The year is about to end, and that means that the one of the biggest holidays of the years is just around the corner. That’s right, Christmas is almost here, and it will mark the end of this year and the beginning of another brand new one. While we still have a month left till Christmas, as someone who runs an art business, there is still time to sort out your matters and prepare for the upcoming sales.

While most of the energy during such holidays goes in marketing, there are a few other things that need our attention as well. In the midst of all the busy schedules, and with our sole focus on selling our artworks, sometimes we forget that sometimes even the most basic tasks can actually increase our efficiency. As an artist with a business of your own, the best thing right now for you to do is to utilize this time to think through your plan for the next few weeks. This includes staying in touch with your creativity, being mindful about what you are doing, and most importantly, setting the right expectations. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the things that can sometimes be ignored due to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season!

Determine what your art collectors want

With your main goal being selling the artworks, it’s also pertinent that you understand what the art collectors’ demands are. Once you know what the target audience is interested in, it would be easier to put out or create designs that are specifically tailored.

Whatever kind of art you make as an artist, whether they are drawings, paintings, or photographs, there is always going to be a certain element that will differentiate your regular art sales from your holiday sales. For example, if you are a surface pattern designer you can find out whether your customers are looking for patterns with traditional motifs that evoke the holiday spirit or they are more interested in getting something that depicts the winter scenes. If you are a painter, your audience maybe more interested in a certain color palette at this time of the year.

So, what’s the easier way to see what your audience wants? Do they want something different or they just want the usual art that you create throughout the year? The best way is to ask them! And no, we don’t mean ringing on their door bells or messaging them to give a detailed account of their likes and dislikes. An advantage of social media is that it allows you to conduct such surveys in a subtle manner. You can put up a question sticker or a poll with a bunch of questions, and post them on your Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. With Instagram, you have the opportunity to use the question stickers on your stories. Once you get the responses, you will have an idea on what the majority of your followers want, and that will guide you about the kind of art you have to create.

Set your holiday goals

While you prepare for the next few weeks, have you thought about your goals and expectations? Sure, we all want our holiday sales to be successful, but we also need to be realistic and specific. So, what are the questions you should be asking yourself?

First of all, you need manage your expectations and decide how much money you want to make and how much money you can make. You know how many followers you have, and you also have an account of your yearly sales. Grab a notebook and a pen, and write down the answers to the following questions. 

• How much money would do you hope to earn by the end of this holiday season? And how much artwork will you need to sell to get there?
• In order to meet your target, do you have enough artwork prepared for the upcoming weeks? And if not, then how do you plan to balance the supply and demand?
• How much will you sell your artworks for? Categorize them according to their value.

With these answers in mind, you will have a clear idea on what the next few weeks are going to look like. Not only this, but this exercise will also help you realize where you lack or where you need to put more of your time.

Review you last year’s sales

If you have been running a business for more than a year, then you must know what holiday season can be like. Having experienced the holiday sales, you’ll have an idea on how to run things, but your experience will truly help you out this time if you have prior records of what you sold last year. This will help you review what the hot items were last year, and it will give you a heads up on what’s to come. Did you sell all of your art online? Which colors and primary subjects were the most popular? These are just some of the questions that a simple overview can answer.

While it’s not necessary that art collectors will buy the same artwork each year, there is a high chance that your most sold items may attract customers this time as well. You can then further use this information for your marketing strategies too.

Divide your tasks and put them on a calendar

We don’t have to remind you to create a schedule for the next few weeks, but if you haven’t, you can easily make one on your calendar. Your calendar will not just include the to-do tasks but also any strategies you want to incorporate. So, sit down, and carefully make a plan even if takes you hours. The time you spend right now will save you a lot of hassle later on.

Here are some of the things you should keep in mind as you fill up your calendar.

• Take out some spare time for creativity, as being buried in work can get frustrating, and you still want to keep your creative spark alive. This activity will also keep your mind fresh, even if it’s just for fifteen minutes every day.
• Write down any plans for artworks that you specifically want to create for the upcoming sales.
• Be sure to designate your tasks beforehand. When the orders pile up, it can be hard to keep track of things, and you can end up spending more time on one thing while the rest of it is neglected. Assign days to certain tasks, and don’t forget to make room so that if there are any unexpected delays or changes, your schedule is flexible enough to fit them!

We are here to tell you that as you work on your marketing tactics and holiday packages for your art business, don’t forget to keep these other things in mind as they will determine how you’ll be able to handle the holiday rush in the upcoming weeks. In the end, no matter how much hectic your schedule gets, remember that you are doing the best you can!

Want to know more about managing your art business during the holidays? Here are some similar articles.

4 tips on handling your artwork shipping easily this holiday season

How to position your art as the ideal holiday present

5 creative tips to prepare your art studio for Black Friday sale