If you’ve been online for any length of time, you know sites come and go. What people were using even just a few short months ago to market their businesses may not work any more.

Many months ago I started looking at Etsy as a way to build up your brand as a fine art photographer.

Dig Deeper: How Photographers Use Etsy

Dig Deeper: 10 Places To Turn Your Photography Into Sales

Is Etsy still relevant today? As it turns out, the answer is yes.

Etsy is the king of the marketplace when it comes to selling handcrafted goods. You can sell your art without having to know how to build a website or start up an online store. Etsy does it all for you. You list it for free and pay a low commission on anything that sells.

Yet like any other product or service in the marketplace today, you do have to know how to market your concept. Etsy provides the backbone – the structure to make the sale possible. Yet driving traffic to your Etsy site and getting people to buy what you have to sell is ultimately up to you. Try these ideas to make your art on Etsy more sell-able.

Use Search Engine Optimization

People that shop Etsy all the time know it exists. But for someone blindly looking for a work of art, Etsy may mean nothing to them. In order to drive traffic to your Etsy site, you can improve your positioning power by focusing in on your keywords. Come up with the best possible keywords of phrases that match what you are selling to what people are looking for. Then name your shop title, section names, listing pages and shop announcements using those keywords.

Dig Deeper: It’s the Greatest, Easiest, Most Profitable Way To Talk About Your Photography … So Why Aren’t You Doing It?

Use Etsy’s Social Tools

Etsy itself is a social media site. You can post on the forum, join teams, exchange links between shops and take part in the Buy and Replace Treasuries program.

Use the forum to talk about what you do, and find like-minded people that may help you build up your own business. As you find people, you can join up, connect and collaborate with other Etsy members to help promote each other’s items. There are many teams on Etsy and they are a great way to help you make more money and learn from people that are working Etsy in the right way. From there, purchase an item from the Buy and Replace Treasury area and that item will be replaced by one from your shop. And don’t forget to ask for links from friends and team members you find along the way. Its easy to build on each others success, especially if you are in non-competing industries.

Join Other Communities

Don’t forget Etsy isn’t a stand alone site. Post your images on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and link back to your Etsy store. Then head over to Google and find other craft communities online. Its all about getting the word out and connecting people back over to your site. It will also help your search engine rankings as well.

Promote Offline

Even though you are focused on selling online, don’t forget about your local possibilities as well. Check around your neighborhood to find art festivals and craft shows. Set up a booth with your best work. Don’t forget business cards and brochures to help promote your work to people that may not by at the show, yet may head online to buy from your Etsy site at a later date.

Dig Deeper: How Should You Be Marketing Your Fine Art Photographer?

Even if you are a full time photographer photographing commercial work, portraits or weddings, you’ve probably dreamed of having your best work on display for the world to see. As photography is more prevalent in our lives than ever, there are more places to display your work than ever before. Yes, you might have more competition for the few spots out there. But imagine how you will feel when you’re work is accepted?

Whether for display, or to sell as a piece of fine art, consider these places in your community as opportunities waiting for you.

Commercial Galleries

Probably the easiest galleries to find, and what people most commonly think of when you mention an art gallery, is the for profit commercial gallery. These galleries accept work that meets their clients’ expectations, and makes a profit when a piece is sold to a collector. A commercial gallery will offer you a contracted time period to represent you and show your work, and will split the sales price with you if a sale is made. Exhibitions are usually scheduled well in advance – sometimes 12 months or more – to prepare and market for the event.

Co-Op Galleries

Many galleries out there are associated with an artist and a group. In order to show your work, you have to have a membership into the group. Each membership has different requirements for acceptance, so shop around and find a group that meets your needs, as well as accepts your type of work. In some cases you will have to work at the gallery as well, so be sure its accessible to you and your schedule.

Non-Profit Organizations

Communities always offer a variety of ways to enjoy and get involved in the arts. In order to find a non-profit in your community, look for “art centers” “art leagues” or “art guilds” in your local area. They should provide you with resources throughout your area. Many of them offer large group shows, competitions, or jury selections, and you can get involved in a variety of ways.

Rental Galleries

Want to hold your own gallery opening, and have the resources to do it? Head down to your local art area and look for rental galleries. These businesses rent out space to artists, expecting them to cover expenses, and potentially guarantee a certain percentage of sales. You will get the advantage of being placed in an artist community, and have space already shopped by local enthusiasts.

Specialty Galleries

While its easy to start with the true commercial art galleries, don’t forget to head off the beaten path a bit. If your work could be considered specialty, look for galleries that cater to your type of art. Western, marine, nature – all have specialty galleries catering to people with a preference to that type of artwork. Don’t forget to look in small tourist towns to find unique shops.

Museums

Once your artwork has been recognized and you are an established artist, approach local museums. With genres wide and varied, there may a perfect museum to house your work. While its not the first place to start, keep in mind that a museum entry can be a big boost to your career. Follow up as you grow in popularity.

Non-Traditional Space

People love photography. You can find it just about anywhere. So spend some time in your local community shopping places to display your work. Libraries, coffee shops, commercial buildings, rec centers, stores, convention centers, bookstores, even parade of homes can all help you get your name out there.

Here in the U.S. we celebrated Independence Day yesterday. And as a part of the 4th of July traditions here in Denver, we always head out and attend the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, one of the largest of its kind here in the U.S.

I love taking in the sites and the sounds – they have great bands on the main stage to help you enjoy even more. And this year we spent as much time as we could heading in to each booth, as it was in the mid 90’s with lots of sunshine as we strolled around the area.

This year, I noticed a few trends I thought I would share here.

Take Advantage Of Their Marketing

Any time you work at a festival, whether its something like the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, or even a bridal festival, chances are they are experienced at putting together a show. They know how to set up booths, get the best vendors, and market their show to the community.

Because they are always looking for ways to market their events more effectively, chances are they offer each artist a chance to use the latest technology. This year they have a website that showcases each artist within the appropriate gallery: photography, jewelry, drawing, wood, etc. And they also offered something new: a QR code attached to the sign placed at each booth. And this is where almost all need help.

People understand older technology – websites – and so they are using that fairly effectively. Yet when something is new, rather than finding out more about it, they simply use it in the easiest way possible. And this is where opportunity is missed.  While most people simply use the QR code to send people to a website, this is really your opportunity to grow your following. Why not send them to your Facebook Page, and give them a reason to like and follow you? Or maybe a special page on your site where they can take advantage of a show special?

Think About Sales For The Next Year

Many artists that head out to festivals think in terms of sales for the weekend. They try to capture a few buyers while they are there in order to make enough money to continue doing what they are doing.

Yet the purpose for a festival is 90 percent exposure; 10 percent sales. It’s always great to have a few people purchase your artwork during the festival itself. But what about the dozens of others who stopped by your booth, and weren’t ready to buy? They were simply looking for the day, collecting ideas for the future? This is where your focus needs to be.

Create business cards, postcards, brochures – anything that allows people to keep your name at hand for the future. At one jewelry booth, the artist had placed her most popular pieces on a series of Moo MiniCards. While I wasn’t ready to buy one of her necklaces this weekend, I took the MiniCard with that necklace on it, and now have it sitting on my desk. And I can head over to her website and buy it when I’m ready.

Be Recognizable

Many of the booths we visited this year we’ve seen in the past. They come back because it works. Not only are they selling each year, but they are building up a following along the way.

When you market yourself, it takes 8 to 12 impressions before a potential customer begins to recognize you. So if you’re at a festival several years in a row, you connect via an email newsletter, and you send out quarterly postcards to your list – that’s a great way to let people know who you are and what you have to offer.

Because the Cherry Creek Arts Festival is becoming a “tradition” for us, we can quickly walk around and notice who we’ve viewed before, and who is new. It also gives us a second look at someone we may not have noticed before. Style is everything. By keeping a similar look from year to year, and being in the same places again and again, you’re following will come.

Become Buyable

When you attend an arts festival, you are reaching out to the general population. Yes, you can argue that only a certain class of people will actually take the time to attend an arts festival, and I agree with that wholeheartedly. But you still have access to thousands of people strolling through your booth, looking at what you do, and potentially buying what you have.

The biggest success stories that I saw were the ones that offered many things at many price ranges. Yes, they had the large pieces of art that sold for thousands of dollars. But they also had a wall of small artwork that was considerably less. They had bins out front in which you could buy prints that were matted and unframed for a fraction of the limited editions hanging inside the booth. They sold books, cards and journals. In other words, they thought about the economy, and gave people an option to enjoy their artwork at much lower prices. And they also have the opportunity to stay in touch and upsell them some day in the future.

This post is Day 19 of 30 Ways In 30 Days To Redesign Your Life With Photography. This series seeks to provide you with practical steps to get you from wherever you are today, to exactly where you want to be – this year! If your goal has always been to take your photography to a whole new level, hang on and start enjoying a new lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of.

Have you ever walked into a gallery of fine art photography, and thought, “I could do that.” How great would it be to have a huge gallery that inspired millions from around the world?

Fine art means many things to different people.

• Fine art might be selling a few images at a local craft fair.

• Fine art might be selling your art as calendars, journals and books.

• Fine art might be selling your work at art exhibits.

• Fine art might mean ending up in a museum.

And of course how one views a work of art is completely subjective. We’ve all stared at a work of art and said, “Really?”

My definition of fine art photography may be different than others. I view fine art as:

A photograph created by an artist, and sold to an individual for the appreciation of the work itself.

I tend to look at things from a business perspective, so to me, if you can’t sell your work, and maintain an income stream from what you do, you can never be a full fledged fine art photographer. I don’t value the money itself; instead I look at money as a way to continue to work at your art in the best way possible.

So the first thing I do is look for support systems, resources and successful photographers to begin to follow.

Build Your Support Systems

So you want to be a fine art photographer? Let’s get started.

First, let me ask you what that means to you? Do you want to be in a gallery? Do you want to open up your own gallery? Do you want to sell books? Do you want to travel?

Start by defining what it means to you. Imagine yourself in a year, fully supported by what you make as a photographer. What does your life look like? How are you generating income?

Now lets work backwards. With that in mind, it’s easier to find the support systems already in place that you can build around.

If you want to be in a gallery, find a gallery that represents photographers. With a quick search I found Fifty One Fine Art Photography. I also found an Art Support resource that lists dozens and dozens of galleries throughout the United States – just pick your state and find out what’s around you.

Or maybe you have the desire to display your work at arts festivals. It’s a great way to travel to different cities and states, display your work, talk with potential clients, and experience a different lifestyle. I’ve found some great resources that can help you find an art festival, and apply for multiple locations in an easy manner.

With just a little bit of research, you can find a ton of resources that can begin to build up a plan for how to move forward.

Its Who You Know

When you walk into a gallery, it’s easy to wish for something. But because you have no idea how they got there, it will always remain a wish until you do something about it.

People don’t become famous by wishing. They become famous by doing. They find a person to ask a question or two, and then they take that information to heart. They start building one step at a time by acting on what they learn.

If you love what an artist is currently doing, ask him or her a question. If they are simply too large and unavailable, do the next best thing. Learn from their story. Buy their books. Visit their galleries. Read about them on their website. Follow them on Facebook.

You’ll quickly be amazed at how much information you can pick up just by reading.

You may learn of associations and groups they belong to.

By studying one site, I came across a great resource – The Association of International Photography Art Dealers. How much knowledge do you think you could gain from attending their upcoming show in New York? It’s March 17-20, still plenty of time to make your reservations and go.

Before I wrote my first book, I found out about the Book Expo America – a huge event that takes place annually, and has amazing classes, and row after row of publishers, authors and dealers. So off to New York I flew, and just absorbed for a few days. Yes, I was completely overwhelmed. But the notes and books and resources I took away from there were invaluable.
The key to remember in becoming a fine art photographer, or really any type of photographer, is you have to do things one step at a time. You won’t be on the top collector list the first week you try. It may take years. But imagine all of the fun you’ll have along the way. All the people you’ll meet. And all the things you’ll learn.

And that’s really the most important thing of all: the journey.

What if you love photography, love the ocean, and want to combine the two into a successful business? I found the answer today in a website called Words From The Sea.

Two years ago while celebrating a birthday, a couple walked along the beach and began noticing shapes in the seafoam washing onto shore. David, a 30 year veteran in the photography industry, quickly started photographing the different shapes, and slowly began capturing the entire alphabet – naturally, no Photoshopping allowed. Slowly he captured the alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers and other characters to add to his collection. And the concept of Words From The Sea was born.

Today David and Lea have created a dynamic web presence that showcases these extraordinary creations. Not only is their wall art an inspiration, but their website is too.

You can purchase pre-created wall art in popular choices such as “faith” “believe” and “imagine”. Or personalize your artwork, and create something just for you – your first name, your last name, or the name of your hometown. Either way, your new artwork will be the focal point of your room, guaranteed to get people talking.

From there, Lea and David didn’t stop at building a business to make money doing what they love. They also decided to give back, and find a way to help what they love as well. They spell out on their site the importance of ocean conservation, and provide details on why we should care about our oceans future. Words From The Sea gives back by supporting ocean conservation, and raises money for both awareness and by giving a portion of all proceeds to ocean conservation programs.

What attracted me to this site and to this story was the potential of moving forward in an industry that so many people say is hard to make a living in. David and Lea are photographic pioneers in the sense they’ve found what they love, and they’ve found a way to move forward into a niche that has a lot of room for expansion. They’ve created a business model that appeals to a wide variety of people from all over the world. And created affordable artwork that can appeal to just about everyone.

Lessons To Gain

1. Find what you love. What do you love doing more than anything? If you like walking the beach, how can you do that every day?

2. Combine what you love with a passion. Once you know what you love to do, how can you turn that into passion that you can share with everyone? It may be in the form of fine art, or it may be in the form of a personalized portrait. The key is to get lost in your passion, and have that reflected in your final product.

3. Treat it like a business from start to finish. Create your first website that says WOW. Don’t rely on a free site like Facebook or Flickr to put up your first portfolio. If you want to be big, you have to be big from the beginning.

4. Find your niche, and go for it. Dream big. Focus from the beginning. It may take you a while to put your ideas to market – in the case of Words From The Sea, it took two years to get all the characters he was looking for. Never give up. Know your goal. And see it to fruition.

5. Give back. Whether you volunteer your time, give a portion of the proceeds to a charity, or start up a new foundation, its important to connect what you do to something more. It gives you purpose, and the will to succeed even more.

Ready to sell your images as fine art? Want to step beyond stock photography, and actually make a name for yourself in the fine art world? Why not start with Etsy.

People describe Etsy in a lot of ways. Yes, it may be a “Popsicle stick and yarn” kind of site, but its also a way for you to get recognized for your artwork. There are great artists on Etsy that are pulling in full time incomes with their artwork. Etsy is more than just a place to put up a few trinkets; its also a place to gain some serious traction, and use the advertising and leverage Etsy has built up over the years.

Etsy attracts members from over 150 countries around the world. Top categories are jewelry, clothing, crafting supplies, accessories, and art – which is where photography is listed.

If you don’t have an Etsy account yet, start by choosing a name. Mirror your business name as much as you can – its important to brand yourself from site to site. Then completely fill out your profile. People often short themselves by putting up a photo, a link to their website, and a sentence or two about their business. Don’t skimp here. Fill it with as much as you can. Even change it from time to time to share your interests with people.

Besides having a strong name, it’s also important to have the best photography possible. (Should be a no-brainer since we are talking about photography, but just want to emphasize it again here.) Make sure you share a quality image of what your photography looks like. It doesn’t have to be a close-up of the exact image – why not showcase it on an easel or on a wall? Then provide close-ups of details so they can see small parts of your photograph?

Then start listing your best work. Etsy charges a 3.5 percent transaction fee per sale, and charges you for a listing – $0.20 per item for a four-month listing.

Each time you list an item – which includes the item’s name, description, price, tags, etc – it has the chance to show up on the home page under the Recently Listed Items section. So it benefits you to list things at different times of the day, and to re-list items again and again for maximum exposure. Some experienced sellers re-list items daily, and create a budget (maybe $2 to $3 a day) for re-listing and advertising purposes in order to gain exposure to their accounts.

You also have access to a sellers advertising program called the Showcase. You can purchase a one day spot in the Showcase section for $15

And of course you can use all your existing social media sites to help promote as well. Facebook, Twitter, websites and blogs should all have a link to your Etsy account, and showcase what you are doing and adding on a regular basis.

Think Etsy is for you? Here’s a couple of resources to help you move in the right direction.

Start with Etsy’s Do’s and Don’ts – a great resource that will help you make sure you stay within their policies.

Then read the Etsy Seller Handbook – guidelines, how to’s and videos will help you walk through the entire process.

Want to check out the photography section on Etsy? See what others are putting up on their accounts and selling.

You can even join a group to help you stay motivated, and learn from other photographers who are there and doing it.

And after you join Photographers of Etsy, check out their blog too. Great information, and a great resource to help you learn just a little more about this online resource that may just help you bring in another source of revenue.

Want to see who’s making money on Etsy? Inc is running a Masters of Etsy article to give you some ideas. No photographers, but you can check out their sites and ideas, and use them to build your own. They also share 6 Tips on Preparing for Holiday Sales On Etsy – great advice no matter what time of the year it is.

This past weekend was a busy one for us. From a movie, to a concert, to a baseball game, and finally to one of our favorites, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is one of the premier arts festivals here in America, with 230 exhibitors selected from over 2000 applications. With 13 artistic categories, you’ll see everything from jewelry, to photography. Not only do we enjoy strolling through the booths, but it’s also fun to talk with the artists and hear their stories. I thought I’d share some with you today, and give you some ideas on how to turn your own ideas into a fine art venture.

Sharon Westbrook Fine Art
Sharon works in a variety of mediums, but for this weekend she was showcasing her photography. We enjoyed looking at her view of abandoned buildings, and seeing things from a completely different perspective.

Shawn Ray Harris Photography
One of the busiest booths we came across yesterday belonged to Shawn Ray Harris Photography. As you entered the booth, he provided you with a pair of 3D glasses to view his imagery – and they literally popped into view. Even his business cards were 3D – great use of marketing.

Art By Nemo
I first met @artbynemo via Twitter, and have chatted with him a few times there. So when I saw he made it into the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, I had to meet him in person. Amazing drawings – how do you draw those circles by hand?

A E London
Our daughter has always had two passions: animals and art. So when we met A E London, we knew she could be a great mentor for her. She’s dedicated her life to animals and art, and her work was simply amazing, as well as her story.

Grin and Bark Studio
You can’t walk by a photograph of a baby or a pet and not go “ohhhh”. So this booth was filled with admirers and “ohhhh”s. Ginger DeLater not only is a pet photographer, but she also turns her portraits into fine art. From books and gift products, to fun wall hangings, she has a business that has allowed her to cross over into the portrait and fine art world.

Ever thought about heading into the fine art photography niche yourself? If so, here are a few tips for you.

Find an art festival in your area. Head out and talk to the artists – that’s what they are there for. Ask them questions and find out more about how they got their starts. They don’t have to be photographers – just chat for a few minutes and find out a little bit about their process.

What’s your passion? For Ginger DeLater with Grin and Bark Studio, it was pets. She doesn’t stop with fine art, she also takes portraits along the way. She had a sign up in her booth, and was commissioning portraits for this coming week in our area. What a great way to travel, and combine it with everything you love.

Start working towards your first festival. Find a small one in your area, and work towards being accepted – check out Zapplication for a variety of shows.

After a busy weekend, we attended the annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival in the afternoon. If we’re in town over the 4th of July, we always make sure we spend a few hours there. Cherry Creek Arts Festival is internationally known, and brings in some amazing artists.

So I found a bunch of new artists to follow. Check out these amazing jewelry pieces made from sea glass in Hawaii.  They were beautiful.

Before I get into several of the photographers we found, I thought I would give some tips on things to do if you’re at an art fair. Or maybe more appropriately, things not to do.

As we visited one booth, she had a sign hung near the back of her booth. It said:

No business cards. No brochures. No website.

She should have also put “no business” or maybe “going out of business very soon”.

When we visit art fairs, we pick up business cards from artists we enjoy. We may buy one or two items, but in many cases we head back home with several business cards in hand. I keep them on my desk, and browse through them again when I need gift ideas for birthdays, anniversaries, or the holidays. If I really enjoy an artists work, I also bookmark his or her site, and sign up for ezines or other offers they have.

If they keep in touch with me, I guarantee they’ll be at the top of my list when I’m thinking of buying a gift.

Being an artist – and getting into one of the top art festivals – shows you have talent. As an artist. But how successful your business will be solely depends on how active you are as a businessperson.

Ireland in Black & White

Barry Hendrickson Photography showcased his fine art collection of Ireland. His beautiful black and white images really caught our eye, and we always love experiencing a new location through the eyes on a photographer.

Michael Bryant

Just to prove you don’t have to have thousands of dollars in camera equipment to make a great living, check out Michael Bryant’s work. He shoots all of his images with a toy camera – a Holga camera – and film. His images were beautiful, and we loved the way he presented his work.

Alan Klug

Every photographer has a style – for Alan his booth was all about brown tone images. They were warm and surreal – almost like you were dreaming. We loved his focus, and his presentation.

Todd Lundeen

The first thing you notice about Todd’s work is the brilliant colors. I saw one of his largest prints as I was walking up, and had to move into the booth to study it closer. His images were sharp, and always focused on one area or feeling.

After three days off, and a whirlwind of fun activities, I’m back at my desk. Long weekends are great for rejuvenating, and for finding something to inspire you.

In my last post on Fine Art Photography I mentioned we were off to the Downtown Denver Arts Festival over the weekend. Despite the looming clouds and rain, we spent several hours there on Saturday enjoying the artists and the overall atmosphere (the Nuggets were playing that night, so Downtown Denver was wild!)

As we strolled through the streets visiting the booths, I noticed something that made me realize there is always a way to survive in business. If you differentiate yourself, you’ll draw in the crowd. And you’ll make the sale.

While I loved all of the photographers work, several really stood out to me.

Light Threads by William Wright
We chatted quite a while with William’s wife Molly, and enjoyed learning all about these unique photographs. William is an ear specialist by trade, and began applying his technical side with his artistic side to create his art, Light Threads. These are truly amazing photographs, and appear to be backlit because of the wonderful, intense colors. Strolling by his booth, his images just called for you to come in and take a closer look. Even on his website, you can tell these images are different from anything you’ve seen before.

windhorseOne Studios
There’s something serene and gentle about horses.

Bob Coller Jewett
Not all photography has to be real life. Bob Coller Jewett’s photography takes abstract to an amazing level. We spent quite a while studying his images, deciphering the objects used to create each piece of abstract art.

Jennifer O’Meara Studio
When I asked for one of her business cards, she handed me a wooden magnet with a cutout of a flower – her niche in photography. I loved it, and it’s on my refrigerator. I love flowers and gardening, so I was instantly attraced to her work. What makes Jennifer stand out is her use of framing. She uses window panes to frame her photography, and it adds a lot to it.

The more you focus, the more you’ll be noticed. In each of my above examples, it was their intense focus that drew us in. You could see each had discovered something unique, and were very passionate about what they do. Focus gives you perspective. Focus builds your passion. And the more it’s enhanced by what you do, the easier it will be for others to see it too.

One of the things I love about the summertime in the Rockies is the arts festivals. I know I’m not alone in loving to hit the great outdoors, and walk through some amazing artwork at the same time.

Andrew and I also have a new interest as our future goal is to start building up our own fine art photography business.

So this weekend, we’ll be heading out to Downtown Denver Arts Festival, featuring Colorado artists, and 18 Colorado photographers.

I went to their site just to learn more about the festival, the submission process, and a few other details. And in the process found a great resource to share with you.

The Downtown Denver Arts Festival (and as it turns out hundreds of other arts festivals) use a program called Zapplication.

You can head to one source, fill out your application, upload your sample images, and begin applying to the festivals you are interested in attending. Each festival provides more information, including time/location of the event, and deadlines for submitting your application.

They provide a wealth of help sections and resource guides to answer all of your questions on the process, and how to take full advantage of using the system to get into more shows without wasting your time repeating the application process over and over again.

I’ve now added Zapp to my favorites.

What resources do you have for finding easy ways to get into art shows?