"How do I transition from a 9-5 job into owning my own art business successfully." This is the question I often get asked from artists. Well, may I suggest start by doing art shows and events get some hands-on business knowledge under your belt. I understand most of you would like to stay home and make money online but I hate to break it to you, that is not how it works unless you have either a dispensable income or someone to support your creative side hustle financially. Most of us don’t have that privilege. So the only way to do this is to start small and grow from there. Effective measures have to be taken to secure your business footings. It’s like that idiom: We must learn to walk before we can run”. Don't get ahead of yourself, take your baby steps and do it right. At the beginning of my art career, my husband and I did up to 12 shows annually. Some of the shows were strictly art, and some were arts and crafts related. The strictly art venues were my favorite because they attracted the art collectors, and gave me the chance to meet with them.
If you are new to the game, you don’t need a heavy schedule to start. You can pick 2-3 best art shows in your area to commit to and see if this is a source of income worth adding to your business repertoire. Believe me there is a lot of benefits to doing shows including getting exposure from Media. Your art show success depends on two factors: Picking the right show and the effort you put into it. Thank goodness both are in your control. How to have a successful showing? The thing about shows is that they are usually 2-3 days in length, being short and intense, you want to be as effective as possible. Which means you have to show up over-prepared and ready to network and sell. I used to book all my shows at the beginning of the year. Finding the events to participate in takes some due diligence. And the best way to do this is by asking the show coordinator a series of questions. I have prepared a series of questions for you to ask. Please feel free to use it as a guideline to help you to find the best events to participate in. Here are the questions you should ask and I have included my experience under each question as well. :) 1) How many years has the show been running? Shows with a long stance of history have more attendees and yield better results. 2) Where is the event held and when? It is best to find shows that are in your hometown or close in proximity so that you don’t have to stay overnight in a hotel. Accommodation, gas, and food ultimately raise your overhead cost, which in return lower your profit margin. 3) How long is the event and when? Knowing the time frame will help you anticipate how much you need to create and bring to the show. I can’t stress enough about over-preparation, always have more than you need in different price ranges for an array of budgets. And watch your dates, so you don't double book on the same weekend. 4) Is there an admission fee? Having an admission fee shows that their clients are buyers, not browsers. 5) Jury or non-jury? I recommend Juried shows vs. non-juried because they are of a higher caliber and they are usually well advertised giving you a more elite crowd. Since they are selective, you won’t get as many artists selling the same kind of art and products. This way you are not competing with an over-saturated market selling similar art. 6) Is it an indoor or outdoor event? An indoor setting is the best because you won’t have to worry about setting up tents and dealing with the outdoor elements, which will give you unnecessary stress distracting you from selling. 7) How many people does the event attract? Always aim for shows with a high turnout. For smaller shows aim for at least 5,000 people or more, and for larger events, 10,000 people or over. 8) What are the rules and regulations? Make sure you check out their rules and regulation. Some art shows only allow you to sell original paintings and no prints, which will undoubtedly limit your earning potential. 9) What kind of promotions are in place? A lack of marketing shows that the organizer is only doing it for their own benefit, and they are not concerned if their vendors are profiting. Ask them how and where they are promoting the show. Hopefully, they are advertising all in the right places, such as local news, social media, radio, newsletters, etc. Don’t leave the promotion solely to the organizers, you should do your own marketing as well, send out a newsletter to your subscribers and let them know where they can find you. Better exposure and marketing mean good show turnout. 10) What time is the setup and tear down? Make sure you have ample time to set up and tear down your booth because it is vital to your success. Your booth has to be attractively displayed, and the layout has to give you maximum exposure and efficiency. If you overlooked any of these factors, it could greatly hinder your success. I found paying more for corner booths worthwhile because they are usually bigger and have two exposed sides to attract customers to enter your space. 11) Do your due diligence. If possible, check out the venue the year before to do a quick assessment to see if it is worth participating. It is vital to find shows that are annual, well known, and well attended. If you don't have time to scout it out, you can also look at the events’ websites to find out who the previous participants were. Check out the vendors' websites, see their level of professionalism which would usually give you an overall projection of the show. You can always reach out to the vendors and ask them about their experience, which will provide you with a direct answer instead of guessing. 12) What is the Cost? Shows can get expensive but a good event is worth participating in. At any shows, you should be able to make 3-4 times the cost of the booth. If you are not doing that, it might not be worth participating. Remember to consider your expenses, your time and effort are all factors to consider. The bottom line is profit and exposure. My Advice Doing shows is very time and energy-consuming, which is why you have to do your due diligence to make sure it is worth your while. Remember participating in events is not just for that one-time sale it allows you to network with potential customers, industry people and other artists. The opportunity also gives you a place to test your products which is invaluable. Meeting your art patrons face to face is also an effective way to grow your online business as well. Interaction in person is 100 times more rewarding than social media. That's why doing art shows will help you boost your online shop exponentially, plus add another revenue stream into your business. While you are there, chat with your audience invite them to sign up for your newsletter your effort will make your time worthwhile. If you don’t have an email list yet and would like to start one, check out this article. Make sure you read the Fishbowl technique, it is specifically for Art shows and events. If you are not quite convinced if doing shows is the way to do business, do check out this article, called "14 reasons why doing art shows helps with your overall business". Let me know if you are participating in art and craft shows this year and which ones are your favorite ones? Please leave a comment below. Need some marketing advice? Come and join my new FB Group and let me help you to grow your art business. With Creative Joy, Ting
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Ting YuenI am an artist and art marketing strategist that is passionate about creating meaningful art and courses that inspire your life, business and home. Archives
September 2024
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