Email Marketing for Artists: 5 Awesome Tips

As an artist, it can be challenging to figure out what to write about in your email newsletter.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of simply listing what you’re up to (upcoming shows, new work, etc.). Or throwing a discount code into every email, hoping it’ll help you make some cash.

But in this day and age of saturated inboxes, we need to give the people on our lists a good reason to open our emails. Email marketing for artists should be a little strategic!

Here are 5 simple tips to make your emails interesting and engaging:

1. Figure out why people connect to your artwork. Then write about that in your email newsletter.

Do you paint custom pet portraits? Your customers are obviously animal lovers. Why not share heart-warming stories about pets and their owners in your emails? Ask your readers to send in their stories to be featured in your newsletter!

Do you make handmade books? Your customers probably love to write and have kept journals/diaries since they were children. Maybe you can write about your favorite memories of keeping a diary as a child. Where did you hide it? What did you write in it? What were your deep, dark secrets that probably seem so funny now? Help people connect with that childhood love of writing!

Get to the heart of what it is in your heart that people are connecting to, and then help them feel that connection. You’ll develop a wonderful and responsive email list this way!

2. Show behind-the-scenes images and works in progress

In my experience, people love peeking into an artist’s process. Take some photos as you’re painting or drawing or creating on your computer and share them in your email newsletter. Show people a sliver of what it’s like to live your creative life! This also helps to pique people’s interest and is an easy way to get them primed for the new artwork you have coming. Sneaky, right?

3. Send emails about sales sparingly

While sending out discount codes and I’m-having-a-sale emails may seem like a good idea — everybody loves a good sale, right? — if you do it too often, it can diminish the effectiveness and the value of your work. If you put your items on sale, it should seem like a special event, one that doesn’t come around very often. A good rule of thumb is to have just a few sales a year.

For every sales- or new-product-related email you send out, send at least four or five other emails. Your relationship with your readers will develop in your non-sales-related emails, and once you’ve built that relationship, they’ll be much more likely to read your sales emails, too (and probably more likely to buy!).

4. Start a secret, exclusive list for dedicated purchasers

Treat this list like a VIP list — send out sales emails about new products to this list before your regular newsletter list, and give them special deals and pricing because they’re on the list. Make them feel special!

(Contrary to point #3 above, this list can be used solely for sales-type emails. Be clear in your sign-up language that the list is for people who are interested in being notified about sales and special deals on new products!)

5. Share your inspiration

Your readers like your artwork because it inspires them. But what inspires YOU? Let them know! This is a great way to connect with your readers and help them feel closer to you.

• Share photos that you take around town, in your home, or in your garden.
• Share links to great articles you read or websites and blogs that you love.
• Share images of the objects that inspire your paintings or drawings or patterns.
• Share the artwork you have hanging in your own home.

What’s your life really like behind your artwork and your online presence? Give them a peek into YOU.

Use these five tips, and you’ll be on your way to building an engaged and responsive email list in no time!