While every artist has their own dreams and ambitions, one that most of us share is that one day our artwork will be enough to pay the bills (and then some). Modern technology and outreach opportunities have made that dream a more achievable reality for artists working in all mediums and from all different walks of life.
In order to succeed, you need to be able to approach your art not just from a creative perspective, but a professional one too. From one art entrepreneur to another, here are some tips to help you get your art business off the ground!
Come up with a business plan.
If you’re serious about turning your passion into a source of income, you’ll need to start with a business plan—a rough blueprint for how you’ll approach selling your art. Essentially, you’re just defining your goals (short and long-term) and mapping out what you’ll need to do to achieve them. Here are a few questions to answer to help you start your plan:
- What type of art will you sell?
- Will you be doing art full-time or working another job?
- What are your estimated expenses?
- How much art must you produce to break even each month and, eventually, profit?
Identify your target market.
Think about the kind of art you can and like to make and what type of customers are likely to buy it. This is your target market. As you’re creating your business, you need to consider the needs and preferences of this target market.
For example, you should be pricing your product based on your customer’s average income, advertising in places they’re most likely to be looking, and scoping out competition in the current market. When deciding on your target market, stay true to yourself and your motivations, but also think about where you have the most potential for profit.
Get the word out and start connecting with customers.
In order to succeed, you need to be putting yourself (i.e., your work) out there at every opportunity. More importantly, you must create your own opportunities to do so along the way. A good place to start is with a website to market your art and social media presence for further outreach. You should also pursue local artist communities, organizations, and exhibition opportunities.
Make yourself accessible to your audience, so they become more invested in your art and success. Once these connections are established, continue to nurture them so they will help your business grow.
A good way to gain support for your own art business is to support others in the industry trying to do the same thing. At Tobi Collage, I am proud to offer an extensive collection of inspired quilt collages and hand-knitted items for other artists and customers to enjoy.
Visit my website today to learn more about my fiber art!