This morning I woke up to another announcement by another show promoter deciding to cancel all their retail shows for 2020. This is not the first announcement I’ve seen like this in the last week, and I doubt it will be the last.
As we head into the second half of 2020, we’re looking at a likely scenario where retail shows are almost totally off the table this year, including the holiday season. And even if some shows do move forward, attendance will likely be low, as customers will be wary of attending big events.
So what does this mean for artists and makers who rely on retail shows for some or all of their income?
Unfortunately, it means that if you were holding out hope that retail shows might still happen in 2020, it’s time to change directions. That’s the bad news.
But the good news is that all is not lost.
First, I do expect some wholesale to come back in the second part of the year as stores are allowed to reopen, albeit with more safety measures in place. And even if some areas do implement additional closures and stay at home orders, stores are getting creative with curbside pickup and their own websites. And those stores (who are the ones who will survive this) still need products to sell.
The same holds true for galleries, who are starting to move forward with exhibitions again, often with more private viewing and shopping experiences.
So if store or gallery outreach was on your marketing plan for 2020, it’s worth still moving forward with that.
But there’s also no denying that the artists and makers who are going to continue making money this year are the ones who are most focused on their online sales.
While I can’t predict the future, I do feel comfortable saying this: we are in for a massive online holiday shopping season.
Before I dive into that further, let me just interject to say that yes, even with the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic, people are still buying art and handmade goods right now. I’m seeing this firsthand in my own business and other’s as well. Plus, people will still need to buy gifts this holiday season, and they will be more likely to do that online than never before.
And many people are recognizing that artists and makers ARE essential and are going out of their way to support us right now.
Even with all that is going on, there is still money to be made right now as an artist or maker, especially online.
Yet, even with the inevitable upswing in online shopping, you can’t just slap up a website and expect people to flock to it.
The artists and makers who have had their best few months online this year haven’t had that happen by accident. They are the ones who are out there marketing and promoting their products. (And I’m not just talking about posting a few times to social media.) They are the ones regularly emailing their lists. They are the ones who aren’t afraid to ask for the sale. They are the ones doing everything they can to drive traffic back to their websites.
And if that hasn’t been you, that’s ok. There’s a lot going on in the world right now, so it’s ok to cut yourself some slack. (Especially if you found yourself spending a lot more time caring for kiddos or other family members than you normally do.)
But if you still want to salvage your sales in 2020, now is the time to get to work.
It’s time to bust open the proverbial doors to your website and start telling everyone it’s the place to go buy your work.
Because if you wait until November to get your shit together online, you’re going to miss out.
Now is also the time to let go of the shame and self-doubt that has been keeping you from promoting your work online. You know what I’m talking about:
Not emailing your list enough because “you don’t want to bother people.”
Not telling people how to buy your work because you think they’ll just figure it out on their own. (Spoiler alert: they won’t.)
Not directing people to your website because “it still needs work.”
Not putting your work out into the world at all because you’re worried about the quality or the price or what people will say.
Like I said before, even with an uptick in online shopping, selling more of your art or handmade products online won’t just happen by accident.
You have to do the work. You have to promote your work. You have to be the absolute biggest fan of what you do so you can share it with the world.
And that starts with getting your mindset right.
I know that not having retail shows for the rest of 2020 is a huge blow for many artists and makers.
But it’s also an opportunity to do the work that you’ve been putting off. Yes, that means the actual work of improving your website or finally getting around to emailing your list. (Or starting an email list in the first place.)
But it’s also the time to do the mental work that’s been holding your business back. It’s a chance to finally work through the fear and self-doubt so that you come out of all of this stronger than before. (As an artist and a business owner.)
This year may not be going the way you had planned, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t still be a big year for your business. And rather than letting 2020 be the year that breaks your business, you can look at is as a springboard to new and maybe even better things. (Like spending December packing up orders in your PJs while you sip hot cocoa rather than schlepping your work to shows.)
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If you’re ready to overcome the self-doubt that holds you back from selling your work AND get some practical strategies for promoting your work online, I invite you to check out my new class Sell Without Shame. The first lesson drops Monday, and you get lifetime access, so you can work through the content at your own pace. Head to sellwithoutshame.com now to claim your spot.