ART MARKETING IN A BAD ECONOMY

Time goes by so fast. I can’t believe that when I started this “blog” I thought I would write something every week. Seems like now I don’t even know where a week goes by the time it is long past!

But I thought that it was time to say something about the economy, marketing, and art. I am no expert on the economy…and I have no idea where the future will take us. I wish I had that magic ball, but I don’t.

But I do know that as artists we need to be careful about how we approach our art marketing. I know how disappointing it is—going to events and having disappointing sales. Spending money on marketing (you ARE spending money on marketing right?) and sometimes not even paying for the cost of the marketing.

But it is exactly times like this that we need to be upbeat and positive with our clients! No need to lie about the fact that times are rough – if they ask. But, we also have to convey that our art is a worthy product and that it would look great on their walls back home or at the office.

Sometimes we miss even the easiest marketing opportunities!

For example, I have had a business for 33 years. A couple weeks ago my business partner said: “how come you have your artwork all over the place but you don’t have any here in the office for when our clients come for meetings.” Of course, he was right. I had missed a very easy and legitimate marketing opportunity that had been staring me in the face ever since I started selling artwork!

I have a feeling that is also true in other areas. I was several years into marketing my artwork before I realized that I didn’t have on my mailing list the people whose services I use! You know: hair stylist, doctor, dentist, etc. And even though I have a mailing list of 1400 names/addresses, this week I realized that I have never put most of my regular business clients on my mailing list! Ok, so I don’t know if any of them are “into art” or would even want to be on my list – but unless I send them the next postcard, how would I ever know!?!

Of course, I send to all the people I know in the art associations I am in – but the truth is that they mostly make their OWN art. Do they really need to go out and buy mine? Of course, other artists are the great supporters of other artists work, and I wouldn’t minimize that. But, the fact is that we often overlook our other marketing opportunities—especially those ones that seemed so obvious when we discover them!

So, your challenge (and mine) in the next year is to increase my mailing list even more! When times are tough you have to increase your marketing to see results…and you need to reach more people (larger mailing list) to maybe get the same sales results.