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New Artists - How Do You Find Customers?

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How Do You Find the Customer Who Loves Your Handmade Art or Craft?

There is a lot more to selling your art than just selling your art. You need to find ways to market your art to customers who like to buy handmade products or like to buy art.

If you are an artist that is just starting out, you need to find inexpensive ways to advertise your art business to the right customers. You need to learn how to find customers.  Customers need to learn about the art you have to sell.


So where do you start? How do you establish yourself as a new artist without spending a fortune before you sell anything?  This article is to help any new artist get started in the art business based on my experience as an artist and as a gallery owner.  Let's see if you are doing all the things you can to find your best customers.

Glass by Mindy Sand Studios can be purchased at Lake Erie Artists Gallery.

Are You Ready to Sell Your Art? Well, How Do You Get Started?

Can I Get Into the Art Business With a VERY Small Budget?

Is it possible for you to start the selling your art on a very, very limited budget?

The answer is: ABSOLUTELY!

This lens is going to give you some suggestions as to how to sell your art without spending a lot of money
.
As you read through the modules, please contact me with any questions or suggestions that you would like me to include in this lens and I will gladly add it.

The picture to the right can be purchased from Zazzle.

Selling Your Art Through a Gallery

Customers who like to buy art visit local galleries

If you are a new artist, and would like to get the word out, one great place to sell your art is local galleries.

Roses Organic Grocery Bag bag
Roses Organic Grocery Bag by lakeerieartists

Most local galleries will sell your art on consignment, and take the commission when the piece is sold, so there is no upfront cost for you. Find a gallery or two that are in good locations where the demographic of the customers is your target market.

Call the gallery to make an appointment with the owner or manager, then make sure to bring a portfolio of your art, or some original pieces or art for them to see. It is imperative for a gallery to see if your art will fit in with their atmosphere, and if it is the quality they are looking for. If they reject it, don't be afraid to ask why. You may learn a lot along the way.

Blogging is a Great Way to Promote Your Work and Yourself

Sell your art directly from your blog or just talk about it

Blogs are very popular these days, and they are totally free to create and write to. You can post pictures about your work, and where you are going to be selling. You can have your blog posts automatically update to several different blog sites through an RSS feed. This is my Lake Erie Artists Gallery blog.
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An Artist Making a Difference Selling Her Art

Buying art that is good for the earth

Deby Cowdin has combined her experience as a glass artist with a mission to help the environment. This video is an interview with her as she talks about selling her art. Click here for the video. To purchase Deby's art, follow this link.

Guerilla Marketing is a Great Way to Sell Your Art

Market aggresively in unusual ways

Guerilla marketing is techniques that cost very little to promote your business. These are well worth the price of the book to learn ways to sell your art.
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Art Shows for Selling Your Art

Sell at art shows that attract the demographic of your target customer

Art shows are a great place for you to market yourself and let people see your art work for the first time.

There are all levels of art shows at all price points. Look for local art shows that are in an area with a demographic that would be interested in buying your art and can afford to buy handmade.

A lot of small art shows do not cost very much, anywhere from $20 to $50. Look for holiday art shows, community art shows, farmer's markets, organizational shows, and flea markets.

You can also ask friends and acquaintances to invite friends to their houses and feature you and your art. You can often pay them with a piece of your art for hosting you.

Blue Bird Abstract card
Blue Bird Abstract by lakeerieartists
Many more cards available on Zazzle.com

Networking to Sell Your Art

How Does Networking Really Work?

Networking is a very valuable way to meet people. The idea of networking is that you meet people and tell them what you do, and in turn they tell you what they do, and when either of you meets someone who may need your product or service, you will recommend each other.

Because you may not meet someone with that need for some time, often networking takes time to percolate, however, it is a great way for you to market your art.

Because you are an artist, it is a good idea to have an example of your art with you at all times. If your art is too big to carry around, then keep a picture of one of your pieces with you. After all, how can you give people an idea of what your art is like, if you do not show your art to them. Selling art is very visual.

Most networking opportunities cost very little. Many of them are free. Some may cost up to $20. You most often do not need to be a member of an organization to attend its events. Even when meetings cost money, you can often attend at least once as a guest for free.

Make sure to really connect with everyone you meet. Often what happens is the person you least expect to be a good contact for you, ends up knowing a really great person for you to connect with. Don't discount anyone.

Selling Art is a Business

Terrific guides to running business on very little money.

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Bigwig Briefs: Guerrilla Marketing - The Best of Guerrilla Marketing & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget (Bigwig Briefs) by Jay Conrad Levinson

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Business Cards are Necessary to Remind People of You

Why Do I Need Them?

Business cards are a little bit of a controversial issue for artists.

You may think:

Why do I need business cards?
or
I should have cool, creative business cards.
or
My work speaks for itself.
or
Too expensive.

My opinion (and you are welcome to pipe in on this) is that you can have anything you want on a standard size business card, any color, any picture, any font, but you need business cards, they need to printed professionally, and they need to be the standard size. Why?

Because my business card holder does not hold square,circular, cylindrical or any other shape card except standard size. So guess what I do with all of those others--you are right--they go right in the trash.

Because your business card is one way I remember you, keep track of you, and keep your contact info for when I need to pass it on months later.

Because you look professional that way. And I have to say I personally hate most of the ones people print on their own computer. (Of course, I started that way too.) They are flimsier, and often the printing is below standard.

You can get so many inexpensive business cards these days, that it is just not worth doing it any other way.

I recommend any of these three companies:

VistaPrint

Jakprints

Moo Cards

VistaPrint is the cheapest, Moo Cards is the most original. So go get some business cards.

“YES! You DO need business cards! Do I have to tell you again?”

Selling Your Art Online--Do You Need a Website?

Where to buy art online?

These days websites are one of the ways that most people research products and if companies are legitimate. Ironically, it is easy for a fraudulent company to put up a website.

As a business person, I have to admit that I prefer to work with people who have at minimum an email address and at least a rudimentary website.

So no, you don't have to have a website, but you probably should have a simple one if you are trying to grow your business.

If you are strictly just trying to sell art on the street or in small shows, you don't need one.

I am not going to go into how to build a website because there are lots of resources on that topic, some very good ones right here on Squidoo. A simple website is not very expensive, but business cards are still more important.

Selling Your Art Via Word of Mouth

Word of mouth is still the best referral system

Word of mouth is still a great way to sell your art. Letting everyone you know in a non-obnoxious way that you are an artist and where you sell your art is a great way to publicize. You can give them one of your business cards to pass on. Of course, you have get business cards first.

This pottery by Tracy Shea can be purchased by following this link.

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