Are you a talented artist? People of all ages are creative and have a shot at making money from the art they create, whether it be paintings, jewelry, personalized t-shirts, and more. You can be successful with your art, and there are ways to turn your art into a side business. People that decide to do this come with many questions, including, how is that going to work? You have to know how to protect and market yourself for your side hustle. Plus, some money-saving tips are a good thing to have on your side. Here are a few tips that can help you have a shot at artistic success.
Establish an Online Presence
The best way to kick-start your art side business is to have a sound online presence. Sure, you can have your art on sites like Esty and RedBubble, but you are just a drop in the bucket among many artists out there trying to make money. You have to go above and beyond. Create a social media page for yourself. These days, businesses and companies are turning to social media to help them sell their products and services.
This could work for artists as well. Now, it’s one thing to make a social media page. Another is being active on it. It doesn’t have to be an everyday post on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Just post enough to gain traction for your art side business. Your fans will be the start to help it grow. You will feel pride with the money rolling in.
Find Manufacturers With Discounts to Obtain Bulk Supplies
For you to get started on your art business, you will need supplies. But what if you are on a tight budget? Here are some money-saving tips that will help with the budget cost. Did you know that for every dollar spent on manufacturing, another $1.40 is added to the economy? Art supplies aren’t cheap either. You will need paint, pencils, paper, glue, etc. to get started. The costs can really add up. Your best bet is to find manufacturers that come with discounts.
You are going to have to do your homework while searching around. There are plenty of businesses that want to help you in return for helping them by buying their products. But you have to be careful when you look for bulk supplies at a discount. Always look for the sales tax in your state. For example, the sales tax in Florida is 6%. If you aren’t careful, you could end up paying more by accident. Also, you don’t want to end up getting ripped off. Look up everything about the manufacturer through the reviews and what other customers are saying. When you have all the information, you will know whether to invest money in their products or not.
Protect Your Rights
There are many thieves out there on the internet. Someone could look up your work and show it off as their own. Usually, there isn’t much to be done with internet art thieves when they are on big sites like Amazon, RedBubble, and Etsy. Lucky for you, there are ways to protect yourself.
One way is to put watermarks all over your art. That’s basically putting your name or company’s name on your artwork. Another way is to report the thieves and file a complaint. Don’t give up. You have to keep trying to fight for yourself, and that goes for your money, too. There are sellers of supplies that will con you out of your money. Be on your guard and do your research. You have to protect yourself at all costs.
Save Your Money and Grow
Here are some more money-saving tips that will help you grow your art side business. Keep track of everything that you spend on supplies. Only sell on sites that have good reputations. Know who your audience is. For example, let’s say that you are making artistic helmets for female bikers. You might need to know that women made up 19% of motorcycle owners in the United States in 2018. Do the research on your target audience and cater to them. One more thing about your art and business to keep in mind is to hold on to the rights of your work.
Kick-starting your art side business will be so rewarding in the end. You will get to post your art for the world to see and buy. You’ll get to see the money coming in. If all goes well, your side business could soon become your main business.