The 7 P’s of Marketing

Product

This is where you look at your art from that of a consumer.  When you are pitching your work to your audience, press, or even an employer you should know what makes your work different. Why is it special?

Prices

This is something that many artists struggle with.  Often times artists will underprice their work so that they can get a client or land a lob.  In the beginning, as you start to develop your reputation it makes sense to price low so that you can get experience and exposure.  However, once you have gotten that experience you need to definitely reevaluate your work and adjust your prices according to what you feel your art is worth.  Don’t let someone bully you into a lower price when you know you are worth more.

Promotion

This is how you tell people about your art.  As an artist, you should be thinking about promotion all the time.  Opportunities are everywhere.  All you need is a little creativity.  Something as simple as how you describe your art on social media can make a difference in whether it’s shared 10 times or 10,000 times.

Place

This is where you sell your art.  This could be online, in a store, or even an art gallery.  The placement of your art can make a big difference in sales.  If you write children’s books an excellent place to sell your work would be at a school during a book fair.

Packaging

This is another reason to look at your product from the perspective of a consumer or employer.  The visual quality of your work makes a difference in whether or not someone will consider you for work or if they will buy what you make.

Positioning

How do others view your art?  How do they view you as an artist?  This is when you need to think about how you want others to perceive your art/brand.  When people talk about you is it in a positive or negative way?  If you want your work to be perceived as inspirational, position your work alongside things that inspire.  Do a mural to uplift a low-income community.  Donate inspirational art to a hospital.  There are so many ways to position yourself and your work for maximum effect.

People

When it comes to people you need to think about the people inside and outside your team.  From the worker to the consumer.  Think about what kind of people would be interested in your art.  Who does your art cater to?  If your art caters to little girls ages 8-16 then you can create effective marketing strategies for that target demographic.

Example: If your art caters to little boys ages 7-10 would you develop a partnership with a monster truck company or a barbie company?  Knowing your audience helps you make these kinds of decisions.

You also have to think about the people with whom you surround yourself.  That means being smart about who you hire and who is associated with you.  If you work with people who are passionate or care about what they do then it will show in their work.  For this reason, it’s important that you surround yourself with people who are willing to put forth the effort and work just as hard as you are.