AN INTROVERT ARTIST'S GUIDE TO BRANDING YOURSELF! - A COMPLETE GUIDE
Hello fellow Introvert and Artist!
Welcome to my space.
If you’ve wandered onto this page, I’m sure you’re wondering how a quiet creative like yourself can catapult from the shadows into the world of success. I know, I know. We are so comfortable playing the background roles but really, how are you going to be seen if you’re not visible?
Well, I’m here to help you!
Below, I have a few tips to help you get started in branding that I hope you will take with you along your journey into a flourishing art career.
Decide what you're making!
Before you have a brand, you have to decide what you're going to offer. This can be anything you want but you MUST be incredibly clear on what it is. I always knew I was an Artist and that I could create, I just didn’t always know WHAT I wanted to produce for the public. This is important! Think about the benefits as well as the results. What will people feel when they have your product, how will people identify themselves, and what will people think of themselves once they buy.
For example, you make ceramic mugs. But really help people build and invest in their homes with handcrafted drink vessels. (The play is in the wording.) They feel cozy and at home when they use them, they identify as a home-body and they think well of themselves for buying handmade.
Remember why you're making it!
Remembering your Why is crucial to playing the long game in business. This is two-fold. There is the Why for Others and the Why for You.
The Why For Others is all about the good you're bringing them. You're making change and affecting the world in some way, so you have to know what that is if you want to be intentional about it.
The Why for You is to keep you going in the hard days, when it feels like there's no good going on and you can't get your head above water. trust me, I’ve been there plenty of times and sometimes pulling yourself out of those places can be tough. But it’s not impossible. Your WHY can be your saving grace. Write it down! Put it on your wall! Maybe it gives you purpose or helps you through mental illness. Maybe it's to feed your babies or care for your home. Remember your why and don't forget it when it gets tough.
Test your products!
Once you know your Why's and your What's you have to figure out your How's. This is the platforms you use, the methods you present your work in, and the way you plan to showcase and sell your work. We live in a world of Social Media. This requires a lot of testing, tweaking, and marketing. This is not just your products, but who you're marketing to, how you're getting it out into the world, and your visual branding. Success comes from doing the work. As introverts, we often don’t like to be front and center but this can work poorly in our favor if we don’t at least get our feet wet. We need to be seen just as much as our extroverted colleagues. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Utilize the social platforms available to you! Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, Facebook, SnapChat. It doesn’t have to always be dance videos (unless that’s your business idea, of course) you can promote your other niche’s on there as well!
Find your unique value proposition!
After you've got your Why's, your What, your How - you need your Who. This is also a process of tweaking, but it's incredibly helpful when building your visual brand. Once you know the person who will buy your products, you know how to visually and verbally present it to them in the most attractive way - and you have to know why you’re unique.
The longer you're in business, the more you can narrow down your market to really target the specific people who are more likely to purchase.
Develop your skills
Creatives are generally great at continuing to build their skills, but sometimes in the thick of business we can forget. Be sure to continue to build your skill set so you can improve your craft and keep up on current growth patterns and trends in the business and online world. Take a few classes catered to what you’d like to learn or improve. Use Youtube as a platform of free content to learn a new skill set. Visit the bookstore to get your hands on some paperbacks to add to your collection of workbooks. NEVER STOP LEARNING.
Build a visual brand guide
The next step is to pair each of these outlines with visuals that convert. It's not just about being pretty and professional, it's about being intentional and purposeful behind those visuals.
Build an online space
Once you have your branding nailed down you have to present in some way to the world. This is done in online spaces through a website & social media and offline through print media and showcases.
This space shouldn't be an echo-ing chamber, but a place where your Who feels comfortable sharing their thoughts, desires, and questions.
lastly, keep your message simple
If you make a space for your Who without a purpose in mind, they'll get bored and wander off. You don’t want that. Build a strong, clear message revolving around what you're about and you'll begin to build a tribe that converts and is consistently in love with the work you're putting out into the world. Your message to the public should be short and sweet and straight to the point.