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DAMAMMATESS

Articles Posted: 52  Links Seeded: 0
Member Since: 8/2010  Last Seen: 5/18/2012

Marketing... learning the hard way, but learning

Sat Nov 5, 2011 5:54 PM EDT
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By Damammatess

"Boing" my drawing of my littlest of the girls. Gotta love those curls.

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Marketing is not something I was talented with. I was never a good sales person when I had to work in Sales. I knew the products I was selling, but HOW to sell, well, that was a totally different thing. I can draw, I can take pictures, I can even paint a little. But selling something isn't natural for me. That's something I'm learning as I go.  

I've been trying for a little over a year now to get customers to get my photography and art business rolling. I saught out advice from a friend of mine who owns his own multimillion dollar business, but it was a different kind of business entirely. His advice helped with the basics. Business cards, for one. I am proud of mine, my husband designed them for me with my own artwork, and made them double sided. They're eye catching, and I've gotten a lot of good feedback on them. Another thing he helped me with was business name. I started off with just Tessa's Photography and Art. Just a bit too long. So I decided to seperate my portraitures and custom work from my artwork, and came up with Memories by Tessa. Simple, easier to remember.

Then I started to advertize on craigslist. My husband designed these ads while I worked at the nursing home. It helped, I got a few veiws, but only a couple of inquiries. Not enough to make even a little dent.

I started doing the First Friday Art Walks in June where I can show my work, and sell it. I've sold very little at them, but I receive a lot of good feedback on my work. My first showing, I just brought in 10 pictures to hang on the wall. The gallery I show in is very lenient on how things hang, at the time, I didn't know that. I did get a few return visitors and people loved my work. I handed out a few business cards, but resulted in no sales.

I tried a Fine Art Gallery and got accepted in a juried art competition in that gallery for the month of July. But I could only hang 2 peices because they had to be framed a specific way and it wasn't cheap to get them framed and I couldn't afford to do more than 2 at the time. It was fun, but I didn't get to see the reactions from people. This was a more walk through only gallery setting. I liked the more personal way the first Gallery I tried did their thing. So I went back and have been there every month since and love it.

Every month I try something different. Different pictures, different artwork all together, and I've been playing around with set up to see what works and what doesn't. I discovered my time lapse drawing videos were a good hook and I had a few crowds watching them from time to time. That works. I pick out my best peices to display of a certain theme each time, and I don't seem to have trouble hooking in people to look at my work.

This last one I tried a coupon thing, offering a discount off their photography order or custom work order. Still have yet to see how they will work.

Last night's Art Walk, I spent some time talking with some of the other artists, asking them how they market themselves. Taking the first peice of advice now and learning the facebook fan page stuff.

My husband has been working as my agent, my manager, my assistant, web designer... wonder how many other jobs he does for me and for now, without pay. He can't make money till I make money. He does the time lapses for me, spends the time to edit each and every frame, and put them in a video as well as take the pictures every few seconds during the drawing. I'm really looking foreward to being able to take a huge load off him and do more of it myself, but till I have some clientelle, I'll have to continue working away from home as well, which limits my time. I am very greatful to have such a supportive and encouraging husband, telling me "You can do this" this entire time. I guess in a way, he's become my muse. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did without his help and encouragement. At first, I did it for my kids. Then I did it for me, and he hasn't let me forget my passion, even for a moment. I appreciate him very much. I've always felt he was my soul mate, even back when we were barely adults. There's no doubt in my mind I'm with the right man.

We will see where this takes us.... and keep learning, there's probably so much more out there I can do I just haven't learned yet.

To be continued........

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Damammatess

My business skills are not that great, but I'll get there.... if it were easy, more people would do it.

  • 3 votes
Reply#1 - Sat Nov 5, 2011 5:56 PM EDT
RAY FRIEDMAN

this is a third attempt to respond to you each time I get over energized and lose the comment , so to make it short.

1.. understand the variables and the priniciples behind marketability.

2.define the and streamline your object of desire to market

3. establish the parameters of its marketability

4.reach out to your market, establish your identity and that of your product

When dealing with percieved artistic products or work remember what you percieve as marketable may not be in demand nor hold the value you percieve it to be.

Advice is to in the photography and painting is to get out there , contests, free exhibits , lend or donate some particular work to a organization that has an intrinic interest in it. I did a series on steeples and to some institutions I gace and lent the photos to be on display only with my name , date and the name of that photo.No business cards , no selling but many times I have suggested to some that some of my work is on display etc....streamline your focus and immediate goals and target the right population.

I can go much more in detail, feel free to email me for more discissions and tips, do not give up , but be flexible

  • 3 votes
Reply#2 - Sat Nov 5, 2011 9:13 PM EDT
Damammatess

:-) thank you :-)

  • 3 votes
#2.1 - Sat Nov 5, 2011 9:17 PM EDT
Reply
Fletch-495299

Great Drawing, I understand what you mean about marketing. I have been playing with the idea of selling images and don't know where to begin in pricing things.

  • 1 vote
Reply#3 - Sun Nov 6, 2011 2:01 PM EST
Damammatess

Pricing is the hardest thing to do. The advice I got from a friend who is a very successful artist in Beverly hills is to always ask for much more. He told me when he used to sell his paintings for 150 or so for a large one, very few sold, but when he marked them way up, he sold out. I thought that was interesting. He was telling me pricing art is not like it is in retail at all. I do custom work for cheaper, but my own original peices I don't sell cheap.

For photography services and prints pricing, I've looked around at other photographers in my neck of the woods to see what their prices were and I set mine right in the middle range of theirs. There are a few who are more expensive, and a few who are cheaper.

I've been told to set your work at what you value it to be. What do you want it to be worth? Don't insult yourself and sell a painting you spent 20 hours on that you love for 100 bucks. Sell it for a few thousand. I've seen some paintings in the million dollar range that I can do myself for maybe 50 dollars worth of materials, and some even just an hour or two would be all it took to finish one. It's your talent, and it is valuable.

Some people do photography for the money. The ones that do don't last long once they realize how much real work it is. It's not just taking pictures. You gotta think about lighting, composition, focus, and know when you have it all just right, you gotta deal with the picky bridezillas and mother in laws, you gotta make sure you get all the required shots "just right" for weddings, and sometimes less than cooperative subjects and weather. Cranky kids and teenagers, and even the cooperative ones but the really fake cheesey smiles... it's sometimes a talent just to get them to relax and look real. Then the editing, this part I love the most, and some find it boring. It can be time consuming. Then you gotta deal with the prints and the shipping, unless you sell your printing rights (never sell those cheap, it's your work, your copyright) but I prefer to see my work in print form before the customer does to make sure it looks just right even in print, and to make sure the lab didn't screw up. And if you print your own, the printer has to be very fine quality, and ink can get expensive, so can the printer, and you have to deal with printer issues... Every printer I've ever worked with, even the finest of qualities, will throw a fit on a regular basis about something. Mine will "forget" what it's doing with only half an inche left on the paper to print, freeze for a while, then spit it out and print the last half an inch on a whole new sheet of paper. And the higher the quality of paper, the more expensive it is. I always use the finest quality paper, and the finest quality printer I can find because I feel my work deserves to be on the best paper by the best lab or printer I can find. Photography as a business really isn't as easy as just taking a few pictures. I don't care how hard it gets, I'm still going to go for it.

Never expect immediate sales when you start out. It's definately not a get-rich-quick thing, it's a passion driven thing. Word of mouth is the majority of the way people get into art and photography. It takes time to build the network you need. I'm still very much a baby in my networking, and I'm finding it's very valuable. Most artists are willing to share their knowledge and experiences, and it's nice to have the encouragement and to be the encourager. I really don't know any artists who aren't willing to help another out.

And I'm learning no questions is too dumb to ask. Everyone starts somewhere, even the most famous and most successful started somewhere. They once didn't know much about it either and had the same silly questions.

There's still a lot I don't know, but sharing what I do know just feels like it's what I'm supposed to do. I'll be sharing my experiences and the lessons I learn along the way.

  • 1 vote
#3.1 - Sun Nov 6, 2011 5:20 PM EST
RAY FRIEDMAN

The conceopt here is percieved value , if an item is marked too inexspesuive , they often wonder what is wrong with it or that it is not a valuable item, there is when dealing in art especially photos and paintings an index to use such as your true cost factor, the value is assigned by other variables , such as recognition , scarcity of a signifigant event or subject and a few others variables.After a while you will based on your target market you will be able to establish a some hwat type of scale

  • 1 vote
#3.2 - Sun Nov 6, 2011 5:33 PM EST
Reply
A. Macarthur

Sadly, with the advance of digital photography, the low-ballers have taken a big piece of market share! They undercut traditional stock houses by offering things like "subscriptions," where for a monthly fee, image-buyers can download hundreds of images ... the "agency" gets hundreds/month from the buyers, the photographers just a few dollars per image.

As for "art shows," many should be called "boutiques." Fine art is not appreciated while costume jewelry does just fine.

Still, I wish you luck; I got into the business before digital and did all right ... but it's not what it used to be.

  • 1 vote
Reply#4 - Sun Nov 6, 2011 11:27 PM EST
HollyKl

Love the drawing, Tessa! And good luck with the marketing efforts. My niece is involved in similar efforts right now; it seems like an uphill climb requiring a lot of persistance.

  • 2 votes
Reply#5 - Mon Nov 7, 2011 2:31 PM EST
G. Bud

The term Starving artist couldn't be more true. I do it mostly for my own enjoyment. I live in a tourist area. Selling at open markets requires a totally different mindset. I found if you put too much out there no one buys anything. At most I only display 2 or 3 paintings and a couple of carvings at one time a long with a variety of other things. Exception would be a dedicated art exhibit/show. Making the buyer understand it's unquie and rare or limited in scope... works for me. Open markets are great poster and signage venues. Around here there are a gazillion galleries and just as many starving artists. The ones who survive are the ones who offer something out of the ordinary, And out of the ordinary changes on a monthly basis. Versatility and variety rule the day. Kids love posters and older people are more refined in art taste of course.

I do agree with the big money psychoanalysis in marketing when you have something very original/rare and of superior quality. Items like this I wouldn't sell in open markets but would opt more for auctions or galleries. In this case you have to be very patient and be prepared to spend money to make money. Something I'm a little short of on a regular basis in both regards. I believe in pushing the market when it's justified. People wanting to sell crap for big money just makes me laugh, All the power to them.... A lot of my paintings use walmart supplies and it shows, At least to me anyway... I rarely sell anything framed, Mostly all gallery wrapped stuff as of late. Sequenced or series paintings have been good too. Not sure of the correct term?

Tip: don't auction your best work on Ebay until or unless you create a following. I've seen many good artist do this when they first go on Ebay and they get burned. Automatically they give up because they didn't have a good plan to start. I actually watch for this and snatch up great art for cheap cheap cheap. I've seen some good artists build great reputations also with the help of Ebay and a good plan of attack. Example Debra hurd , Ron, They started slow found a niche and have done quite well.

I never tried selling photo's as I'm pretty much a rookie pocket camera guy who can't afford much. The friends that do quite well have cheap sources for framing and printing. The work that sells are the photo's with digital painted affects or mimic paintings and even ones with real paint added to the print. Something I've done for a few people. Aerial photo's of peoples properties are a good seller here too. Photo's don't seem to bring anywhere near what original paintings do and they must be framed in order to sell. In the end they seem to cost just as much to produce and take just as much time and you make less money on an individual basis. Probably a better commercial product in my view. In the long run a job in commercial art may actually pay the bills, but good luck finding one. Just squirrels in my area and they're not hiring..he he

Local restaurants are a good natured bunch up here and often work well with artists. It's a win win for both parties, The restaurants get ever changing art and the artists get great exposure. Though in some cases the restaurateur is the worst art critic and not a good judge or preceptor for what gets displayed. Different types of art obviously work better in different types of restaurants. Gift shops are a very similar venue.

Take my comments with a grain of salt as I'm someone with no formal art or marketing education. Just a hermit in the sticks, No big city experience, Not rich, but I do sell things on occasion. I probably give more stuff away than sell. Actually that works just as good as any other marketing technique I found. Give something away and people feel obligated to buy something he he..or they might really come to appreciate your work and tell their friends, Best case scenario.

I had a good time exploring your page , Great work! Good luck with your endeavors. Perseverance and dedecation to things you believe in makes them happen.

  • 2 votes
Reply#6 - Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:02 PM EST
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