to declutter her closet.

But she’s willing to invest in a pair of comfortable classic pumps that will last.

She wants to look stylish but not at the expense of her comfort because she’ll be dancing in these shoes.

Even though they wear the same size shoe, do you think they’d ever borrow each other’s shoes?

The lesson is this. Although the product and the occasion are the same, each woman has a different problem.

What are their problems based upon?

Their values.

And this is why it’s imperative that, as an artist, you know your values and how your art actually conveys them.

• Who are you and what do you stand for? What do you stand against?
• How do you clearly convey your particular point of view?
• Who cares and shares your point of view? Not everyone!

Why must you know?

Because your art cannot serve everyone.

There’s as many shoes to choose from as there is art.

So you must only serve a target market, whose values you actually share.

Usually artists don’t know their target market so they cast a really wide net hoping to yield a greater catch.

What happens? They seldom catch a fish.

If you don’t know your target market, you’ll sever no one, least of all yourself.

Bottom line. You’ll sell very little art.

Hint: As an artist, before you know your target market, you must know yourself.

And this is precisely where artists must part ways with conventional marketers.

What’s your creative purpose?

Hint: This has everything to do with you but not your art.

What is your mission?

Hint: This has everything with the problem you are solving with your art.

The moral of this story?

It’s not about you, it’s about them. Your target market. And when you make it about them, then it will be all about you.

Are you 100% crystal clear on your target market?

Maybe not?

Let me know below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“How do I find my tribe, my target market? I don’t really know anyone. I’m new to town.”

This question actually came up on our most recent group call from an artist who is enrolled in The MAKING Art Making MONEY Semester.

Just like me, when I started my artistic enterprise full-time, I was new to town and didn’t know anyone. Never mind, potential collectors or sources of referrals.

This was actually an advantage because it forced me to meet new people and to be more deliberate and strategic about it.

The few people who this artist does know are others artists and there are two problems she’s having with that.

1. The artists who she knows are “negative” because they are waiting to be discovered.
2. The other problem is that they are never going to buy her art.

Now I know there are rare exceptions to this rule but her target market is not going to be the other artists.

So she needs to get out and mix and mingle, talk about her mission, and expand her network.

She said, “I don’t even know where to start!”

Just start. Get practiced in meeting new people, connecting, and being helpful.

“To start your objective is to find other people with shared values or interests.” I advised her.

Technology makes it easy for us connect.

Go search Meetup.com, Eventbite.com, Face Book, and ask around.

It’s so easy to find events so that you can meet other people with similar interests.

And you need to because relationships equal revenue.

“I feel so awkward when I go to these events.”

“Join the club!” I responded. So does everyone else when they first join in.

So be a hero and just go up to someone who is also alone, or the person sitting next to you and just say, “Hello. My name is (fill in the blank.) What’s yours?” Then say, “What brings you here?”

Then just listen.

Seriously. That’s all there is to it.

Then they may ask, “What brings you here?” or something else.

Before you know it, you’ll have started a conversation and you know what to do from here.

If you go to an event and you connect with just one person, you’ve hit a home run.

You do not need to collect twelve business cards before you allow yourself to leave.

If you do this three times a week, your network will blow up.

Eventually you will have new opportunities that you could never have even dreamt of.

The key is to be polite, smile genuinely, listen, and see if there might be a way that you could help the person you’re speaking with.

That’s how you make a stranger into a new friend or ally.

Now I know you know all this stuff already but sometimes the idea of networking can feel daunting or overwhelming because you know that you have to expand your network but you don’t really want to feel uncomfortable among strangers.

But when you just break it down the simple steps above, it’s really not so bad.

The most important thing is to do it, and expect that in the beginning you’ll feel a bit awkward or shy.

Just be yourself. Because when you’re open and honest other people sense it and that gives them permission to relax and be themselves.

We don’t want to meet the PR version of someone; we want to connect with the real person.

Most people are kind and helpful and don’t forget they are there because they also want to make new connections.

So get over yourself and just extend your hand and say hello. It won’t kill you.

And people are not judging you. You’re just not that important. They’re concerned with themselves.

We don’t succeed alone so get out of your studio and mix and mingle at least once this week.

Now share your plans below.

Imagine. You walk into a shoe store. It’s a special shoe store filled with very fine, interesting, hand made shoes. Many of them are one of a kind.

You’re just browsing. Looking for something really cool and handmade.

You have a particular style and of course, shoe size, and you’re curious to see what this place is all about.

The storeowner/shoe maker/designer/the “artist” appears.

He makes no sincere attempt to learn about your needs or if his creations are really a good fit for you.

Enter the artist who makes no attempt to solve a problem or alleviate a pain for their target market.

The artist just starts talking at you about his creative process and his inspiration for one pair of shoes that he’s particularly proud of, his latest work.

And he is wearing a really weird hat that you’re trying not to stare at it.

Enter the “artist’s statement” and the unrelatable artist who does not understand or appreciate the sales process.

But you didn’t go to art school so you really don’t know what the heck he’s talking about and you’re starting to feel a bit embarrassed for him.

Then he mentions something about his work “holding space.”

“Whaaa?” You think to yourself but you stop yourself from speaking your inside thoughts out loud.

You’re starting to feel like a bit of a dumb a$$ even though what he’s saying just makes no damn sense.

You prefer his earlier work over his latest works of art and he senses it.

You can feel the artist’s pride crumbling.

He starts to sulk a bit and he remarks, “A lot of people just don’t understand my work. It’s very intelligent art.”

“Okay. If you say it is. So I’m not intelligent because you can’t explain yourself. Frankly it sounds like a crock of sh$t.” But you silence your thoughts and the awkwardness builds.

You don’t want to hurt this guy’s feelings. You’re just looking for a pair of cool shoes, a pair that you like and that fit you.

At this point you’re feeling a bit pressured and awkward.

But you find a pair of one of kind shoes and they look like they fit. You’re excited to try them on.

You ask the storeowner about the price and he responds, proudly, “Oh, those are sold. Didn’t you notice the red dot?”

Enter the artist’s website that displays sold inventory amongst available inventory.

“Ugh! You sigh.”

You look around some more and happen upon another pair of interesting shoes.

They are really cool, even though you can’t explain why, AND they fit.

You really don’t want to talk to this guy but you ask how much the shoes cost.

Enter the art inventory with no prices listed.

While he is fumbling around looking for his price sheet, thinking about another price he might offer, and if he should give you a discount, he asks you to explain why you find them interesting.

When your response doesn’t match the answer in his head you can just feel him concluding that you are uncultured.

Enter the all too common fruitless refrain from artists. “People just don’t get my art.”

After asking three times, he gives you a price, that seems like he’s just made up on the spot.

He let’s you know that he’s just done you a big fat favor and he’s discounted the price.

Even though you did not ask for the discount because you were prepared to buy the shoes at full price.

Now you’re starting to wonder if you are getting a fair price, even at the discounted price.

But you whip out your credit card anyway.

The storeowner says. “Oh. Yeah. Sorry. We just display things here. I can’t take payment.”

Enter the artist’s website that is not e-commerce enabled. It’s like having a store without a cash register.

The moral of this story? Collectors are people who did not attend art school.

They usually attended, law, medical, or business school or they quit school and just started their own successful company.

My art patrons do not read Art News and they grew up middle class, like me.

So. You can and you must put yourself in their shoes.

Does any of this ring familiar? Please share how below.

 

I have yet to read an artist’s statement that doesn’t make me cringe.

Why? The typical artist’s statement represents an artist’s unfortunate attempt to market their art but it’s such a massive fail.

Why is this? Because…

• The typical artist’s statement is devoid of benefits to the buyer.
• It’s all about the artist and their creative process and or their inspiration and most often no one really cares.

Now I’m not saying that the creative process or an artist’s inspiration is not interesting. It can be fascinating, sometimes.

But just explaining your creative process and or your inspiration alone is not going to trigger someone to buy.

Bottom line, an artist’s statement is all about YOU.

Marketing copy needs to be about THEM; the benefit’s to your target market.

When you really make it about THEM, then it will be alllll about YOU.

So let’s have some fun!

But first let me make one thing very clear.

This contest is designed not hurt, humiliate, or insult anyone.

This content is designed to help us learn what’s not working so that we can fix it.

Please note: I will not be publishing name of the artist or their website. However, if you submit your artist’s statement I cannot absolutely guarantee that it will remain anonymous.

Why should you do this? Because if you submit “The Very Best of the Very Worst Artist’s Statement” and you win you will receive a free 50-minute private Monday phone consultation with me.

“The Very Best of the Very Worst Artist’s Statement” will be scored on a scale of one to ten based upon the following five criteria. The statement that scores the most points wins!

1. Obscure language
2. Reaching for meaning that no one else can see or even imagine
3. Self-involved
4. Use of platitudes or clichés
5. Length, the longer the better

If you believe you have the worst artist’s statement. Great! Hand it over. Go here.

As an added bonus if you can possibly find a good artist’s statement, I’d LOVE to read it.

In fact, if you can find this needle in the haystack, I’ll award a 50-minute phone consultation to you for finding it!

“The Very Best Artist’s Statement” will be scored on a scale of one to ten based upon the following five criteria. The statement that scores the most points wins!

1. Relatable language
2. Clear benefits
3. Customer focused
4. Brand focused
5. Concise copy

If you believe you have the best artist’s statement. Please. Let me see it. Go here.

The winner will be announced next month.

This Tuesday the Alameda Small Business Development Center sponsored yet another successful Artists Who THRIVE seminar in Berkeley.

The focus of this three-hour seminar was on marketing fine art outside of art galleries and traditional representation.

Part of my art marketing seminars involve mini-marketing makeovers on three creatives who earn their living full time from their art.  We had a mixed media artist, a musician/vocalist, and a painter.

The object of the mini-marketing makeover is to help each artist arrive at a Blue Ocean Strategy, the title of a business book about “creating new demand in an uncontested market space, or a ‘Blue Ocean’, rather than by competing head-to-head with other suppliers for known customers in an existing industry.“

Or rather than swimming with the sharks in an ocean of blood for a scarce kill.

The Blue Ocean methodology is particularly effective in over saturated markets like fine art, entertainment, and wine.

The way the class arrives at a Blue Ocean Strategy is to conduct a Blue Sky session, where all ideas and suggestions are offered up and recorded.  The only rule:  no editing or negating any ideas.  The sky is the limit.

I guide the sessions by asking each creative a series of questions.

The first candidate was a painter.

“Please describe your creative endeavor, your value proposition and target market.” I paint “lyrical figurative paintings.”

A typical response from an artist.  It sounds like a sound bite from an artist’s statement, a description that does not describe their value proposition or their target market or anything anyone could immediately understand.

Okay then I said, “What does that mean?  What does your art communicate?” “Human connection.” She vaguely replied.

“What inspires your passion to create human connection?” “I’m Hindu and my husband is Muslim and I believe that regardless we are spiritually connected.”

“Ah, now we are getting closer to your value proposition.” I said.

“Who buys your paintings?  What is the demographic profile?”

Her sudden realization about her target market, “White women in Pennsylvania interested in the value of world peace.”

“Besides painting, what are you good at?”

“Public speaking. I was recently invited to speak on this subject of connection and religion at the Commonwealth Club.”

Bam!  Okay.  “You’re not in the business of selling paintings. You’re in the business of facilitating thinking and conversation about world peace as it relates to generally opposing religious and cultural perspectives of Hindus and Muslims.”

“Your paintings reflect your values and provide a product for others to celebrate this shared perspective.  Your business is public speaking and you happen to sell paintings. That is your Blue Ocean Strategy.”

Tune in for the next mini-marketing makeover.

You are chasing an aimless target if you are trying to appeal to the masses.  Successful artists appeal to a specific target.

There are no musicians famous for both their classical and country performances.

You know, the bull’s eye in the middle of the target.  Try to hit the whole thing and you’ll hit nothing.

Successful artists create a consistent body of work, and have a unique voice that offers a value to a target market.  Once they have gained a reputation in a specific space they can broaden their efforts.  This is marketing 101.

I first established a reputation as the “Wine Country It Girl” by creating strategic partnerships with prominent wineries.  I created several series of vineyard paintings.

Since then I’ve branched out and painted the aspens in snow, private gardens, and ranches.  With each of these new series my artistic approach remains the same, it’s only the demographic market profile that has changed.

Before I made these shifts into other markets, I first had to establish a reputation and gain recognition in one space.  This was a deliberate and targeted effort.

So if you think your art must appeal to the masses, think again.  And ask yourself, on what authority did your receive this information?  Who are the “masses?”

The good news is that you should first please yourself.  Then you are much more likely to please a few others.

You can’t and you don’t want to please everyone.  Be true to thyself, create with passion, heart, and authenticity.  This will increase your chance of success.

Remember, the work of copycats is dead on arrival.  Even if a copycat artist’s work is superb it will first compared to the more creative artist’s previous success.

To quote Comedian Bill Cosby “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”