If the pandemic that we are finally coming through taught us anything, it is that having a side hustle or multiple ways to earn extra money is beneficial during tough times. During the start of the pandemic, many businesses closed for extended periods, which meant that while bills remained due, there was no money coming in to pay them. A lot of people used their talents and creative side to start entrepreneurial ventures with much success. If you are an artist, with so many people at home redecorating, you’ve had significant opportunities to sell your work too. Please continue reading to discover how some artists have turned their passion into extra money and also a guide to attracting more art business opportunities. When it comes to side hustles, unfortunately, many of us think too small. We only think about making extra money. Instead, we need to stop limiting our abilities and work to create more opportunities. Some ways to do that are:
Get Help for the Business Side of Your Craft
As an artist, you may not understand all the ins and outs of the business side of your work. Either hire someone to help or learn it. To make a living as an artist, you must understand how much it costs you to make a product. That includes not only your time and money sourcing the materials; it includes your time and creativity in creating them. Many artists undervalue their work and therefore underprice it. If you don’t want to hire help, take a business class. It will be beneficial in attracting more business your way and broaden your understanding of the value of your work.
Know Who You Are Creating Art For
Just like a writer writing a book, knowing your audience allows you to create with them in mind. With that in mind, if you have been making what you like and you have a waitlist for your products, by all means, continue to create that way. However, understanding your intended audience will help you focus on designing for them and attract more business. Understanding who you are creating for is also helpful for those who are going to want one-of-a-kind pieces. They will tell you their vision but understanding them will help you understand what they want.
Use Only the Best Products
There may be opportunities to create your art to save money by purchasing tools and materials in bulk. However, you don’t want to be cheap when buying supplies for paying customers. That means using professional grade acrylic paint and good canvas for projects. Even an untrained eye can tell the difference in the vibrancy of colors and the saturation of the colors. Likewise, investing in compressed charcoal will sharpen your strokes and help you get the desired depth if you create charcoal. When potential customers know that you care so much that you only use the best, they are more inclined to do business with you.
Use Social Media As Your Friend
Advertising and promoting yourself is hard. However, social media has made it so much easier than ever before. You can post pictures of your work without a caption to catch a buyer’s attention as an artist. The secret is consistency. It won’t be long before you have likes and inquiries about what you’ve posted. Therefore, use social media to promote your work. Once you are comfortable posting your pictures, start telling a story about the piece, how it came about, your inspiration. Viewers on social media feel more connected when there is a story, and they will be inspired to do business with you.
Talk to Potential Customers About Your Vision
Tell your audience how perfectly you envision your art in an eclectic living room or how superb it will look in a black and white vintage-style bedroom. Customers appreciate artists’ eyes and vision and telling them how you imagine your piece hanging or sitting gives the customer a sense of connection to the artist. They feel great that the artist thinks that far ahead about their creation.
Conclusion
As you can see from the guide above, there are certain steps you can take to attract more art business opportunities. Your passion as an artist can turn into a beautiful business.
