How to Connect with Your Ideal Audience

I received this question from a reader, and I found it interesting. In all my years of making art, I haven’t thought much about my audience. I realized this is probably a mistake.

When showing our work online, how can we connect with our ideal followers - our true fans who are going to support our work?

I’ve thought about this a lot since receiving the question. My answer may shock you in its simplicity. First off, the way you find your true audience is to connect more deeply with yourself in your work. The second piece is to have the courage to share your work with the world - to crack open your heart and put it all out there. Think of your audience as a mirror. What we give, we get. When we’re creating work that deeply aligns with who we are, our ideal audience will find us. Your true fans will be people who are similar to you - who have similar likes, dislikes, and struggles. They will see themselves in your work. However, they can’t do that if you don’t put your soul’s work out there.

Joy is contagious. Watching someone do what they love always attracts loyal followers. It’s the reason people like Mr. Rodgers, Julia Child, Bob Ross, and Jim Henson were so successful. They were creators who found sheer joy in their art. It didn’t matter what their art was. People were drawn to the fact that they loved every second of it.

So I guess the question now is - how can you make work that represents who you truly are? And once you do that, how can you make yourself more findable?

On Creating Your Soul’s Work

Ask yourself if your current work is lighting you up. Maybe you’re just making what you’ve always made, but you haven’t felt connected to your art in a while. Does your art represent you as a person? Think about your personality traits. Would someone use those same words to describe your art? If not, it may be time to change. Your soul needs the freedom to experiment with different styles and techniques. Don’t worry that your audience might think you’re flaky. In reality, they’ll be excited to watch you evolve as an artist. You just need to let them in. As creatives, we’ve all shifted directions many times. It’s part of the journey. I started out being into typography and metallic pens. None of my current pieces contain either of those things.

Next, what your reason is for making art? Is your mission clear to others? Creating is the opposite of selfish. It’s a very generous act to share a piece of your soul with the world. There’s always a way in which your work can benefit those around you. If you aren’t clear on your mission as an artist, spend time mulling this over. Are you painting the right things to accomplish your mission? Maybe you want to donate a portion of your proceeds to a cause you care about. You mission may be twofold. You might want people to feel a certain way when they see your work, but you may also want to help other artists by sharing your journey.

On Being Findable

Aside from the work itself, think about how much of your process you’re sharing with others. Being an artist isn’t just about the end product. That’s only a small piece of it. People want to know what it took to make the piece, what you struggled with, and what inspired you. One can argue the story means more than the art itself. It’s easy to hide behind your work, and not let people in. I did it for years. However, once I started opening up about my struggles as an artist, I felt truly connected with people. By not sharing your process, you’re doing the world a great disservice. Think of all the greats who came before us. We would all love to see more Monet interviews, sketchbooks, and journals. Sharing your process is helping future generations. Start thinking of yourself as one of the greats, whose journey deserves to be documented. Every piece of the puzzle is valuable. Degas’ ballerina statues that he made to learn figures are just as important as his famous ballerina paintings.

So are you feeling inspired to share more of your process? Good! Now, you just need to find the ideal platform to do so. My main way of sharing my process is blogging, because writing comes most naturally to me. For you, it may be social media or video content. You need to find a method you’re most comfortable with. I truly believe there’s a right platform for everyone. For now, just focus on one until you’re comfortable.

It’s not enough just to say you’re going to share your process. The content needs to be consistent and high quality. Don’t be overwhelmed by this. It’s easer than you think. People just want to know what to expect from you and when. I do blog posts every Wednesday and Friday. I share a new print on my Etsy shop every week. Create a doable content schedule, and stick to it. Usually, we can do less than we think, so don’t be too ambitious in your plans. As far as quality, find an easy way to take nice pictures of your work. Learn how to edit your artwork on white backgrounds (see my post and video on this here). A tip I tell beginner artists is to situate your desk right next to a window, and photograph your work when the sun is brightest. You’ll hardly need any editing. For great overhead videos, check out this flexible phone mount I use. If there’s a skill you’re lacking, make it a point to figure it out. With the internet, we can learn just about anything.