One of the biggest mistakes I see creative people make

Jul 12, 2023

Tell me if this sounds familiar…

You’re an artist, designer, or illustrator stuck in a dead-end job to keep food on the table. Your creative work has caught the attention of your friends, who keep urging you to sell your work.

Without skipping a beat, they throw out the names: Etsy, Amazon, Red Bubble, and Fine Art America.

So, you take their advice and dive headfirst into one of those marketplaces (or ::gasp:: all of them) only to realize that you’ve overlooked a fundamental lesson in business.

“Not your cow. Not your cream!”

Over the years, I’ve encountered many artists who generate decent income through online marketplaces. Still, the harsh reality is that relying solely on a marketplace is like building your empire on a rented plot of sand slowly sinking, and you must constantly pull yourself out to stay above ground.

But are marketplaces the worst thing ever? Of course not. They have their advantages, but they do have plenty of disadvantages.

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Benefits of Creative Marketplaces

These platforms allow you to showcase your work to a broader audience and gain exposure to potential customers. It’s a chance to present your creations to a global community, with the possibility of attracting press and influencers constantly looking for fresh talent.

Low Barrier to Entry

Setting up shop on these marketplaces is a breeze. It’s a relatively quick process, allowing you to start selling your creations without jumping through hoops. These platforms offer a ready-made infrastructure with existing traffic and customer bases, allowing you to focus on your craft.

Sales and Revenue Generation

When selling your creative work, these marketplaces simplify the process. You can set your prices, offer discounts, and easily manage sales transactions, offering a straightforward way to earn income from your artistic endeavors.

Challenges

For all their ease of use and practicality for busy side hustlers, we can’t overlook the potential challenges and considerations that come with relying solely on creative marketplaces.

High Competition

The marketplace is a crowded space, bustling with countless artists and sellers vying for attention. Standing out amidst the competition can prove daunting, making it challenging to capture the spotlight and attract potential buyers.

Pricing and Profit Margins

Determining the correct pricing for your work while maintaining profitability is a tightrope. Striking a balance between fair pricing and ensuring your talent is appropriately valued can be challenging in a competitive marketplace.

Maintaining Artistic Integrity

Preserving your artistic vision amidst the demands of the market is essential. Balancing your passion for creating what you love with the need to cater to consumer preferences requires a delicate touch to ensure your authenticity shines through.

Platform Limitations and Policies

Navigating each marketplace's rules, terms of service, and policies can be complex. Understanding and adhering to content, copyrights, and intellectual property guidelines is crucial. Additionally, customer service on these platforms can sometimes be frustrating or non-existent.

Time and Effort

Managing inventory, fulfilling orders, and providing customer service requires significant time and effort. Promoting and marketing your work to attract potential buyers demands dedication and strategic planning.

Inability to Communicate Directly with Customers

This is the most significant disadvantage, in my opinion. Handing over control of customer data and post-sale communication can be limiting. With a near complete lack of ability to talk directly to your customers, building direct relationships with your buyers becomes challenging, making it harder to establish a loyal customer base.

And if you ever leave the platform, you will leave that customer base behind.

Some Considerations

When choosing a marketplace, reflecting on your personal goals and preferences is crucial.

Who is my target audience, and do any of these marketplaces cater to them?
Does the platform align with my artistic style and values?
How effectively does the marketplace meet my specific needs and requirements?
What are each platform's associated costs, fees, and potential returns?
Do I have the ability to communicate directly with my customers?

Best Marketplace Practices

Let’s assume you’ve carefully considered these factors and still decide to leverage a marketplace to sell your work. Here’s what I recommend to make the most of the platform:

1. Start an Email List

Focus on growing your list, even if you’re uncertain about the content you’ll share initially. That will come later.

2. Create a landing page for your email list with a custom URL

If your email provider doesn’t offer this feature, take the initiative and make your own.

3. Use your custom URL as the primary link across all platforms

Incorporate it into your marketplace profiles, social media accounts, and email signature.

4. Enhance your product packaging drop-ins

Add business cards, stickers, or other inserts that prominently display your email list’s URL with every package you send out.

5. Send out a monthly email newsletter to start

Keep it simple, informative, and fun. Focus on providing value rather than merely promoting your products. Announce new items, share sales specials, and highlight events you’re participating in, all while maintaining a personal touch.

6. Learn from successful users, but don’t overthink it

Study from others who have made good money from the platform. It’s easy to get caught up in the details and intricacies of growth strategies, but remember that your primary goal is to sell. Stay focused on that objective.

Caveat: There are a lot of would-be gurus out there telling you how successful they are. They’ll talk about how much money they made, and try to sell you on courses and programs. What they often don’t share is how much money they spent to make that money. Don’t be enticed by big numbers unless their giving all the information.

Most Important: The marketplace is a temporary venue to host your items for sale; it’s not your home.

Think about your favorite brands—they don’t limit themselves to specific stores or outlets. They advertise to you, knowing you’ll find your way to them. Apply the same mindset and use the marketplace as a stepping stone to lead customers to your platform.

Ultimately, your primary focus should be keeping your customers, followers, and subscribers within your influence. As you grow, you may leave the marketplace behind or maintain it as a complement to your branded website.

By doing the necessary groundwork, you’ll be able to inform your audience of any transitions or changes, leveraging the strength of your email list. Relying on the marketplace alone but without an email list, you’ll start from scratch or rely solely on social media to rebuild your connections.

Marketplaces are neither the ultimate solution nor the worst option for selling creative work. If you feel that a marketplace aligns with your goals, fully commit. However, do your due diligence to keep your customers within the folds of your business rather than within the confines of the marketplace.

Focusing on building your brand and maintaining direct relationships with your audience is crucial. Nurture your email list, leverage your creativity, and pursue avenues that empower you to shape your artistic journey.