Fine Art Views Daily Newsletter
ISSUE #395 - (Sponsored by FineArtStudioOnline)
Straight Talk about Art, Marketing, Inspiration and Fine Living
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Less is More
by Clint Watson
TODAY:
We are reprinting this FineArtViews Classique article.
As an individual artist, you really only need to market to those few people in the world who are specifically interested in your artwork. Relatively, that group is fairly small. While a particular site may generated hundreds of thousands of page views per month, that is, for the most part of little use to an individual artist. . . .
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
San Antonio, Texas
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This article was originally posted in 2007 but is just as relevant today.
Sometimes when marketing art, people get really focused on traffic, as in "how much traffic does this site receive?" But I think when it comes to marketing art, less is more.
I was recently reviewing a thread in an art internet marketing forum and the debate largely centered around online art marketing sites such as art.com, artbyus.com, etsy.com etc. I believe the discussion was started by reviews of some of these sites posted on a blog called Empty Easel.
Most of the contributors were debating the amount of traffic these various sites generated and in particular how much more traffic etsy.com generated as opposed to several of the others.
But does it really matter?
As an individual artist, you really only need to market to those few people in the world who are specifically interested in your artwork. Relatively, that group is fairly small. While a particular site may generated hundreds of thousands of page views per month, that is, for the most part of little use to an individual artist. My service, fineartstudioonline, generates huge traffic as well if you add up all the traffic of all the individual artist sites, but that's not the approach we take. We break out each member into their own full-featured website and thus, the traffic numbers are spread across lots of different sites.
You see, I owned a national art gallery for 11 years, I was one of the primary salespeople and engaged in directly marketing original art during those years. I regularly sold six figures and the gallery as a whole had sales in seven figures. Here's the important part - most of the sales each year came from less than 100 people.
I've come to view marketing as a series of steps, and the first step is a baby step - Capture your visitor's contact information - that's the real goal of your web site. You need this information to engage in a systematic, regular marketing plan of nurturing your prospective customer - that's what I did at the gallery.
So back to the "traffic" discussion. A couple of people in the forum had it right. They considered any money spent showing their works on sites like etsy.com, boundlessgallery.com etc as advertising expense. If something sold, fantastic, but mainly they are trying to capture just a bit of all that traffic and get a "hot" prospect who can then be nurtured via email, snail mail, your own website, your blog, etc.
Since most of those sites have low or free costs, it's pretty easy to sign up and "advertise" on several of them (although a pain to have to upload your work to a bunch of different sites).
One last point - you need your own web site. The online galleries can be a decent venue for "advertising" yourself, but I've always been (even when I owned a gallery) a firm believer that every artist should have their own "home" web site that can be the permanent "official" site for the artist. You need to control your online presence. Once someone finds you from a magazine ad, a forum, an online gallery, a referral, or any other method, you need to get that person to your "real" web site and get them signed up on your email list.
That's when your prospects become part of an exclusive "club" that centers around you. The number of people in the club may be relatively small, but the potential is great if you nurture your club. Sure, your personal web site will have a lot less visitors than etsy.com, but, in this case, regarding the importance to your future, less is more.
Sincerely,
Clint Watson
Software Craftsman and Art Fanatic
PS - If you don't have a web site, feel free to give our service a try. It's available at: http://www.fineartstudioonline.com/
Editor's Note: A FineArtStudioOnline.com website does offer an automatic 'Subscribe' page. When an interested visitor is on your website, they can easily choose to take 5 seconds and subscribe to your Email Newsletter, thus providing you with invaluable marketing info - their email address! Click here to sign up for a free, no obligation trial account today!
Related Posts:
The Real Goal of Your Web Site
Do You Want Traffic or Do You Want to Sell Art?
Don't Worry About Google . . . too much
Personal, Timely, and Relevant
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Copyright 2007 - 2009 - Clint Watson.
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Editor's Note: Each day we republish selected comments and artwork by artists who comment about the previous day's article. If you would like to share your thoughts, artwork and views with thousands of artists and collectors, (not to mention getting a valuable inbound link to your website) be sure to post a comment on today's article at the following link. To be considered, be sure to provide your comment through the link NOT by simply replying to this email. Make sure to comment before the end of the day to be considered for inclusion in tomorrow's newsletter:
Art by Debbie Turner Chavers
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YOUR artwork could be pictured here tomorrow
just comment on today's article before midnight,
and your artwork could be in front of thousands of people
tomorrow.*
(*If you a right-click disabler on your images, we will select a different artist to feature, as it is too much trouble to display the image)
Exercise Builds Creative Muscles (Keith Bond), Revisited
Debbie Turner Chavers Wrote:
Thank you for the great ideals. I am laughing over #4. Paint at a distance.
With my busy schedule lately..this describes a lot of areas.
This article was more than a bit timely for me this morning as I have started exercising everything on a daily schedule again!
Before lacing up my shoes, I decided to take a peek at my mail. Glad I did!! Motivation for my morning walk and my creative "up" time.
More Comments >>
All Past Issues >>
-- Highly Recommended --
Make Sure Your Website Doesn't
Drive Art Collectors Away!
11 Essential Elements of Every Artist Website
The Artist's Guide to Creating a Website that Really Works
by Clint Watson
This e-book will tell you (or your web designer) exactly what to do to make sure when art collectors visit your art website that they enjoy the experience...instead of leaving annoyed.
Your website is you "home base"…your "hub." - where you and your collectors "meet" online.
You need to make sure that your website includes certain information and features that art collectors have come to expect.
I've been marketing art since 1989 and have managed various online art marketing sites since 1996 . . . I've learned what works, what doesn’t and what art buyers expect. This e-book represents a compilation of the most important elements and best practices that should be included on every artist’s website.
In this 39 page e-book that every artist must read, you'll learn:
1. What art collectors expect from an artist website
2. Why you need to avoid Flash
3. How to set up your website for maximum success
4. How to avoid annoying your and driving awaysite visitors
5. The best way to write your artist biography page
6. How to design your site properly for search engines
7. Much, much more!
If you're working with a web developer, no problem! The e-book also includes a checklist for web developers that you can simply hand your web guru and say, "make sure my site has everything on this list."
Listen to what one artist recently told me about our marketing advice:
"We have always tried to incorporate your ideas about adding substantive content on our web site and blog. Recently we sold a $3,000 painting because we had followed your advice. . . Thanks for your helpful marketing advice."
- Artist, Tommy Thompson
Get Your copy of 11 Essential Elements of Every Artist's Website:
http://fineartviews.com/resources/elements
Want more FineArtViews?
Visit Clint's Blog for his latest unconventional thoughts about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living!
http://clintwatson.net/blog
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