Getting my Pieces Together

I have been trying to put the pieces together of my art business. I have tried different things through the years but now with the internet it is a game changer. I have to do more because there is more I can do. I don't want to drive myself crazy chasing things that might work for other people that might not work for me. This is probably the 3rd or 4th time I have done a website but am thinking that I am going to stay here awhile. I have a gallery on Daily Paintworks, can list on auctions there.There are contests and different things to help build your reputation and community. Sitting alone on my website in the past seemed kind of lonely unless you do a lot of promoting. This way people can see my art even if it is only other artists. I do see things getting sold there so that is a start. What I also like is that it is not just a stand alone site, but it also links to my Ebay and Etsy stores. I am hoping that all that connection pays off and gets my name out there.

So, my online things are DPW, Ebay, Etsy for now. I am on FB personally but not as a business. I also have a Linkin account but need to set it up and use it. I know there are friends on there too. With Facebook, I may post paintings, sales, interesting things and not get hardly any comments on them. My daughter says that she never got them so I know very little is getting through. I haven't looked at Instagram since my phone is a flip phone and I hardly use my tablet. So, for my online things I want to do some things but do them well. I need to clean up/  finish up my stores and have good headers and maybe actually have a picture of me on it. I am thinking of a separate Etsy account still using the Jules Art Stuff but abbreviate it to JAS and having Paintings, Prints, Postcards Plus. The plus maybe print on demand of the prints and possibly shirts, mugs, etc. I am hoping it will have a more professional look besides being sold alongside paper dolls and sheet music.

Once I have some of my stuff together looks wise, I will need to see how to link them from DPW so viewers can go between my sites. I also have set up on Bonanza, but that takes a lot of work to keep things synced and I haven't tried the Etsy side of it yet. That may be further down the line if I do it at all. My next step too is Seo, checking my wording, and then finally marketing, advertising and promotion. There are a lot of things with trying to launch an art career that take a lot of money. The website alone can cost a ton. One set-up I was looking at was nickel and diming you to get all the items you wanted. The one I just left, I couldn't find when I signed up how to pay month by month and got stuck paying for a year. When I went to cancel they won't refund since I paid for a year so I have to waste that money and just ride it out. I now have a domain with some art on it that I need to switch to my DPW gallery if I want it because it is paid up until the end of June.

To be honest, craft shows are cheaper and selling craft items are cheaper, but people don't always want to shell out for Art. My leap from craft to art is a big jump and the biggest is online. With online also there is a lot of competition for looks and sales. I know I probably will have to do more shows so I can develop a reputation and people can meet me so they will look online too. Right now, getting my ducks in a row - online, but while I am doing that, it is the contest, physical shows and plein air events.