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On this podcast and inside the Art Marketing Project membership, I talk a lot about how to sell art online. But online isn't the only place where you should be spending your time. Today I'm answering a question that I hear from artists all the time, which is how to find art buyers offline. We're talking galleries, festivals, boutiques, and even tattoo parlors, if that's where your ideal buyer hangs out!

I’ve been noticing a theme lately. As entrepreneurs, we’re told, “Shift your mindset and things will change for the better.” “Sure,” you say, “I’ll shift my mindset. But HOW?” I invited my friend Nick Demos, a Tony Award-winning performer, producer, and director, to tackle this question in today’s episode. Nick helps artists find focus, calm, and clarity using yoga, breathwork, and meditation. If this sounds “woo woo” to you, just set that thought aside for a moment and let Nick show you how having a daily practice can help improve your creative abilities, give you perspective, and help you make better decisions.

“Build it and they will come!” Right? Well, not so much. If you’re thinking that you can simply set up your shop/website and wait for your buyers to arrive, I’m afraid you’re not going to get very far in your art business. The way I see it, there are two things you need to successfully sell your art in today’s environment: an audience (a big one), and a compelling promotion plan to entice people to buy.

Let’s face it: marketing is a huge activity, and it could take over your whole life if you let it. But we’re not going to let it, because you’ve got a few other things you need to attend to—like creating art! You can't do it all, so use today’s tips to stay focused when you’re working on your marketing and choose the things that are right for you and your business.  You’ll save time, you’ll be organized so that you don’t end up switching gears between marketing work and creative time, and you’ll connect better with your audience. And of course, you’ll sell more work!

If you’re listening to this podcast or browsing the Art Marketing Project website, then you’re probably an artist, and you’re probably interested in selling your art. I’m sure you have artistic talent, but did you know that there’s something you need even more than talent to successfully run an art business? You guessed it: You need to take a business-like approach. Without making that commitment, your art will continue to be a hobby. “But,” you say, “being a business owner is hard.” Yes, it can be. So today I’m giving you a few things you need in your art business toolkit to be successful. Not surprisingly, it’s all about your attitude!

So many of you have asked me questions about legal issues, like how do you copyright your work, and when do you pursue copyright infringement, that I brought in someone who knows legal issues for artists like the back of his hand to share his expertise with you. Today I'm interviewing Gordon Firemark, who's an attorney specializing in working with creatives, and we're talking about the most important things that artists need to do from a legal perspective to protect themselves, their work, and their legacy.

What's the ONE key to selling your art? I'll give you a hint: it's not the latest software or marketing tactic. I believe that the very foundation of successful marketing is … identifying your ideal buyer. Going through the exercise of fleshing out your ideal buyer profile will do more for your art business than any other activity. Want to know how? That's what I'm talking about today in the Art Marketing Project Podcast.

Why does your mindset matter when you’re running an art business? It’s not always easy to balance life, art, and business. Purposefully adopting a positive mindset can help you stay resilient and adaptable through it all. Do you believe that your thoughts create your reality? Whether you’re “woo” or not, you’ve got to admit that believing in yourself and in your own success is more likely to bring you a positive outcome than worrying or getting down on yourself. Here are my suggestions for maintaining a positive state of mind so you can stay in the game for the long term.

Partnerships are a great way to broaden your horizons and grow your art business. I spent years managing partnerships for a major art museum, so I thought I'd share my experience and lessons on this topic. Here are my tips for building successful partnerships to sell your art.

What metrics do you need to be tracking for your art business? Although keeping track of metrics like the number of website visitors you're getting might not sound like fun, stay with me here! Tracking metrics in your business can be a real eye-opener. You'll find out what's working, what isn't, and where you should be spending your time to successfully sell your work. In today's episode I'm giving you the what, why, and how of 8 metrics you need to be tracking in your business for art marketing success. Let's get to it!

I get a lot of questions from artists about marketing tactics and what they can do to improve their sales. For example, “Should I post more often on Instagram? Start a business page on Facebook? Start using Pinterest?” These questions are about marketing tactics. But before you can start talking about tactics, you need to see the bigger picture. That's what we're talking about in today's episode.

I started the Art Marketing Project to help fine artists with their marketing. Before that, I worked in marketing for arts organizations for about 20 years. I’ve learned a few things along the way that I’ll share with you today.

Let’s face it: marketing is a huge activity, and it could take over your whole life if you let it. But we’re not going to let it, because you’ve got a few other things you need to attend to—like creating art! You can't do it all, so simplify your art marketing by choosing the things that are right for you and your business.

There's a lot of crazy marketing advice on the internet! If you hear any of these, run the other way. This is art marketing advice that you won't hear from me...

This episode is personal. I’m sharing a bit of my story about how I got into this amazing world of art marketing in which the Art Marketing Project Podcast is the next step of that journey.  Show notes are available at www.artmarketingproject.com/podcast Don't forget to subscribe, leave a comment, or rate the show.