How to: begin marketing your art (Part Two)

Hey there, budding arts and crafts entrepreneur!  Here is the second round of five tips in our posts about how to begin marketing your art.  (For the first five, scroll on down two posts . . . or click here.) 

6.  Get yourself a t-shirt. 

Upload your art business' name and logo to a shirt-making company like Zazzle or CafePress.  Buy that shirt and wear it while you're running errands.  Seriously.  People -- like shopkeepers! -- will read your shirt and ask you what it's about.  Which is exactly how Bean Up The Nose Art got its wares placed with one of its very first brick and mortar friends.  

7.  Get involved with your local art group.

Many communities have geographically-based art groups you can join at little cost.  Typically, they have great resources to link you with other artists, venues that are looking for art, upcoming fairs and shows, and they often provide discounts to local art supply stores and museums.  Many also have their own galleries and shows that will carry your work.  Yay!

8.  Get cracking on your own art garage sale.

Advertise and have an art sale just like you would a garage sale -- held at your place, with signs posted in your neighborhood, on Craig's List, and anywhere else you'd be telling people about a garage sale.  Also use the sale as an opportunity to clear your studio of items you don't use any more.  Then let everyone know this is an "Art and Supply Garage Sale" and you'll get even more people to attend.

9.  Get on the teaching circuit.

Pick a project from your art life that you'd like to teach in a two-hour class . . . a how-to lesson that is easy and gratifying for you to teach, and for others to learn.  Pitch it to a venue where you'd like to hold the class.  A home decor shop? A gift store?  A frame store?  A preschool?  Advertise on your Facebook Business page, on your blog, and ask your social media support group to do the same for you.  Have the class.  Have some fun!  

10.  Get brave and approach brick and mortars.

Voila!  Now you've got a shop on etsy.com.  You've got a burgeoning social media presence.  You know from your art garage sale and your teaching that people like your wares.  Now go ahead and ask the owner or buyer of your relevant local shop whether she'd like to carry your products!  Know the rule-of-thumb that the wholesale price you charge the shopkeeper is typically 50% of your ware's retail price (what the shopkeeper will charge customers, and what you should be charging on etsy).  You can also try consignment sales.  

GOOD LUCK to you!!!  We here at Bean Up The Nose Art know you can do it  -- because if we can, so can you :)   After all . . . YOU ROCK!!!!