5 Steps to Brand Yourself as an Artist
In this post and video, we're outlining our 5-step process for branding yourself as an artist!
If branding yourself has ever felt overwhelming or complicated, this framework is here to offer clarity and focus by giving you an easy path to follow! Each step in this sequence builds upon the next – if you put them all into action, you'll find that you don't have to be a designer or a genius brand strategist to start creating an intentional brand that connects with dream clients and withstands the test of time.
Watch this week's video lesson and keep scrolling for a written overview of our 5-step branding process for artists!
And when you’re ready to put these steps into action, click HERE to get our help + in-depth roadmap.
Now let's dive in! These are our 5 Steps to Brand Yourself as an Artist:
Step 1: Clarify Your Unifying Idea
As artists, we love creating. It's who were are as people. The tricky part sometimes is being able to communicate what it is we make in a clear, concise way. Here's where your unifying idea comes into play.
For example, if you're an artist offering oil portraits, macrame, and clay sculptures, you need a unifying idea. This idea will be like an umbrella that all your art falls under so that you and your client know what you're selling. So, with this example, your unifying idea could be that all of your art celebrates the human figure (through oil paintings, macrame, and clay sculptures).
At this point, we need to make a disclaimer… you are a creative with an endless stream of ideas, and we know you probably dislike the idea of being boxed in or labeled. Yeah—us too. So, know that you always have permission to change your mind at your discretion. It's totally okay!
HOWEVER, our challenge to you in this first step towards branding yourself and attracting your dream buyer is to be as crystal clear about what you offer as possible!
Your creativity is your superpower. How are you honing and focusing that energy in a way that makes sense to the people in your world? What is your unifying idea?
Step 2: Know Who You're Speaking To
Now that you've concisely defined what you're offering, it's time to think about WHO you are speaking to. Who is part of your current community, and who are your dream collectors? Can you picture them in your mind? What does their day-to-day life look like? Where do they shop? What kind of art do they have around their house? How do they speak? What are their biggest needs?
By picturing your current and/or dream community, you'll be able to use your branding to better reach and communicate with these people. This step aims to connect with them while elevating your work.
And if focusing on one type of customer with your branding efforts feels a little counterintuitive… you're not alone! It's normal to want your brand to resonate with everyone who's a willing, paying collector. That's human. We don't want to box anyone out.
However! Falling into the trap of trying to reach everyone with your brand is dangerous territory for confusion. If you aim to appeal to everyone, you'll wind up connecting with no one. So don't be afraid to get specific and design your brand with one ideal client in mind. Then, when your dream customers see your brand, they'll likely fall in love with your work.
Step 3: Establish Your Style and Vibe
This step is a precursor to any designs. This is mood board territory–your moment to dream!
Step three is when you connect the dots between your artistic style and how you want it to be reflected in your branding (so you can attract those ideal customers to your art).
Once you have clarity around what you're offering and who you're speaking to, begin brainstorming what (and more so, how) you want people to feel when interacting with you, your art, and your brand.
Consider the specific feelings you want your buyer to feel when they interact with your brand. What do you want your logo, website, colors, etc., to convey to your potential collectors? Is it clear and crisp like a high-end gallery or relaxed and cozy like a candle-lit living that smells like freshly baked cookies? You can evoke these feelings for your business through branding!
As we mentioned above, this is a great time to organize your thoughts, feelings, and inspiration into a mood board that will inspire the rest of the elements you create for your brand in the next step.
P.S. Don't be afraid to get started and refine your style as your brand grows! This is a step you will constantly revisit as an artist as your tastes evolve and your style matures.
Step 4: Create Intentional Branding (AKA, start making stuff!)
Now that you know what you're offering, who you want to connect with, and how you want them to feel when interacting with your brand, it's time to channel these messages into your branding assets! We're talking logos, colors, typography, website, marketing materials, etc.
It's time to start making things! And depending on your budget and phase of business, we recommend either hiring a designer to help you out or spending some time learning to create these elements for yourself. Regardless, the goal is to set yourself up with cohesive branding material in this phase so that you can move on to other important tasks of running your business as an artist and sharing your work with your audience.
Like step three, what you create for your branding WILL evolve to support your work and taste as it matures. It's okay to commit to something for now and refine your branding as you grow. Just get started!
Step 5: Make a plan to share your work
Step five is about implementing your branding and making a plan to share your work!
Don't underestimate or skip this phase of the branding… You must create a plan for presenting your brand to the world and set some deadlines to propel you forward. Some questions to ask yourself are:
How will I use my brand to elevate my art?
Where is my dream clientele spending time online, and how can I interact with them there in a sustainable way?
Can I create a consistent, sustainable rhythm for sharing my brand with the world?
What is my deadline for releasing my new brand identity?
Remember, you don't have to be everywhere all at once, and you don't have to become a marketing machine. You just need to be in a couple of places where you know your dream clientele is likely to hang out and have the dedication to share with them regularly.
Consistency is the key to long-term growth!
We hope you found this outline helpful!
UPDATE:
If you enjoyed our step-by-step overview but want further help applying this framework to your brand, you’re invited to join our branding course for creatives! CLICK HERE to learn more + start bringing your brand to life using our in-depth roadmap.
