Open Your Eyes
I am so tired of an artist complaining about being a starving artist, but doing nothing to fix it. So I decided to write this.
To be successful in most endeavors, it takes three main things; time, hustle, and persistence. I truly believe that with those three things you can accomplish almost anything, especially something as easy as selling your art.
“So where can we sell our art? Where can we find customers?”
The answer to these extremely common questions is, everywhere. But let’s go deeper than that, so I can actually provide value in this post. Below are suggestions on where you can sell your art and/or find customers.
- Your website. Don’t have one? Head to squarespace, pay 20 bucks a month, get an awesome website with a store to sell your art, and start selling your art, telling your story, and engaging with future and or current fan base. Feel like going all out? Head to OneNine and get a one of a kind completely custom website.
- Restaurants. (visual artist only) Just walk in, show your work, and ask if they would let you put your art on the wall with a little tag below that says who the artist is, what the price is, and how to get in touch. There are small local restaurants everywhere. It’s worth a try…. Just remember: time, hustle, and persistence.
- Social Media. Everyone and their mom tells you to use social media, but if you don’t know how, you are just going to waste your time. So do yourself a favor and read this book. If you are super new to social media, read this book, too. Here are my tips to being effective on social media: share the work you are doing daily, use social media to build relationships, do not demand people to buy your art, take 3 minutes to edit the photos you post so it doesn’t look like you’re a blind artist. I use VSCO Cam which is truly amazing and also free. If you don’t feel like reading, do not understand it, or need a social media plan made for you and your brand specifically, reach out to Tiger, and they will help you with everything.
- Networking. You need to network even if you are an introvert! Networking is crucial, and the opportunity to meet potential clients is high especially at business networking events, due to the high possibility that there will be no other artist in the room. Network everywhere you go. You don’t have to be pushy, selly, or annoying. You just have a conversation. If they are someone you would want to buy your art, and you are actually interested in getting to know them, you should say, “I would love to talk more,” hand them your business card, ask for theirs, email them a time for coffee when you get home, and get to know them. It’s so simple!
So there is part one, as always I would absolutely love to know your thoughts feel free to text me them to me at: (615) 763–8576 or tweet them to me at: @TheNathanRuff. Also feel free to checkout what I do at: TheNathanRuff.com
