SUMMARY: The first quarter is essential for generating momentum for a successful year. The early art-selling holidays bring in major sales opportunities, while a proper lead generation strategy will fuel your business with the art buyers you will sell to in Q2 and beyond.

PRIORITIES: 

1. Kick off the New Year with an Inventory Clearing Sale. This annual strategy is a member-favorite and key for generating sales early in the year. Our Inventory Clearing Sale Playbook has all the instructions for running the campaign effectively.
2. Prioritize lead generation. This is the best time of year to connect with the new art buyers you will be building relationships with for the rest of the year. Our course How to Generate Art Buyer Leads in 2022 has a full list of online and offline lead generation tactics, ranked in order of effectiveness. We recommend setting a personal goal of adding 500 new contacts to your email list each month during the first quarter.
3. Leverage the major art-selling holidays. With heavy-hitters like Valentine’s Day, #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay, and International Women’s Day - there are several great opportunities to sell art in Q1 that should each be thoughtfully approached. Follow the Art Marketing Calendar for complete guidance, subject lines, social posts, etc.
4. Release at least one piece of “Pivot” artwork. “Pivoting,” or releasing artwork that is a departure from your normal style or subject matter, is part of how nearly every top-selling Art Storefronts member earned their success. Q1 is the best time to do it, and our Pivot Playbook makes the entire process simple - from creating the work and selling it, to turning the whole experience into fantastic content for your audience.
5. Prepare for Mother’s Day - the biggest art-selling opportunity in Q2. Just like all major art-selling holidays, the real results come from the work you put in beforehand. This quarter, it’s critical to start the early stages of Mother’s Day marketing that will line-up a successful turnout in May. Our Mother’s Day Sale Playbook has the full details.