10 Very Good Things Artists Should Do in 2019
What are your plans for 2019? I’m not a believer in New Year resolutions. That’s because they don’t work and waste time and energy. However, I do believe in making plans. Planning is how to guide your career intelligently.
Here are ten thoughts and suggestions for you to think about and add to your to-do list this year. These points apply to all artists. I believe whether you’re new to the business or a veteran enjoying success, doing these things will improve your art business markedly.
The reasoning behind each of these points is to find ways to improve, to be more productive, to get more things done more easily. The only way to get to the prosperity everyone wishes for you each New Year is to streamline your systems and focus them on your highest priority.
Presenting 10 Things for Your 2019 To-Do List
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- One Thing – you can do it all, just not all at once. Unless you have a team, you must focus on one big project at a time. List and rank your priorities to work on the most important and urgent need done first.
- Doable – If your big project is too big to get done in 90 days or less, break it into smaller pieces.
- Analyze – You can’t guess your way to success. You need analysis of what is working and what is not.
- Avatar – Create a detailed ideal buyer persona or customer avatar. You can’t sell to everyone. When you narrow your focus you deepen your reach and improve your marketing effectiveness.
- Identify – Use your avatar to identify your top 100 prospects. When you know who should buy your art you focus on making it happen.
- Act – Don’t wait for your top prospects to decide they need to buy art and then find you randomly. After you identify them, start a campaign to get them on your list, or better to have them learn who you are.
- Diversify – Post analysis in #3, prioritize both your traffic and distribution sources. Plan to dominate each as best you can. Then add a second channel and work to dominate it. Find the sweet spot between reliance on one channel or spread too thin over many.
- Projections – Calculate your desired income and monthly and annual expenses to know how many pieces to sell at what average price to reach your goal.
- Document – Start now to document your daily tasks and processes beyond making art. You get a twofold benefit. Use what you learn to streamline and eliminate your activities. Formalize those things you do that others can do for you. Your documentation is key to training and results.
- Get Out – Don’t be a slave to the studio. Get out to do things. Have fun. Volunteer. Network. While every chance meeting is not a sales opportunity, it is nearly always a referral opportunity. Givers gain. Find ways to help others. The more selfless you are the more you will find unintended and rewarding reciprocation.
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Thank you, Barney. That’s a good list of tips. Especially documenting. I usually track my hours on painting, but I need to do that on other processes as well, especially marketing. It also makes sense to project a monthly income goal. Though my business is getting better each year, and I thank God for it, I need to be more intentional on hitting a desired income rather than just to settle for whatever I get. Have a blessed and prosperous 2019!