Crafting a Business Plan for Artists: Turn Profitable
Trying to make good money from your artistic talents is tough. Lots of talented creators like painters, musicians, writers and more end up broke and struggling financially.
People don’t value art in our society as much as other professions. Everyone thinks teachers, doctors, and engineers do really vital jobs. But art? Lots of people see that as more of a hobby or something that’s nice to have but not essential. That means as an artist, you gotta work extra hard to prove why your art matters if you want people to pay up.
There’s way more competition now with things like social media. Years back an artist might just be competing with other creators in their local city or town. Now it’s global! Millions of artistic people from all over the world are showing their talents online. So prices often get pushed down as fans have more options and special access to so much art.
A business plan is key to getting sought-after funding
Trying to make money off your art can be really hard. A lot of creative people struggle to earn enough from their paintings, music, or other talents to pay the bills. That’s why smart artists run their talent like a real business if they want to be successful.
Having a solid business plan is super important for artists who need funding to get their work out there. Banks want to see a good business plan before they give money to an artist to help their career. Things like budgets, marketing ideas, and earnings projections – make you look professional. That way, a bank may give you an unsecured business loan for a small business more easily since you show you’re responsible and will pay it back.
Even getting money from family and friends to support your artistic dreams can be easier if you have a business plan. It helps them feel more confident investing in you when they see you have clear financial targets and good strategies planned out. So do yourself a favour and spend time working on a business plan, even if you hate paperwork and admin stuff.
Setting Up Your Art Business
Pick the best way to sell your art (direct, galleries, online). When starting an art business, you need to decide the best sales approach for your work. Selling directly to collectors can earn you more money per piece. However, galleries have an established client base and take care of marketing. Online shops mean low overheads but lots of competition. Weigh the options to pick the best strategy for you.
Basics of making your business official (like choosing to be a solo artist or start a company). To make things official, choose whether to operate as a sole trader by simply filing taxes under your own name. Or register a company for more complex setups. Factors like legal protections, accounting rules, and tax implications come into play. But even as a solo artist, treat it like a real business for success.
Money Matters
Plan your spending on materials and space. Keep close tabs on what you spend to create art, including studio rental, equipment, supplies etc.
With clear budgets, you can calculate what piece prices you need to break even and eventually make money. Tracking expenses also helps at tax time!
How to price your art right? Pricing art is part science, part intuition. Research prices for comparable pieces by other artists as a starting point. Then factor in your specific costs of materials and time. Lastly, add your reputation and expertise. As you get better known, you can charge more. Review pricing yearly as you gain experience.
Set goals for how much you want to earn and plan for ups and downs. Have clear financial targets – it keeps you focused. But also expect sales to fluctuate a lot month-to-month. Save during high periods to cover the lean times. Build emergency funds and plan ahead for the uneven cash flow.
Getting the Word Out
Build a strong brand and be seen online. Promote yourself professionally online and in person. Have an awesome website showing your best work plus details on you as an artist. Use social media daily to attract followers who may buy. Show up at openings and events to network. Build awareness of your personal brand and style.
If funds are short, opt for unsecured business loans for small businesses to hire a social media company to promote your business. Paying marketing pros can be pricey. Repay over 1-2 years from extra sales their work generates.
More Ways to Earn
Look at other ways to make money: special orders, teaching, selling other items, and digital stuff. Don’t rely solely on selling art you created already. Get creative, earning money from your talents! Custom pieces for buyers and teaching classes provide steady funds.
Think about earning without working all the time. To avoid burnout, find occasional income sources like licensing your existing work. That keeps money coming in while focusing energy on new creative work rather than business grind.
Listen and Learn
Make sure you track all income and expenses closely rather than ignoring money stuff. Be strict on saving every month, even small amounts. That way, you build a cushion for the lean times. Study ways top creators market themselves successfully – then copy what works! Lastly, think long term. Building a loyal fanbase and regular sales takes years for most artists. If you stick it out with business savvy, you can slowly grow into making a decent living.
Conclusion
Lots of creative types just want to focus on their art, not the money side of things. But that attitude means you’ll likely stay broke! The most successful painters, singers, authors and other artists know they have to think like a business person if they want to earn good money.
Treating your artistic talents as a business instead of just a passion means making smart financial choices. Doing professional marketing activities is important, too – like having a website, building a mailing list of fans, and using social media wisely. It may not be as fun as just creating your art, but without good business basics, you can really struggle.
Be tough on yourself and adopt an entrepreneurial mindset if you want your special artistic gifts also to provide a good livelihood.