What’s the fastest way to share your art with 1,000s of new potential buyers?
(Forget the recent media hype — this is not about NFTs 😉 )
We’re talking about connecting with a potential partner —
someone who already has an audience that shares your values.
Because that person is already looking for new ideas to share with their audience.
And your artist journey might be the perfect topic
for their next post, podcast, or live presentation.
But how will they even find out about you?
Well, you’ll get to create your own opportunities
as you develop this one very learnable skill
that can open doors where other artists only see walls.
It’s called pitching.
No gymnastics required — just a little practice!
Pitching? Not Like That
If even the word “pitch” gives you a mild sense of impending doom…
take a moment to see it in a different light.
We’re not talking about a traditional sales pitch.
You make fine art, not vacuum cleaners.
Instead, you’re offering to give relevant content to their audience, for free.
And that feels completely different.
When you approach someone with this mindset of giving,
with your creative eye out for different ideas,
that opportunity becomes a win-win for both of you.
A good email pitch has three parts:
- Develop a bond with someone fast so they don´t dismiss you
- Offer that person to create value for their audience
- Ask if they are interested
See?
You are not “asking for a favor”.
Instead, you are just giving a helping hand.
BIG difference.
Because audience owners
(podcast hosts, newsletter writers, Facebook group admins…)
are always looking for interesting content to share:
- The mythical cultures podcaster is interested in interviewing you on your modern art totems
- The nature conservation newsletter writer is interested in featuring your wildlife photography
- The psychoanalysis blogger is curious to share the process behind creating your abstract portraits
Instead of being pushy, shouting, trying to stand out among a sea of artists…
… you get featured in front of the audiences who already want to hear from you.
Naturally, after the host asks about your artist views on their topic in front of their audience…
then you can calmly let their audience know how to commission artwork from you, get early access to your next prints, or join your art workshop waitlist.
Most artists have not mastered the skill of pitching.
So when you do it well, you’ll make a big impression.
And once you start to see results from reaching out in this way,
you’ll be inspired to do more of it.
Every step forward is energizing!
If you were in our signature coaching program,
you’d have already made your “Dream 100” list (following our research blueprint)
of the people you’d love to work with & the people you’d love to promote your work.
And you could borrow our proven word-for-word scripts
to approach those dream partners and get featured to their audiences.
In fact, this is how we created our own 30,000-subscriber email list in 12 months —
mainly by pitching the right way.
Avoid These Pitching Mistakes
Working with hundreds of artists from all over the world,
we’ve seen and heard a lot of pitches that miss the mark.
Here are five things NOT to do when you reach out:
- Using “I”, not “you”. Which of these words are you using to start your sentences? Keep the focus on the person you’re reaching out to.
- Brick walls of text. If you’re sending email, make it short and readable on a small screen. Bullet points work wonders.
- Too many topics. When you first connect with someone, keep it simple. Stay on just one subject at first.
- “Love to hear your thoughts.” If you don’t ask a question, don’t expect an answer. Make it easy for them to answer a few very specific questions instead.
- Unclear how to reach you. In email, include a signature with all your professional contact information. You can set this up to appear automatically.
Once you’ve steered clear of these common trouble areas,
watch out for two more:
Always Follow Up
Whenever your potential partner responds,
you’ll want to be ready to continue the conversation.
And if you don’t hear back,
check in again — always being mindful that this is an opportunity for them.
Don’t Take Rejection Personally
Many potential partners you reach out to will not be the right fit.
Or, it may not be the right moment.
If you hear nothing after respectfully following up a couple of times,
just reach out to the next name on your list.
** It doesn’t mean they don’t like your art.
** It doesn’t mean they don’t like you.
** And it is NOT a sign you should give up!
Keep making your art — and keep sharing it.
