Make yourself a name as an artist-develop the right marketing strategy

The breadless artist is a specter of many creative professionals who want to make a living with their works. In order for this to be possible, you have to sell your art and this only succeeds if you invest time in marketing.

A holistic marketing strategy

Artists can offer very different services. Some produce their own works, others do commissioned work. This also includes digital art such as creating logos or films.

But most artists have one thing in common: they need a good marketing strategy.

This should be designed directly to several channels so that the mass of interested parties can be reached. At the same time, no unnecessary energy should be wasted for senseless measures. That is why artists should always always consider which target group they want to achieve and which channels these people will most likely use.

Internet presence in the form of a separate website

Artists can only be found on the Internet if they are also present there. A separate website represents the basis for this. It looks serious and professional and gives the artist the opportunity to build up his own brand identity. This is done with the help of the design, the website texts and the works of art that are displayed there. With the right self -expression, artists can address their target group.

The following points should be clear from the website:

• What services are offered?
• What references can be shown?
• How can customers get in touch with the artist?

So that the website high in the search engines , it should be filled with texts accordingly. Artists who can afford it best invest in search engine optimization by an experienced agency. Otherwise, it makes sense to acquire SEO knowledge.

Social media as a marketing instrument

Even large companies now use Instagram, Facebook and Co. to attract new customers or to tie existing customers even more closely. Artists should also not do without this additional mouthpiece. Because it is wonderful to become better known. With a little luck, your own contributions appear in the feed of the right people. But also through hashtags, works can be better found by others on certain topics.

Interaction plays an important role in social media In order to get in touch with customers, for example, surveys or raffles are ideal. In addition, artists can also switch advertising on social media platforms. Of course, this must be paid accordingly, while creating an account and interacting with the other users is usually free.

Social media can also be used in other ways for marketing. Artists have the opportunity to give away selected works to well -known influencers and to hope that they will provide more reach as a small thank you. Here it usually makes sense to choose the influencers carefully.

You should fit your own brand image and of course also like to find the artist's works. Instead of simply giving away something into the blue, there is also the possibility of writing an influencer in advance and offering it to make an individual work for him according to his wishes. Here it is important to be patient and take your time looking for the right advertising partner.

Use email marketing

The be -all and end -all for a successful artist life are contacts. If you already have the first customers and have already sold one or the other work to them, you should put together a list of their email addresses. If there are new works or services or when an exhibition is due, old customers can find out about it via email.

A friendly formulated and unobtrusive newsletter arrives better than aggressive advertising. However, the legal framework should always be observed. For example, email receivers must have the option of being able to unsubscribe from the newsletter. In addition, email marketing should always be GDPR compliant. So it makes sense to find out thoroughly here beforehand and to get advice if necessary.

Local marketing in the real world

The Internet offers numerous platforms for successful marketing. In addition, artists can also advertise their products, works or services analogously. This is particularly useful in the local context. For example, if you want to draw attention to your own small exhibition or shop, you can do this in the form of print advertising.

There are many options:

• An advertisement in a local newspaper
• Hang up poster advertising
• Line or distribute flyers

Flyers and posters can be easily designed today. For many artists, this should be the easiest task.

Participate in art competitions

Artists who regularly participate in competitions with their works and maybe even win something can increase their level of awareness in this way. With a little luck, the winner of the competition ends up in the local press or in an art magazine , which means additional advertising.

Competitions of galleries are particularly attractive that offer the exhibition of own works by the winner instead of prize money. This enables unknown artists to introduce their pictures, sculptures and art objects to a large audience and maybe even sell one of their works.

Since the winning of an art competition is not guaranteed, artists should participate in as many of them as possible. However, the individual competitions should be chosen carefully. Because they often take place under a specific topic, so that your own art does not always match.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza. Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www.kunstplaza.de/