How to make art selling a meaningful experience?

A Creator's Honeymoon Stage
Most artists enjoy making art because it quenches an innate need to be creative. The joy of inventing something beautiful fulfills their souls. At the beginning of their inspiring journey, they give away much work to their friends and family. 

Eventually, they improve their craft, and the idea of making their talent a business excites them because art seems to be the only thing that makes them feel alive. 
 
Simmering on the Back Burners
But the dream of making their art into a viable business continues to sit on their back burners because they feel uncomfortable about charging money for their talent. So there is this internal battle on having the desires to do it but not having the knowledge to carry through. 

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I know this scenario well because I was one of those artists over 20 years ago. I felt inadequate to start an art business, but my soul-crushing job was killing me so I took a chance on my talent and never looked back!

I know you want to create a business from your artistic skill, but you have a hang up about marketing and selling because you don't know how. So you let your fear and discomfort self-sabotage your happiness and future. 

But if you want to be the boss of a creative business and call your own shots, then your attitude about marketing and sales has to change because it is vital to your success. 

Time to Change your Attitude
If you view sales and marketing as icky or salespeople as slimy, then it is time to change your mindset around these topics because everything with business revolves around sales. 

As an artist our duty is to beautify and inspire peoples' homes and lives. Our presence in the society is a valid one therefore by having a problem exchanging money and goods, you are saying you are not worth it and sadly that is an undeserving attitude.

Poor marketing and no sales mean no business. When you want to turn your inspired creations into a business, you must start looking at your art from a marketer's perspective.  

Marketing and Sales
Your marketing has to speak to your target audience, and your sales techniques have to be top-notch because making sales is the only measuring stick that determines if your talent is a business or a hobby. 

So if you want to make consistent money with your talent, you got to change your attitude toward sales and marketing. You have to get comfortable with it and be the person you need to succeed. Stop resisting and start embracing. 

A dream remains that if you don't strategize a plan to get you to the stage you want to be. It is about putting a good plan in place and learning the necessary skills to make your hobby into a business.

Sales is not Icky
Let me just assure you, sales is not icky if you give your followers information, educating them about your art and mission. Sales is not gross when you respect their space, allowing them time to browse and make decisions. Sales is not uncomfortable when you open conversations with your fans and make connections.

Like, Know and Trust Factors
Sales happen when you build deeper relationships with your fans by investing your time with them and having meaningful interactions. It would help if you let people know who you are and what your art stands for.

Your service and communication with your followers must be impeccable, authentic, meaningful, and genuine. If you have the proper marketing in placed to help make that connection, then you are in good hands. But remember this, build on your like, know, trust factor, and sales will naturally happen. 

Let people into your life and your art world. Once you open your heart, friendships will form, and from there, you cultivate them into buyers and then collectors. 

Imagine
For now, I want you to imagine what it will be like if you make money from your art. Envision designing the life and business that you love. 

What that looks Like
My life changed once I made my art into my business. Nothing is more empowering than knowing that I am in charge of my destiny. 

And nothing is more fulfilling than waking up excited every day, bursting with creative energy, making beautiful art, producing new products, connecting with my tribe, beautifying their homes with my talent and get paid for it. Now, that is a dream life....don't you agree?

My experience has taught me that marketing and sales can be a gentle, honest, joyful, and meaningful experience with mutual benefits. Stay with me, and I will teach you how. 

If this blog empowers you to take a step forward, I have created a free e-book called The Ultimate Guide to Creating an Art Business of your Dream, which will show you a framework on how to transform your talent into a business. Click here for your copy. 
P/S Join me on Weekly FB LIVE tomorrow at 11 a.m. PST. We will dive deeper into the subject of sales and marketing.
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With Creative Joy,
​Ting