Today I am putting forward my ideas on marketing and what the options are in the Art world. I have worked in a retail environment for most of my life. It is seldom pretty, always competitive, and will spit the ignorant out in a second. Whether artists realize it (and some do not) this is the place they will be when they choose to sell their artwork. Creating your paintings, photos, macramé (do they do that anymore?), and whatever else we create is usually fun, or at least should be. Aunt Molly comes over and see’s what you are doing and says: “Golly Bubba you should sell those Possum socks, they are beautiful”. The light goes on and Bubba is doomed, UNLESS he is savvy to what he will be getting into.
First Bubba obviously needs more critique and I do not mean a Jury that may or may not actually look at his work before they send him that happy acceptance message that asks for the $10000.00 booth fee up front. Rain…too bad ‘no refunds’.
Bubba needs to find people 1. He does not know, people who may not like him, and some one of knowledge that will jury his stuff knowing that the fee they are getting does not get bigger for BS.
So now Bubba finally somewhat understands if Aunt Molly was almost right. Let’s say that Bubba gets great reviews and is surrounded by happy bubbles that are blurring his vision.
NOW the work begins. Bubba being goes to the local ‘Flea Market’ (it wasn’t his fault, they called it an Art Festival and served beer) only to find out that the only thing selling was watermelons. Well we have all been there one Way or another and that didn’t stop us so Bubba will persevere. Starring eyes will do that to us all.
Bubba now decides that he needs a higher class clientele and settle on a $10.00/square foot booth at the local ‘Art Festival’ *seems as if I am repeating myself) and settles in for 2 days in which he almost broke even. Not bad. Of course if he doesn’t count his time, food, and backache from sleeping under the truck ($10.99 for Ibuprofen at Walmart) for 3 nights.
So…Now the local Auto body shop sees Bubba stuff and offers to display them next to the coffee machine in the lobby for a 60 percent. Bubba is ecstatic, he goes there all the time and knows they are busy and they luckily did not ask for some kind of contract (Bubba can’t write). Bubba of course never hears from them again except and being slightly ‘memory deficient’ just forgets the whole thing.
Now, the panacea of all who would sell retail….THE INTERNET. I will now get somewhat serious. Somewhat that is. Unfortunately the very things that make the internet great also make it a nightmare for those who choose to sell un-necessary goods there. Artwork is mostly beautiful, inspiring, and desired, but seldom considered a necessity.
You have access to Zillions but those Zillions must sort through Zillions to find just you. The search engines make it and even harder task now because of the prevalence of Spam and other nasty things. Though I used to be very well versed in HTML and inner workings of website with just a couple of years away from it I was amazed at how behind I am. Web crawlers, Markup, sitemaps, bots, OMG when does it end. So if you have not the slightest idea of what I just said leave it to the obvious that making your own site is probably an exercise in futility.
Of course there are the great people who for a few bucks will set you up with a site of your own. The few bucks can become morer (yes there is no such word I made it up because it fit) rather quickly when you add shopping carts, etc. Now you have a site that looks more like the local grocery than an “artist’s site”.
The ugly fact is that marketing your artwork is exceedingly difficult and often disappointing. Ask JC Penny, Kmart, and others going down the pipe. But that is why you should Enjoy what you are doing. Art for art’s sake. I do online sales but do not get excited about it and I am versed in web management, the price I pay is thus reasonable. Even so; I use it more as a way to organize myself and my sticks than any real hope to sell out.
I hear you all out there yelling PORTFOLIO, PORTFOLIO, yes I hear you but then we get back to the zillions thing. But by all means post a Portfolio so those who care can see your work can without coming over and drinking your beer..
WE then get back to shows. Shows can be fun and rewarding, you get to meet fellow artists, and hopefully sell a few things. But you must find the ones who are truly interested in you and promoting art and not making and easy 250000.00 on a weekend. They are there, you just have to be patient and look. Never go to shows that allow anything other than artist made goods and for the shows that add 100.00 a day for electricity; Boycott their butts and next year we will not have to deal with them.
Got long winded there. Sorry
Mark M
Comments
Am now strictly wholesale to historic gift shops and galleries. Never 2 in same town btw.
Husband passed and shows seem too much for me alone right now. But! I will always feed off the energy of that immediate feed back at shows. I will always miss the comradely of fellow artist.
I will always miss the optimism of artists! Who else will stand in rain, wind, cold and believe tomorrow or next show will be a better experience ! (Ok - Scarlet O'Hara maybe)
It's so great to read comments from fellow artists who have a point of view and a sense of humor about life. There are always more thing to try when selling; the fun is not just in the creating. The creative act of selling is also important. Thanks for these great comments.
Thanks to all of you for these great posts. It's nice to know, those of us who have been in the business awhile, all question our "sanity".
Not all shows are going to be great but I realized, after taking almost a year off, that shows are "in my blood". It's not just the cash (don't get me wrong) but it's the people we meet, the exhibitors we consider family, the new exhibitors we help out.
We are a PROUD people remember that. Not everyone has the fortitude to do what we do, it's not easy. We're copied, rained on, blown away, stolen from and we stake down (EZ Ups) what is ours, and we come back for more.
Keep smiling fellow exhibitors, we are a unique crowd and a good show is a blessing.
Wow! Great, insightful comments for newbies (and oldbies) to learn from...as a fellow knitter, Carol, I gleaned interesting information from your response...thanks. Plan to check out the Yarn Market News, for one. I didn't know about it, is it online or on paper? Will investigate...
I have been struggling with similar for a little over a year. I have known and sometimes need to get kicked in the rear about one thing that is always true re: internet marketing. Let's take for example e-newsletters since they have been around longer than anything else at the moment. Most have heard of Constant Contact - which was one of the 1st and still is one of the largest. They have "white papers" about how to do it right. What days, etc...and their recommendation is Tuesdays. Okay...so all of a sudden I am getting a boatload of weekly e-newsletters on Tuesdays from similar small businesses. Then add to that the business magazine for lack of better example: Yarn Market News that is the go to bible for literally every small yarn shop in the US and they make suggestions to bring in that elusive customer - do this, do that and all of a sudden, not only am I getting all the shop e-newsletters on Tuesday, they are all touting the same campaign to bring in the same customer. And, I think to myself...please stop following someone else's advice to the T. Listen, observe, and come up with your own version. But they don't...and so there they all sit, going to the identical wholesale buyers show in a few months to try and find that elusive unique only to themselves idea that is going to set them apart from everyone else. People - stop looking in the same place (I shout at the top of my lungs) you need to crossover and start observing similar but different business practices. You want the customer that appreciates hand-created...then look into another medium looking for the same - but different item that YOU will never see at an Art show. See how they do it, sign up for their business bible, go find the retailers and get their e-newsletters...and similar. You are into painting, have you crossed over into people that write patterns for hand-knitters? How are they doing it? Stop following the same, broaden your horizons and perhaps just perhaps you may find that elusive idea that you can convert into your own to make you stand out from the others rather than following the crowd...and yes...I AM struggling with the same...but I sure continue to look, listen, observe, sign-up for, and never never never stop exploring. And no, not everything was successful. I tried something I saw what I thought was successful from several other online presences...I thought "it" appeared they were being successful with a certain campaign. Turned out it was a bust. And I learned 2nd time into it that I wasn't going to do that again...but if I hadn't have tried...I wouldn't have known.
You ALL are "spot on," and I'm glad that I am not the only one who's experiencing this. My thought process has been all over the map, but I think the most important thing for ME, is to analyze WHY I do what I do. I do it because I love doing it....it is fun to find out in your later years that you ARE creative, and can design stuff that people truly like to have in their homes. I am fortunate that I do not have to depend on the money I make to maintain my house and other monetary responsibilities. What I truly love about it is going out, meeting other artists, picking their brains for ideas, and commiserating with them when it's appropriate. I love the occasional unsolicited "oh, my God, that is SO beautiful," and think the sale of one of my larger pieces is better than sliced bread.
I DO have pictures of my pieces on my Facebook page, and have my "followers" there....and for the meantime, I think I'll stick to that.....because I am happy with it. I think maintaining and/or hiring someone to manage a website would quickly become a "job," and I can foresee it causing me to be grumpy. I have enough of THOSE days when I'm trying to set up in the pouring rain! lol
I thank you ALL for your input, and your understanding. Hope our paths will meet sometime when we can just sit back and solve the REST of the world's problems!!! Happy creating!!!
I have no answers, just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed your view ... so very true ....I just loved your rendition !
I sell on line..have been copied, and its awful, but really no different than those folks who come to shows just to take pictures of your stuff and stand in your booth and actually say, loud enough for you to hear, "I can make that" ...
My complaint online is that people buy from you and when asked where they got it, respond "Oh I got it on ._________ fill in the blank, etcy, ebay ...etc... they dont even remember the artist's name.
My solution for the online, has been to build up my facebook clientele and direct them to my site...it works once you get a large enough number of fans... they will remember your name becuase they follow you on fb.... but...that takes time.
Its all a crap shoot ..but the one line in your psot that I found actually serious and to the point was that you need to ENJOY what you are doing !!
Thanks ..great reading for s Sunday morning.
Yes Copying is always a concern. If you are doing something that makes money in retail within a year there will be bundle of others doing the same thing. You are right Annette, you need to keep the quality in your work and the artistic flair that marks it going forward. Lets face it, you have to show people your work and anyone of them may decide they will try to do the same thing. it is human nature. The portfolio on the internet just spreads it out a little. Enjoy what you do and avoid worrying on things you have no control. mm
Sometimes you just gotta vent Mark :)
I don't know what the key is. I don't think there is a substitute for getting out there with your work, letting people see it in real life. Even if the so&so's running the show haven't done the advertising/signage and got enough customers in, shoved you down the back where you may never be seen and have charged you a fortune. That one appreciative customer can change your day :)
Selling online is sweet when it means you haven't had to travel, carry, set up, shiver/sweat, pull down, carry and travel some more, let alone spend $$$.
I sell a few things via my website and FB page. A number of years ago I was confronted with a blatent, in fact, a HAPPY, copier of my work. She didn't see the problem but of course I did with her inferior materials and skill and her complete lack of morals in regard to it all. But then I decided my customers would KNOW it wasn't mine if they looked closer and it was better to stay ahead of the copier - do something different by evolving my work so if someone copies it its probably already sold. And I'm still content enough with that approach. Is this an option for you Deb?
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