Marketing Your Art the Right Way

Selling Art, Not Selling Out

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Why You Should Listen to The School of Greatness from Lewis Howes

Who inspires you?

That’s not a rhetorical question. I want you to think about it. If you can’t think of anyone who inspires you to accomplish great things, you need to start looking. You need people in your life who can help you get over the hump, people who light a fire under you.

For me, one of those inspiring people is Lewis Howes. If you are new to the online world of entrepreneurship you may not know his name, but he inspires thousands of people every day. Lewis has built a multi-million dollar business from scratch, he speaks around the world, and he has advised billion dollar brands.

It hasn’t always been this way. When he was younger Lewis played professional football, until injuries cut his career short. He found himself broken, living on his sister’s couch.

It was in that pivotal moment of life that Lewis decided to make a change. Instead of continuing to wallow in self-pity, he decided to embark on his next stage in life.

He learned about business, marketing, and adding value to influential people. He sought mentorship from those he admired. He began his own events teaching people about the power of LinkedIn. He mastered the art of webinars so he could reach a broader audience. He started his own podcast, The School of Greatness, and his own mastermind, the School of Greatness Academy.

Instead of giving up and settling for less, Lewis took control of his life. He pivoted when life was not going his way.

For those of you interested in Lewis Howe’s story, I can’t recommend his The School of Greatness Podcast enough. It is one of the few shows where I enjoy every episode I listen to. Below are some of the reasons to listen to the School of Greatness:

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“The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work.” – Michael Jackson Quote Art

“The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work.” – Michael Jackson

Print available on Society6.

If you want to learn, learn from the best. Click To Tweet

If you want to learn, learn from the best. People throughout human history have turned to those who came before them. They studied and dissected the masters of their chosen craft and saw great results because of it. You can see influences throughout the works of great artists and thinkers.

People these days have a tendency to gravitate towards the newest thing. They read the latest blog posts just so they can test out another new strategy. Yet, when they try to use them, they don’t get anywhere near the results. The mistake isn’t in the execution, it’s in the constant desire to get the fastest results.

Instead of testing every new tip and trick you encounter, study the principles behind them first. Every new strategy has been influenced by the masters from the past. Instead of asking how someone accomplished a task, ask why they did it. It is only by understanding why someone did something that you will understand how they did it.

Achieving success is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Click To Tweet

If you are looking to become great at your chosen craft, you must first look at the masters who came before you. Learn from their mistakes. Dissect what made them great. Achieving success is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Take your time and be deliberate about your studies.

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Ten Marketing Ideas Artists Can Steal From Me Right Now

Main photo by elhombredenegro

Unlike many people, I don’t have a problem coming up with ideas. I have trouble choosing what ideas to focus on. Becoming successful is not about how many good ideas you can come up with. Anyone can come up with good ideas. Becoming successful is about focusing on a few good ideas and seeing them out to completion.

One thing I do every day is James Altucher‘s method for becoming an idea machine. Each day I write down ten ideas based on a single topic. The purpose of this exercise is not to come up with ten good ideas. It’s to exercise your idea muscle. Just like any other muscle in your body, you must exercise your idea muscle to make it stronger.

One of the topics I chose was Ways for Artists to Promote Their Art. I may or may not get to these ideas some day, but you are free to try them if they pique your interest.

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Cracking Creativity Episode 6: Jason Goughnour on Live Music Tutor, Bringing Your Ideas to Reality, and the Future of Online Learning

Jason Goughnour is the creator of the site Live Music Tutor which lets people learn to play instruments online. In this episode Jason talks about coming up with the idea for his site, building a team of people to make his idea come true, and tips for starting your own creative project.

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Is it surprising that so many artists get burned out or give up?

Who has the time to run a side business in addition to holding a full-time job, and dedicating ourselves to the art that we love? Making a living as an artist is not an easy task. There are so many things you have to do. From creating a website, to blogging, to handling your finances, to packaging and sending out your work, how do you find the time to do it all?

Business and Marketing

I’ve been on a quest to find out how I can help artists build a business from their art. What I’ve discovered is, if you want to make a full-time living as an artist, you must be a business. Being a business means creating something that allows you to support yourself. While it will be entirely up to you to continue taking steps forward, you will also be working hard to make your own dreams come true instead of working on someone else’s dreams. It means the only limit to how much money you make depends on how much you work you want to put in. Ultimately, being a business will allow you to quit your day job, and dedicate yourself to the creation and sales of your art, full-time.

There are so many misconceptions about being an artist, and I want to do my part in dispelling those myths. I want to help artists succeed in doing what they love.

One of the most prevalent myths about art is that artists should avoid business and marketing. They think being an artist means they don’t need to market their art. They think the art should speak for itself. Instead of learning how to build a business around their art, they only create art. Instead of learning how to market their art, they hope people will discover their work. If your strategy revolves around hope and prayer, you are in for a rough ride.

Another misconception artists have about marketing is you have to be sleazy or scammy. Contrary to popular belief, marketing doesn’t mean you have to be sleazy or scammy. In fact, your business will be much more effective if you aren’t. If you are open and authentic with your audience, you will discover how mutually fulfilling a sale can be when it’s based on a genuine connection with your customer.

Those who have successful businesses understand that marketing is getting the word out about your product. It has nothing to do with shoving your art in front of people begging them to buy it. Marketing is all about identifying the needs of your audience and fulfilling those needs. As artists, marketing your art is about building a connection with those who need it. It’s about connecting with someone on a deep, emotional level.

Self-doubt and Confidence

Another thing artists suffer from is self-doubt. They say “I don’t have much confidence in myself” or “It’s hard to stay motivated when no one buys my art.” If you let these beliefs take hold of you, you will not make it as an artist.

The best way to overcome these doubts is by getting your art in front of the right audience. If you have been creating your art for everyone, you may want to re-think your strategy. The reason people applaud your work but don’t buy it is you are pitching it to the wrong audience. To whom you market and how you do it are critical to selling your art.

Targeting the wrong audience is like chasing after a romantic interest who isn’t interested in you. You can do everything in your power to get them, but in the end, you won’t succeed. However, when you discover the right person, your odds of success increase dramatically.

Your target audience for your art is no different.

Overcoming your self-doubt is not a pie-in-the sky process – it can be broken down systematically, and can lead to a world of new opportunities. By identifying and marketing to your ideal audience, you’ll discover how easy it is to connect with others, and make a sale.

You’ve Made It Easier On Yourself, Now Make it Easier For Them

Have you ever been caught in that frustrating trap of discovering a work of art that you HAVE to have, only to find that there’s no obvious way to buy it? It’s as if that artist doesn’t even want your money. If you want to sell your art online and don’t have an easy way for people to buy it, you are in for some major disappointment. Once you identify the right potential buyers, you need to make it easy for them to buy your art.

I’m Here to Help

If any of these pains resonate with you, don’t worry – you’re not alone! Many artists suffer from the same things you do. After all, they may teach you how to create great art in school, but they don’t teach you how to sell it.

The good news is, you don’t have to go at it alone.

I am considering creating a course for a small group of dedicated artists who want to overcome their fears and doubts. In this course, you will learn:

  • How to find your ideal audience
  • How to connect with that audience
  • How to build a website that sells
  • How to market your art once you’ve built your website
  • How to market your art the right way!

If you have been struggling with the business and marketing side of your art, or you want to save time learning how to do it all on your own, this course is for you.

I’m ready to invest in you and your success. Are you ready to invest in yourself? Are you willing to take the necessary steps towards building your art business full-time?

If you’re interested in being part of this first group of pioneers, sign up for the waiting list below.

Thanks for considering yourself, and here’s to your success!

– Kevin Chung

“Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe” – Oprah Winfrey Quote Art

“Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe” – Oprah Winfrey

Print available on Society6.

Pessimism is one of the great tragedies of life. Just take a moment and reflect on your life. Despite what the media will have you believe, we live in the safest time in human history. We live in a time where you can communicate instantly with people across the world. We live in a time where people can build audiences in the millions without going through the gatekeepers of the past. Why are we so negative?

We are letting those in charge dictate what we believe. We tell children every day there is only one way to go through life. Graduate from high school, go to college, find a job, get married, work for forty years, and be grateful for what you have. If you don’t follow that exact formula, you are deemed a failure. What if you don’t want to follow that path? What if you want to create a path for yourself?

When I was a child, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was going to be a Disney animator. Then, in high school, I wanted to be an architect, and in college I wanted to work in the movies. I never pursued those dreams, but that is okay. Everything I have done has led me to where I am now.

I believe the greatest path to success is by helping others achieve success. Click To Tweet

I have found my vision for the future. I want to be a difference maker. Instead of pursuing a career path for myself, I want to help other artists pursue a path of their own. I have gone from only thinking about myself to thinking about others. I believe the greatest path to success is by helping others achieve success.

Discover your grand vision for life and pursue it without abandon... Click To Tweet

We only get one chance at life on Earth. Why let others dictate our lives for us? Discover your grand vision for life and pursue it without abandon because you can only achieve what you believe. When you are near the end of your life, do you want to look back in regret or do you want to look back and celebrate everything you’ve done?

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Photo by Connor Burton

Cracking Creativity Episode 3: Jacques Ho on Salsa Dancing, Being Present, and Expressing Gratitude

Jacques Ho is a Salsa dancer and instructor in Denver Colorado. In this episode, Jacques talks about what makes a successful dance, what dancing can teach us about ourselves and others, why you should always be in the present moment, and how he became a Salsa fanatic by accident. He also dives into his upcoming research and gratitude projects which can teach us about being of service and leaving a lasting impact.

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“Warriors keep moving forward. Worriers do little and play it safe. Be a warrior, not a worrier.” – Bob Baker Quote Art

“Warriors keep moving forward. Worriers do little and play it safe. Be a warrior, not a worrier.” – Bob Baker

Print available on Society6.

There are two ways you can live your life. You can live the ambitious life of a warrior or the fearful life of a worrier.

The warrior chooses to march on despite all odds. They figure their way out of jams. They take what they are given and run with it, even if that means they might fail.

The worrier is content exactly where they are. They are afraid of what might happen if they fail. They take no chances and hope luck will take care of them.

What separates one from the other? Persistence. When adversity strikes, warriors do not give up. They are determined to succeed, no matter the obstacle. Worriers shrink and shrivel. They give up before they’ve even begun.

Warriors conquer the world, worriers sit at home and let them. Click To Tweet

If you are happy where you are, stay a worrier. It makes it easier for the rest of us. If you are tired of waiting around for something good to happen to you, become a warrior. Warriors conquer the world, worriers sit at home and let them.

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Cracking Creativity Episode 2: Chris Krimitsos on his Podcast Story Jam Theatre and Storytelling

Chris Krimitsos is the mind behind the wonderful podcast Story Jam Theatre, which features stories about epic fails, aha moments, and life changing experiences told at live storytelling events. In this episode Chris talk about storytelling, the emotions of stories, and how every person has a story to tell. He also talks about how his Uncle Gus shaped his future by touting the importance of education and developing skills.

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“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” – Edmund Hillary

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” – Edmund Hillary

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Every goal you have is like a mountain waiting to be scaled. Before you begin your ascent, you are filled with hope and excitement. You believe you can accomplish anything. Then you hit some unforeseen obstacles. Do you quit in the face of adversity or continue on?

If you are like many people, you give up. You are defeated and humiliated. “I can’t do it.” “It’s too difficult.” When you let these thoughts creep into your head, you have already lost.

What separates those who scale the mountain of adversity versus those who give up?

Our attitude affects everything we do. Click To Tweet

The answer lies within ourselves. Our attitude affects everything we do. If you approach obstacles with a stoic mindset, you will have a much greater chance of success. Instead of viewing adversity as a hindrance, think of it as an opportunity to stretch your capabilities. How can you approach this problem in a new way? What can you do to turn that obstacle into a solution?

Conquering the unconquerable is much more satisfying than giving up. Click To Tweet

Conquering the unconquerable is much more satisfying than giving up. Don’t let a defeatist attitude get in the way of accomplishing your goals. Face your fear head on and don’t give in.

When we are finally reach the peak of the mountain top, we know it was worth it. Our accomplishments do not lie in the goal we’ve achieved, but in our ability to achieve that goal.

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Photo by Zach Dischner

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