Are you an artist, photographer, or designer, who invests significant time into your creative work? If so, it can be frustrating when your art sales continue to struggle despite all your effort and hard work. It can be a huge disappointment when you don’t meet your sales goals, but that doesn’t mean you can’t turn things around!
Join us as we explore proven strategies for artists and photographers geared toward boosting your sales and your profit!
❤️ Social Media
Although it may seem obvious, it’s a free (and effective) tool that’s still worth mentioning: Social media allows artists and photographers to connect with audiences around the world. With several major platforms available, you can easily find a community online to showcase your creative artwork. We recommend building a following on at least two platforms to really blanket your target markets with your messaging and art. Additionally, try posting a few high-quality visuals 2-3 times per week (and if possible, mix the medium up a bit; include a variety of images and videos).
💡Ready to use social media to boost your creative work even more? Don’t miss Grow Your Art Business’s Social Media Presence: 10 Spectacular Tips
🎪 Art Fairs & Galleries
While spending significant time marketing online can definitely pay off, getting offline and into the community can also be hugely beneficial in boosting your art sales. Don’t miss out on art fairs and vendor events. Meeting other artists and interested buyers in person allows you to really show off how special your creative artwork or photography is, allowing the viewer to appreciate the finer details that may get lost electronically. Curious about upcoming art fairs near you? Check out Fairs and Festivals for a list of events you can participate in! It’s important to note that some fairs require an entrance fee or an approved application to take part in the festivities.
Galleries are also a valuable outlet to consider for your artwork. Rather than a one-time event like an art fair, with a gallery, your art rests in the gallery storefront for all visitors and shoppers to see and enjoy until it’s sold. Galleries may charge a flat fee, a monthly fee, or a percentage of the sale price, depending on how they operate. Visit Art Gallery Finder to begin your search for the ideal gallery in your area.
💡Interested in learning more about preparing for an art show or gallery event? Don’t miss Gallery Show & Art Fair Framing: 5 Tips & Tricks
👩💻 Online Platforms
If you want the widest reach for your creative artwork, you’ll need to go beyond social media and art fairs. To do this, you’ll want to explore art-focused e-commerce sites that cater to connecting artists and photographers with buyers worldwide. Sites like Etsy, Saatchi Art, UGallery, and Shopify all offer creatives the ability to upload and sell all manner of art, from paintings to pottery! Because each website functions differently, it’s important to explore pricing structures, branding options, and other services before committing to one.
Here at Frame It Easy, we’re partial to Shopify’s user-friendly dashboard, robust e-commerce tools, and solid reputation. We’ve even developed a Shopify app that allows artists and photographers to earn a passive income without leaving the comfort of home! With no minimums and no upfront inventory costs, our app is the easiest way to sell fabulous framed and unframed art prints your customers are sure to love!
💡Ready to explore the top art-selling platforms? Check out our in-depth reviews here: Art As A Side Gig: 7 Best Sites To Sell Your Art Online
🤝 Collaboration
Sometimes the best way to boost your art sales and gain an even bigger following isn’t by promoting yourself, but by working with another artist and promoting each other! Collaboration leads to the fresh exchange of new ideas that can really inspire everyone involved, and not only do you share the workload, but you also share each other’s social media audiences and email lists. This could potentially lead to huge follower growth for both of you, in addition to a few extra sales and a renewed interest in your artwork! It’s a win for everyone!
🚀 Optimize Your Art Site
Even if you have amazing creative work at a great price, your sales will never reach their potential if you haven’t optimized your art website! You want a sharp-looking site, with stunning graphics, awesome product descriptions, and a solid SEO strategy to keep your site relevant in search rankings. In doing so, you’ll be able to boost sales fairly quickly because more shoppers will not only find but trust your site and your art more than the competition.
💡Ready to optimize your website? Take a deeper dive into specific strategies you can use today: 5 Easy Ways To Upgrade Your Online Art Shop
🗞 Email & Newsletters
One of your major goals as you improve your art business should be growing your email list! Why is that a priority? Because the customers on your email list are qualified buyers already interested in your art! They’re more likely to buy from you than other artists, so use that edge to your advantage. There are tons of effective methods you can try yourself to encourage sign-ups, including coupons, extra content, shop or shipping upgrades, or digital newsletters.
Digital newsletters are especially popular for a good reason – they give your shoppers content they want to see where you can also market yourself and your art or photography. Fill it with art tips and tricks, pictures and videos, interesting stories about your art or your creative process, and even cultural events taking place around you!
🎁 Giveaways
If you want to generate a lot of buzz around your art, consider a giveaway to get your followers really excited! Giveaways are effective for gaining new followers and pointing folks to sign up for your email list, depending on how you structure them. A lot of artists ask their followers to share and follow a specific post to enter a giveaway, while others ask you to sign up for their email list to enter. However you choose to do it, be sure to state the rules of your giveaway including when the contest ends, what can be redeemed, and when/how a winner is chosen.
🎬 Promote Your Creative Work: Final Thoughts
Are you struggling to get your creative work noticed and increase your sales? Whether you are an artist, photographer, designer, or any other creative professional, it’s essential to have a solid marketing strategy in place to showcase your work to the right audience and generate more sales. By implementing proven promotional techniques, you can take your creative work to new heights and achieve the recognition and financial success you deserve!
And before you go, don’t miss your chance to learn even more about our Shopify app – watch the video below👇
