Art Marketing: Business Cards Aren't Enough!
Aletta de Wal Artist Career Training
Every artist needs a well designed business card. It’s a must have – like the basic black dress or the suit and tie in your wardrobe.
Handing out the same business card is like wearing the same outfit to every occasion. You wouldn’t wear your gym clothes to a wedding. That’s not the impression you’d want to make. The same goes for your business cards.
“I have a range of business cards with different images on them, so that I can ‘match’ the card image with the person to receive it. Some of my cards are little ones with art images on but I also have one that has all the info, but space to enter artwork titles and the medium used…and the price if I so choose!.” MM, New Zealand
Adding images and other information expands the uses of the basic business card. In addition to giving contact information to people you meet, you can start to implant impressions of your art. But business cards are not enough.
To make these impressions stick, you need a variety of promotional tools. You’ve met, and you have gone from strangers to acquaintances. Now how will you develop a relationship? It takes time and repeated meeting and contacts.
Here is a sampling of ideas:
• To turn acquaintances into followers, have postcards announcing upcoming events or awards.
• To turn followers into regulars, send brochures showcasing your latest body of work or videos of your latest show.
• To turn regulars into fans, send note cards with images of work recently sold or commissions completed and press releases when you win awards.
• To turn fans into buyers, send them a regular e-zine or blog describing your inspirations, influences and methods.
• To turn buyers into your “tribe,” send them personalized invitations to preview new work in your studio or a link to a special section of your web site where they can see the evolution of works-in-progress.
