The most important quick lessons I can share about art marketing are:
#1... If you attempt to market art and/or creativity like typical products and services you are almost certainly inviting failure into your life. Art and/or creativity is not a typical product or service. There are literally hundreds of programs, books, classes on the internet and other places that will gladly take your money and market or teach you how to market your own work. Please, please be aware that their primary job is to leverage your desperation to succeed as an artist into money in their pockets. Your success is not their goal, collecting your money is. They profit whether you do or not!
#2... Read, study, and consume marketing "experiences". Find techniques that “feel good” to you, your heart and your personality. You are the creative. Your passion is creating feelings and expressions. Following someone else’s marketing plan is similar to sealing your work in a brown paper bag, then paying someone else to cover your bag with their images and words to convey who you are or what you do? That information is already right there, you have already created it. No one is better or more qualified at expressing your passion than you!
#3... The most important art marketing tool you can possess is your creative ability to define your own success! You have the creative power to identify what success is to you. If you allow critics, someone else, society, bank accounts, material things to define your creative success, chances are you will never achieve it. The very first thing you have to do in YOUR marketing plan is to identify what success and happiness is to you!
Vincent van Gogh (according to historical accounts) took his own life because he saw himself as an artistic failure because his work did not generate money. Did he value his success based exclusively on money?
Thomas Kincaid (according to financial records) achieved incredible financial success. He was creatively stagnant and took his life with alcohol and valium. Did he value his success exclusively on creative originality?
First.....You must first identify what makes your heart sing....
that is your success!
#2... Read, study, and consume marketing "experiences". Find techniques that “feel good” to you, your heart and your personality. You are the creative. Your passion is creating feelings and expressions. Following someone else’s marketing plan is similar to sealing your work in a brown paper bag, then paying someone else to cover your bag with their images and words to convey who you are or what you do? That information is already right there, you have already created it. No one is better or more qualified at expressing your passion than you!
#3... The most important art marketing tool you can possess is your creative ability to define your own success! You have the creative power to identify what success is to you. If you allow critics, someone else, society, bank accounts, material things to define your creative success, chances are you will never achieve it. The very first thing you have to do in YOUR marketing plan is to identify what success and happiness is to you!
Vincent van Gogh (according to historical accounts) took his own life because he saw himself as an artistic failure because his work did not generate money. Did he value his success based exclusively on money?
Thomas Kincaid (according to financial records) achieved incredible financial success. He was creatively stagnant and took his life with alcohol and valium. Did he value his success exclusively on creative originality?
First.....You must first identify what makes your heart sing....
that is your success!
1 comment:
I can't even tell you how many "how to be a successful artist" books I have purchased only to have them tossed aside. Never letting myself think about who was really benefiting from my investment and wondering why I wasn't rich and famous already. Thank you for validating what I finally surmised. Put your own creativity into every aspect of your creative life.
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