But at the same time, many people find social media quite distracting. As a result, trying to build a presence on a platform might lead to not getting important work done elsewhere.
Luckily, you don’t need social media to build an audience as an artist. Whether you’re a painter, photographer, graphic designer, or something else, these tips will help you grow your brand in other ways.
1. Build an Email Marketing List
Many people thought that the rise of social media would lead to the death of email marketing. However, that has not been the case—and the medium probably won’t go away anytime soon. Think about it: how many times do you check your email daily? You can guarantee that your audience is doing likewise.
When done correctly, email marketing is an excellent way to connect with your audience. Everybody you send your content to has asked to hear from you, and you can easily have conversations with people away from the noise of social media.
If your newsletter becomes successful, you might also be able to generate additional income through advertisers. When making an email marketing list, remember to comply with data protection laws such as GDPR.
2. Start a Website
If you want your audience to connect with you on more of a personal level, starting a website might be your best option besides email marketing. You will also have more control over your content than you would on social media.
When creating a website, you can lay it out however you want. If you like writing, for example, you could start a blog about your preferred topic. You can also use the website as a place to showcase your work or funnel users through to other channels.
You should think carefully about the website builder you use to create your site. WordPress.org is different from WordPress.com and will give you more creative control, for example, but it’s also harder to use. Squarespace and Wix are other popular choices.
3. Begin a Podcast
If you want to learn on the go, podcasts are one of the best ways to do so. You can listen to them in the gym, while driving to work, cooking dinner, and in several other situations. Your audience will probably want to learn about what you do, and podcasting is an excellent way to reach them.
You don’t need an expensive studio setup to start your own podcast. In fact, you might not even need a microphone; voice memos on your smartphone are just as easy to edit.
When starting a podcast, you can host your episodes on several platforms. Anchor is one of the most popular, but you can also use others like Buzzsprout. You can publish your show on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and even YouTube if you use videos.
4. Attend Networking Events in Your Field
Regardless of your industry, building relationships is crucial. If you want to grow your presence as an artist without social media, meeting other people in your field is a good idea.
If you live in a big city, you’ll find several meetups throughout the year for art, design, and photography. You can use apps like MeetUp to discover events that interest you. Even if you live in a smaller town, you should still find something within a reasonable distance of where you are.
5. Send Emails to People You’d Like to Work With
Emailing people you don’t know might feel daunting, and you’ll need to accept that you might have a higher rejection rate than other outreach methods. But if you’re genuine with your approach and don’t ask for too much without giving, you will find that many people are willing to help.
When cold emailing people you’d like to work with, introduce yourself and tell them what you do. You should also focus on adding them to your network first; later down the line, you might receive the opportunity to work with them.
Always keep your emails short; you can check out this article on how to send an email if you need some guidance.
6. Tell Your Friends and Family About Your Art
If you’re new to the world of art, you might not have a professional network—especially if your previous career was in a different field. If you feel a little daunted by sending emails to people you don’t know, start with your immediate non-professional circle.
Your friends will likely be supportive of your endeavors. If you tell them about your art, and they know someone with an interest in that type of thing, they’ll probably tell that individual. The same goes for your family members.
Make sure you give everyone you tell a website or other contact method.
7. Send Press Releases
Press releases are a relatively old way of getting your name out there, but you might find them incredibly effective. In essence, you will write a short news piece whenever you announce important news about your art and distribute it to people and publications that might find it interesting.
When sending press releases, try to segment your distribution as much as possible. You should also ensure that the news is valuable and that recipients have all the information they need to create an interesting story.
8. Don’t Forget Your Existing Clients
If you already work with existing clients, you will often find that retention is the best form of growth. It’s easy to get fixated on the idea of attracting new audiences, but those you already work with will likely have a wealth of knowledge—plus a sizable network.
Focus on producing high-quality work for your existing clients, and you might receive referrals. At the very least, you’ll bolster your portfolio and make yourself more attractive when seeking additional clients later.
9. Distribute Business Cards
You might associate business cards with corporate settings, but they can work well for artists too. If you go to a networking event, having some cards ready to hand out might help you generate leads and open doors for potential future collaborations.
Another way you can distribute business cards is by leaving them around in public areas. You can easily make your own business cards with Canva.
Artists Don’t Need Social Media to Build a Brand
If you don’t want to build your presence as an artist with social media, you can use several other methods. Older forms of marketing, such as email, still work well if you can find a way to add value to your audience. Similarly, you can build a website to give other people a better insight into who you are and what you do as an artist.
Podcasting, telling people in your friendship circle, and attending networking events can all help. We’ve only scratched the surface in this article, so it’s worth experimenting to see what works best for you.
