Start where you Are Now

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Experienced and not so experienced artists alike often ask: where do I start to build success as an artist?  I hear it all the time, “I’m not sure where to start. I need a plan to help me focus.”

You have to start with yourself and where you are today.  And be clear about what you want to create.

First of all let’s define success.  Are we talking about making art that you are proud of, that inspires, and earning money from it?  Yes?  Then you are not just an artist, you’re an entrepreneur.  That’s right!

Own it, even if feels audacious. “I’m an artist and an entrepreneur.” Yes. These two words do belong in the same sentence.

Now understand that you, and you alone, are responsible for your success and your failures. Really. I mean take complete responsibility. When you do that, you’re empowered.  It’s not simply a matter of being discovered or getting the right exposure.  Why wait and hope for that?

And with this premise the next step is to just be honest and evaluate yourself and your present circumstances.

What are you strengths?

Do you have talent?  Do you really have talent?  Do you need more training?

Do you possess the business and marketing skills, the qualities, and the drive of an entrepreneur?

Have you taken the time to define your goals?

Do you have a written plan that you are confident about?

Do you manage your time and your energy effectively?  Why not?   Time is a limited resource, obviously more limited than money.  Managing priorities provides the keys to the kingdom of productivity.

Be honest.  This is tough stuff.  But the truth will set you free.

If you’re an artist.  Proclaim it.  Own it.  I’m a successful artist!

So get real, start with yourself, where you are right now, today.  Can you do this with a balanced perspective?  Do you need some help with this?  Successful people don’t do it alone.  Note all of the people thanked when an artist wins an Emmy or a Grammy.

Ask yourself.  Where am I right now?  Then be bold and ask.  Where do I really want to go?

Donating Art to Auctions

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Should artists donate work to auctions?  My answer, generally, is NO.  “Why?  It’s for a good cause and I’ll get all of that exposure.” My answer: That’s nice and not likely.

If it’s for a good cause and that’s your only motivation, that’s great.  That said, there are better ways for you to support that cause than taking precious work out of your inventory and giving it away without the benefit of a tax deduction.  Which is generally what the IRS provides to all of the other individuals and businesses who donate.  As an artist, you are only permitted to deduct the cost of the materials, not the value of the work.

“Well, I can clear away work that isn’t selling.” So if you were hoping for exposure then how would showcasing lesser work help you build your brand?  One very famous auction stopped asking for donations from artists because they complained that the quality of the art donated wasn’t high enough.  Hmmm. I wonder why?

If an art patron really wants to help you gain exposure and they believe in the cause, then they will buy the work from you at full price and donate it themselves.  Then they can take the full tax deduction.  This is what a wine industry entrepreneur did with one of my paintings two months ago.

Even as the “featured artist” at one of the biggest fund raisers in Napa  I received, zero sales, and you guessed it, zero leads.  Why?  Not because of bad positioning by the organizers or a lack of admiration for my work, which was relevant to the venue.  It was because the folks were in eating, drinking, partying, and in schmoozing mode.  Not, art collecting mode.  Although I didn’t gain much, I didn’t loose much. I only donated the limited license of my copyright and not any art.

When you go to the grocery store are you looking for shoes?  No.  Even if they are great shoes? No. You’re not there for shoes.  So selling art isn’t just about targeting your market it’s about their focus when your target them.

Yes. There are exceptions.  Cause marketing is a very effective marketing strategy for the luxury market.  And charity is good.  But that’s not what we are talking about here.  So if you’re donating your art with the hope of generating sales and building your brand, think again.  There are far better, more profitable, ways to market your art.

What’s your attitude?

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I have experience coaching and consulting with artists, from across the globe on their business and their marketing.  And what I have been struck by is the number one determining factor of their success.

And that success factor, hands down, is their attitude.  Of course their artistic training, their talent, their marketing strategy, are vital factors but they are just the basic cooking ingredients. They are the chef that needs to cook the recipe.

And despite the fact that my artist clients have hired me specifically to coach and consult with them on growing their businesses, for some of them, we spend a LOT of time on examining and adjusting their attitude.

Despite inevitable setbacks, those artists who maintain a positive attitude are the ones that I have witnessed reach success with more ease and in less time.

If you’re reading the Artists Who THRIVE it is most likely because you want to grow your art business.  If that is so, then what is your attitude? You know, most of the time?  What do you believe about yourself? About your work?  About selling your work?

Don’t underestimate the importance of this question.  Be honest.  The truth will set you free.  And the truth is the first place to start when you want to make a change.

What are you doing to manage your attitude? Do you meditate?  Exercise? Do you have focus?  Do you have a well thought out plan to reach your market?  Do you know who your market is?

Steering your attitude is a discipline and it’s a choice.  What choice do you make each day?