Social Media Tips For Creative Entrepreneurs
As a creative entrepreneur, I’ve learned that one of the best ways to get my work out to a wider audience is through social media. There are so many great websites and apps that allow you to display your work in a gallery format, and many allow you to directly interact with your clients and fans. However, it can be daunting trying to figure out which ones work best and how to use them. For creative types looking for new marketing ideas, here are a few tips for using social media to your advantage.
Use Pinterest Boards for Ideas
I love collecting images on Pinterest for new ideas and inspiration for my work, as there are so many great images that can fit a broad range of themes. In fact I have over 100 boards on my Pinterest page featuring everything from fashion to architecture, travel destinations and botanicals. And of course, I’ve got my own sketches and paintings up there too. Pinterest is a great way to share your work and your vision with your fans, and it can also attract new people to your website and brand.
Use Instagram as your Diary
Instagram is another great visual marketing tool that can give your fans a bit of insight into your work. I use Instagram daily as an artist diary to record the process behind my work, new projects I’m working on, and what inspires me on a day to day level whether is a visit to an exhibition in London, my sketchbook of ideas for new paintings or creative things I've done with my family. When I exhibited in Venice my daughter took photos for me on the opening night and I was able to share these on social media. The great thing about Instagram is that it’s totally all about the images, so it can be a really great tool to show off your creativity and gives people an insight into what goes on in an artist studio which people love - its like a peek behind the scenes rather than just the polished shots of a gallery of art. We also ran a successful competion recently through instagram to win one of my Limited Edition Prints.
You can find me on Instagram - @clarehaxby.
Create a Facebook Page
It’s no secret that Facebook can be a tremendous marketing tool. If you don’t have a page for your brand already, you should definitely get on it, as this is a sure-fire way to reach a larger audience and drive traffic back to your website. I use my artist page and fine art prints page as a way to keep my clients up to date about new projects, sales and upcoming exhibitions, and I find that the response has been overwhelmingly positive so far and its great to hear the feedback from my collectors and collectors to be. Being an artist is mostly a solitary affair so platforms like facebook is a great way to have contact with the outside world when you are in your studio for days or weeks on end.
Create a twitter profile. I have found twitter useful not only for sharing my posts about work I have already completed but also for finding out about opportunities to exhibit. I have discovered various artists calls where artists are invited to apply for inclusion in group exhibitions around the world. These exhibitions help build my profile as an international artist. I have recently added Columbia, and Italy to my international exhibition profile.
Get in the Habit of Thinking About Content and What Works
While it’s tempting to post anything and everything that comes to mind, it’s best to have a cohesive plan about how you want to present yourself and your brand. Try to think about it like telling a story that will engage your audience and make them want to learn more. Create a game plan about what you want to post on social media and when you are going to post it. Then challenge yourself to post. Make it a daily habit on at least one social media platform. From time to time I invite guest bloggers to write content for specific posts that tie in with the theme of my artwork.
Use Testimonials From Your Clients as Posts
I get lots of feedback from my collectors including pictures of my art in homes all over the world (See my 'Art In Place'). This gives me immense pleasure when clients send me photos of my artwork in homes all over the world and it also gives me great opportunities for social media posts. Use the testimonials from your clients to share their great experiences and your work with the world. Your clients will love that you are engaging them in your creative endeavours, and potential new clients can see your work in a real life context.
Good luck!
Clare x
