7 fresh ideas to make your art marketing stand out

Even as creative people, artists can get stuck with their art marketing.

Coming up with new ideas to captivate your customers can be a big challenge.

You know that using the same tricks day in and day out can get monotonous amid the daily bombardment of your fans with marketing messages, but what makes you stand out? Unleash your creative energy and help your art business rise above the rest with these art marketing ideas your fans will love.

From gifts to sharing your studio secrets, check out these seven fun ways to re-engage your clients.

1. Run a raffle

Your clients already love your work, and a free chance to win one of your creations is a great way to get them excited again.

Start by choosing the perfect prize. Pick a piece of art that will get people enthusiastic enough to get involved, not the most expensive piece of art that you've spent years creating. Ideas might include a small print of a popular piece or a sketch you made on the spot.

Then choose how fans can enter and for how long - we suggest a week to create urgency. This can be as simple as asking them to reply to your contest email with their name. Or, if you want to have some fun, you can ask people to vote in their answer on which part you give out to the winner as a printout. Then just choose one of those voted as the winner.

Once you pick a winner, advertise the result in your next newsletter, social media pages, so other people can see the value of taking a closer look at your art business.

2. Live broadcast in the studio

Your fans will love watching you create your art, so try recording it live while you work in the studio. Just let your fans know when you're live, set up a webcam on your laptop, and create a form to start streaming live. Luca Cusolito of CreativeEnabler.com recommends using live streaming, which you can stream directly from your smartphone.    

Practice your best and talk about anything from your techniques to your inspiration as you amaze the audience with your artistic talent. Fans will love sharing this personal experience with you and are lucky to have it available only to them.

broadcasts live from his studio in Tucson and shares when he's "in" on .

3. Create art showcases

Want to share a demo of your work, but live streaming sounds too intense? Try sharing shorter videos of you demonstrating certain techniques on your newsletters, website, or social media. Apps like PicFlow allow you to create double time videos that can be uploaded to Instagram - see how an artist is.

You can also share step-by-step images of your work from sketch to final piece. Clients will love watching your inner work as an artist. Read on for some wise advice on displaying and selling art from your site.

Six watercolor demos from the artist Artwork Archive, who uses the demo for .

4. Make finance a fun experience

Your fans love your work and want you to succeed as an artist. Try asking for their support in a fun way! Use a subscription service where fans can receive merchandise from you in exchange for monthly funding.

Yamile Yemunya of Creative Web Biz suggests using websites like or where you can create different tiers for fan donations such as $5, $100, or $300 per month. Then, depending on how much they decide to fund you, you can send your subscribers an appropriate gift, either the size of an uploaded image or the size of a reproduction of your art.

Yamile explains this process and other information about subscription services in

The artist is backed by 149 patrons, with more levels and awards to keep them interested.

5. Surprise with handwritten notes

Delight your fans with something they don't expect - a handwritten note. “In an increasingly informal digital world, keeping pen and paper out is a way to distinguish yourself,” reminds the master of etiquette.

Without their support, you wouldn't be a successful artist, so do your best and show your clients how much they mean to you. Whether it's a short thank you note for purchasing your latest item or checking your closest contacts, recipients will love your concern.

You can even write notes to your top collectors on postcards of your latest work. They may fall in love with the image and call you to buy the original.

6. Send Exclusive Show Invitations

Another fresh way to keep your clients interested is to invite them to your newest art show before you open your doors to the general public. Your collectors will be honored and thrilled to be invited for an exclusive preview, while you can reap the rewards of having an interested audience take a close look at your work.

Follow the path of the handwritten note by creating physical invitations or by including the invitation in your newsletter.

7. Surprise customers with special offers

Like gifts, people like to know that they are treated with special attention. It doesn't have to be anything out of the ordinary, but you can offer free shipping or clearance for a limited time. Try positioning it as a special event to create hype and a sense of urgency.

Another idea might be to include a 10% discount card in several of your thank you notes. This will be a welcome and unexpected surprise that may lead to a new sale.

Give him a chance!

Your customers struggle with marketing messages all day, so stand out from the crowd with fresh ideas like sharing behind-the-scenes content, showing appreciation, and offering exclusive deals on your art. Attracting art clients can help revitalize your art business.

Want more ideas to attract customers? Verify