Share the Real You with Your Followers and Sell More Art

She’s bought more art from me than any other customer. Nope, she’s not my mom. Not my best friend, either. She’s a woman I met online more than three years ago through an acquaintance back when I was a career coach.

How did she become my biggest client? She followed my trajectory from a not-all-that-certain-about-it-career coach to body image coach right on over to full time artist, and she did it because I was personable, friendly, real, and, bottom line, she cared about me and my story.

And that, my artist friends, is how someone you met randomly years ago, who didn’t even know that you were a painter/potter/kitten hat knitter, will start buying your stuff. You make your true self known, you be nice to everyone, and I mean everyone, and you let people know what you’re up to, even if it’s completely different than what they expect.

You can do it just by being you, and it’s not nearly as hard as you think it is. This is (a very short version of) my story.

In the spring of 2014 I was pregnant with my first child and trying to build a business (again). I was taking an online business school course, trying to put my life coaching certification to good use, and making art here and there on the side, but just for fun.

For a while there, I thought I was going to be a career coach, and my accountability partner from the business course said I should talk to a friend of hers. This friend, let’s call her Meredith, was trying to figure out her own career path, so I was talking to her to get an idea of what kinds of services people in her position wanted from a coach like me.

I had a great talk with the woman, but within a few weeks I realized that I didn’t want to coach about career stuff; I wanted to work with women about body image and food issues.

I started growing my list and would occasionally even get a client. That woman I talked to about career stuff, Meredith? She kept following my work; I guess my new subject area felt pertinent to her life, too.

Then, in the late fall of 2015, I was awestruck by a post I saw on Instagram—just an abstract piece with some words laid over top that writer Elizabeth Gilbert shared—and I knew I had to go back to art and that being any kind of coach was not the right path for me.

I let my list know, and some of them followed me to my new life as an artist. One of those people was, you guessed it, Meredith.

My mind got in the way of my progress as an artist, and I spent much of 2016 stalled out, but by 2017, I was going full force.

Just a few weeks ago, I ran a sale in my shop. Meredith bought a piece of my art. Meredith, whom I got in touch with more than three years and two businesses ago.

After I sent the piece, I emailed her to make sure she’d gotten it and to find out if she liked it. Not only did she like it, but she went online and gave me a five star review in my Etsy shop, then commissioned three more pieces to give as gifts.

I’m telling you this because it astounded and amazed me. A woman I worked with years ago, who didn’t even know I was an artist, has now spent more money on and commissioned more works from me than any other client.

And this isn’t the only time this has happened to me. Another client who started following me in the body image coaching days has also bought art from me, and is very active in commenting on and participating in my social media.

When people like you, they like you. So how do you foster the same thing with your people?

Be yourself. As an entrepreneur and artist, you’re your brand, period. I may have changed careers a bunch of times, but I’m the same honest, open-hearted, sometimes silly person no matter what I’m doing. No, I don’t always share super personal things or my (oftentimes very strong) political opinions, but I do let my essence shine through everything I do.

Be kind. Always and forever. When I was a youth coordinator teaching middle school students not to bully others, I would tell them “you’ll never regret being kind.” The same is true for you in your art business, or any other business venture you ever embark upon. When you’re kind people like you and want to know what you’re up to and, oftentimes, want to spend money on things you’re making. They’ll follow you from career to career or from nature photographer to glass blower.

Foster relationships with your people. If someone takes time to email me after seeing an article I’ve written or gives my art a compliment on social media, I write back. I’m still building my business, so these types of things don’t happen all day, every day, but I hope to always make this time for connection. It all goes back to that one key thing: if people like you, they’ll follow you no matter what you’re up to.

When people buy your work, add personal touches. When I send one of my pieces to a customer, I include a business card, sure, but I always, always send a hand-written note. Sometimes even a little hand-drawn one. I tell every single person I’m thankful for their support. I want them to know that they’re not just a number to me, and I appreciate them.

Let people see the real you, let people know your fears and hopes, and give them something to care about. When you share something that rings true to them, when you let them get to know you, they pay attention, and that often means paying you.

I’m grateful for this experience. I’ve learned that my people aren’t mad that I’m not writing about finding the right career or how to make peace with food—they want to know what I’m doing and how my own path is progressing. They’re proud of me for following my heart, and want to bring some of that to their own lives, too.

Give yourself the gift of sharing the real you with your followers, and you’ll sell more art because of it.

Jen Picicci is an artist who believes in better living through pretty colors and kind words. She creates uplifting tree and word art, and when she doesn’t have a paintbrush in her hand, she can be found wrangling a preschooler, petting a cat, or hugging a tree. To learn more about her and get a 20% off coupon, visit www.jenpicicci.com.