by Carolyn Edlund
Email marketing is a proven method to help you build a prospect base, make sales and grow your art business.
There are many ways to market art, including social media, paid advertising, personal appearances, and even direct mail, like sending out postcards. But one of the most effective and proven ways to sell art is email marketing.
When you build a subscriber list and market to your audience through email campaigns, you have control over the process. You own your subscriber list; no one can take that away from you. You decide when to reach out to your subscribers; there is no algorithm preventing your emails from reaching recipients on your list. And those emails wait patiently in inboxes until they are opened.
The power of an email list cannot be overstated. As you reach out over time, your audience becomes more familiar with your art and they remember you. This is the basis of building customer relationships, and that is what drives sales.
People buy from others they know, like and trust. These are qualities built over time, and email is a great vehicle to cultivate them.
A solid email list is one of the greatest assets your small business has. These are people who have expressed interest and they have given permission for you to contact them. And although they can always unsubscribe, artists have very low unsubscribe rates. That’s because most people appreciate art. They find art interesting and uplifting and will view your messages as positive experiences.
This fact gives the artist a distinct advantage. Not many people want to hear from car insurance salespeople, for example, so those people must use other strategies to remain relevant to their audience. But you as an artist are very special. What you do and the art you create matters and brings beauty into the world. Use this special status to build anticipation and excitement in your audience, so they look forward to hearing from you.
Another reason email marketing is so important is financial. When you make sales, stay in touch with customers through email to encourage them to collect even more of your work.
It’s been proven that existing customers are the best prospects for future sales. They already love what you do. They are easier to close and tend to spend more than new customers. And they are the perfect candidates to refer you to people they know who will also love your art. That continues the cycle of beginning and cultivating new relationships, which is how you build an art business.