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Your Brilliance Factor…

You’re an “Artiste” Through and Through

The World Is Your Muse Baby

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As an “Artiste”

Making jewelry is an ART form in your mind! You might be focused on bringing a bold concept to life or developing a proprietary process that you’re known for over your career (or both).

You have a sensitive soul and truly believe that your calling is to make works of wearable art in metal (or other) form. As a “high” creative, you have a talent for turning every idea into a wearable work of art. Hello Smithsonian–that’s the dream.

Can I get a HECK YES!

Jewelry artist, creative genius, architect of metal objects could all be your middle names.

Creating techniques that bring your concepts to life is thrilling to you.

At the core, your passion is the art form not making or selling your jewelry.

You’ve spent your career thus far, perfecting your skill set and creating bodies of work that speak to collectors and galleries alike. Business to you sometimes comes secondary and you often wish that someone would come in to run the business side for you.

Yeah, your MFA or BA program didn’t focus on sales and marketing your work at all.

You could talk for days about the field and your passion to be in it. More than anything, you love being acknowledged for the time that goes into your pieces.

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You feel proud when you’re accepted into juried shows, museum exhibitions, galleries and collector’s showcases. Deep down, you inherently know that your work isn’t for everyone, just the lucky ones who see what you see.

Paving a business path takes a bit more focus since you’d prefer to work on the art. At times, you might feel nervous or shy to put yourself out there and it’s awesome that you surround yourself with your biggest fans who share your accolades and accomplishments with potential buyers.

Design awards line your shelves and you’re very proud of what you’ve accomplished in the field throughout your career.

Your purpose here is to create bodies of work that find the perfect collectors all day every day!

Your artistic talent is coveted by many and it’s truly what brings you the biggest joys in life.

Here’s how to use your natural

“Artiste” creativity

to your benefit...

01.

Confidence is King (or Queen)

Your creativity and skill-set lends to what most might call “genius concepts.”

You’re lucky in so many ways because most in the field don’t have your talent.

With that talent, you’ll likely (or hopefully) shoot for the stars.

Remember that you have what it takes and confidence helps you stand out from other artists.

Don’t hide behind your bench.

Instead, talk frequently about what you do. Don’t overthink submissions to awards, galleries or PR opportunities. Keep going for what you want.

When sales shyness sneaks in, own your concepts and techniques. People are fascinated by YOU and all you can do.

Since you’re so artistic, you might have a tendency to expect collectors to just find you.

My advice to “Artistes” is to continually work the confidence muscle and ask for the sale (don’t wait for it).

Don’t spend time being an “old dog with old tricks” – as much as you resist, the market is changing and you must adapt to grow your business.

Confidently go for it!

You’ve got the talent! Now is the time to get paid for it!

02.

Make Sales and Marketing a Joy!

As a highly creative “Artiste,” you’ll have a tendency to rest on the “old” or “traditional” ways of selling your jewelry.

The landscape has changed.

Fewer galleries are accepting work. Museums case space is competitive. Traffic at Art and Trade shows has slowed.

While some might feel defeated and negative about these changes, smart “Artistes” diversify and focus on innovative sales channels.

Marketing and sales can be joyful and fun if you let it.

Learn how to sell your jewelry direct to consumer on your branded website.

Build an email list and study digital marketing to connect with collectors, museums and gallery buyers online.

Leverage the power of FB Trunk shows to sell to collectors in between events to keep your cash flow steady.

Build an audience of collectors locally and host VIP trunk shows.

Build a base of ambassadors to sell your jewelry in other cities and towns.

Partner with “Artistes” in other genres for collaborative events and cross promotion.

Celebrate your wins!

03.

Tap into Your Natural Problem Solving Chops

As a Jewelry “Artiste” – one thing is true – You are a creative problem solver through and through.

Use this natural problem solving ability everywhere in business, not just on the bench.

The truth is: every jewelry artist who is a business owner will encounter unique business problems over the course of their career.

From cash flow to building systems to customer acquisition to digital marketing –you name it – you’ll eventually encounter issues that need to be resolved, creatively.

There’s a saying: how you do anything is how you do everything.

Show up like a business owner: look at the numbers, understand your margins, be strategic about how products are being produced to save labor costs, etc.

Put systems in place to help you grow – don’t reinvent the wheel all the time.

Set goals and milestones. Even if you don’t know how you’re going to get there, think creatively about new ways of business growth.

Evolve.

Don’t use the excuse, I’m an “Artiste” – I’m not good at business.

Instead state the mantra: My creativity is what makes me a fantastic business owner.

Ready for sales and marketing strategy that actually works?
Take a FREE class on us!

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Hello M’dear,

I’m Tracy Matthews!

Before we go any further, introductions are in order. I’m a visionary, jewelry designer, podcaster and mentor to designers.

I live my life for delicious food and wine, karaoke and a little world travel ...oh yeah and my 19 nieces and nephews (no joke)!

I’ve been a jewelry designer (and a creative force of nature) for over 25 years. I’m grateful to have sold millions of dollars worth of my own jewelry designs throughout my career.

It makes me happy to see others enjoying their natural talents.

I believe that success requires 3 things: the right mindset, confidence and taking little actions every day that make a big splash!

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Here’s what other “Artistes” have done to grow and scale their jewelry business:

I want to tell you the story of a Jewelry Artist - her name is Mona.

Mona got her MFA in Jewelry Arts at California College of the Arts. She’s always been excellent with conceptualizing design and has a passion for modern art. Her MFA program didn’t teach her much about business and luckily she got an internship with a San Francisco designer while in college.

She learned so much about how to run a business the right way (and what not to do) which was never taught in her art program.

As a natural problem solver, she tapped into this quality to help troubleshoot new ways to sell jewelry (she knew that galleries were becoming tougher) while still positioning herself as an “Artiste” to be reckoned with.

She spent time building an audience and an email list online which helped build a solid following (and revenue) in addition to the galleries that represented her work.

The evolution in her body of work is solid and she built up the confidence to apply to the Smithsonian show – and she was accepted!

Be like Mona and be a creative problem solver. Your art needs to be seen! Remember: Creativity makes fantastic at business!

Next steps:

Your natural problem solving ability lends to many great things including growing a business.

Next level for an “Artiste” is all about building confidence, learning about marketing and sales, and setting up systems that allow you to grow.

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Spend your time like a Business-ey Artist:

The biggest challenge for an “Artiste” is that since it’s all about the ART, the business gets pushed to the side at times. That’s fine if you don’t care about having a real business and you’d like to get a job or work for someone else.

However, if you’re serious about making a living with your art, you have to spend time working on the business side of things too. Spend at least two days a week putting on your business hat! Learn about the numbers and how pricing connects with your bottom line. If it bogs you down, make it a game.

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Become a marketing and sales ninja:

M’dear. I hate to break it to you but the business is changing and relying JUST on galleries and museums to sell your work will leave you frustrated and broke. Always be marketing and selling your work.

Take courses, listen to podcasts and absorb everything you can about digital marketing like it’s your minor. Remember, revenue is the lifeblood of your business. Being a starving artist sounds sexy, but it’s not fun. A wealthy and thriving artist is a lot better, right?

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Go for the BIG ask:

Building a museum, client and collector base is really important for an “Artiste” so make going for the ASK a part of your weekly strategy. Regularly reach out to collectors to share your new works. Customize works for them in elevated materials and price points.

Nurture gallery and museum relationships – real estate is tight so keep your space on the shelves refreshed and selling. You don’t need 1 million clients to sell lots of jewelry you just need a mix of great collectors, clients, museums and galleries who order regularly to keep cash consistent.

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Move faster with systems in place:

Leaving room for innovation is awesome. Reinventing the wheel is not awesome. Document recurring tasks, production systems on the bench, FAQs, email scripts, and anything you use over and over again so you can easily share this with others. Have templates and swipe and go files that you can tweak a bit to maximize your time. Your time is precious!

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Build your confidence muscle, daily:

Creativity is awesome! It can also kill our confidence if we let it. Focus on owning your talents daily. You are an amazing artist and good at business. Go for your dreams, write in a wins journal, meditate, state your affirmations daily, and take daily actions that help you reach your goals. Let’s break the starving artist myth together, shall we?

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