You may have heard that adage at one time or another: your passion for art cannot create a business. It does stand to reason that it is hard to make a profit from art. There are branches of art, like advertising or creative writing, that you can turn into a business. Some people are just lucky enough to turn other areas of art into a profit-making enterprise.
If you’re into the business of road marking services or contracting construction projects, you’ll have plenty of work to make a sizable profit with. With art, you must market yourself and be very good at it. It is entirely possible, though, to market that passion, and there are times when the profit yields top dollar.
If you’re an artist and you’re out to market your work, consider these tips to become successful in your chosen business.
Ride the Golden Wave of Freelance Art
One branch of business that suddenly got a boost in the arm, so to speak, is the freelance niche. Suddenly, people wanted to hire others to do jobs for them; they normally cannot do themselves. One of the biggest niche industries that gained a substantial push in the arts, where graphic artists and designers became highly sought-after in the freelance world.
The trick here is to have an entrepreneurial mindset. Don’t treat your freelance career as a job but rather as a business; welcome your potential employers as clients you are out to make a deal with. This should translate into a high degree of willingness to do your craft and earn from it, too.
Advertise your Craft and ‘Sell Out’
There was a time when ‘selling out’ your art was frowned upon. As a passion project, these adherents of art strictly said that you shouldn’t turn it into work, no matter how hard it is to find a job. These days, with the advances in freelancing and producing art for clients, it’s no longer considered selling out.
Since you can work your own art, you market yourself as a brand. You can use your artistic skill to build your brand by distributing marketing materials like business cards, a logo and posting your art on a website. You can also choose which social media channels to use to show potential clients what they’ll be getting when they sign you.
Know What Time You are Productive
If you’re an artist, the chances are that you have a time when you’re most productive. Art is different from other corporate jobs like accounting or information technology, for instance. For artists, there is no set time when they’re productive. Some feel most creative at the wee hours of the morning, while others prefer the dead of night when the only sound they can hear is their own thoughts.
The trick to producing consistent art is to know what time you really are most productive. You should also stick to deadlines and celebrate small milestones. Be organized and be consistent in creating your own brand of work.
Know Your Own Art and Market it Properly
Some artists have no idea which of their art is marketable enough to clients. The trick to becoming a successful freelance artist is to know your strengths and market them to clients. You might be great in nail art, or you might be a strong creative writer. If you know your niche, it’ll be easier to market.
While you shouldn’t neglect other aspects of your art, work on which part of your art you feel strongest at. That’ll become your marketing pitch to potential clients in that field. Aside from that, you’ll also be able to discover new ways to make your work lighter and easier, leading to you working smarter.
Practice Makes Perfect
Once you’re marketing your product, you should dedicate time and effort to perfecting your craft. Freelancers aren’t technically employed, and at times, when they finish early, they can do other things after work. That should be your cue.
While there may be many things you’re waiting to do after work, devote at least a portion of that time to becoming better at your craft. Remember that people who put in the time to perfect their niche become more successful than those who don’t.
Art is passion. That should be your mantra to enjoying your work – that is, if you plan to turn your art into a source of livelihood. Perhaps the boom experienced by freelancing is a blessing in disguise, especially to artists like you who might want to turn their passion into income, too.
