You’re ecstatic! You finally landed that licensing deal you’ve been working so hard to get. You can finally show everyone that you made it (especially that naysaying brother-in-law who said you were wasting your time). You spend a crazy amount of time crafting the perfect image to announce the big news, post it on Facebook and Instagram, get tons of likes and encouragement, and then… crickets.
Now what?
You start thinking… “Shouldn’t there be more to it than this? I worked so hard to get that deal, there’s got to be other ways I can leverage this opportunity to increase my visibility, build my credibility, and grow my client base!”
The good news is that the answer to your question is a definite YES!
Don’t get me wrong — landing a licensing deal with a major brand is a huge win, but why not use the opportunity to build more momentum for your business?
Press coverage of you and your artwork is an effective way to drive traffic to your website, attract new followers on social media, and build your email list. And I’m sure I don’t have to remind you — the more traffic and email subscribers you have, the more sales you will make!
“But how can I get more attention?!” is the question I always hear. “How can I use my licensing deal to attract more sales?”
I’m so glad you asked because I have a simple three-step strategy for accomplishing this very thing:
Step #1: Target the Appropriate Media Outlets
Do you really need to set your sights on getting an interview in the New York Times? Absolutely not! In fact, I don’t recommend targeting extremely large organizations.
Why? Because you’ll be a small fish in a really, REALLY big bowl. First, it will take an insane amount of work to land an interview. Second, only a small fraction of that organization’s audience will be paying attention to you. Once the article has come and gone, you may have gotten a few hits, but it probably won’t be the hype you were hoping for.
Instead, I recommend starting with niche and trade publications, local papers, blogs, and podcasts that cater to your ideal client, the people who get and love what you do, the people who are YOUR people. These individuals are way more likely to follow you after reading or listening to your story and are even more likely to purchase from you when you make them an offer. Starting with smaller outlets will also give you the confidence and momentum to ultimately reach out to bigger, more popular outlets.
So first things first: do your research! Ask people who fit the description of your ideal client (whether they are fans or friends) what blogs they like to read, which podcasts they listen to, and what websites they visit. Start compiling a list!
Once you’ve identified your ideal outlets, you’ll need to attract the reporter’s or influencer’s notice. A good way to get on their radar is connecting with them on social media channels. Like, comment, and share (or retweet) their posts. They’ll notice who is actively supporting their work and will start paying more attention to you and what you’re doing.
Step #2: What’s the Hook?
Whether it’s a reporter, blogger, podcaster, or influencer, they all want (and need) a compelling story. If they don’t have an emotional hook, they don’t have a reason to write an article or blog post or broadcast a podcast episode. So give them a reason to care about you and what you’re doing!
What details can you share that would make a good story? What do you have to say that would be interesting and valuable for their followers? Think about the ideal client we talked about earlier; what resonates with them?
- Are they looking for a human interest story like “How a young artist living on a dairy farm in the midwest became a featured artist for Anthropologie?”
- Or are they more interested in an inspirational piece like “It took her 5 years, 10 trade shows, and 431 pitches to get her art noticed by a major brand, but she never gave up… And neither should you!”
- Or perhaps they want a how-to piece like “How to get your art licensed by a major brand in 3 simple steps.”
The options are limitless. The idea is to figure out what unique angle will get you noticed and resonate with the person you are pitching to and that person or organization’s audience.
Step #3: Craft a Compelling Pitch
If you want a writer or influencer to talk about you or have you on their show, the key is to make it way more about them then it is about you.
I know it sounds counterintuitive, but trust me, that’s how it works. These people receive way more emails than they can read in a day, so they have a very good B.S. radar. Your pitch should be personalized and tailored to the person you are reaching out to. If it looks like an email you’ve copy-pasted 100 times, it will be deleted even before it’s read.
Your pitch should be short, sweet, and include the following 4 ingredients:
1 – Recognition for their work: Show the person that you know them and their work, and that you appreciate their contribution.
2 – Introduce yourself: Keep it short and personal. Tell them who you are, what you do, AND why you do it.
3 – Offer your best ideas: Include 1, 2, or 3 (no more) specific topics you could speak on that would resonate with their audience.
4 – Be grateful: Thank them for the opportunity and invite them to connect over the phone if they’d like to discuss these ideas further.
The key here is to be extremely specific. As you proofread your pitch, ask yourself “why should they care?” at the end of each sentence to make sure you get your point across and that the reader really understands WHY you are a good fit for them.
For example: “I love your podcast, I listen to it every week!”
Now, let’s add a WHY: “I love how your podcast addresses issues that us moms-artists-entrepreneurs face daily! I listen every week, it reminds me that I’m not alone in my journey and inspires me to share my passion for color and light with the world.”
See the difference? I thought you would.
Also, make sure you have a compelling and intriguing subject line if you want your email to get opened.
One last thing, if you don’t hear back within a week, don’t take it personally. Just send them a short, polite, and amiable follow-up email. They might have simply missed your email, or maybe your timing was bad. If you still don’t hear from them, wait a couple of months, tweak your pitch, and send it again.
Remember, getting visibility for you and your work takes perseverance, but building your street credibility can do wonders for your art business!
Looking for fresh, innovative ways to increase your art sales? Download my free “7 Ways to Increase Your Sales in 90 Days” cheat sheet here.
Catherine Orer is a Business and PR Strategist for artists and creative entrepreneurs. Her extensive marketing and communications experience in the corporate sector and in the contemporary art market inspired her to found The Artist Entrepreneur, where she empowers artists to build personally fulfilling and financially successful businesses with marketing, PR, and sales strategies that actually work. Catherine also teaches at iCMTL, a not-for-profit business incubator dedicated to cultural and creative entrepreneurs, and sits on the board of the Sylvie and Simon Blais Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting new practices in contemporary art.
Once you get your press coverage, be sure to share it! Check out this fabulous press coverage that came out this week for ArtLicensingShow.com artist Lisa Peruchini’s licensing deal for her Everybody’s Angel product line!
Tom Kelly said on October 31, 2018
That’s wonderful, to be on the shelf around the world. Keep on keeping on.. Hold your light high for all to see, for the good of all.
Tom Kelly
Ev said on January 31, 2018
How exciting, Lisa! You and your work are so inspirational!! -Ev
Kimberly McSparran said on June 4, 2017
Lisa, I am so happy for you!
Best,
Kim