If you are not getting better, you are getting worse.
—Joe Paterno

The Art Biz May Have Passion and Creativity, But It’s Still an Aggressive Marketplace.

You are in a competitive field. There are new, hungry artists coming into the market every day. Existing artists are working on creating better art and more efficient marketing. If you are stuck doing the same things, making the same art, and using the same marketing methods, if you are not getting better but sticking to the status quo, you are getting worse by comparison.

I’m not saying you need to overhaul everything you are doing or start all over. I mean, you can’t be complacent. The best thing to do is to start making small changes. Get a plan, so you are not wasting your efforts doing stuff just to be doing stuff. That’s pointless and fruitless.

You’ve Got to Know Where You Are Going and Keep Getting Better!

Having a vision for what you want from your career and what you would like to achieve. Without a workable, believable plan, you will never progress. So, if you are floundering, your sales are sputtering, or you’re feeling confused about what you should be doing, make getting a career plan your top priority.

This post isn’t about how to do goal setting. I’ve written about it numerous times. That is because I know jumping ahead to learn about branding, networking, local marketing, traditional marketing, online marketing, and much more is useless until you understand how you want to use those things.

Nobody Gets Specialized Marketing Knowledge without Effort.

The components of each one of the items I mentioned above are complicated. When you know about them, there are nuances that will make using them and getting mileage from them easier and with better results. For instance, if you hear that blogging is helpful and jump in and start blogging without knowing why you are doing it, I will give you ten dollars for a donut that won’t work for you.

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You make art because you are driven to make art. I don’t think most artists choose art. Rather, I believe art chooses you, and you are compelled to make it. I don’t know anyone who goes into the art business because they want to kill and retire filthy rich before they are fifty. If that were your intention, you would be on Wall Street or working on Silicon Valley startups.

You got into the art business as an offshoot of your intense desire to make art. Pure and simple.

The problem for right-brain creatives comes when they want to make their art pay. That’s not a concept for everyone. Many people make art for themselves and don’t worry if it will sell. But, I believe more artists want the validation of knowing they make art that others want to own. Plus, they want and need the income to pay the bills on a continuum from passionate part-timers to consummate professionals.

Working Smart Helps Balance the Brain

I guess most readers of this blog find themselves in the middle somewhere. The fact is it doesn’t matter where you are. What’s important, especially as it relates to this post and your career, is knowing that you are getting better, that you are progressing in your career. You are steadily improving your skills at making art and finding ways to be more productive while simultaneously ramping up the quality of your work. That’s not a dichotomy. It is entirely possible to both get better and faster simultaneously.

The same applies to get your art to market. I have long contended that artists who dial in what they are doing, who have goals set and processes in place to make those goals happen, buy themselves time to spend in the studio or with their family. You may be as I am. I am never actually working when I am actively pursuing accomplishing things for my business of helping artists succeed. This work I do is a passion, and rather than worry about not spending enough time on it, I have to find a balance for other things in my life.

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That’s great to be driven by vision and passion. It will keep you going no matter what. But it’s not enough. If you are not doing quality work, focusing on viable plans, and continually improving, you are slipping compared to your competitors. And, while it may take some time to creep in, you are setting yourself up for disappointment when you get to that place where you are looking back and asking yourself why you wasted so much time.

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  • Thank you for sharing this information. I am happy being an artist, content with the work I do for hobby. If I had to make leaving out of it I would not be able to. I do want to learn how to market myself, Create what is in demand and learn when possible. Dipali Shah

    dipali-shah.pixels.com

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