It’s a no-brainer. If you’re an artist and you want to make a living from it, you need to build a business or brand. It seems like it should be easy to get your art noticed online and on social media. That’s what every artist you follow does, after all.
One of the wonderful things about the internet is that it opens and connects people from all over the world. It’s a double-edged sword, though, because we are all being inundated by constant advertising and talented people all competing for our attention.
Older generations may roll their eyes at the slimming attention span people have, but there’s a reason. It would be too much mental energy to constantly give attention to every ad, article, and message we come across throughout the day.
This means as an artist, you’re competing against not just other artists, but you’re competing against a narrow attention span. For most people, posting your artwork on Etsy & Instagram may not be enough. You actually have to create a marketing strategy.
There's a Whole Lot of Advice on How to Get Noticed Out There
Let’s jump back to all that information we’re confronted with every day. It is overwhelming to research the best marketing strategy to take online. There are as many gurus as there are artists, it seems, and not all their advice is valuable. Yet how can you know if the advice is sound or not?
So much of the marketing advice can make an introvert cringe. Many of the advice calls for 1:1 calls, perfecting your sales pitch, meetings, constantly creating content showing your face, and becoming a salesperson. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t become an artist to get into sales.
And let’s be honest – that kind of marketing strategy doesn’t seem relevant to what an artist needs to do. And when we do try these techniques, it feels very sleazy. You may even feel desperate to promote your art online, and that people can see it. Well, that doesn’t help you feel passionate and confident.
We all know that one person online who spends all their time selling on social media. They may be a network marketer or someone who has no other ideas on how to get people to notice them online. It’s hard to watch, and you’ll notice… people often would rather look away.
Marketing can be unpleasant.
But It Doesn't Have to Be. Let's Daydream...
Let’s daydream that instead of throwing our art in people’s faces like a car salesperson during the holidays, we have a community that is eager to see your next piece. This community is supportive, and all share something in common.
You’re keyed into this community and enjoy them. They don’t drain you so much like the other marketing efforts you’ve tried. Even better is that you don’t feel like a salesperson when you promote your artwork. Instead, your art is already noticed. You feel like a friend sharing your products with people who genuinely love your work. You may even mentally think of them as your fanbase in your most prideful thoughts. (Hey, it can happen…)
You have a boost in confidence now. Instead of working so hard to market yourself, you focus on what you do best. You don’t take swipe copy sales pages or live videos that make you sweaty. You need to find techniques that fit your personality and connect with your ideal clients in a natural way.
This isn’t a fantasy. This can be you!
So Again, How Do I Get My Art Noticed?
I think there are 2 key things to keep in mind:
Be true to yourself.
You want to do things that make you feel comfortable and proud. When we are proud of ourselves, we translate that confidence into our work and our ideal customers get absorbed into it. The same thing happens when we feel uncomfortable.
I did work once with a mentor/coach who was great at what she did, but she was teaching me techniques to publicize myself that fit her personality, not mine. I wasn’t comfortable recording myself reading a sales script. I didn’t even know how to make up or do my hair! That’s why most of my Youtube videos and online classes are just screencasting.
So although her techniques could be super effective when you are a natural at camera, for me were not only tough to implement but even harder to get results from them. Because people were noticing I wasn’t sure of myself on those videos.
And no one wants to buy from someone who isn’t sure of what they are selling.
Understand your public.
I’m talking about your audience, followers, fan base… Call it how you want. But the people who love what you do, who want to buy from you not because you are being pushy but because they will be happier once they have worked with you or own a creation of yours.
When you put yourself into your ideal client’s minds, you get ideas on what type of content to create, where to post it, when to share it and how to reply and interact with their comments.
After all, selling your art doesn’t need to be hard. I like the concept that selling isn’t convincing, it’s just putting your creations in front of people who already want and need it.
And when you combine those two factors (being true to yourself and understanding your public) you can start getting ideas of strategies and places to promote your art that, even though they are not “proven” by the experts, they will be perfect for your unique situation.
Instead of fighting against your introverted nature or the whole world of artists, you work with your nature and take the unconventional, authentic strategy. I know first-hand how an unconventional strategy can lead to free publicity that jumpstarts your progress as an artist. I got my products (both handmade and also stationery designs) featured in blogs and magazines for free following a simple and introvert-friendly system. I even teach how to do it here.
Need Help in Getting Your Artwork Noticed?
If you need a step-by-step account on my unconventional, introvert-friendly marketing to get your art noticed online, then consider the Heartmade Marketing Course. It will walk you through everything I’ve done to get my several businesses in front of my ideal clients.
That’s how Carrie defines my course:
“Claudia offers a fascinating insight into her marketing methods for a range of products from physical items, through to digital products and online courses, without the need to resort to hard sell tactics. She explains how her system developed over time and shares her methods, highlighting her successes, along with those that are less so, or too time consuming. She offers sound advice along the way and a clear framework to market products while remaining true to yourself.” – Carrie L
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