In the Art Marketing Minute Podcast, you’ll learn how to sell your art, how to market your paintings, and everything else you need to know in order to have a successful art career. Each episode answers questions from artists by host Eric Rhoads, author of “Make More Money Selling Your Art,” publisher of several art magazines and newsletters, and author of ArtMarketing.com.

In this Art Marketing Minute, Eric Rhoads shares why it’s important to network and how to do so; and thoughts on how to leverage your artist statement.

Listen to the Art Marketing Minute Podcast: Episode 63 >

Submit Your Art Marketing Question:

What questions do you have about selling your art? Email Eric today at [email protected] (include your name and where you’re from) to hear your question answered on an upcoming Art Marketing Minute Podcast.

FULL TRANSCRIPT of the Art Marketing Minute:
DISCLAIMER: The following is the output of a transcription from an audio recording of the Art Marketing Minute. Although the transcription is mostly correct, in some cases it is slightly inaccurate due to the recording and/or software transcription.

Announcer:
This is the Art Marketing Minute with Eric Rhoads, author of the Amazon best selling book, “Make More Money Selling Your Art.” In the marketing minute we answer your questions to help your art career brought to you by artmarketing.com, the place to go to learn more about marketing. Now, here’s your host, arts magazine publisher, Eric Rhoads.

Eric Rhoads:
Here’s a question from Brett Mattingly in Pueblo Colorado who says, I keep hearing about the importance of networking through art clubs, co ops and the like. But how do I begin if there aren’t any groups around me? Well, Brett, first off, let’s ask why. Why is it important? Well, it kind of depends on what’s important to you. But the idea behind it is that if you’re not connected with other artists, you really won’t have a feel for what’s going on in the art community. Because when you have a lot of people connected, you’re now understanding what people are doing, what are they selling, what things are working for them, it’s nice to have friends that are other artists, you know, you might not have a group in your town. But you’re in Pueblo, Colorado, I know there’s a lot of artists around there. So really, the goal is to be communicating with artists and hanging out with him on a regular basis. You can make that happen by creating your own little group on Facebook, or you can create a group where people get together in person. But why not just kind of start putting artists together, create your own little club. And, you know, really, the whole goal is just to be talking to other artists and networking to find out what’s going on in their world. And if you can, that’s a good thing. You know, somebody called me for some advice the other day, they just moved to California. And they wanted to know how to get really connected fast. And I said well join the California art club. You know, there’s no better way to get connected than there because you know, all the great artists are part of it. And there’s a lot of collectors and there’s a lot of events happening and a lot of things that are going on. And so that is a really terrific way to get connected and so Or clubs and you know, and sometimes those connections lead you to introductions into galleries or making other people aware of your work. That’s the reason.

Here’s a question from Lauren Goforth and Rapid City, South Dakota. Lauren says, Can you tell me what’s the purpose of an artist statement? And how can I use it to leverage sales? Well, you know, this idea of an artist statement, I’m not sure where it came from, but I just, you know, sometimes I wonder, the purpose. You know, I think the goal here is, you know, a lot of galleries will tell an artist to make an artist statement, I think the goal is to have something to talk about the goal is to maybe set an image or to try to create something for, for people that can kind of put a little bit of they’re there for you. I mean, the idea that, you know, what are you thinking about? Why do you paint? What do you care about, you know, what, why are you doing what you’re doing that kind of a thing? You know, that? I don’t really care about that stuff, quite frankly. I mean, I think it’s nice to look for ways to get people to know you. I don’t think it has to be an artist statement. But what you can do is you want to kind of create a sense of, you know, maybe a little sense of fantasy, you know, why do people create? Why do people like artists? Well, they live vicariously through artists, because we live lives that are different than what other people do. So I think it’s nice to have a line or two on your website, maybe at the top of your websites. As you know, Eric Rhoads is a, you know, traditional impressionist painter, who does this or does that. And you know, he’s really driven by landscapes and loves to also do portraits. I mean, that’s kind of a thing. It’s just really something to give people something to kind of hang their hat on. And to understand a little bit about you, because people are confused about art. How do you do it? How do you use it to leverage sales? I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, I, I’m sure somebody would be able to answer that question. I can’t answer it that, you know, the reality is to leverage sales, you have to have continual contact with people lots of repetition, you need to get in front of them, they need to be seeing what you’re doing. And what’s more important about getting people to, to buy art is getting them involved with you, let them get to know you, people are more comfortable buying from people that they know, help find ways to let them get to know you, I suppose the artist statement could do that. But you know, get them to sign up for your newsletter, and then make your newsletter. really informative, something they’re willing to open, you know, that’s not just all about you, but it’s about things that you’re going to help them learn. And I think just the idea of, you know, you’ve got to be putting yourself in front of people on a regular basis, probably more than you’re comfortable with. And that’s what’s going to help leverage sales because you never know when somebody is in the market for something, looking for a birthday gift or a special special gift. And so, just staying in front of people all the time, that’s what it’s really all about, we have a product that we created. I don’t think we’re going to sell it much longer. Because we’re kind of ready to invent the next thing but it’s called Art marketing in a box. The whole purpose is to kind of make you a star in your local market and make people familiar with you and really just kind of stay in front of people and it works really, really well. I’ve had artists say they’ve doubled their sales in the first year from it just because other you know, their stay in front of people. You don’t need that. I mean, you just got to look for lots of creative ways to get in front of people.

Well, this has been the art marketing minute with me. Eric Rhoads. My goal in life is to eliminate the idea of starving artists to help your dreams actually come true. So if you want to submit questions, simply email [email protected]. And to learn more about marketing ideas, you can visit Artmarketing.com. Thanks for listening.

How to Submit Your Art Marketing Questions: What questions do you have about selling your art? Email Eric today at [email protected] (include your name and where you’re from) to hear your question answered on an upcoming Art Marketing Minute Podcast.