Selling artwork and photography is not easy but many people fail before they even begin.
Misery loves
Whether you are trying to sell your artwork, photography, book or widgets, it takes time to find and develop a market for your products.
They Quit Too Soon
I’ve read that any new business venture needs three years of concerted effort before it starts to become a success.
Anytime you start a new business venture be it selling your art or getting into stock photography, opening an Ebay store or even opening a restaurant, plan on being in it for the long haul.
Most small businesses fail because they didn’t put aside the resources need to substain the business for three years. Sure the inspiring small business owner was able to raise the capital for inventory or kitchen equipment they didn’t squirrel away enough capital to cover payroll and rent for three years.
It takes a long time to build a following and a presence in any market be it online or in the brick and mortar world. Starting from scratch with no client base, no customers and no brand awareness is a daunting task and most people will quit before their work pays off.
Most businesses fail or people give up within the first six months of trying a new venture rather than plan on three years of business building.
They Are Selling In The Wrong Market
Trying to sell hamburgers to vegetarians is a losing strategy. The same goes with trying to sell stock photography to the home decor market or visa versa.
I’ve seen so many artists and photographers approach various marketplaces as if they are the same without any regard to the actually buyers and their needs.
Home decor buyers are looking for something pretty for their living room wall. Stock photography buyers are designers creating advertisements looking for visual elements to sell the story of their products. Too totally different needs, and if you are not satisfying a need, you won’t be making sales.
Every marketplace is different and success lays in understanding the marketplace.
Valid Reasons To Quit
There certainly are valid reasons to throw in the towel, but people should understand the reasons why they will not be successful at a venture rather than blaming the world for their failure.
Some valid reasons would be:
- Life got in the way – Things happen. People get sick, they get busy taking care of other people or other things. Sometimes life just doesn’t work out and new ventures need to be put on hold.
- You don’t have the time – A small business requires your attention full time. Many people find that what they thought was going to be easy really requires a lot of time to be successful.
- You don’t understand the market – If you are unwilling or unable to understand the market you are trying to create a business around, well then it’s probably a good idea to go try something else. Successful people dig in and understand the marketplace they sell in. They get to know the players, the buyers, the seller, the types of products that succeed.
- Your offerings are substandard. There is no point of entering a market place if you are bringing substandard products to the market. Better to put your time and effort into improving your product then to bring out a product that has no chance of selling. Look around at your competition – figure out where you need to be and invest in your skill set.