How-to: Figure out whether you want to market your art

It's not a question of whether your stuff is good enough.

First . . . I'm betting you, dollars to doughnuts, based solely on the fact that you're reading art blogs, that your stuff is AT LEAST "fine," and way more likely WONDERFUL. Second . . . even if you're saying to yourself, "No, really, you don't know -- my stuff is really questionable," what you don't know is the amount of truly questionable stuff I've seen SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES at big time arts and crafts faires. So, please do yourself a great big favor and STOP DOUBTING YOURSELF!!! Life is too darned short to be doing that for very long.

A better question, if you're wondering whether you want to market your wares, is, "Will I like the process of marketing my stuff enough to sustain that process?" Because, no matter how wonderful a product is, it takes a lot of time and consistent effort to plug away at the marketing part of life.

Here are five other questions to help you answer that big one.

1. Can I wrap my brain around the 50/30/20 rule?

See those bees? They've got it going on. Their systems of effort and production are some of the finest-tuned in nature. Every minute of their six-week life span is mapped out, task by task. Early days are for cleaning the cell from which they were born. Later days are spent on tasks like helping the queen, or taking care of larva . . . and, finally, going out in the world to gather nectar and pollen.

To market your art, you will need to have a bee-like sense of purpose, focus and time-management. Business and sales experts calculate that to be most effective at growing your business, you need to follow the 50/30/20 formula: spend 20% of your time visioning and making new products; spend 30% of your time on administrative tasks; and SPEND 50% OF YOUR TIME MARKETING. Seriously.

That is not normally how we think of spending our time as artists. But I decided to give it a try when I heard it from my sales coach last summer. And I'm here to tell you, it works. And, amazingly, it turns out to be FUN! You can find ways to get creative in your marketing, just like in your art-making. But if that 50/30/20 calculus makes you shake or vomit . . . .

2. Can I produce my stuff in quantities and qualities that will sell, and won't wreck me?

What do you make? Are they products that are reproducible in a cost-effective way for the fabulous people who will want to buy them, and for you? If you hand-make every single unit, will you be able to sell them for anything close to being able to pay yourself for your time? And will you get burned-out in making that same unit over and over again? On the other hand, if you are going to have your stuff reproduced by another vendor, how much will that cost, how will it work, and what will the quality be like?

3. Can I handle "rejection?"

I've put the "R" word in quotes because I aspire to actually believe that all information is good information. Sometimes, I actually pull that off. (I can hear several family members guffawing at this right now. To you, I lovingly point out that business is an easier realm in which to practice this than in than personal life.)

No matter how fabulous is your fabulous art, when you market it, you will hear people say all kinds of things about it that are not positive. For instance, turning to their friend at an arts and crafts fair and saying right in front of you, "WE could do this! We could do this BETTER!!" And, "Your prices are way too expensive." And, "I don't like the bio that you put on the backs of your greeting cards." And, "Your products are not a good fit in this store." And, "I'm sad to say, your cards are the slowest sellers in my shop."

Sometimes, you're going to sit at a fair and no one will buy anything, while the person in the booth next to you selling positively frightful stuff runs out of all the inventory she brought with her because everyone wanted one.

This stuff used to bother me.

Well, it still does.

But it doesn't deter me any more. Because WHY? Because all information is good information. You listen, ask questions, decide whether you agree or not (which often is wiser to keep to yourself), and move on. And you'll end up hearing people say the EXACT OPPOSITE. "Your price point is really reasonable!" "I love what you put on the back of your cards!" "My customers love your luggage tags!" You're going to hear it all. Because everyone has opinions and observations.

If you know for a fact that it is going to crush your spirit to hear things like this, and to not hear back from people at all, and to not make sales at fairs or on the internet during some time periods . . . think about it. I highly vote for us getting thicker-skinned and better-practiced at receiving such feedback, and moving right along and selling our wares. But if you are in a particularly vulnerable period, maybe give yourself a break until you are feeling back to your butt-kicking self.

4. Do I love the internet?

Because that is a tool that you are going to be using. A lot. To post and sell your items on etsy. To follow and comment upon other artists' blogs. To post about your art on your Facebook business page. To tweet about what you have to offer other artists and customers, and to thank your vendors, and to ask folks questions. To blog about information you want to share with others. To maybe start your own e-commerce website. If you feel happy and comfortable in that seat right in front of your computer, and if your fingers work at warp speed when they get excited about something they see on-line . . . well, that's a good sign!

5. Will I still like my art life if it becomes my job life?

It's a good question to ask ourselves. Is it going to wreck the fun, respite, nourishment, freedom we feel in our art lives if we make a business out of selling that art? Will the details, need for follow-through, pressure to keep marketing, worry about the financial bottom-line, travel to shows, efforts to put ourselves out there, and dealings with sometimes difficult people make this something we dread, instead of something we cherish?

As the lawyer part of me would say, "Reasonable minds can differ," on this point. To some reasonable people, all of this would be an exciting next chapter in their lives' creative-process novel. Because running a business IS creative. But to other equally-reasonable people, adding all these things would completely sink the activity that used to float their joyful boats.

I'm happy to be in the boat where marketing feels creative, and fun, and like a challenge that (most days) I enjoy figuring out and playing with. If you feel like that's the boat for you, COME ON IN!!! Post a comment below and we'll all cheer you on!!!! If you decide otherwise, you're also making an excellent decision.

In other words, stick a bean up your nose and see what happens! There is always the chance to try it the other way. And no matter which way . . . KEEP MAKING YOUR ART.