Tag: business

How to Grow Your Instagram Art Account

~ Julie ~ 1 Comment
how to grow your instagram art account

Hey guys! Today I’d like to share with you some tips for growing your art account on Instagram.

If you’re an artist and not using Instagram, get on it! I find it’s better than Facebook or Twitter for artists because it’s more visual based.

In fact, many artists today use Instagram as their art portfolio instead of having a website. While I don’t recommend that, as having your own space on the internet is always best practice, it can be a great place to connect with fans and other artists.

Keep in mind that no one really knows how the algorithm works except the folks who work at Instagram. People will tell you to do this or that or don’t do this or that, but they really don’t know either, so take it with a grain of salt.

These tips are just things that have worked for me personally, and are not guaranteed to work for you. Don’t focus too much on your follower count. Being authentic, focusing on creating quality content, and engaging meaningfully with your fans and followers should be your main focus.

Here are some tips for growing your account and getting more engagement on Instagram.

  • Post daily, if not to your feed at least to stories.
  • Create fun and interactive stories using polls, stickers etc.
  • Respond to comments on your posts.
  • Respond to other people’s stories.
  • Use relevant hashtags when you post. Use a mix of broad and smaller hashtags with less than 1 million posts. For example, use #art and #artistsoninstagram, but also use smaller hashtags that are relevant to your specific style of art or the subject of your post.
  • Switch up hashtags from post to post, don’t use the same ones every time.
  • Experiment with posting at different times of the day.
  • Experiment with video and IGTV.
  • Add a location to your posts. It could be the location you actually are, or a different location depending on the post subject or target audience.
  • Create content that isn’t pushing people to buy anything, but simply showing your work or offering something of value to your followers.
  • Create quality content. Images in focus with good lighting, and clear screenshots. Experiment with using props and mix up your feed.
  • Post selfies. Even as an artist, selfies get high engagement on Instagram. Take photos of yourself holding your art or wearing and using your products if you sell through print on demand.
  • Engage daily by liking and commenting on posts in your home feed.
  • Follow hashtags that are relevant to your niche or art style and they will show up on your home feed.
  • Check out the top posts and use them for inspiration, but don’t copy.
  • Every day, if you can, go through a few hashtags relevant to your work or style and like/comment/follow accounts using that hashtag.
  • Add Alt Text to your posts.
  • Join an engagement group. Basically a group of like minded individuals (artists in our case) who post in a group message thread and like/comment on each others’ posts. It’s a great way to build a community of supportive people and get more engagement on your posts.

That’s it! I hope you’ve found some helpful tips here. If you have more to add feel free to leave them in the comments!

Oh and make sure you follow me on Instagram!

Cheers,

Julie

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Common Scams for Artists to Watch Out For

~ Julie ~ 4 Comments
scams for artists to watch out for

Hey guys! If you’ve been online pretty much ever, you’ve probably seen a scammer in action. But did you know there are scams specifically targeting artists and creatives?

I have personally encountered some of these scams and they can be very difficult to identify. I created this post in order to share them with you so you don’t fall prey to them.

Scammers are always coming up with new ways to take your money or intellectual property, so I’m sure this list will be outdated as soon as it’s published. However, I’ve also provided some tips on how to weed out a scam if you think you’ve encountered one.

Ways to Identify a Scam

It’s always exciting as an artist when people reach out to you and recognize your talent. Many people and companies prey on this and find ways to disguise their scams as “opportunities” for artists.

Read every e-mail or message thoroughly. If the language and grammar is very poor and sentences don’t make sense, it’s likely not worth your time and could even just be an automated message.

Whenever you are approached by a person or company find out as much as you can about them before proceeding. Google the company, and read reviews about them on websites like Better Business Bureau. Ask friends or other artists if they have experience with this company. If you can’t find anything about them online that’s usually a red flag.

When a company sends you an offer or contract, thoroughly read the fine print because there could be a catch. If you have to spend any of your own money up front, it’s probably a scam.

Always consider what’s in it for them. Why are they interested in you and your art? What do they get out of the partnership? Not to say your art isn’t good, but no one works for free or without motive.

Here are some common scams for Artists to watch out for

  • Companies reaching out to you for a “media feature” – Don’t waste your time. You will later learn you have to pay upwards of $5000 for this feature that probably doesn’t reach your target audience at all.
  • People asking to “collaborate” only to get free content from you, such as a photo of yourself using their product. Unless it is a big company which aligns with your brand, don’t give away your content for free.
  • Someone asking to use your art for their website or logo. Be very wary and do your research before sending them anything. Do not give it to them for free either. At least create some sort of contract saying they cannot re-sell your art and only use it for a specific purpose so you could take legal action if needed.
  • People asking for free art or products in exchange for a social media shout-out. I strongly encourage you never to give your art away for free. If the person is a legitimate social media influencer they probably would not be approaching you.
  • Amateur art shows that are paid for by the artists. These art shows sound exciting but you should not be forced to sell tickets or pay to fund the show yourself. Always research the company, read reviews, and consider what they are getting out of it.
  • So-called “gurus” trying to you sell you expensive courses to “help your business”. Some of them ask for $20,000 or more! Don’t give up your life savings for the same things you can learn online for free.
  • People asking to buy your artwork, but want to pay through non-traditional payment methods. ONLY accept payment through Paypal, Cards or E-transfer. Do not accept cheques. Never send files or ship art until after you’ve received payment and it’s in your bank account.
  • Sellers ripping off your designs to sell on websites like Amazon, AliExpress, TeeSpring etc. Google the keywords of your most popular works every few months to see if it shows up on websites that are not your own. Then submit take-down notices.

Have you ever been scammed or encountered an artist-specific scam? Leave your experience below for others to learn from!

Cheers,

Julie

Want to learn how to sell your art online? Start here!

How I’m Breaking the Mold as an Artist

~ Julie ~ 4 Comments

Hey guys! Today I’d like to share with you a little bit about how I’m breaking the mold of being an artist in the 21st century.

Throughout history, artists have had to fit certain molds to have their work accepted by galleries and the art community.

But the greatest artists were the ones who broke the mold.

In Medieval Europe, art was controlled by the Church. Artists had to create work featuring religious characters and stories in order to sell. Artists found ways to work around these limitations by inserting the faces of their patrons into religious scenes.

The great art of the Renaissance was a rejection of these restrictions. In fact, there has been a constant back and forth throughout history, with each art movement being a reaction to the one that came before.

Impressionism was a reaction to Realism. Monet and the Impressionists were originally shunned by the art community in Paris. Of course they are now widely loved and celebrated (not to mention, the art is worth millions).

In 1917, Marcel DuChamp submitted an upside down urinal as an affront to the so-called “Society of Independent Artists”. This move has gone down in history and gave rise to Dadaism.

Marcel Duchamp Fountain 1917

The greatest historical artists we know today were the ones who broke the mold and pushed back against the establishment. These artists were ahead of their time, controversial, and often under appreciated until late in life or even after death.

Artist Gustav Klimt The Kiss

So how can I follow in the footsteps of the great artists of the past?

Today, there are once again pervasive ideas about what being an artist should look like.

Many of my professors at University scoffed at the idea of selling art online on fashion and home decor products. They held the belief that a true artist should suffer for their work, and should only show in established galleries, otherwise they’re “selling out”.

Another pervasive idea is that art should only be understood and accessible to an elite few. I think that idea is bullshit and needs to be smashed like the patriarchy! I hold the belief that art should be accessible to all.

The internet and the ability to self represent has completely changed the landscape of being an artist today. We can spread our work around the world all on our own, and become business men and women in our own right. We can create any kind of artwork we want and find a market for it.

All artists should be taking advantage of this and starting a new movement. Our movement doesn’t have a name yet but one day people will be reading about this time in history. Just like we read about the “Renaissance” “Impressionism” and “Dadaism” movements of the past.

This is how I’m breaking the mold as an artist and doing what every other great artist has done before me.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on what being an Artist in the 21st century means to you. Leave your comments below! Please note: I’m not an art historian and have definitely over-simplified some aspects here, so feel free to point out if I’m completely wrong.

Thanks for sticking around long enough to read my rant! I really appreciate it. Head over to my gallery to check out my artwork, and make sure to subscribe to my blog if you want to follow along on my journey.

Cheers,

Julie

Motivational Quotes for Entrepreneurs

~ Julie ~ 5 Comments

Hey guys! Anyone else feeling a lack of motivation today? I needed a little pick-me-up so I decided to put together some motivational quotes in Canva.

This goes out to all you entrepreneurs and small business owners out there who hustle hard and need a reminder to keep doing what you’re doing!

Motivational Quotes to Inspire You

I love this quote because it reminds us that wherever we are in life we can always keep working toward our goals and dreams.

start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. Motivational quotes.

I recently read the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and this quote of his really resonated with me.

the hard road often becomes easy, and the easy road often becomes hard - motivational quote robert kiyosaki

Sometimes taking risks pay off, other times they don’t but we’ll never know unless we try.

Be brave, take risks

People will always be jealous of your success and some will try everything in their power to tear you down. Don’t let that get to you. Just remember, if you have haters, you’re probably doing something right!

if you have #haters you're doing something right. #quotes

When all else fails, sometimes we just need a reminder to not give up. Take a break, step away from something, but always come back and try again.

when all else fails just don't give up quote

I hope you’ve enjoyed these motivational quotes! I’m already feeling a little better after creating these.

Let me know which one you like the most by leaving a comment below!

More quotes to inspire you:

What to do When Sales are Slow in Your Print on Demand Store

~ Julie ~ 2 Comments
What to do when sales are slow print on demand stores

Hey guys!  Today I’d like to share with you my thoughts on what to do when sales are slow in your Print on Demand shops and online stores.

In retail, whether online or brick and mortar, there are sales cycles.  This means that sales slow down at certain times of the year and peak during other times, like at Christmas.

It can be frustrating and confusing to go from making several sales in a month to barely any, but that is totally normal and just the reality of retail. It does not mean you’ve failed, so don’t get down!

Think about how you personally shop. What times of the year do you spend the most money and when do you save? You will most likely find this reflected in your sales.

Here you can easily see the cycle peaks and lows during the year from my Redbubble analytics:

sales cycles on print on demand online retail stores

You can see my sales peak in November and December and drop down in the spring. Then they steadily climb back up until August when people shop for Back to School.

Now this sales cycle is totally normal and something you will need to get used to and prepare for, especially if your sole income is through online retail shops.

Instead of getting frustrated and throwing in the towel, there are lots of things you can do during these low times to get your shops ready for when the sales start to rise again!

Here is a list of ideas:

  • Work on your website or blog. Start one if you haven’t yet.
  • Continue creating and adding new designs to your shops.
  • Find new ways to promote your shops. Start using Pinterest for example.
  • Grow your social media followings.
  • Go through your stores and fix or delete under-performing designs.
  • Go through your designs and update keywords.
  • Enable new products you haven’t offered before.
  • Do a brand overhaul: new logo, banners, etc.
  • Promote sales. If your sales are slow, so are the websites you sell on and they will often have really good sales during slow times to get people to buy.
  • Ask others for feedback. You could ask friends or other Print on Demand artists for feedback on your stores and/or designs.
  • Network. Find and join support groups with like-minded individuals. There are lots of Print on Demand groups on Facebook.
  • Learn new business and marketing strategies through YouTube or other sources.
  • Take a break. Sometimes we need some time away to replenish our creativity.  Go on a holiday or spend time with friends and family and come back with new ideas.
  • Open a new store. There are lots of print on demand sites out there, perhaps there is one more suited to your style. Here is a list of Print on Demand sites to try.
  • And most importantly don’t give up!

Looking for more? You can find lots more tips about selling your art through Print on Demand websites in the resources section of my blog.

Happy selling!

Cheers,

Julie

How to Fill Out the W-8BEN Tax Form for Print on Demand Sites

~ Julie ~ 5 Comments
print on demand tax forms and information


Ah tax forms, one of those annoying administrative tasks we have to do to sell artwork online through Print on Demand websites. Many U.S. based Print on Demand companies, like Zazzle, require a W-8BEN tax form to be filled out and submitted in order for payments to be processed.

This form can be confusing, and if you don’t submit it or fill it out properly your royalties can be subject to a whopping 30% withholding tax!

As long as you live in a country that has an income tax treaty with the U.S. (such as Canada) you do not need to pay this withholding tax, or may have to pay a reduced withholding tax. Here is a short list of countries with tax treaties with the U.S. and their withholding amounts. A more comprehensive list can be found on the IRS website.

To get started, you will have to download the W-8BEN form from the IRS website.
Below I have provided an example of how to fill out the form as a Canadian.

how to fill out us tax withholding W-8BEN form

Things to note:

  • The SIN number (Line 6) is the same as a U.S. Social Security Number. I am assuming most countries have an equivalent personal identification number for tax purposes.
  • The ____% rate of withholding (Line 10) may differ depending on the withholding tax rate of your resident country. This is where you will use the list provided at the link above.

I hope this guide will be helpful to those of you who are getting started selling your art through Print on Demand websites and are required to submit this form.
Let me know your thoughts or questions be leaving a comment below.

Cheers!

Julie

Looking for more information about selling your art through Print on Demand sites?

Check out these posts!