Note from Cory: Kene Erike, today’s guest poster, is a graduate of the Applied Economics and Management Program at Cornell University. Social Psychology and negotiation studies were among his favorite courses. Kene was very persistent in asking me if he could do a guest post here and after taking a look at his report on the psychology of sales and negotiation, I thought you might be interested in what he has to say.
Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you want more content like this?
Hard work is imperative for excellence in any endeavor, but effort without focus can seriously damage your chances of success.
An extensive portfolio showcases your talent but often produces an unintended result.
Allow me to explain:
In 2000, Social Psychologists Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper conducted an experiment designed to test how consumers reacted when asked to pick a favorite from an assortment of fruit jams. The researchers discovered that consumers’ willingness and ability to choose a jar of jelly increased tenfold when asked to pick from just six alternatives instead of a larger assortment of twenty four.
Discomfort when presented with many choices seems counter-intuitive. Shouldn’t
we be happier when we have more to choose from?
Nope. That’s not the case.
The anxiety we experience when presented with a wide range of options is understandable. We have to evaluate a group of items based on our preferred criteria, which costs both time and cognitive resources. That task becomes even more daunting with each additional option added to the fray. The chances for “Analysis Paralysis” skyrocket with each added alternative once you exceed a few choices. Buyer’s remorse post-purchase may also set in because of the other options your clients left on the table.
Faced with a multitude of choices, customers may delay purchasing, or worse, leave your gallery or webpage altogether.
How can we apply this information to the aid of your goals in the art and entertainment industries?
Focus on a niche.
Instead of advertising yourself as a general artist, be a specialist. Be the artist known for 19th-century Ethiopian sculpture or artwork made entirely of tin cans.
Throw the lion’s share of your time behind the pieces that bring you the most revenue or visibility. Creating a smaller range of pieces may sting at first, but it will increase the chances of your commercial success Ideally, you relish the creation process as much as viewing your finished product; art, if anything, is a labor of love.
To start, you’ll need to do a little research. An honest accounting of your portfolio and gallery would be helpful here. Is there a central theme behind your best-selling artwork? Which pieces have garnered the most attention from your viewing public? Is there a recurring criticism or praise surrounding the work you’ve created? What style of art best fuses your interests and resources? These kind of questions will help you hone in on your ideal specialization.
Singular focus has the added benefit of facilitating mastery. The more deliberate effort spent on a single pursuit, the quicker you can achieve mastery level. Certain benefits are conferred upon star performers in a market. When you are regarded as the best in your industry, people seek you out (when was the last time you saw a television ad for Harvard University?). Nobody looks for the “10th best doctor” or the “8th best Italian restaurant” in the city. When we want an essential good or service, we want it from the best. Jacks-of-all-trades are usually masters of none. The general practitioner faces competition from every corner of the earth. Ironically, skilled specialists have an easier time attracting and retaining clients. Resolve to be the best at producing a limited scope of artwork.
Inhabiting a niche has worked nicely for Banksy. [Cory: and Andy Warhol, Picasso]
A limited focus also amplifies your marketing efforts. There are billions of products being peddled by countless companies all over the world. That’s a lot of noise obscuring the vital connection between you and your target market. A well-defined niche provides a structure for your marketing campaign and elucidates who you need to talk to. Save money and time; target the folks most likely to be interested in your work .
Marketing and networking your artwork is tough enough already; lighten your load by focusing on what makes you best. The work that best utilizes your talents, interests and experience. Paired with an in-depth knowledge of your stakeholders (hint: it’s not just the people who buy your artwork) , a productive niche can maximize the return on your hard work.
You can learn more about niches, marketing, and getting your artwork in the public eye in my special report, which can be found here: justtaptheglass.com/report
Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you want more content like this?
Great post! @MelodieDouglas Artists are Best Served Creating LESS Artwork—-Here’s Why: http://t.co/RYQJRjA
@MelodieDouglas Thanks for the retweet!
There is so much truth in this post that it should be mandatory reading material for, frankly, ANYONE in any kind of business. You will never be all things to all people and if you try to be, your core message (and you yourself) will be lost.
My field is photography. I know what I can do well and what I cannot. I focus on what I can do well. I only post something new if it’s remarkable. There are core people I can show different efforts to and gauge interest, but when something new goes out I want it to get attention. So many times I’ve seen photographers especially list every known genre and say it’s their specialty. Come on. Find a vision and stick with it. Artists aren’t the only ones that deal with this unfortunately.
My day job is in banking, and I come across business owners who try to be all things to all people. The most successful businesses are the ones that find their niche and execute spectacularly. There’s no reason it would be different for artists.
@Lens Artwork It is seemingly the single toughest thing for artists and small business owners to get – focusing on what you do well, and finding a core audience that responds to it. Rough stuff. I keep preaching it over and over. I’m glad Kene contributed this piece.
Good article, but I find the title misleading. Not to pick a nit, but this is not about making less art, it’s about making art in a focused style. Less art, at least to me, would mean a lower rate of production, a smaller inventory of works for sale, etc. Which might be a way to keep prices high, and might very well be an interesting topic to explore.
@Barbara J Carter Thanks for your comment Barbara – there is a school of thought that says the Title was just right because it got you to read the article 😉 point noted, however… 😉
I have tried “niching” myself as a motoring artist, but I feel that as soon as I limit myself in this way, all I want to do is paint something else.
Great post. I know I should follow this advice, but I am torn between two niches… I have been painting shells, land and sea for a very long time and am getting quite proficient in this area. I am making quite a name for myself painting shell artworks, and get lots of traffic to my site with keywords relating to this. Students in the UK also study my work quite frequently and I am bombarded by their questions…SO theoretically I should continue to paint in this genre (which I may do, as I do love this type of art)…but I am torn as I have a new genre – paintings to do with obesity / healthy eating / weight issues etc – which is a relatively new and uncommon topic in fine art, and I am positive has a lot of potential, and is really an issue which greatly interests me… so the question is whether I should then focus all my effort on this? My gut feeling is that I should take the plunge and do it, but I am hesitant, as a) I get very little traffic to my site in this area (by comparison) although I feel that this will soon grow, and b) it is much harder to imagine a market for this type of artwork – aside from art collectors who have no objection to controversial imagery, or gyms / whole food shops / health clubs etc. Ultimately, however, I think I shouldn’t allow commercial considerations to influence my subject matter choice anyway – I should make art for art’s sake…and in doing this (assuming the art is worthy) the commercial side is likely to work itself out… Hmmm, after writing all of that, I guess it is clear what I should do, but I would love anyone’s feedback / thoughts. Great discussion. x
@Barbara J Carter Good point Barbara – I think you are right in your suspicions that a lower rate of production might mean keep prices and demand for your work high – definitely another interesting topic to explore.
Great article thank you. I have seen over the past few years the example of many artists working within the daily painting groups (which I do also) they have produced more work, less quality and lowest pricing you can imagine. This must effect their work overall and must make the previous collectors feel horriable about the work they have paid full price for.
I personally took a step back after a few months of participating and went back to only creating the large quality pieces that I am known for and collected because of. Oil and Pastel in large works, carefully worked out and executed. Keeping prices high and quantity within scope of work.
Any small pieces are studies done for a larger work and priced high… also any drawings, sketches in pastel or labeled as sketchbook etc. Definately distinguish between types of work and not posting everything that is done as an excercise. Posting only happens a couple of times a week due to this criteria. sometimes not at all… but never feeling pushed to place things out there which is not going to help the whole body of work.
It is so easy to take the experiments that are just warm up excercises and post them, but they remain better off in the corner turned to the wall and left in that category. (In my opinion) This was the way we previously worked and still has merit. It really hurts to see so many artists placing sub standard work on line daily and lowering their prices, which still does not sell
Phyllis O’Shields Fine Art
Interesting post. Yes I would find more posts like this a good read. I agree w/the concept of not attempting to be all things to all markets and ending up as master of none. As an illustrator it is beneficial to focus on 1 style (no more than 3) so that your art commissioners know what they will be getting when they give you an assignment. However I find limiting yourself to 1 topic/genre would be well, much too limiting and would hurt your career. Than of course that could be 1 of the many differences between selling your art in the fine arts market vs selling your art as illustration.
Obviously more posts of higher quality art would be good. I find the biggest challenge with selling online is not creating quality art and posting it , that’s the easy part, but being found by your potential clients. Personally I find lowering or raising my prices don’t seem to deter or encourage sales. The big hump is being discovered. if they can’t find you they can’t buy your art at any price point.
@Debra Wenlock We’re not talking about only painting a certain way – we’re talking about presenting a line of work that has a theme. You can paint anything you want, but selling is often easier if you have a theme.There are, of course, other ways to do it. This is just one.
@amiria_gale I think you know the answer! Another great idea is to team up with a charity that focuses on helping people overcome obesity or eating disorders. I’d be interested in reading a blog post or series of posts on how this works out!
@Melodie: Thanks. I thought it would be of interest to Cory’s readership. I appreciate the tweet as well. Don’t be shy; keep forwarding the post.
@Barbara: As Cory alluded to, a big part of writing in any medium is attracting eyeballs. It’s a task that should be practiced whenever possible. With so much competition on the web, the onus is on us to capture attention and then deliver value. “Conscientious limitation” is definitely a topic that warrants further exploration.
@amiria: Yes, the best of the best usually focus on what makes them shine. It’s much easier to produce top-notch work when your cognitive resources are focused on only one or two activities. Sea shells, eh?
Send me an email: contact [at] justtaptheglass [dot][com]
@Lens: Chris, I’m flattered. “There is so much truth…..mandatory reading”. I’m adding your comment to my personal list of notable quotes. (As an aside, compiling a personal success journal, or list of achievements is one of the best ways to monitor progress over time and inspire future accomplishment.)
Photography can be particularly challenging to define a niche. Photographers are hired to do everything from covering weddings to designing business cards. I took a look at your work; the methodical approach necessary for work in banking is evident in your portfolio.
@Debra: I know the feeling. I’ve had to curtail some of my sports activity to focus on a few pressing tasks.
@onshields: Your welcome, Phyllis. Pricing strategy is critical. Setting a low price and then trying to raise it later sets one up for trouble. People don’t want to feel as though they missed out on a good deal. I think we’ve all experienced the angst of buying something right after it was on sale.
Some pertinent information on pricing psychology is available on my blog and in my special report at (Justtaptheglass). As you mentioned, you also want to avoid selling yourself short. A cheap price leaves people wondering just what they’ll get for their money. And when they lack intimate knowledge of your work (that’s why referrals are so important— check the ‘Reader Favorites’ section of my blog), they may form their own unflattering opinions of your product/service.
@dtdelosh: Glad you liked my article. You always have the final word on production. If you feel that mulitple styles of work best suit your goals, have at it. Price isn’t a major deterrent as long as you can establish value. People who understand the importance of paying for value will buy what they need to succeed.
Send me an email and we can talk further: contact [at]justtaptheglass [dot][com]
I enjoyed this article and would like to see more like it in the future. I’ve heard this advice before about finding a niche but it was helpful to read how it may apply specifically to artists.
Yes, thank you for this article. I enjoy both the right and left brained approaches! All help us Creatives thrive on Mother Earth.
@Miluna/Creativesque: No problem. Cory does a great job with abundantartist, so I have no doubt he’ll continue to throw targeted quality content your way.
It is really true! It happened to me before. I used to do a lot of different things in art. I could not really focus then found that I am not getting any where so I learned from the past then now I focus on a niche which I can see that I am improving my market and sales. Great and interesting post!
http://www.learnportraitwithpencil.com
@CoryHuff @amiria_gale The charity idea is a good one – thanks! If I get a chance I will definitely write some blog posts about it. Thanks 🙂
You are forgetting that art is often as necessary to the artist to create as it is to breathe. I disagree with the idea of creating less art. I do agree that picking the right pieces to market to the right people will help, just don’t limit anyone’s expression.
@sophie: I mentioned that an artist’s taste should always be considered. Again, it’s critical that any prospective focus is at some juncture between what you love to create and what your clients are looking for. Great point, Sophie.
“Instead of advertising yourself as a general artist, be a specialist. Be the artist known for 19th-century Ethiopian sculpture or artwork made entirely of tin cans.”
So, focus on tools and technique in order to occupy a meaningless niche, and not on concepts and ideas? You’re looking at art from a market point of view, and I’m afraid that is not how good art starts it’s life. This is not selling chocolate bars. Banksy did not do graffiti because if was a unpopulated niche of the market. He’s big for his statements, and his stance, not his mastery with spray and stencils (although he’s good here too, but there are thousands of them technically better). As Sagmaister once put it nicely: “Style = fart.”. Have strong and relevant ideas, and they will be recognised.
@mlokas you make a great point here. I would love to hear about how this approach has worked for you financially.
mlokas:
Banksy established a cult following because of his subversive style. He maintains that stature, in part, because he sticks to graffiti. If he started making greeting cards for Hallmark, he would stand to lose much of his audience.
Deliberate focus isn’t the root cause of success (however one defines it). It’s a mindset that encourages the development of the skills necessary to achieve goals.
You always have to start with a product of some discernible quality. The process through which art is created varies from individual to individual; that’s not the topic at hand. A non-romanticized view of the art marketplace boils down to what an artist can offer and who is interested in acquiring it (assuming one cares about commercial success). A niche helps provide answers to those questions.
@kerike
Interesting point regarding Banksy and Hallmark Kerike, but what if Banksy IS creating greeting cards for Hallmark? 🙂 A dilemma many artists have is the need to eat (thus creating commercial art) and the need to create from a purley personal expression (thus creating less commercial but sometimes more satisfying art) and its rare that the 2 kinds are the same. It maybe therefore that Banksy has a day job and the graffiti known of is the personal expression. As artists we have the freedom to choose as many styles and personalities (and names?!) as we need, which encourages audiences rather than losing them – and doesn’t clip our creative wings perhaps?
@KAREN MIDDLETON Karen, that’s an intriguing point—Banksy could very well be moonlighting. Of course, the fact that his life and art is shrouded in mystery provides ample opportunity to let us think about that.
Ideally, we find a way to mix what we want with what the buying public wants. One of the paths to that juncture is to become so good at what we do that we create an audience for it.
That’s the life….
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<p>I assume you are referring to “sticking to it” when something is already a success.</p>
<p>But successful artists don’t start with the idea “this will sell” or “this niche is free”. Maybe in terms of getting themselves noticed among their peers, but not in market terms. Same with Banksy. In the beginning of 90’s (when he started), after a decade of overabundance of graffiti, it wasn’t really something you would achieve commercial success with. It’s what went with his way of thinking, what he’s comfortable with for expression. By Banksy’s “style” you must mean his social and political commentary, because, that is what made him what he is now. When he replaced Paris Hilton’s CD’s in the stores, that wasn’t graffiti, but it was the same “style” of thinking and expression. Or the Glastonbury “stonehenge”.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I’m saying that you can think of art as a commodity, a style, that will be sold somewhere and put on a wall, and you will get payed, and it will work for a lot of people, but it is short lived if you don’t hit on an emotional level, if you don’t have a story, if you don’t connect with people on that level. If you get that right, commercial success will probably come (or not, if you forget about self-promotion and media support). Visual style, or musical, or culinary, or whatever the area, comes from what you feel comfortable with for expressing an emotion or a thought.</p>
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@DooneyStudio It was an interesting perspective, but he doesn’t seem to realise many artists have no choice about what they create.
@markmcguinness I also think he is just plain wrong. Ubiquity trumps rarity in the modern market of ideas and awareness.
@AGoodHusband Nope, Kene is right on. Rich in a Niche! Mine? WordPress/CSS/HTML. It’s worked for me for four years of full time work.
@sector9designs yes, but what about for fine art? Is that different from web design?
@AGoodHusband Nah, same same. And once you are established in a niche, you can always pursue others…my wife has two: letter art and Italy.
@sector9: Good to hear, sector. How has deliberate focus worked for you?
@dooney: Do you mean that the inspiration behind an artist’s work comes from a nebulous source? Please elaborate.
@agoodhusband/mlokas: Perhaps I wasn’t clear in my post. You can create as much art as you want; there’s nothing wrong with that. Life is meant to be enjoyed.
Since one has limited time/cognitive resources, however, there’s something to be gained from focusing on a small segment of work.
This presumes that one is interested in commercializing one’s work.
If you are only creating art for pleasure, there is no reason to hone in on a niche. And, by definition, conspicuous products/services trump non-descript ones in terms of garnering attention in most markets. The good/service that occupies the background is less likely to win and retain a following (a notable exception is commodities, where the main criterion separating competitors is price).
@DooneyStudio as an artist who has a definite style (niche), I’m curious to know why you think being specific is a bad idea
Thought provoking post!
The headline (although compelling) is misleading. The marketing factors at work here should not dictate how prolific an artist should be, or even how focused (limited) the scope of his or her work ought to be, but <b>how the work is <i>presented</i></b>. An artist should ask: how should I <i>focus and edit</i> my portfolio? <i>How many paintings</i> should hang on a wall together? <i>What is the ideal number</i> of images in my website gallery?
Interesting article. However, I don’t quite see how the main conclusion of the article (find a niche) stems from the one of the research (provide less options to chose from). Even though they both might be true. I’m a graphic designer, hence presenting my work has a different function than that of artists, selling directly – it’s just to showcase what I’m capable of. That’s why what I gather from the said experiment is what is already a known practice for building portfolios in my field – focus on the quality, not quantity, because large quantity will bore the viewer and confront them with works that are not top quality anyway, and none of this is desired. So the way I see it, this discovery was not about limiting the diversity of “fruit jams”, just the count.
(Although I do agree on finding a niche as a good practice, too… But I think that focusing on two or even three niches and THEN having only select works in each of them would still be congruent with the conclusions of the research, and also perhaps an even better practice (because one niche AND but a few works in it feel a little scarce to be a good business strategy to me).)
I don’t see how this post differs from anthing you are stating yourself, Cory.
@KittyKilian Great point Kitty. You’re part of the Community course, and a focused artist who is moving forward with purpose. This struck me as a great way to say “differentiate yourself.”
@CoryHuff Hope the article provided a different perspective.
@CoryHuff Sure – you need to repeat messages before they sink in. But since you ask would we like more of such posts – I would rather have posts on new subjects. Want one? A very interesting subject is the psychology of artists, which is generally different from those of people in other professions. In that the main thing they require is the opportunity to make art – and if the money is enough they will often stop looking for ways to earn more. The art economy is very different from the general economy and it might be good for artists as well as economists as coaches to understand why. Literature: Hans Abbing, Why Are Artists Poor? The Exceptional Economy Of The Arts, Amsterdam university Press 2002. (Abbing is an economist as well as an artist).