How to sell art: The steps to start a Business as an artist

You have carefully considered and soul-searched before taking the leap. Your decision to become a professional artist is driven by your passion. Now you need to know how to sell art. Even digital art.

How to start selling art online as a young artist? Think about it for a moment. A crucial first step is believing in yourself and your abilities. Since many artists are afraid of failure and make excuses not to try. Your life is short, so make it count.

While you’re excited, your head isn’t in the clouds. There are a lot of things to learn. In order to establish yourself as an artist and earn a living from your work, it takes time.

How to sell art? Lifelong learning takes planning, dedication, effort, and time. Learn how to start selling art online as a young artist in 8 steps.

Once you’ve decided to take the leap, you’ll have to decide what to do next. Picture yourself succeeding in your mind, but the gap between that and where you right now seems a little blurry. How to sell art? Where do you start? By thinking like an entrepreneur!

Plan out all the basics with a business plan

Artists don’t usually realize they are setting up their own art business when they become professional. Exactly! You are selling artwork to someone who finds it valuable.

We know it seems formal, however, it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Write down your ideas for this new, creative career on your laptop or notepad.

Define your art practice first

What does success mean to you? How to start selling art online as a young artist? How will you achieve your short- and long-term goals?

Stick to what you want from an art career and be specific, even with digital art.

This approach to visualizing your art career helps you see the steps to take to grow your business and relieves the “deer in headlights” feeling that comes with taking on a big undertaking.

How to sell art? Customers are not equal

Next, determine your target customer. You’ll hear this marketing term a lot, but that’s only because it’s very important! You will understand how to promote your pieces more effectively to earn money when you figure out who your ideal client is.

How to start selling art online as a young artist? Narrow down your potential buyers by doing yourself questions, such as what income levels can afford your work and where do these clients typically shop for art?

How to sell art? Marketing your art can be done in many different ways, even digital art: email newsletters, art fairs, social media, galleries, and blogging. However, not every method will work for your target audience. Identify a marketing strategy that complements the profile of your ideal buyer and include those outlets in your business plan.

When it comes to your finances, ignorance is not bliss

How to start selling art online as a young artist? It’s hard to talk about finances, but it’s a necessary step in a viable business plan.

Plan ahead for how to sustain your livelihood when you take the guesswork out of your financial situation. Also, you’ll be able to set concrete goals for how much income and savings you need to live comfortably.

How to sell art? Here we go!

The cost of running your art business, from supplies to studio space, should be included in this section of your business plan. Next, make a list of your personal expenses, from rent and groceries to date nights.

After you’ve completed that, you’ll need to figure out how you’re going to pay for everything while your company is still developing. A savings account, joint income, an artist grant, crowdfunding, selling a certain number of pieces, a part-time job, etc. could be considered.

How to start selling art online as a young artist? Price your work to make a profit

Making a profit can be challenging. However, that’s what you need to do as a professional artist, right? Earn money from your art?

Despite persistent myths, artists don’t have to starve. Attribute a great deal of your success to how you price your work and your art business strategy.

How to sell art? The following information is important:

Make sure your art is priced in line with your costs, even digital art. Remember to factor in your labor, materials, shipping, and even framing when necessary (or you will need to pay them later).

Think of it this way: The people who value your skills are willing to pay you for your services in exchange for your expertise. How to start selling art online as a young artist? Keep in mind that you are also providing a final product along with the service.

Work backward from an hourly wage you are comfortable with. A fine artist earns an average hourly wage of $24.58 according to the US Department of Labor. Calculate your hourly wage using this number to lear how to sell art.

The second option is to use art pricing formulas. Some justify the price of the work based on its size, while others simply go by labor time and cost. How to start selling art online as a young artist? The level of your education may also influence the price. However, no matter which formula you choose, you should always factor in your costs to ensure there’s still a profit left at the end.

How to sell art? Third, price consistently. To cut to the chase, it’ll help you maintain a better relationship with galleries and collectors because no one will feel undercut.

Lastly, offer artwork at a range of prices. Your work won’t be affordable to all of your fans. In the end, you will be able to reach more buyers with smaller, less expensive pieces, and be able to cast a wider net on your sea of buyers. Each sale counts!

How to sell art: Legalize it

You’ve done the work and are now ready to sell. Your only barrier to building an art business empire is getting it legal. Business licenses are required for even professional artists.

Make sure you research what type of business structure you want to become. Sole proprietorships are popular among artists because they’re easy to set up and meet the needs of a basic studio organization.

Open a separate bank account for your business. How to start selling art online as a young artist? You won’t have to mix business and personal expenses when it comes time to file taxes.

You should do some research into your art business’s name before you make anything official. How to sell art? Think about adding the keywords “art”, “digital art” or “studio” to your own name, as long as it is easily pronounced and abbreviated.

Make sure your name isn’t already taken before you select it! Legal battles are the last thing you want to deal with. Plus, a consistent brand name for your art business will help customers find you on the Web and social media.

Establish a website that promotes your online presence

These days, it is impossible to run a business without an online presence. People can easily find you and get answers on your website, so they can buy your work. That’s how to start selling art online as a young artist.

How to sell art? You need a great website and social media presence! This includes a simple web address and a social media user name, working links, high-quality images of your work, as well as a clear and personal About section.

The combination of all three factors leads to the creation of your digital art brand, what people assume about you and your work based on the first impression they get from your business, usually right away.

There’s no need to be a web designer! Build your own website using beautiful drag-and-drop style templates on a number of sites these days.

As far as social media is concerned, the golden rule is to focus on doing a handful of things really well instead of attempting to do too much. Learn how to sell art.

If you attempt to manage every social media channel, you will find you are running out of time and neglecting your accounts, which is not great for your brand.

Find your right social media channels and post quality content.

How to sell art: how will you keep track of everything?

Managing a business is part of being a professional artist. This includes information about your inventory, where your work is shown or sold, exhibition dates, client contact information, sales records, invoices, deadlines for entry applications, your schedule, etc.

Don’t forget anything we mentioned!

• Track your art, locations, contacts, shows, documents, expenses, and sales.
• At the click of a button, generate professional reports.
• With a schedule and weekly emails, you’ll never miss a deadline.
• Understand your sales strategy better.
• Showcase your most recent work in a professional portfolio.

Did you know how to start selling art online as a young artist? Let us know in the comment!