“I just want to make art.”

This phrase is one I hear often from artists, and while I understand the sentiment behind it, I find the mindset troubling. This, in my opinion, is one of the biggest hurdles for artists who aspire to make a living from their art.

What do I hope for in 2025?

That more artists will develop a mindset that allows them to merge their artistic passion with entrepreneurial thinking. This shift is not just desirable; it’s essential for those who wish to thrive in today’s art market.

Lessons from My Own Journey

When I studied Cultural Economics in Passau and later founded my own startup, I quickly became disillusioned. Despite my degree, I lacked the practical skills necessary to launch a business:

• Accounting? Not a clue.
• Marketing? I had to teach myself from scratch.

It was frustrating, but it taught me a crucial lesson: everything can be learned if you stay committed.

Recently, I listened to a podcast with Bas Kast and Caroline von St. Ange discussing the concept of the “growth mindset,” and I felt completely validated. Unfortunately, this mindset is rarely emphasized in Germany’s public education system, yet it’s absolutely vital for success.

The Three Biggest Challenges for Artists

Through my work as a business coach for artists, I repeatedly encounter three common challenges:

1. “I’m not cut out for business.” — Art needs structure to gain visibility and achieve success. Without a solid foundation, even the most brilliant creations risk going unnoticed.
2. “Marketing feels like self-promotion.” — It’s not about you; it’s about connecting with your audience. When approached authentically, marketing can amplify your artistic voice without feeling performative.
3. “I don’t have time for accounting or strategy.” — Without a clear plan, many ideas remain just that—ideas. Time management and goal-setting are indispensable for sustainable growth.

Shifting the Narrative: The Artist’s Career as an Entrepreneurial Journey

It’s entirely natural for artists to want to focus solely on their creative work. I feel the same way—my ideal day involves running workshops with artists. This work is deeply fulfilling. But behind the scenes, there’s also concept development, marketing, accounting, and countless other daily tasks that ensure long-term sustainability.

This is the crux of what I aim to teach through my marketing consulting for artists: how to build systems that showcase their art while laying a stable foundation for their business. By embracing this mindset, 2025 can be the year artists bridge the gap between their creative practice and entrepreneurial goals.

Why a Growth Mindset Matters

The concept of a “growth mindset” involves the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset fosters resilience and a love of learning, both of which are essential for an artist’s career. Here’s why:

• Failure becomes a stepping stone. Every setback offers a lesson, allowing artists to refine their approach.
• Continuous learning ensures adaptability. The art market evolves, and those who stay curious will always find new ways to connect with their audience.
• Confidence grows with experience. Mastering skills like marketing or business planning can empower artists to take bold steps toward their goals.

Practical Steps for Artists to Succeed

1. Set Clear Goals

Define where you want to be in 1, 2, and 5 years. Break these long-term visions into actionable steps. This clarity will guide your daily efforts and keep you focused on your broader objectives.

2. Build a Personal Brand

Your unique story and artistic perspective are your greatest assets. Craft a compelling artist statement and ensure that your online presence—your website, social media, and portfolio—reflects your vision authentically.

3. Embrace Marketing as Storytelling

Marketing doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Think of it as an opportunity to share the story behind your work. Use platforms like Instagram to build meaningful connections with potential buyers, collectors, and collaborators.

4. Create Sustainable Systems

Invest time in learning basic accounting, project management, and strategic planning. These skills will save you time and stress in the long run, allowing you to focus more on your art.

5. Seek Guidance

Working with a business coach for artists can help you navigate challenges, refine your goals, and implement effective strategies tailored to your artistic practice.

Conclusion: Art and Entrepreneurship Go Hand in Hand

In today’s competitive landscape, it’s no longer enough to create exceptional art. Artists must also think like entrepreneurs, embracing tools and strategies that ensure their work reaches the right audience. By adopting a growth mindset and building strong business foundations, artists can elevate their careers and achieve lasting success.

Let’s make 2025 the year more artists step into their full potential, merging creativity with entrepreneurial savvy to transform their passion into a thriving, sustainable business.

 Want to elevate your Art Career in 2025?

Contact me now to schedule a free intro call!

As a former eCommerce shop owner and marketing consultant for artists, one of the most critical lessons I’ve learned is the importance of owning your data and controlling your marketing. In the world of eCommerce, having access to your customer information — knowing exactly who your buyers are, what they’re interested in, and how to contact them — is invaluable. This same principle applies to the art world. As an artist, relying solely on your gallery’s website means you’re missing out on these insights and opportunities. You might not have access to the email addresses or contact information of those who are interested in your work, and this makes it much harder to build direct, long-term relationships with collectors and enthusiasts.

Why You Need Your Own Website:

Gallery representation is undoubtedly valuable for artists, but it often comes with limitations. Having your own website is an essential part of creating your own artistic identity and having control over your career. When you rely only on a gallery’s website, you’re subject to their rules, their design choices, and their marketing strategy — none of which may fully reflect who you are as an artist or where you want to go. Your own website gives you control, flexibility, and the ability to directly engage with your audience. Let me break down why having your own site is a game-changer:

1. Full Control Over Your Narrative

Your website is your personal digital gallery. It’s where you can control every aspect of your brand: how your work is presented, how your story is told, and how your artistic vision is shared with the world. Unlike a gallery site, which may only feature a select few pieces, your website allows you to showcase your full portfolio. This gives you the power to decide which works to highlight and how to present your journey as an artist.

• Want to showcase the evolution of your style? You can create a timeline or a blog to walk your audience through your artistic development.
• Have a series you’re particularly proud of? You can feature it prominently on your homepage with detailed descriptions of your inspirations, techniques, and ideas.

This ability to control your story is especially important for emerging artists, as it helps you establish a distinct identity that galleries or curators might overlook.

2. Direct Engagement with Collectors and Fans

When you rely solely on galleries, they serve as the middleman between you and your collectors. This can make it difficult to form a personal connection with the people who are interested in your work. On your own website, however, you can directly interact with collectors, art lovers, and potential buyers. You can offer them the chance to sign up for a newsletter, follow your blog, or get updates about upcoming exhibitions.

• Email list: By gathering email addresses from visitors, you can build a loyal fanbase and send regular updates about your new works, upcoming shows, or behind-the-scenes insights into your creative process.
• Social media integration: Link your website to your social media platforms to encourage followers to explore your entire body of work in one place.
• Direct sales: You can even sell your work directly from your site, bypassing the gallery commission fees. This not only increases your profit margin but also allows you to gather valuable information about your buyers and what they’re interested in.

3. Expanding Your Reach Beyond Galleries

Galleries are fantastic, but they are also limited. They often represent multiple artists and only have room to showcase a handful of pieces at any given time. Plus, they cater to a specific audience — the people who visit the gallery, which may be limited geographically or demographically.

• Your website, on the other hand, is global. It’s accessible 24/7 to anyone in the world with an internet connection. This dramatically expands your potential audience. You’re no longer limited to the physical foot traffic of a gallery. You can reach art collectors in different cities, countries, or even continents.
• Opportunities beyond sales: With a strong website presence, you may also attract commissions, collaborations, or opportunities for solo exhibitions that you wouldn’t have access to otherwise. The world becomes your gallery, and the opportunities are endless.

4. Adaptability in a Changing Digital Landscape

The art world is evolving. Technology and digital platforms have reshaped how people discover and interact with art. While galleries can be slow to adopt new trends, having your own website allows you to stay agile and adapt to changes as they come.

• SEO and searchability: With the right SEO (Search Engine Optimization) practices, your website can rank in search engines, making it easier for people to find you when they’re looking for new art or artists.
• Emerging technologies: You can easily integrate new tools, like virtual exhibitions, augmented reality (AR), or NFTs, as they become more mainstream. Having your own website means you’re not at the mercy of a gallery’s timeline for adopting these trends. You can be at the forefront of innovation.
• Marketing flexibility: Whether you want to run a seasonal sale, offer limited-edition prints, or start a blog to share your artistic insights, your website offers the flexibility to adapt your marketing strategy as needed.

5. Long-Term Investment in Your Career

Your website is more than just a tool for the present — it’s a long-term investment in your career as an artist. Think of it as a living portfolio that evolves with you over time.

• Archiving your work: As you continue to create, your website can serve as a complete archive of your artistic journey. This not only helps collectors see your growth but also creates a valuable resource for future generations to appreciate your work.
• Showcasing your evolution: As your style changes and matures, your website allows you to document this evolution. It’s a testament to your growth as an artist and a professional, something that is difficult to capture when relying solely on galleries to represent you.

My Approach as a Consultant

When an artist reaches out to me for help with creating their own website, I always start by diving deep into their “why.” Why do you create the art that you do? What motivates you? From there, we clarify your long-term goals and what you hope to achieve through your online presence.

Together, we’ll walk through your portfolio, selecting the pieces that best represent your artistic identity. Then, we’ll work on refining your visual identity — from the colors, typography, and imagery that will make your website stand out to the overall look and feel that will resonate with your audience.

Once your visual identity is clear, we’ll move on to crafting your positioning statement. This is the core of your brand — a succinct statement that explains who you are, what you do, and why your work matters. It’s the message that will drive the design and content of your website, ensuring that everything aligns with your vision.

Finally, based on this foundation, we’ll build a framework for your website that not only reflects your unique artistic voice but also provides a seamless experience for visitors, from browsing your portfolio to contacting you or purchasing your work.

• Goal-setting: We’ll clarify your specific goals for your website. Are you aiming to drive sales, attract commissions, or build a community?
• Portfolio curation: We’ll decide which artworks to showcase and how to organize them for maximum impact.
• Visual identity: Together, we’ll define your website’s look and feel — from color schemes to typography to layout.
• Positioning statement: We’ll craft a concise statement that summarizes your artistic vision and goals, giving your audience a clear sense of who you are.
• Framework creation: We’ll design a website structure that supports your goals, with an easy-to-navigate portfolio, a compelling “About” page, and an integrated contact or sales system.

Building a website is not just about putting your work online; it’s about creating a digital space that serves your goals as an artist, a space that grows with you as your career evolves. By partnering with me, you’ll have the support you need to create a website that truly represents who you are and helps you achieve your long-term artistic ambitions.

Are you aware of the essence of your artistic work? Do you know what makes you stick out from other artists?

Throughout my work with artists from various disciplines, I have noticed that self-awareness is a practice that is unfortunately mostly neglected. And that is also too well understandable, in the creative industry, one is occupied with so many things. But the creative industry is also fiercely competitive. Making a name for oneself and also earning well is like searching for the Holy Grail.

As an artist, you have to be able to present yourself day after day – as if you were a startup business looking for investors, you are looking for buyers / collaborators to work with. And you have to pitch them your artist statement over and over again. The better it is, the more successful you’ll be.

This is why being able to communicate why your artistic work is different / special / to be seen is as crucial as the creation process itself.

Your artistic statement serves as a bridge between your audience and your work.

It provides insight into the creative process, your motivation, and unique qualities that defines your work.

How you will benefit?

The moment you are sure about your artist statement, you are confident with what you do, because you will have found the uniqueness in it. And this gives you confidence which is so indispensably needed in the fiercly contested art market.

Let’s explore a marketing approach to formulating an effective artist statement. I will guide you through the process of finding your purpose, discover your “why,” and identify your Unique Selling Propositions (USPs).

1. Find Your Purpose:

Understanding the purpose behind your art is the foundational step in crafting a compelling artist statement. Your purpose is the driving force that fuels your creative endeavors and gives meaning to your work.

2. Discover Your “Why”:

Simon Sinek, a renowned leadership expert, emphasizes the importance of understanding and communicating the “Why” – the reason behind your actions.  Art that is deeply rooted in a genuine and passionate “Why” resonates more profoundly with audiences. Your artist statement should articulate this motivation, connecting the dots between your purpose and the emotional impact you aim to achieve.

3. Identify Your USPs:

In a crowded art world, standing out is essential. Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) are the distinctive qualities that set your art apart from others. These could be the techniques you use, the themes you explore, or the materials you prefer.

4. Craft Your Artist Statement:

With a clear purpose, a well-defined “Why,” and identified USPs, you are ready to craft your artist statement. Keep in mind that an effective artist statement is concise, engaging, and aligns with your overall brand. Consider the following tips:

• Start your artist statement with a compelling sentence or question that grabs the reader’s attention and invites them to explore further.
• Clearly articulate your purpose and “Why”.
• Highlight your USPs
• Connect with your audience

Conclusion:

Effective communication is the key to fostering a deeper connection between you as and artist and your audience. A well-crafted artist statement serves as a powerful tool for conveying your purpose, articulating your “Why,” and showcasing your unique qualities. By taking a marketing approach and following these easy steps, you can create compelling narratives that not only enhance your brand but also engage and resonate with your audience.

I once worked with a German Gallerist: I had met her at a lecture she gave about the local art scene. She had a noticable regional accent, spoke very personally and was so enthusiastic and cheerful, that she infected the whole audience with her good mood. Pretty uncommon behavior one can say, knowing that the art scene thrives on coolness and restraint. Nevertheless, this woman holds a doctorate in art history and has invaluable experience in the market and spezializes in Newcomer artists and Digital Art from her region. I adored her from the first moment.

What I’m trying to tell you with that story?

It can be the little things that make you stick out from the crowd. But if you know exactly what you core values, your core strengths and your goals are, you will stick out from the ground. And that will make your personal brand.

Why is personal branding important at all?

Personal branding has become an increasingly important aspect of success in the art market. With so many talented artists vying for attention, it’s essential to have a strong and distinctive personal brand that sets you apart from the competition. And this does not only apply to artists, but to art dealers and art gallerists, too. 

What is personal branding?

Personal branding is the practice of creating a unique image and reputation for yourself that sets you apart from others. It’s a way of defining who you are, what you stand for, and what you offer to the world. In the context of the art market, personal branding can set a more personal tone to your social media and other channels you communicate through with your customers. And help build a more personal and binding relationship with your customers.

Additionally: in context of artists is essential because it helps yo to build a loyal following of collectors and fans who are interested in their work.

Do I need to be big on Instagram or Social Media to be a personal brand?

Well, that is a tough question to answer and I struggle with it everyday. Why? Because even though I love Social Media and follow numbers of people whose feeds I can relate with… I myself am not an outgoing person. And prefer to portray other people instead of seeing me on a photo. But, because I am new to the art world and not yet connected as well as I wish I would be, I know I have to make an effort in connecting and building trust. 

And there’s no better way than doing through Social Media.

The good news is: Building up a Social Media account is no rocket science. It’s persistency, patience and staying on the ball. 

In the beginning, no one will see what you do – hence, it doesn’t matter if your posts are perfect. The key is to do at least one little story or one post everyday, or at least 5 days a week. Then you will get more and more attention and you will get used to using the network, too. It will become a habit. And that’s the key to success. 

I talk about social media in another post more detailed.

If you are well connected in the art world and have other channels where you can underline your personal brand, that’s just fine. You will not necessarily need to build up an Instagram account. It is always better to do both because you will definitely get more attention, but if you lack time or staff, better focus on building up the marketing channel that already works well. A newsletter for example can be a very powerful tool for that. And cooperations or PR. 

What are the benefits of personal branding?

There are many benefits to developing a strong personal brand Here are just a few:

1 Increased visibility

By developing a strong personal brand, you’ll increase your visibility in the art market. This will help you to attract new collectors and fans, and to build a reputation as a successful and influential artist.

2 Differentiation

Personal branding allows you to differentiate yourself from other artists in the market. By defining your unique value proposition and creating a distinctive visual identity, you’ll stand out in a crowded market and attract collectors who are interested in what you have to offer.

3 Increased credibility

A strong personal brand can also increase your credibility as an artist. By communicating your values and expertise consistently, you’ll build a reputation as an authority in your field.

4 Increased sales

Ultimately, personal branding can lead to increased sales for your artwork. By building a loyal following of collectors and fans, you’ll have a ready market for your work and be able to command higher prices.

How to develop a personal brand?

Here are some steps you can take to develop your personal brand in the art market:

1 Define your unique value proposition

Your unique value proposition is what sets you apart from others. It could be the artists you represent, the form of art you represent, the way you curate exhibitions, the way you host events. Whatever it is, you need to define it clearly and communicate it consistently to your audience. This will help you to stand out in a crowded market and attract collectors who are interested in what you have to offer.

2 Create a distinctive visual identity

Your visual identity is an essential part of your personal brand. It includes everything from your logo to your website design to the way you present your products, hence the artworks. Your visual identity should be consistent across all of your online and offline platforms, so that people can recognize your work and associate it with your brand.

3 Build a strong online presence

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is essential. As mentioned above, this includes having a website, social media profiles, and an email list. Your online presence should be consistent with your visual identity and unique value proposition, and should be regularly updated with new content.

4 Engage with your audience

Engaging with your audience is key to building a strong personal brand. This means responding to comments on social media, attending events where you can meet collectors and art people in person. By building relationships with your audience, you’ll create a loyal following that will help you to achieve success in the art market.

5 Be consistent

Consistency is crucial when it comes to personal branding. You need to be consistent in everything you do, from your visual identity to your messaging to your online presence. This will help to establish your brand and make it memorable for your audience.

Conclusion

Wheter art instituation or artists, whether company brand or personal brand: Finding out about your personal strengths and working on you uniqueness that sets you apart from others is the ground basis for brand building. I love to make workshops, enabling teams and individuals to find out about their Unique Value Proposition which is the prerequisite for strategically building marketing and one’s own business. Please contact me for a free initial call, during which we can discuss your challenges and create an individual action plan.

Good art marketing is often said to be a budget issue. Where there is no budget for a marketing professional, good marketing cannot take place. However, this budget is missing for smaller galleries.

In addition to the countless daily tasks that business managers, sales directors and/or gallery assistants must acquire, marketing is another competence that has to be professionalized. How is this supposed to work?

The good news is that marketing is not a science that one has to have studied.

Marketing is not magic. Yes, it requires work, but, above all, a good strategy!

With a good strategy, you can do good art marketing without professional staff and large budgets – and grow sustainably.

What many teams however do wrong: they lack this concrete strategy!

They do not know their goals and simply try to keep up with the rapidly moving market and digitalization. TikTok? Big museums are doing that now, we need that too! Instagram? Must Have! Virtual gallery tours? Absolutely! But what specific goal are they pursuing with it?

Let’s take a quick step back to ask ourselves one important question:

What is marketing actually about?

No, it is not about stocking an Instagram channel with appealing pictures, regularly organizing exhibitions and sending an invitation to the existing customer base.

Marketing is about reaching more people, converting them into new customers and bringing existing customers back to purchase!

The first is called “generating leads”, the second is called “retention”. To do this successfully, you have to know your goals exactly. Generating leads, for example, works very differently from retention marketing.

If you know your goals, you can more easily break down the required measures necessary to achieve your goals.

From top to bottom! Without a strategy and goal agreements, which is what so many companies do wrong, marketing will be empty.

For example, a new customer is much more than a achieved sales of X euros. Would it not be exciting to find out how much it costs to acquire a new customer? How much marketing budget is needed? Would it not be interesting to find out where the new customers come from, what their interests are, how old they are, how they are socialized? And would it not be especially interesting to find out where and how to reach these new customers?

For example: If you know that you have never sold art on Instagram, but that art sales are usually generated through the website; if you know that the process of the transaction on the website is cumbersome and involves a high organizational effort for the team … then it makes sense to set the goal of revising the website and prioritizing this process – before caring for an attractive Instagram channel.

If you know that you attract many visitors to the website, for example, through Google search, links or social media – but that these leave again without making a purchase – it makes sense to set the goal of improving the conversion rate on the website.

Or, if you know exactly who your top customers are and what artists or art they are interested in, it makes sense to inform these top customers individually about current works rather than sending them general newsletters. What I mean by this:

Every company, every art dealer, every gallery is different: the goal is therefore to find out which marketing tools work for your own company.

And professionalize them. A continuous, goal-oriented optimization process leads to long-term success and revenue, rather than having to dance aimlessly at all weddings.

These are my tips for a good art marketing strategy:

1 – Be open to change

The rapidly moving art market and rapid digitization require quick adaptability. I still frequently observe a lack of willingness to change on the art market. The excuse “we’ve always done it this way and it’s always worked out well” no longer applies. At the latest since Covid and the loss of fairs and gallery visitors, it should be clear to everyone that it is an advantage to be able to respond quickly to changes.

2 – Know your customers

Customers are the A and O of successful marketing. The better you know them, the more precisely you can address them and do good marketing. Their data, their purchasing behavior, and their “user behavior”, meaning the way they move around your gallery, on your website, in your newsletter, give insight into possible re-purchases and possible new customers.

3 – Solve concrete problems

An example: you observe that your high-priced works are only bought by existing customers? That the majority of your address data is art lovers who regularly come to openings and visit your newsletter, but never buy? Then you should think about a low-priced “entry-level product”.

4 – Develop a clear positioning

… to stand out from the competition! The clearer your customers know what they get from you and nowhere else, the better!

5 – Analyze your data

As mentioned above: the behavior of your customers, your “users”, allows you to draw valuable conclusions about your marketing strategy. You don’t have to subscribe to expensive tracking tools and be a Google Analytics expert! Simple data such as the opening rate of the newsletter or the duration of the website visit are already a very good start.

6 – Define clear goals

Based on the information and data you collect and analyze, you can formulate clear goals that will help you plan concrete measures and their scope, and calculate the resulting costs/budgets. They will help you plan the business year in advance.

7 – Develop a marketing plan

Does everyone in the team know what to do? A good plan is not only the A and O for good marketing. But also the A and O for a smooth and organized workflow. This saves time and resources and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

David Hockney, 20th March 2021, Flowers, Glass Vase on a Table (2021, left) and 28th February 2021, Roses in a Blue Vase (2021, right), both iPad paintings printed on paper, each from an edition of 50. © David Hockney

I remember visiting a wonderful  exhibition in Nice called “Matisse – Hockney. Un paradis retrouvé”. Hockney’s colorful flower paintings, which he had painted in recent years, were displayed as masterpieces: bright bouquets hung in old ornate gold frames against dark painted walls. Only on closer inspection did one realize that they were digital images, painted on the iPad.

The 85-year-old Hockney spent the lockdown in a country house in Normandy and painted daily on the iPad. He sat there with a view of nature and waited for spring.

The story is as beautiful as the pictures. But why am I telling it? Because it reveals so much about good art marketing!

Good storytelling is more important than ever today! Why? Because it reaches people emotionally.

The American marketing magazine Adweek presented a study showing that customers are willing to pay 11% more for a work of art if they know the story behind it.

What stories can you tell? About you, your team, your art?

And what do art buyers look for? Art that just looks “pretty” above the dining table? Or art that they can tell a story about? Of course, the latter.

It is the personal stories that touch us the most. And make art accessible!

Storytelling removes barriers. Between the buyer, the gallery owner, and the work of art.

For example, we love stories of people who unexpectedly became famous. Like the story of Paul Schrader, the German shooting star painter who became an artist “overnight” from a lawyer.

Why can we all remember the name “Banksy”? Because the story of the anonymous artist who secretly leaves graffiti in public places is good. Quirky, adventurous.

So what does your company stand for? There must be plenty to tell!

Larry Gagosian is still known today as the world’s leading art dealer, with the image of a hands-on salesman, because he and the press repeatedly tell the story of how he sold posters on the streets in Los Angeles when he was a young man.

Hauser & Wirth gallery represents something completely different. They see art as a cultural asset and believe that it should be accessible to art enthusiasts beyond the boundaries of wealthy collectors. They invest large budgets in scientific articles, scholarships and organize exhibitions of museum quality.

Two very different gallery stories, but they remain “sticky” or memorable.

Everyone who is interested in art knows about the “blind art dealer”.

What about you?

What are your customers looking for from you that they can’t find anywhere else on the art market?

To find out, you should start with the answer to ONE question: the WHY.

If you know why you are selling what you are selling, you can create your own “mission statement” and tell a story that customers will remember.

Here are 5 questions that will help you create a brand identity, the WHY:

Why do I/we exist?

How did it come about?

Who are my/our main characters?

What problem do I/we solve?

What have I/we already failed at?

The last question is particularly nice, as it makes you relatable. And that’s what makes a good story.

Which email will be opened more frequently? The one with the subject “Art-News in April” or the one with the subject “Exclusive Special Edition by Artist XY”. The answer is quite simple? It is of course the second one!

A newsletter is a strong art marketing tool to convince potential customers to buy art.

And to motivate existing customers to repurchase art. This is called “retention” in marketing jargon. In e-commerce, the industry I originally come from, retention is a huge issue. For a simple reason:

Gaining new customers again and again is not only expensive (advertising costs), but also incredibly demanding.

On the other hand, existing customers have already given you and your art gallery their trust – so you should definitely take advantage of this in the marketing of art!

My experience in e-commerce is that a good newsletter can significantly increase sales in a predictable manner.

You get valuable insights into the behavior and needs of your readers and customers – and can adjust your offer accordingly. The same applies to good art gallery marketing and a good art newsletter!

Here are my 8 tips for performant art newsletters:

1 – Know your goal

What is your goal with sending the art newsletter? Do you want to invite guests to an opening or sell a specific painting? Or do you want to ask your subscribers some concrete questions to get to know their needs better (a great tool I have successfully used with long-term customers)? You should always keep the goal of your art newsletter in mind when creating it and prioritize the content accordingly!

2 – Choose a good subject

The opening rate of your art newsletter is half the rent – and your invitation to the reader to open and read the newsletter. If a reader opens a newsletter in his inbox, it means he is interested in its content.

A good opening rate is around 20% depending on the industry. If it is lower, you should think about your subject line! Does the reader understand what it’s about and does the subject meet his needs / interests, he will open it.

Is your art gallery offering a special edition for the Christmas season? Is your subscriber invited to an exclusive preview? Great, write that in the subject!

• A good subject of an Artnet AuctionsArnet Auctions newsletter I recently received was: “Buy Now! Watercolor Paintings by Richard Dupont”
• Here is another good example of an Artsy newsletter: “Finds under 1000 Dollars”

A newsletter subject like “Art news from Cologne” or “Gallery News” is too general. General emails are usually deleted before being opened in the face of the newsletter flood one receives daily.

By the way, personalized subjects work particularly well. Subjects with emojis are also eye-catching and increase the opening rate. Of course, the subject must also match the image of your art gallery or your brand as an artist.

3 – Keep it short and to the point

We are flooded daily with huge amounts of information through digital media and our attention span has become short. Accordingly, we now dedicate only a little time to reading a newsletter. The contents of your art newsletter should therefore be short, it is best to mention your goal in the first section: invitation / offer, etc.

Set the text out, in each paragraph it should be immediately clear what it is about. Do not hesitate to bold or highlight important keywords so they are better recognizable when scanning the art newsletter!

4 – Don’t forget the call to action

The call to action is what I most often miss when reading art newsletters. Unfortunately! The “call to action” is the specific request to take action. Coming from e-commerce, I know that it is crucial for the purchase or feedback of your subscriber.

Challenge your reader clearly and unambiguously to take action: sign up for the opening / purchase an object / request an object. See the example from Artsy above, in good newsletters the call to action is already in the subject line.

And here I have to repeat myself: every day we receive thousands of information, we have become lazy and overwhelmed – clear calls to action help! A button with the call to action in a color that stands out from the newsletter works best.

5 – Use images

An art newsletter without images doesn’t work. Thanks to social media, we are used to consuming image content, ideally moving images. So be sure to use images – especially in the art industry it makes sense!

Be sure to use your logo in the newsletter for quick recognition and link it to your website.

Attention: Make sure the images are saved in web format and embedded in the art newsletter, at 72 dpi. Otherwise the image file is too large and the newsletter can be classified as spam or not opened correctly.

6 – Set links correctly

Don’t forget to link text and images in the art newsletter. This ensures that the reader can click on your website and do what you have set out to do.

Later you can trace (track) which link was clicked how often – important information to draw conclusions for future newsletters.

Also make sure to set the links “correctly”! For example, an image should not link to your homepage, but to the relevant landing page, i.e. the subpage on your website that is about this image / art work / object. I experience it again and again that links are set incorrectly and mislead the reader – they then break off irritated and surf on another site. You definitely want to avoid that!

7 – Pay attention to mobile readability

Newsletters are usually read today from a mobile or tablet. I still experience it regularly that gallery websites are not optimized for mobile devices. Even with newsletters it can happen that the design is not suitable for mobile devices.

8 – Tell a good story!