Let’s talk about a little business.
Being entrepreneurial as an artist is important if you want to sell your work.
Email marketing is one of the most profitable marketing strategies for any business – and yet most creatives do it wrong, if at all.
You absolutely can’t just rely on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or another social media outlet. These are platforms that you have no control over. How many times has Facebook changed it algorithm over the years? You have no idea who is actually seeing your posts, unless of course, you pay for advertising, and still you don’t know exactly who is seeing your message.
Your #1 asset is to have a mailing list. A list that you own. A lot of entrepreneurs keep these lists on MailChimp, Aweber, Ontraport, or a myriad of other email marketing platforms. I use Aweber and love it. I can organize all sorts of lists and can send very specific targeted emails.
But we’re artists. There are so many other pieces of information that we need to track to be successful at the business of selling art. The marketing email platforms are fabulous for mailing to those who have signed up for our mailings (….please I ask you to adhere to anti-SPAM laws when sending emails), but what about keeping track of our finished pieces?
Where is the work now?
Where has it been exhibited?
Who owns the work?
Who owns multiple pieces of your work?
What did it sell for?
What galleries are you courting?
What work did you show the gallery?
What pieces are on online sales platforms?
When do you need to follow-up with specific galleries, collectors, or prospects?
Are the pieces keyworded to find easily?
…..the list can go on and on.
It’s a lot to keep track of in your head. And after years and years, it’s easy to forget who bought that piece in 2001 and that they love landscape images and also have a connection to your favorite travel spot.
If you are planning on selling your work, you need a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) database. I’ve been in one business or another for the last 20 years and I’ve always used FileMaker Pro. But I was seven versions behind and never used it to keep track of my images. But it was my natural tendency to keep with the same basic format. Until I looked at version 16. Wowza, they really changed things up over the years and now focus on building custom apps to automate workflows.
So, my search began for a new CRM. Over the course of the last 9 months I downloaded and ‘free trialed’ seven different programs. None really managing the artwork the way I wanted.
Then while decluttering my digital data I came across Artwork Archive. Again, I downloaded it. And I absolutely LOVE it. It really is art inventory, simplified.
Not only can I create tear sheets, and inventory lists, but I can also set reminders to contact galleries and collectors, record who owns my work and the price they paid, track each piece individually, send invoices, and connect with other artists and collectors worldwide.
With the super-duper bonus that it’s one of the easiest of any of the CRM’s I looked at.
You can even sync your portfolio within your website, and they have recently rolled out digital payments with non-commission.
And one of the most popular features they offer during Covid is a private viewing room to showcase and share information with individuals or small groups.
So, if you are like me and you’ve been waiting for something to help organize all this information, check out Artwork Archive. They are even willing to offer a 20% discount if you sign up via https://www.artworkarchive.com/clareoneill
Do yourself and your artwork a favor. Check out Artwork Archive today!
Let me hear from you. I’d love for you to join the conversation about how you manage your artwork database.
Be well….be creative,
Thank you for all of this useful information Clare! This is one area that I need to get more diligent about. As always, your posts and thoughts are greatly appreciated. 🙂
You are very welcome Bev. I think I think it’s something that a bunch of us neglect from time to time.