to contact me directly please e-mail: meganduncanson@yahoo.com
In Celebration of the MADART Facebook page reaching 3,000 likes, I will be creating a one of a kind original painting for the winner of the contest!! The winner will be chosen by random drawing.
Once a winner is chosen they will get to select the style and colors of the painting they would like. It will be created on a 12"x16" gallery wrapped canvas and chosen from one of these three styles: 
Circle of Life Series
Abstract Landscape
Abstract
HOW TO ENTER:
GOOD LUCK and thank you for helping me reach my goal of 3,000, now we need to get to 4,000 and have an even bigger giveaway!!
Okay...I think my MAD Outfitters "...It's a Lifestyle" Website is ready to be shared!!
I've been tweaking and creating designs and making t-shirts and Iphone Cases and so much more! This is just the beginning of my new brand and it's a reflection of the lifestyle I've lived my entire life and still do to this day, an Outdoor Lifestyle!!
I hope you all can find some designs to relate to whether it's fishing, running, mountain biking, surfing or any other outdoor sport. This is just the beginning of the brand and I will be constantly working on new designs in all outdoor sports/activities, I'm already receiving requests from people who've heard about it and seen some of the designs to include their sport/activity, share with me yours!!
I also have a Facebook page where I would like people to share their outdoor stories, photos, etc. and I will be doing the same. Living an Outdoor Lifestyle is about having fun, enjoying life with friends and family and staying healthy. I encourage Everyone to find an outdoor activity that you like and become active in it, or more than one is even better, the rewards are endless and it helps to relieve the everyday stress of life, just get out and enjoy the outdoors!
Thank you for visiting my new site and I hope you will follow my Facebook page to stay up to date on all things MAD Outfitters!
I get a lot of e-mails from aspiring artists who want to know the secrets to online art selling success, almost on a daily basis. Unfortunately I don’t have the time to answer all of these e-mails and still run my art business, so I’m creating this post to provide some of the answers, I hope you find it helpful :D
I can't say enough how important it is to keep your art visibility constant, probably the NUMBER ONE thing you HAVE to do to be successful selling on the internet. I’m always posting about my art, my art life and other peoples art that inspires me on my Facebook page and Twitter. I also advertise with paid Google Adwords and Facebook ads off and on throughout the year. Keeping my website and blog up to day with new art and posts as often as possible is also key.
Don’t think that the economy is going to have a negative impact on your art sales, it will only impact you if YOU let it. My theory is art makes people feel good, they buy art, whether it's original or prints, to make them feel better. Whether it be from a painting that is bright and cheerful, or one that makes a personal connection with the buyer. And when things are tough in people's lives they look for ways to make themselves feel better, and I think art does that.
I think there are a number of KEY things you need to do towards becoming more successful, and just one of them isn't going to get the results you're looking for, being in business for yourself not matter what it is you are selling takes A LOT of hard work and time, and doesn’t happen overnight. But, here are some important things to keep in mind when selling your art online and starting out.
1. LOTS of listings – again…VISIBILITY, VISIBILITY, VISIBILITY…. I know a lot of people aren't able to list new art every day, but try to post or list something, somewhere every day, whether it be an original painting, prints, jewelry with your art, a blog post, a comment or post on Facebook or Twitter about new art you are working on or a sale, just something to keep people interested in what you are doing, and to stay visible at all times.
2. List on more than one site - DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY, but be sure the sites you list on are worth your time and effort, otherwise it’s futile. At the same time, don’t spread yourself too thin, choose wisely the sites that will work best with your style of art. I list on my own website(s), Etsy, Artist Rising and Fine Art America on a regular basis. I am on other sites, but don’t dedicate time to them because they have never shown themselves to be worth it for me, but that’s not to say they won’t work for you if you chose to list there and put in the necessary time. The key is really how much time you put into each site, the more time put in, the more the rewards, but we are all limited to the number of hours in a day and can only do so much, so again, choose wisely and do your research!
3. Several Different PRICE POINTS - Have your store/shop STOCKED!! With larger more expensive pieces and prints and smaller paintings, like ACEO's or $49 small originals or something to this effect. Give everyone the opportunity to purchase some of your art. Someone who buys a small 8”x10” print may come back at a later time and purchase an original or commission from you, if they have the print in their home to remind them of you and your art, they are more likely to keep coming back.
4. CUSTOMER SERVICE is crucial to selling online just as it is in a brick and mortar store -
I have a Collector who actually found me on Overstock and started buying my eBay auctions too (I no longer sell art on eBay). She would bid on probably 40% of my auctions that I posted. She didn’t win all of them, but she helped to raise the prices on the one's she didn’t win. I converse with her on a regular basis because she is such a wonderful person and art collector. She deserves for me to take the time to talk with her about the art. She shares with me her reason for purchasing EVERY piece of art she buys and that is so rewarding to me. She also told me that everyone who comes to her home asks about my art and who the artist is. Because I've taken the time to get to know her and vice versa, she can tell people about ME, the artist, which may bring in more sales down the line.
Always be prompt in addressing any concerns and remember “the customer is always right”. For instance, if something is damaged in transit, YOU need to make it right and replace the item right away or refund the purchaser if the item cannot be replaced. Be sure to insure all of your shipments, and even if the item is insured don’t wait to be reimbursed from the shipper before you reimburse the buyer, take care of them FIRST, every time!
I try to send out a newsletter every so often to my collector's with promotions, news, new art, etc. just to keep in touch with everyone whose shown interest in my art. Be sure to have an ‘opt out’ link to have them removed from the list if they wish.
I also include a full color postcard, a business card, an ACEO print, or some small item in every package I ship out. The little touches are often helpful in a big way and show your client's/collectors that you appreciate their business.
And I keep in constant contact with buyers and try to respond as quickly as possible to any questions.
5. I spend A LOT of TIME & RESEARCH on my business, more than I would in a full-time job elsewhere, because I try to squeeze in extra work every chance I get. It is hard and demanding, but sooooo rewarding, I wouldn't have it any other way. And I do spend quite a time in researching and marketing, without it, I wouldn't be able to sell as much. It's a constant learning curve and we all have to adapt to changes and try new things to keep up with the venues we sell on, the economy, people's tastes and our own capabilities. The internet has more information then you could ever possibly need, take advantage of it.
6. Try new and different ways to MARKET and sell your art. For instance I license a lot of my art to different companies to put on their products and they send me a royalty check every month or quarter for the products that sold with my art on them. The royalty rate is typically anywhere from 5% to 12%. There is a lot of information on licensing, I recommend the following sites:
http://joanbeiriger.blogspot.com/
http://kateharperblog.blogspot.com/2011_04_24_archive.html
http://www.artlicensinginfo.com/
I’ve tried the gallery route and it simply doesn’t have the same advantage as selling online and licensing my art. But that’s not to say that it won’t work for YOU, you won’t know unless you try. I do recommend that you start with local galleries first and if you’re art seems to do well than try venturing further outwards. The same goes for selling at local art shows, I’ve tried it and it wasn’t for me, but lot’s of artists do well and enjoy the shows, so again, if you think it’s for you, give it a try :D
I have also put together a list further down on this post of many different art selling venues online that you can take advantage of.
Some quick tips:
Art Sites
POD (print on Demand) sites:
Selling websites for original artwork and prints:
There are many, many more art sites to promote your art on, but these are some I personally know of, and some I sell on.
If you feel and believe that being a professional artist is what YOU were meant to do, then don’t put it off any longer!! If you never take the necessary steps to make it happen and only dream about it or wish you could do it, it will never happen. YOU have to make it happen and there’s no better time than right now! And be aware that the success won’t happen overnight, but if you keep working at it steadily and put in the necessary time and research it WILL happen. Also keep in mind that you won’t just be an artist any longer, you will also be a business person and have to think like a business person in order to be successful. If you don’t feel “business minded” take a business class at a local college to help you on the right track.
There is lots of information out there, you just have to put in the time and do the research. You can’t simply rely on asking other artists how they market and sell their work, YOU have to do the research on your own and see what works for YOU. There is so much information to be found online, books and articles, blogs, etc., take advantage of it and make the most out of it. Many artists, myself included, don’t have the time to answer every aspiring artists question that comes through their inbox. I’m in the business of promoting my art and selling and marketing it, it’s a full-time job with lot’s of over-time! There are artists and entrepreneurs out there who DO offer advice on their blogs, website, articles, books, e-books, etc. and that’s part of their career, whereas it’s not a part of mine and many other artists, so please be considerate of that and do your research with what is readily available online. I wish I had the time to answer every e-mail that comes through, but I simply don’t have the time and hope that this post will be helpful to many of you in your artistic endeavors :D
