For the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about how you can share your work with someone else’s audience.

If you haven’t had a chance to test it out for yourself yet,
we’ll be talking a bit more about how to do this in our next live Zoom webinar,
The 5 Steps to Start & Grow the Business Side of Your Art on May 3rd.

(This time in Europe & Asia Pacific friendly timezone — as promised!
But you can register to watch the recording within 24h through the same link)

It’s basically all you need to know to build $3,000+ per month in art-related income
using predictable, repeatable systems
instead of guesswork, failure, and constant doubt.

(Click here to claim your seat if you want in.)

For today, we’ll just recap the process briefly:

Sharing Your Work with Someone Else’s Audience

First, get clear on your unique artist niche.
Ask yourself what 2 or 3 key words are at the heart of your work.

Next, search for potential collaboration partners (podcasts, facebook groups, newsletters…) who serve an audience interested in those same key words.

For example:

A- What topic(s) is your artwork about? (visually if figurative, conceptually if abstract)

• (e.g. “horse portraits”)

B- Who are the target audiences that resonates with your core topic?

• (e.g. horse owners, horse riding, Western lifestyle…)

C- Who serves that audience?

• (e.g. horseback riding centers, rodeos, horseback riding gear companies (saddles, boots, pants, helmets… ), horse breeding podcasts, horse training newsletters…)

Reach out to (C) with a genuine connection (you both love horses!)
Offer them value: sharing your perspective as an artist with their audience.
Ask if they are interested.

If you don’t hear back, remember to follow up.
Be kind — to yourself as well, if you encounter people who say no.
Because if you keep reaching out, the right way,
the magic will happen…

Someone will offer to feature you to their audience, for free.

It takes some thought and a little research to find the right fit.
And maybe this way of reaching out is new for you.

But this is how you can share your art with 1000s of new people
from just a single conversation with someone you respect.

You might feel stuck on exactly what to say
or how to go about searching for these kinds of collaborations.

We’ll cover some quick examples in the webinar.

But first, let’s talk about something that may be holding you back in your career.

“I’m Not a Marketer!”

Someone reacted strongly to the last piece we shared, about pitching to a potential partner.

“I’m not a marketer or a pitcher… I only paint.

I am pretty much a recluse and I even hate talking on the phone. I’m hopeless!”

(Hint: collaborations can be purely in written/visual form, it does not have to be live)

A lot of artists are so turned off by business words

that they dismiss the very concepts themselves —

even when they desperately want the results that those ideas can bring

Let’s try a quick experiment:

How does reading these words make you feel?

• Networking

• Self-promotion

• Marketing

• Pitching

Are you cringing?

Totally disgusted at the thought of sales gimmicks for fine art? for YOUR art?

Exhausted, drained, even hopeless … because allthis stuff is the total opposite of anything you ever wanted to do?

(Stay with us here. It gets better…)

If yes, then for you — those words carry toxic energy.

And so it’s the reputation of those words — rather than what they really are once you understand it how to do it right — that give you a headache just thinking about them.

We know this because we’ve helped countless of artists

discover new ways to reach collectors who will buy their work.

And many of them were skeptical about “marketing” language too.

So drop the marketing lingo.

Collaborating with someone else who has a big audience

is one of those ways to help your art reach new collectors.

It’s NOT about being manipulative, selfish,

trying to use other people as stepping stones to get where you want to go.

In fact, it´s the opposite: it is about thinking of OTHERS before YOURSELF.

Starting a sincere conversation to build a bond comes first.

Offering them something of genuine value comes next.

Only if they accept is it ok to ask for something that benefits you also.

In fact, often they will want to help you in return without you asking.

Creating opportunity in this way aligns with your creative energy.

So instead of “networking“,

you’re creating genuine relationships with others passionate about your topics.

Rather than “self-promotion“,

you’re helping your artwork see the light (it can´t do it by itself! it needs your help).

You’re not “marketing” —

you’re offering the people who like your art an opportunity to acquire it

And “pitching” an idea to someone?

You’re starting a conversation to see how you can help them.

So if even the word “selling” makes you think you’re “selling out“,

you can do one of three things:

1. Pour all your energy into creating art, with the hope that if you just work hard enough, someone will notice (how is that working so far…?)
2. Give up entirely, because you’ve already tried someone else’s advice — it didn’t work.
3. Be open to a different mindset…
   some words that may hold a new meaning for you as an artist…and a variety of ways to connect with people who like your art.

Listen to Shreya talk about it in her own words, here.

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:

1. Develop a bond with someone fast so they don´t dismiss you
2. Offer that person to create value for their audience
3. 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.

You have your family, your friends, and some past buyers…

.. but you’re still trying to find NEW people who will buy your art.

You know your people are out there.

But how exactly do you find them?

And how can you get them to notice your work?

Well, first — here is one area where you may be wasting too much time and energy:

No One Is Searching for You

Having a beautiful and up-to-date artist website is super important.

But “if you build it, they will come” doesn’t work.

Unless someone already knows your name

(and how to spell it),

they will probably never find your art through a Google search.

So please do not waste hours or money trying to make this happen.

No matter what type of art you create,

you are up against online galleries that spend a lot of money on SEO

[that’s “search engine optimization]

so they can rank on the first page of search results for that art category.

They have full teams doing marketing —

and you’re just yourself, trying to rank high enough to be seen.

The odds that collectors will ever find you this way are extremely low.

Even if you have the most stunning artist website on the Internet,

if no one can find it,

they can’t buy your artwork.

So if your potential collectors can’t even find you with a search,

what’s the point of even having a website?

A Better Way to Find Your People

What if you found a way…

to get in front of people who share the way you look at the world,

who resonate deeply with what you believe in,

but who haven’t seen life through your eyes as an artist?

And what if you could get THOSE people to visit your site?

When you partner with someone whose audience aligns with yours,

you can quickly reach many of your potential future collectors at once.

They Built an Audience for You

There are hosts who have spent the last five years building a loyal audience:

– Newsletter writers

– Podcast interviewers

– Facebook group admins

Instead of building your own audience…

…you can piggyback on their audience for free!

Don’t think about an audience of “art collectors”.

Instead, think of “people passionate about a topic that underpins my art”.

It may be abstract, like “a feeling of peace”

Even better if you can be specific, like “portraits of ancestors”

Start with the keywords that describe the essence of your art:

• If you sculpt totems – think people into mythical history
• If you make wildlife photography – think people into nature conservation
• If you paint abstract portraits – think people into psychoanalysis

All you need to do is find the right audiences, and connect with the audience owner.

Audience owners are always looking for new content to share with their audience.

And you are going to bring “the eyes of the artist” to that topic that fascinates them.

You will simply talk or write about that topic you are both passionate about

— from your artist perspective.

And naturally, a percentage of the audience will want MORE.

So to those you will give them an opportunity to buy your art or join your workshop.

Plain and simple.

—

With the right search techniques,

you can build a big list of potential promotional partners to approach —

who have the ideal audience to be featured in.

Once you have your list,

the next step is reaching out to the person who owns that audience.

No One Is Searching for You, Part 2

If you’re like 99% of artists, this part is a struggle:

Following up.

It usually goes like this:

You’ve created your list of people to reach out to (yay!),

and you bravely fire off a message to a few of them.

But days pass… and you don’t hear anything back.

“Oh well, that didn’t work.”

You make a mental note to write again, just in case they missed your first message.

Except you don’t want to be a pest, and now it’s been an embarrassingly long time.

If you quit now, you are making 3 big mistakes at once.

1. Not having a system to keep track of who you contacted
2. Not following up with them
3. Not reaching out to enough potential partners

And maybe even #4 — taking the rejection personally.

If you want to grow as a professional artist…

it’s time to change.

You see, when you reach out to enough potential partners,

it doesn’t matter if most of them say no.

For you to gain some career-changing opportunities,

you need only a handful to say,

“Yes!”

And when you take direct, consistent action like this,

you’ll start creating doors where others only see a wall.

Our students have gotten amazing results this way

when they use our tools to go after their biggest art career goals:

If you’re wondering exactly what to say,

next time we’ll be talking about crafting your pitch.

That’s business-speak for how to talk to a potential partner

about what you can share with their audience.

Remember that your artwork depends primarily on you —

but your career opportunities outside the studio depend on you AND others.

And your pitch will be the key that unlocks those hidden doors.

If you caught our webinar last week

on the 5 steps to start and grow your art business,

we hope you’re busy this week putting them into practice!

So far this year, we’ve explored 2 of those 5 steps in depth:

1. Sharing your art skills for a fee
2. Growing your audience so they can buy your work directly.

When those aspects of your art business are humming along,

then you’re ready for Step 3:

Strike partnerships that lead to sales in other peoples’ audiences.

Why Partnerships Work

How cool would it be to discover a whole group of people

who’ve never heard of you before

but are wildly excited about your art?

What if you could…

• share your art and connect with hundreds or thousands of new people,
• help out someone else with their business,
• and spend no more energy than it takes for a 1-on-1 conversation?

This is the power of partnerships done right.

It’s an incredibly efficient way to grow your business as an artist.

And yet, you’re not “marketing” in the usual sense.

Instead, you’re creating genuine connections —

first with the person who’s agreed to partner with you (the host),

and then with the people who they serve (their audience).

Examples of hosts with an audience:

– A podcast interviewer – focused on mindfulness

– A newsletter writer – focused on horse back riding

– A Facebook group owner – focused on Nature conservation

Anyone with an audience wants cool new stories to share.

So when you know how to pitch to a potential partner,

they’ll see value in presenting your artwork and your story to their followers.

And because that audience already trusts your partner,

that trust will extend to you as well.

They’ll feel like they already know you,

more so than if they just saw your work on Instagram or in a random gallery.

And that trust can turn into new opportunities and sales, like this:

To find the right partners, you have to know your art business niche.

A little clarification here:

What Your Niche Isn’t

Your medium is NOT your art business niche.

You may be an abstract expressionist oil painter,

but outside of other aspiring artists and a few serious collectors,

it’s tough to find many people looking specifically for abstract expressionists.

Instead, when it comes to partnerships,

your niche is defined by what makes your artwork interesting

to YOUR particular audience.

Discover Your Art Audience Niche

To discover your niche, ask yourself:

What are the 2 or 3 keywords that underpin my work?

Sure, you make visual art.

But what are the words behind most of your art?

Bad examples:

• beauty, says the first artist,
• emotions, says the second artist,
• color, says the third.

Well… good luck standing out amongst a few million fellow artists.

Here are another three artists replying to that question:

Good examples:

• the beauty of nature when hiking mountains
• the feeling of being an introverted quiet woman in a busy city
• the colors of bliss, peace, and harmony that arise during your meditation

See the difference?

Much more specific, and they are not words about “art”.

There are thousands of people who can resonate with the second list,

who would love to hear or read about your thoughts as an artist on these topics,

and who by the end of that podcast/newsletter/live demo …

…would be interested to see — and then buy — your artwork.

These are your future collectors — the people who value what you create.

What is it about your pieces that they love?

• Did they respond to your inspiration for creating the work?
• Or the story it tells?
• Is it the subject matter that they adore?

If you aren’t sure why people have bought your work in the past,

get in touch with a quick note to ask them.

The answers may tell you something you never thought about.

When you know why your collectors bought from you,

you’ll gain some insight about who else might do the same.

You might find your work spans more than one art audience niche.

Here’s a quick example for some ideas.

Brainstorming Your Audience Niche

Let’s say you’re a fine art photographer

who’s created a series about connections below the surface,

consisting of unique perspectives in subway tunnels.

Your potential collectors might include:

• architects and engineers who design and build tunnels
• subway car drivers
• business professionals who commute regularly by train
• people who love the city where your tunnels are
• railroad enthusiasts (known as “railfans”)

And in addition, other collectors might be:

• people going through a life transformation, emerging from one place to another
• people who have survived a difficult time, looking for the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel”

Once you’re super-clear on your niche — and who’s in it —

you can reach out to audience owners who already have their attention.

Why Email? Isn’t Everyone on Instagram…?

Not a “Newsletter”

The Perfect Email Strategy

You don’t want to screw it up.

And you know you should send out emails consistently,

So you’re waiting for the perfect time:

>> when you have time to write a bunch of emails at once…

>> after you have something to announce…

>> when you feel inspired to do it…

Reality check:

If you don’t follow through on your ideal plan,

it’s of no use to you.

The best plan for you is the one you actually do.

Consistency matters much more than “perfect”.

If you’ve reached out to your subscribers the right way,

they will want to hear from you.

Make clear what they can expect, and how often.

Then just do your best to provide that.

As with art techniques, you’ll get better with practice.

I Never Know What to Write

Our partner FASO published some great ideas on this last month.

Some of our favorites:

• Inspiration. Pick great art, then share a genuine reflection — something deeper than you would on social media.
• Show Announcement. Include a line or two just for your subscribers, to make them feel ‘in the know.’
• Process Story. With progress shots, explore how the piece evolved. Offer your subscribers the first chance to purchase.

IMPORTANT:

If you don’t let people know they can buy your work…

… they won’t buy your work.

Of course, you need to do it with grace and tact.

Because you’re not selling cars or sneakers — you’re selling fine art.

It is very doable.

Our coaching students sell artworks through email.

Every…

… single …

… month.

What if you could sell even one work through email every month?

How would your art career change?

At ProfessionalArtist.com, we send more than 100,000 emails every month.

And we built our list from zero — using the same techniques we teach.

Very often, when artists join our program,

they don’t know if what they’re sending out is done right.

(When they’re not getting results — that’s because it isn’t.)

Have you ever emailed your list and heard crickets in response?

Or do you feel stuck about how to start (or start again)?

Are you afraid to pester people and have them unsubscribe?

What if you had a detailed video audit of your next few messages to your list,

with examples of exactly what to change to get more sales?

If you would like to work with us and get this degree of handholding,

the first step is to apply now for a clarity call with us.

Here is what will happen after you book a time slot:

> You’ll answer a few brief questions in your application

> If you get a seat, we’ll go over your situation and address any blind spots.

> At the end of the call, if it’s a fit for us to work together, we’ll share details of what that looks like (only for artists who we’re convinced we can help get results)

Want to check your email in the morning to find you sold artwork while you slept?

Want help finding the right words to open new doors in your art career?

It’s time to stop putting this off.

Instagram may be the single most important tool in the art world.

And many artists have a love-hate relationship with it.

“Social media is way too time consuming. I just don’t have the bandwidth.”

“I resist Instagram because I feel overwhelmed by doing it ‘right’.”

“I feel like I need to post something fresh and different every time, so that holds me back.”

Our faculty member, Dina Brodsky, hears these things a lot.

Not only is she a contemporary realist painter, but also a social media influencer with around half a million Instagram followers… so she can relate to those struggles.

In fact, for years, she struggled to get traction with her art career.

At one point, Dina was juggling 5 or 6 different gigs to keep going…

…but not finding enough time to actually paint!

Then figuring out Instagram revolutionized her career.

She began to connect with other artists,

created some incredible working relationships with galleries,

and found an audience for her art — all without leaving the house.

Without Instagram, none of it would have happened.

Now celebrities and royals are among her private collectors.

The 2 Keys to Instagram Success

Every post you make on Instagram has two goals:

Make them stop, and make them stay.

To decide who sees your posts, Instagram uses a set of rules called algorithms.

And those algorithms are driven by these two factors:

#1 ) Do people stop scrolling when your post first appears in their feed?

#2) And then, do they spend time looking at it?  

If not, your post will quickly be buried.

But when something stands out and catches people’s attention,

the algorithm will show it to more people.

And when people like, comment on, and reshare your post,

the algorithm likes that, too.

And that’s how you get your work seen by more people.

Simple, but not always easy.

Don’t Get Sucked In

Since launching 10 years ago,

Instagram has completely transformed the business of art.

If you do it right,

today you can use Instagram to gain serious attention as a professional artist.

Collectors all over the world can discover you.

You can meet other like-minded artists, and even art magazine editors.

Commissions, invitations to exhibitions, licensing offers for commercial use…

For you as a professional artist, Instagram offers all this and more.

So, how do you use this tool properly?

If you think you need to spend more time on Instagram…

…you probably don’t.

Like any tool, Instagram can be misused.

You wouldn’t (we hope) use your paint brushes to clean your teeth.

They’re tools for a specific purpose.

Likewise, to help you raise your profile as an artist,

your time on Instagram should be focused on sharing your art,

in a meaningful way, to attract the following you want.

So to maximize your creative time, you’ll want to limit your Insta intake.

The platform is designed to be addictive, to keep you scrolling.

Until you look up and realize hours have gone by…

hours that you’d planned to spend working in your studio.

If this is an issue for you, the trick is…

Switch from being a follower to being a producer.

You do NOT have to be on Instagram all day.

You do NOT have to post every day.

You do NOT have to follow everyone who likes your work.

But, you DO need a plan.

As you’re going through your week in your studio,

think about a few things you’d like to share:

•   details of your latest work
•   a behind-the scenes look at your process
•   something that nobody else is doing or talking about

If you can create just a few posts each week that wow people,

you can grow your audience much more quickly than by posting so-so content daily.

Quality matters more than quantity.

In our program, Dina shares a treasure trove of examples of what good posts look like, so that you can take inspiration.

But also audits your Instagram feed and points out what needs to change.

• Would you like an artist with half a million Instagram followers to audit your account and show you exactly what to change?

• Would you like cheat sheets of Instagram influencer accounts to feature you and boost your visibility?

• Is getting 10,000 followers in the next 12 months even possible?

Yes it is.

But if you keep doing the same things…

…you can expect to get the same results.

So if you are tired of figuring it out on your own,

then maybe it’s time to get help from those who are already where you want to go.

When you apply for one of our clarity calls, here’s what happens:

• You’ll answer a few brief questions about the business side of your art
• If you get a seat, we’ll go over your situation and address any blind spots
• And if it sounds like we are a good fit, at the end we’ll share details of what it would look like for us to work together
• (we only invite artists who we are convinced we can help get results.)

Want to spend less time on Instagram but get 10x better results?

How much easier will all be when you add a zero or two to your audience size?

Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know.

So if you struggle with social media and decide to work with us,

here is some of what you will discover:

>> the 3 types of posts that will stop people in their tracks

>> the right way to boost your posts — without throwing money away

>> how to respond to comments… and when you don’t have to

>> what signals Instagram to promote your posts

>> why a small number of followers is actually an advantage for fast growth

>> … and much more

If you’re interested in having us audit your specific case, apply now for your clarity call.

“Redo my website”

It’s that little entry on your to-do list that never seems to get done.

Because every time you sit down to work on your site,
you wind up overwhelmed,
with even more to sort out tomorrow than when you started today —
and a little baffled by how other artists seem to have this figured out.

(Hint: They probably aren’t doing it all by themselves.)

Credibility and Conversion

Credibility tells your audience that you’re for real.

That you’re serious about your art — and they should take you seriously as an artist.

That you’re ready for the next opportunity.

And you can be trusted.

Conversion means they take the next step in their relationship with you.

This could look like signing up for your private email list,

following you on social media,

or even buying your work directly through your site.

—

So any word, any image, any design choices…

even your font, your font size, and the URL for your site…

needs to either:

A. increase your credibility, or

B. increase the likelihood that someone will buy or at least connect with you.

If your credibility isn’t great, your conversion will suffer automatically.

You might have an amazing site with a few pieces that confuse your audience.

Let’s look at…

Where It Goes Wrong

So, what should you check on your site that might be costing you future sales?

Here are three pitfalls we see over and over again:

#1. Too many menus

When they click onto your site, your visitors need to be able to find their way around.

“Don’t make me think” — that is their request to you.

But if there are too many places to click, they don’t know where to go.

You should have at most four or five menu options.

And they should be clear — just call your About page “About”, for example.

Not “My Artist Journey” or “Back Story” or anything else clever.

This is where clarity is more important than creativity.

When someone can’t figure out what to do next, they get confused.

And then no matter how much they like your work,

they leave your site — usually never to return.

#2. Unclear how to buy from you

Have you ever visited a website that has exactly what you’re looking for,

only to discover there’s no way to buy it?

You click the photos, but you can’t find out how much it costs.

There’s a contact form that just gives you an error message when you try to load it.

Not to speak of the 7 mandatory fields before you click submit.

And finally you give up in frustration.

If you expect people to buy your work, you need to give them an EASY way.

You don’t have to have a shopping cart right on your site, although that is great.

It could be a link to a third-party site where your work is for sale.

It could even just be a way to contact you for more details.

But make it super easy to understand how they can purchase your work right away.

An age-old question:

Should you list prices for artwork on your website?

If you expect someone to buy a piece then and there, then yes, you must.

(But make sure you don´t undercut your gallery!)

If you don’t expect that, then make it dead simple for someone who is looking at a specific artwork to send you an inquiry then and there.

#3. Outdated or abandoned areas

Your events page talks about what’s coming up this summer… in 2018.

You haven’t updated your artist blog in many months (or years?).

There’s a link to a Twitter account you’ve used maybe twice.

You have past works displayed prominently

….but they’re nothing like your current creations.

Now is the time: Immediately remove anything that isn’t current.

Your website should represent you as an active artist, not a repository.

A note about perfection…

Please, do not spend months (or longer) to build the “perfect” website.

Stuck on choosing the best design?

Pick a layout you like a lot, and go with it. Today.

Is the tech aspect frying your brain?

Use a site builder, or pay someone else to do the setup work.

Waiting until you have time to write new blog posts or take better pictures?

Either do it now, or just remove whatever is out of date.

Struggling with what to say?

Scratch out a draft, then get another set of eyes on what you’re writing.

Ideally, you should have a site that will work for you for the next three to five years

that’s also easy to update as you create new works.

It is time to get “redo my website” off your to-do list.

(Still reading? Here is a 60 day free trial with our partner FASO – just get started! 🙂

Do you remember what you were up to a year ago?

Remember gallery openings, art fairs, going to museums…?

It’s still a little overwhelming to think about how much has changed.

And yet, in this unprecedented time,

you have new opportunities for you to share your art skills and get paid,

no matter where you live.

Perhaps you’ve thought about creating an online art class before.

But it felt too complicated:

> What should I teach? I need to plan out a whole curriculum…

> The tech part is too much to deal with.

> Who am I to be doing this, anyway? So many good teachers out there…

> Will people even want online classes once things get back to “normal”?

You wonder, Should I just wait and teach in person?

But that has its own challenges these days as well.

Meanwhile, you’d love to get some predictable art-related income,

To free up time to create, so you’re not depending on a draining day job.

Or even just make enough to cover your art-making expenses.

It is possible… and, it is possible for YOU.

—

A year ago, if you asked someone what Zoom was?

Most of the world would not have known.

Today, everyone from children to grandparents have regular Zoom meetings.

And teaching online is not too much more difficult than starting a video call.

Is teaching online better than in person?

Online art workshops hold a lot of advantages:

• You can fit 5 or 25 students, regardless of the size of your studio
• You’re not limited to students who happen to live nearby
• There’s no commute, even if you’re teaching people in different countries!
• You gain a huge pool of potential students: anyone whose schedule overlaps your time zone
• You’ll save on fees for the classroom space
• You won’t run into special insurance requirements or restrictions on materials
• If speaking to groups is hard for you, presenting online may feel less intimidating
• Cleanup is much easier 🙂
• And, you can record your sessions and sell them for another fee–without having to show up live.

What’s better about teaching in person?

Despite all the great technology, there are still advantages for connecting in person.

• It’s easier to guide someone when you can look over their shoulder and “hold their hand,” instead of being limited by the size of your screen
• There’s no tech learning curve, and no distractions caused by technical issues
• And, there is a perception that in-person instruction is more valuable and so it is easier to charge more per person (for those who have not tried online yet!)

Should I do both?

In 2021, it’s no longer a question of which format do you choose.

If you’re not teaching online…

you’re missing a huge opportunity for predictable creative income.

Our students who created online workshops discovered something interesting:

They enjoy it as much as teaching in person, if not more!

So if you worry about feeling weird or awkward teaching through a screen,

know that it goes away quickly.

It’s just as exciting as in person to watch your students learn and create!

Besides — believe it or not, some students end up preferring online to offline too!

Here’s a glowing review that one of our coachees received from their art workshop student:

A quick story from one of our students:

Portrait artist Anastasiya had taught in person for many years.

When the pandemic began, that income vanished.

She wasn’t sure what to do.

But a clarity call with our team changed that, in a big way.

And she made nearly $3,000 in 5 weeks by following the strategies we mapped out.

Click here to hear Anastasiya’s journey in her own words.

Apply for a free clarity call to learn how we can help with your workshop strategy.