by Carolyn Edlund
For artists, striking a balance between what you love to make and what sells can be the best of both worlds.
Many artists and makers are highly tapped into a niche market, creating work that fills the wants and needs of their chosen target audience. They gravitate towards their bestsellers, and expand their collections out from popular sellers with an eye towards increasing sales volume. It might be said that they are making what inspires their customers.
Is this approach an example of “selling out?” Not really. Making business decisions that capitalize on sales growth and are based on gaining market share would be cheered in most industries. In your own creative business, you’re likely to be thrilled to have hot sellers, and may really enjoy making them. And who wouldn’t love the idea of building on current success to enjoy a stronger, more lucrative income? There’s a lot of satisfaction in knowing that you can support yourself through your creative efforts. It’s a laudable goal.
What if you truly want to make what inspires you, rather than what someone wants to buy? Do you have to design for an audience? Is that the secret to success?
The answer is no. You don’t have to design your work for any particular audience in order to market and sell your body of work. Maybe what makes you happy is to follow your muse, explore and create what interests you. And, your art and handmade work is completely valid whether you sell it or not.
If you create what truly inspires you, it’s very possible that you will connect with customers who love and purchase what you make. Take note: what is it about your art or handmade work that others respond to? Listen to feedback to better understand why people purchase from you. What you are making could very well resonate with others, as well as satisfying your creative spirit. Rather than designing for the audience, you will be learning why your work has found an audience. Then, use what you’ve learned when you make a marketing plan. Build a message that expounds on this connection when speaking about your work to others.
If you’re not getting a lot of feedback, consider whether your audience isn’t really “getting” your work. In that case, you might need to educate them about what you make. Your message should be constructed to draw them in, to appreciate the appeal and the value of your art. But it can be a more difficult task.
Perhaps you are facing a serious challenge of developing an audience for your existing work. In that case, it’s entirely realistic to make a choice to go in a new creative direction that you feel would be more successful in the marketplace.
The perfect balance for an artist in business is to love what you do, and have plenty of customers who appreciate your work. At that point, you can grow your business with a solid audience and demand for your art.
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