Knowing Your Art, Part 2

Navigating Currents #21, ©2022 MarieBukowski.com

This series of blog posts is centered upon the idea that to truly know an art, one should investigate every aspect of it. This mindset helps arts entrepreneurs sharpen their thinking by considering all the activities in the arts value chain, beyond the act of creating art, that are needed to deliver their offerings. This will result in making better-informed business decisions, as well as limit risk because only the most effective and efficient reasons for why, how, when and where to deploy resources make it through the evaluation process.  

In Part 1, I highlighted how changing a few of the attributes of implements used to create art can impact their utility and value. In this post, I’ll identify select elements to consider when marketing art or arts related items, and how it can impact your brand and interest in your offerings. Keep in mind these elements are presented in a vacuum because budgets, timelines, customer segments, etc., aren’t considered in this post. 

Mediums
These are the vehicles through which you will market your offerings. If you’re a new arts entrepreneur you should experiment with a variety of mediums to see which work best for you.  Do what you can with the resources you have: word-of-mouth, flyers, press releases, email lists, social media, and a website are all cost-effective ways to reach potential patrons. 

Strive to think beyond traditional marketing when promoting your offerings and be as imaginative in marketing your art as you are creating it! 

• Are YouTube tutorials or podcasts viable options for your offerings? 
• Would you be willing to offer your art at a discount for local fundraisers to help highlight your brand? 
• I’ve eaten in restaurants that display artwork for sale from local artists, likely for a small commission. A great way to monetize inventory!
• In our first full-length episode, saxophonist Bobby Watson suggested musicians should market themselves by offering to play a “free” set at jazz clubs. It’s essentially using their time and talents to “buy” market share from other bands. 
• Would you consider product placement? Our podcast has highlighted art and music from our friends to amplify their reach, and they do the same for our podcast.  
• What about partnering with companies who stage homes to showcase your art?
• Would you consider working with a fashion designer to license your art, and include a QR code or web address to create walking advertisements?

​Three thoughts on email lists: 

• While they are convenient, you’ll want to make sure your venture isn’t black listed by internet service providers, which could happen if you are sending out hundreds of emails at a time.
• If you’re buying email lists from third parties, keep in mind that even though they may be large lists, it doesn’t mean you’re reaching your target market(s). 
• Be aware that a large percentage of customers may be on more than one list, which will result in paying more to reach the same customers! I recall this being common in the music products industry because the same customers would frequently attend the same events around the US and subscribe to the same journals.

​Message
​What is your message and is it consistent across all mediums and all markets? At a high level, companies have consistent messaging and branding no matter which medium they use or the country they are in. Fonts, logos, colors, experiences, etc., should always be the same as part of a cohesive brand. Anyone who has traveled abroad can acknowledge that multi-national restaurants have the same look and feel, even though the menu may vary slightly to reflect local tastes. 

Relevant to arts entrepreneurs might be descriptions of artwork, products, or accessories which require translations that are clear and accurately represent the artist’s intent or the value proposition of the item or service. My friend Marie, whose artwork is shown above, frequently has her art shown in Europe and she confirmed that the galleries with which she works painstakingly insure the translations are accurate. 

Finally, don’t forget about he aesthetic of the message.  Are your materials sleek or busy, do they use attractive graphics or are they text-heavy, does it prompt patrons to learn more or glance away? 

Delivering the Message
The best case scenario is when the message comes directly from you, because you will have total control in insuring your patrons are getting the information as you intend. If it’s being given by another party, such as a distributor, gallery, influencer or retailer, it increases the possibility for miscommunication so you should write your marketing materials to be clearly understood. This means using concise verbiage and avoiding obscure words that aren’t easily translatable. 

By considering these elements as your venture matures, you’ll be able to refine your message to effectively attract, keep, and grow your patron base.   

Thanks for reading,
Nick