Master Your Art Launch: A Guide for Artists to Sell Successfully

Photo by Antoni Shkraba on Pexels

You have put in all that work to create your artwork.

The late nights making your beautiful works of art. Some nights even having dinner in the studio. But also loving every minute of it.

And then took waaay more time than you anticipated to list it all on your website or marketplace with photos, descriptions, measurements, etc.

Not to mention having to figure out what to price it at, and then get the right weight to you don't loose any money on shipping by having it set wrong. (Shipping will always be the bane of my existence as an artist)

After getting all that ready, you tell your followers on social media that it's live! You have a new collection of artwork that you are so utterly excited to share with them.

You are prepped with all your packing materials, ribbons, and thank you letters.

You hit "go" and wait, eagerly, for the sales to start rolling in.

*crickets* 

Nothing is happening.

Another failed launch.

The heart break is real! You start to question if you are cut out for this. If you are a good artist, or even a real one for that matter.

Your followers seem to like your work but when they have the ability to buy it, no one does.

Well my dear friend. I have been there. So many more times than I can count.

And I want to say, first and foremost, that it is NOT you OR your artwork.

And you are a real artist. 

A DAMN GOOD ONE at that.

In reality, all this comes down to is marketing. Art marketing and planning out your collection launch. 

Creating a successful launch for your art collection involves strategic planning and execution.

And because we artist's have so many hats to wear as it is, I wanted to offer you my very own comprehensive guide to a successful art launch. (be it one single masterpiece or a complete body of work)

Before we even start making the artwork we need to figure out when we are going to be having our artwork available for sale.

Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels

Pick a Launch Schedule

I recommend planning to have no more than three launches a year. A Springtime launch (March- April ish), A mid-summer launch (July-August ish) and a wintertime/Holiday launch (October-January ish).

Planning no more than three major launches per year can help to avoid burnout. You will quickly find that each launch requires significant energy and resources, so spacing them out ensures you can give each one the attention it deserves while maintaining a sustainable pace​.

This also allows for you to have time to create your artwork, prepare for your launch, as well as build up the excitement and hype around your creations. Then have a few days or week after to recover followed by time to ship out all the sold artwork.

Your personal schedule will depend on what personal events and holidays fall in your launch calendar. As well as how quickly you create your artwork. So launching once or twice a year may be more your speed.

Plan Your Dates

Now that you know what season you are launching in, you'll want to pick the dates that your artwork will become available. From that date, look at your schedule about 10 weeks in advance of that launch date.

Set Clear Goals

Define clear goals for your launch based on your social media following and email list size. These could include target sales numbers, email sign-ups, or social media engagement metrics. Having specific goals helps measure the success of your launch and informs future strategies. 

I like to create goals that are realistic but just on the edge of beyond my comfort zone to help me push and grow.

Now that you know what you want to achieve we need to start planning.

Next up is getting it all organized.

Build Your Launch Strategy

Develop a detailed week-by-week launch strategy for those 10 weeks. 

This time is going to be used to build anticipation by sharing snippets of your work and stories about your inspiration. This extended lead time helps generate buzz and keeps your audience engaged and eager for what you are making.

Outline specific tasks for each week leading up to the launch, such as social media posts, email newsletters, and promotional activities. This structured approach helps you stay organized and ensures no detail is overlooked​.

Talk to Your Ideal Collector of Art

Tailor your content and messaging (that means all your emails and website copy too) to resonate with your ideal art collector. Understand their preferences, values, and buying behaviors, and create content that speaks directly to them. (using trending content like memes or audio that they would have also shared will help create a more personal connection)

This focused approach increases the likelihood of attracting people who will connect with you and your artwork to become serious buyers​.

Now moving into the content that creates the build up about your art collection launch!

Storytelling

One of the best ways to connect with your ICA (ideal collector of art) is through storytelling!

Create a narrative around your collection. Share the inspiration behind your work, the challenges you faced, and the personal significance of each piece. This helps potential buyers connect emotionally with your art, making them more likely to purchase.

Behind-the-Scenes Content

Share behind-the-scenes content leading up to the launch. This can include videos of you working in your studio, glimpses of the creative process, or even casual posts about your daily routine as an artist.

I think of this as though I am having a private Facetime call with my friend about what I am working on.

This type of content helps build a personal connection with your audience and makes them feel invested in your journey.

Build FOMO

Create a sense of urgency and exclusivity by highlighting the limited availability of your pieces. Whether they are one-of-a-kind originals or are a small run of numbered prints that you are making available, emphasize that once they’re gone, they’re gone​.

Offer Waitlist and Email Sign-ups

Have an exclusive waitlist for early access to your collection. Encourage your followers to sign up for your email list, ensuring they get the first chance to purchase before the general public. This adds a layer of exclusivity and makes your subscribers feel valued​.

You can set this up using a form with your email service provider. (don't forget to add a tag to those who sign up with this form so you can keep track of those subscribers)

Create Urgency

Keep the excitement up and build the hype with countdowns on your emails, social media stories and posts. Remind your audience of key milestones, such as one week left, 48 hours to go, and launch day. The closer you get to launch day, the more you post and share. This keeps your launch top of mind and builds anticipation​.

One your launch is live and your artwork is available to buy, you still have more to go. You have to keep the excitement up through out the entire "cart open" time frame, so keep up with the energy, excitement, and those countdowns.

During the time your art is available, be it 24 hours or week, use countdowns to drive home the end of them being able to buy.

Most sales will actually come through on the final hours and even minutes before your set "cart close" time.

Your excitement and energy about your launch from pre-launch all the way through till you close that cart is one of the driving factors in its success. If you aren't excited about your art work, why should your followers be?

Finally, Post-Launch Cooldown

There are a few more things to close up the launch and then you get to rest.

Immediately following the launch gather all your numbers, and data in a document to be able to evaluate what worked well and what could be improved for future launches. This reflection period is crucial for continuous improvement and long-term success​.

Woohoo! Congratulations! You did it!

Man what a whirl wind of excitement, and stress that was.

And there you have it, my friend!

You've got the blueprint for a successful art launch.

Click Here to snag my Master Your Art Launch Checklist to set up your sold out art launch now!

Remember, every artist has faced those nerve-wracking silent nights and heart-wrenching launches. But with strategic planning and a dash of excitement, you can turn those crickets into cheers.

So, take a deep breath, grab your favorite paint brush, and get ready to share your masterpieces with the world. Your art has a story, and there are people out there waiting to hear it and make it part of their own.

Now go out there and make some art magic happen!

Congratulations on taking this step. You've got this!