jan blencowe the artists center featured artist on business challenges

Jan Blencowe talks about business and marketing

by Bill

Tell us about your marketing journey. How did you start?

I began a blog for my daily paintings in 2005, inspired by the creator of the painting a day movement Duane Keiser. After being featured in an article in Domino Magazine with Keiser and several other “daily painters” sales took off and many more opportunities came because of that exposure. The following year I launched a website to showcase my landscapes and larger works.

I researched and learned everything I could about blogging, and creating a strong on-line presence. I had lots of other artists e-mail me asking for information and help with blogging and other related on-line marketing questions, Eventually I put together a seminar and began teaching it at art centers and art associations in my local area,

When did you discover that you needed to market?

The Domino Magazine article was a light bulb moment for me. It came out of the blue and took me by surprise. I didn’t have a hi-res image of the painting they wanted to feature, and I didn’t have anything ready and at my finger tips like a bio or artists statement. I was able to scramble and get everything together but I learned an important lesson. You never know when an opportunity will present itself and you have to be ready.

The month the Domino article ran I sold 40 paintings and sales continued to be very good for months and months after that. Other publications picked up the story and contacted me or included my name and blog in their stories including the NY Times and USA Today Week-End.

It was then that I realized that “marketing”, getting your work out there in front of as many eyes as possible was extremely important. The next lesson I learned was the importance of identifying your ideal customer and finding him or her.

Do you have a marketing plan/strategy if so please summarize?

I believe in the value of my work 100%

I carefully select and weigh the value of the venues I use.

I actively blog about my work and creative process.

I maintain a professional, attractive, easy to navigate website.

I always make sure my contact information is easy to find.

I share my work far & wide through social media like Twitter & Facebook

I participate in the great conversation by responding to comments on my website or blog, visit other relevant sites and leave comments, share links, join groups that will help connect me to artists, art lovers and collectors.

I’ve identify my ideal customer and I actively build relationships with them.

I maintain an email list and send a monthly newsletter.

I have professional marketing materials ready at all times, business cards, brochures, event postcards.

I keep an up to date biography, resume and artists statement ready at all times.

I advertise as my budget allows in quality art magazines.

I just share, and don’t try to “sell”.

What is your greatest challenge as an artist/business person?

The biggest challenge is trying to find the balance between painting and business. The business aspect can be as fun and creative as painting but it can take up an awful lot of your time and cut into the time you need to paint.

It can be daunting to invest money in the business side when sales are slow or you’re just starting out. It’s also difficult to say “no” (politely of course) when people ask you to donate art, use your art for free, or ask for a discount. Occasionally you may want to do those things for specific people or organizations but good business people know you can’t give away the farm! Artists are generally generous people who love to share their passion and it can be challenging to wear the head bean counter’s hat and keep an eye on the bottom line.

What do you wish someone had told you when you started out?

If someone had passed on to me the age old adage that you have to paint 125-150 bad paintings before you begin to know how to paint good paintings it would have eliminated a lot of early frustration. Also, if I had any clue about how to approach galleries or market my work early on it would have saved me a lot of time. On the other hand learning it myself from scratch has been a valuable experience.

Is there a particular marketing channel you have found useful more than others?

Real relationships have always been the best venue for me. This could be people I already know, people I meet at openings or people I form relationships with through the internet. Relationships take time but they are the only way I can really know if my paintings are something they are going to love and will enrich their lives.

Who buys your work?

First of all, people who buy my work must love and value the place of art in our lives. More specifically they are people who love nature, are in touch with their own spirituality. If they love beauty and find peace in nature they collect my paintings.

How do you keep connected with your buyers?

I publish a monthly e-newsletter, Palette Paper, which people sign up for and that allows me to keep people up to date with shows, new work and news about awards etc. I also publish blog posts Monday through Friday at www.ThePoeticLandscape.com which allows people to follow along with what I’m doing on a daily basis. I also update my website regularly. Beyond that I send periodic postcards and notes to existing collectors to inform them of upcoming shows and events and sometimes just to say hello.