Image Credits: Left, Photo by @berkeley.interiors and @hannahpuechmarin on Instagram; Right, Photo from @formanpictureframing on Instagram.

Dear Creatives, one of the biggest mistakes creatives make is that they cringe or feel they need to be salesy to sell their photography online like a telesales person with a ‘comb over’ flogging a set of free steak knives. This holds them back from launching their glorious work out into the world.

I would like to help you make a couple of mindset shifts around this as it’s one of the primary reasons that hold creatives back from selling their work. I have learned thanks to all the beautiful feedback from my clients that sharing my work with them has brought all sorts of emotions to their lives and walls. Some tell me they feel good every time they walk past their image, it inspires them to be brave or book a ticket to a new destination, to continue with their creativity or dreams, to feel pride and joy in their room, or simply to feel calm.

Here are some myths when it comes to selling your artwork and how you can switch your mindset:

1. Myth – You are ‘taking’ people’s money

Firstly, sweet soul, you are not taking people’s money, you are creating an energetic exchange and they are receiving something for their money that will bring immense joy, pleasure, make them feel good about themselves or their home, allow them to dream, be transported to another place, to beautify their space, to be brave, to believe in themselves and numerous other emotions. When we are creating a home one of the most important and exciting choices we make is what to put on our walls. A house or a space isn’t a home till the art is in place.

Mindset shift: Switch the focus off YOU and onto THEM. Move away from the ‘taking’ mindset and into the ‘giving’ mindset. It’s not about YOU, it’s about helping THEM. You are creating an ‘edit’ of work they will love, particularly if you understand who your ideal client is and you are making their job of finding that type of work easy. You are ‘giving’ joy, beauty, a vision and a style and they are willing to exchange money for it.

Image Credit: From the gallery of Forman Art & Framing in Australia. Instagram: @formanpictureframing

2. Myth – You have to be good at ‘sales’ to sell your work

No, in fact the less you try and ‘sell’ the more sales you make. What, you say? You don’t have to be salesy, you need to have work they want and that you and they feel an emotional connection to the work.

Mindset shift: Facts tell, stories sell. Tell them a story or let your work tell the story. Bowl them over with beauty or a tell them a story about why you created the work, behind the scenes of creating the work, what the work means to you, who you created the work for, what is your process, why you have chosen this subject or any other titbit that will connect them to your work. Remember the person who is interested in your work will have a lot in common with you. The more you have fun with it and let go of the angst of selling, the more sales you will see come in.

Image Credit: From the gallery of Forman Art & Framing in Australia. Instagram: @formanpictureframing

3. Myth – Nobody would want your work!

This my dear folks is a limiting belief and as long as you believe this then probably nobody will want your work. Limiting beliefs are subconscious programming that runs in the background of our lives and no matter how many times we think we want a certain outcome your true energy doesn’t show this. You are energetically screaming to the world a story of ‘lack’. Kind of like having one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake, ‘I want this’ but ‘it’s never going to happen!’

Mindset shift: Firstly know there is a market for everything. You need to be the first person that believes your work is worthy. You need to be in a place where you are proud and excited about the work you have created and be willing to put it out into the world. Check your energy, get good at understanding how you really feel instead of what you think. If your body feels off, ask yourself ‘what’s it about?’ Get good at understanding when you feel lack and switch it to abundance. That can be simply by sitting with true gratitude for what you have, see how far you have come, what you have today in your hands and know the more you feel gratitude, joy and contentment that the good stuff is one the way

I hope these three shifts help you have the courage to share your work with the world.

Love and light

Carla

P.S.: If you would like to learn more about selling your photography and art online, you can watch my FREE training here.