06 - The Artist Launch Cycle: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Art Launches

As an artist, protecting your creativity is just as important as running a profitable business. But the traditional launching approaches fall short. They can be daunting and even destructive to our creativity to pursue. But with the Artist Launch Cycle, a launch strategy made just for artists, you have a sustainable alternative. By following the different phases of the launch cycle, you can build your brand, connect with your audience, and ultimately launch your art in a way that aligns with your values and protects your creative vision. 

Hey, artist friend. This is Mariana Durst from the Liberated Artist Podcast, a space for unvarnished conversations about selling art online from a place of artistry, integrity, and courage. So whether you've got yellow ochre under your fingernails or clay dust on your jeans, I'll be your go-to guide as you bridge the gap between art and entrepreneurship. Your art isn't meant to stay stacked against the studio walls. Ready to walk this path together? Let's get started.

Hey liberated artist, today's topic is a hot one. If I were to show you the inside of my mastermind chat on Telegram, you would find a deluge of launch debriefs, launch questions, ideas, support requests, beta testing requests, etc. Launching is the way to go, according to many people, when you want to make something available for sale to your audience. Of course, this means every time you have a collection of paintings, or workshops, or courses, masterminds, etc., etc. But the thing is that oftentimes what we learn those processes that are taught in books and very popular courses run by marketing gurus is that they work really well for the type of entrepreneur who either has a product or maybe even a service. Someone who is not so heavily involved in the creation of something unique and one-of-a-kind like artists.

Being part of masterminds and groups of artists who are killing it out there, I've had the opportunity to witness every sort of launch with every sort of outcome as well. There are those epic launches that you sometimes hear about that somebody sells out their collection in 60 minutes and there are also those launches that go on for days and days and days only to see no sales come through. So heart-wrenching.

And what I always see is that people seem really exhausted and drained almost to the point of getting physically ill after a launch. And I get it, we are entrepreneurs, we need to be out there putting our art for sale and spreading the message. But... Part of me really wonders, can we do it differently? Can we launch and take those things that are really smart about what we're being taught about launching and marketing? Can we take the best parts of those things and adapt them to work with our creativity so that by the end of the launch, we don't need to take months and months and months off? Because I don't know if you've ever done a launch for a collection or for an educational offer, you know that it can be quite daunting. And I attribute that to the disconnect between the process of launching that most people learn out there and the fact that they're not really meant for artists.

So let's just talk a little bit about some of the problems that I see with traditional launch methods. So when it comes to launching art collections, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all. After all, who doesn't love a good launch party? If you imagine virtual champagne being popped and hors d'oeuvres and people gathering, it sounds really great. But sometimes when artists over-focus on the launch itself, they can lose sight of the actual product, of the actual art that they're launching, and begin treating it like a product. It's like getting so super wrapped up in the planning of a wedding that you forget you're actually getting married, and about the life-changing, amazing new chapter that you're about to embark on.

So this can lead to really setting unrealistic expectations because a lot of the people who teach methods of launching also tend to have proof that their method works. And of course, this proof is very cherry-picked. It highlights those people who were able to amass great success even with their first launch. And the problem is that sometimes that's all that they show us. They don't really let us know about all the other people who didn't get those wonderful headline-making results. So when we put all our hopes and dreams into the success of the launch, rather than focusing on the long-term growth and sustainability of our career, really set ourselves up for disappointment and even believing that our art and us aren't good enough. When the launch doesn't meet these expectations, it can just be a really hard blow to our confidence and motivation to keep going.

Over-focusing on a launch can also lead to commodifying the art itself. When artists view their art solely as a product to be sold rather than a piece of art that has a piece of their soul, they risk losing sight of the creative passion that drove them to create it in the first place and to elevate it above home decor or just wall art. to elevate it from that place into something that can truly transform the collector's lives, just like it did for the artist. And this can sometimes lead to creating art that is very formulaic and strategic and designed to appeal to the masses rather than true creative expression. It's almost like, oh, this kind of painting sold, so I'm gonna make only those things, you start shifting from being an artist and becoming a crafter. And it's okay, right? If that's what you want to do, and that's how you want to make the money, that is totally fine. But I want to see a way for all of us to be able to follow our creativity. to explore, to play, and to let ourselves express those things that we want to, like the true artists that we are.

Another thing is that in feeling that pressure to appeal to a broad audience, we might be very tempted to do as we're told by those marketing gurus and niche down our art. In an effort to maximize sales and exposures, you might feel compelled to just stick with what you know as works to what's more marketable and popular. and you sacrifice your creative vision and authenticity, which can lead to feelings of disconnection and just dissatisfaction with your work. And, I don't know about you, but when we feel that dissatisfied and unfulfilled, that's a recipe for burnout. And launching a collection can be such an exhausting and stressful process, particularly when we place so much focus on it. We tend to neglect our self-care, our creative process. our family, our life, and we risk burning out before we even have a chance to see the fruits of our labor. After pouring your heart and soul into a launch, it's so common to feel like a wrung out sponge, which can be especially challenging because your creative energy is your lifeblood. And when it's so depleted, it can feel like you're running on fumes. And this post-launch slump, it's not just an emotional hurdle to overcome. It can also have a real impact on your creative practice. When you're exhausted, it's hard to get back into the swing of things. You might find yourself procrastinating, struggling to find inspiration, or just feeling generally unmotivated. And that's bad news for us all.

My friend and artist, Kristin Cronic, the other day, she made a little comment on one of my Instagram posts and she said something like, the sales process allows her to keep creating. So there's nothing wrong with selling art because it does support your ability to play and explore and bring forth your ideas and creative vision.

But the problem is when we focus on that selling part so much that we don't have any energy to give to that creative process. Launches can be all consuming. Like I mentioned before, they can really take up over your life during the span, prepping for the launch and while you're launching. And I'm not telling you this to dissuade you from launching your art or any offer that you have. It's more so that you are aware and can build that bank of resources to hold you through a launch. Because they take up all your time and attention, you really don't have a lot of room for anything else unless you plan ahead and you give yourself achievable goals, which I'll talk about in a little bit. But if you are launching just straight out of the book what you've learned about launching, you might end up feeling lost or unsure of what to do next. All of this can create a vicious cycle. The more exhausted you feel, the harder it is to get back to your regular artistic practice. The longer you stay away, the harder it is to come back. And that's why it's so important to protect your creative energy above all throughout the launch process.

Building in time for rest and recovery is essential. Another thing to note about traditional launch methods is that they often prioritize short-term gains over long-term growth. Artists may feel pressure to create a lot of work rather quickly in order to keep up with their launch schedule, rather than taking the time to develop their craft and explore new ideas. This can lead to a lack of innovation and stagnation. And obviously, what does the constant need to produce cause? Burnout.

These are all the things that were going on in my mind when I set out to create the Artist Launch Cycle, which I'm going to talk to you about. The Artist Launch Cycle is truly a breath of fresh air in the world of launching anything that is created by you, the artist. It takes a holistic approach to the launch process, ensures that you are supported and nourished throughout the entire And by incorporating faces like celebration, rest, inspiration, and creativity, the artist launch cycle really helps you overcome the post-launch slump and avoid burnout. But the artist launch cycle also helps artists protect their creative energy by encouraging you to prioritize rest and inspiration, the two essential ingredients for a sustainable creative practice. That along with money, right? It's a balance.

But by focusing on sustainability over outcome, the artist launch cycle helps you shift your mindset from short-term gains to the long game. It's not about making a ton of cash, quickly burning out and then not being able to create. It's about taking it little by little, building from one launch to the next, learning and adapting, and most importantly, having that self-awareness when it comes to taking stock of our resources, energy, time, et cetera.

The artist launch cycle is for those who are feeling exhausted after every single launch, those who question their ability to keep creating after they close their cart. Let me tell you all about it. But first, I just wanna have a quick disclaimer that the artist launch cycle is a jumping-off point. It's not a... hard and fast rule. Remember, there are no paint-by-number solutions here inside the Liberated Artist Podcast. So it's up to you to take what works and leave the rest, as the saying goes.

Alright, the Artist Launch Cycle has eight phases, which can overlap or sometimes they might be a little scrambled.

But first I wanna tell you about the pre-launch phase. This is a period of time aimed at creating awareness about your offer, building anticipation for it, infusing your email list with new people, and re-energizing your existing audience. You'll be able to spark curiosity and help your audience take those first steps towards becoming a patron. You've probably seen other artists out there go through a pre-launch phase when they are teasing that their collection is coming next week or in a few days and they share these videos about the creation or sometimes poetry and you'll find that you have all the details and anticipation for the launch of that offer. Sometimes the pre-launch phase. includes emails that are teasing that out and letting you know that it's coming. Perhaps you're being invited to download a free resource that is related to the offer that they are going to be launching. This is all the pre-launch phase. The pre-launch phase can be super busy for you as the artist too. It can mean creating all your product listings, or setting up your course on Kajabi, or whatever platform that you're using. It usually carries out a lot of work in the back end. And on the front end, it just looks like we're having fun and we're excited, and that's kind of the energy. It's a very hectic, but also can be very fun. During the pre-launch phase, people can't purchase anything, you are just warming people up. You are getting them ready so that when you open your cart and people can purchase, they're ready to say yes.

So after the pre-launch phase, there's typically some sort of a boost phase, and it can be short or it can be a little bit longer. It can take different forms because it's kind of like a little party that you throw the actual launch. This is when the cart is open and everybody is invited to come and purchase. You may have seen this boost phase in action when you attended a webinar or perhaps a pop-up Facebook group where you and many others were united with a common goal. getting your art out there. You might also have seen the boost face in action when somebody invites you to a talk or a webinar or there's just some sort of really element of celebration and very big announcement. This boost phase is really important can transmit that excitement that you feel. And there's this saying by Ashlyn Carter, who is someone who I really respect and admire. And she says that, if you can't tell me why your offer matters, then who will? Something like that. I'm probably paraphrasing and butchering her lovely phrase. So this boost phase is all about telling people why this matters to you and why it should matter to them. and it makes them excited to join in on the party.

Once that boost phase is done and the cart is open, the launch phase begins. It's really when your offer becomes available for purchase. And it can last anywhere from five to 10 days or maybe it takes 40 minutes, who knows, if you sell out in that short amount of time, it happens. During this launch phase, it's very common for people to emphasize some sort of pressure into purchasing as soon as possible. Obviously, this is done so that you can make sales. And sometimes it can be used to put artificial pressure on people's audiences. I'm not saying that you do that or anybody that I personally know does that. But sometimes there are these incentives or scarcity tactics that are used that really make it uncomfortable for people to make the decision in the best environment for them possible. But in the terms of original artwork, there is a natural scarcity to it because things are one of a kind. And you're probably not gonna be creating the exact same original painting over and over and over. And so there is this incentive of if you like it, then buy it because it might not come around and probably won't come around again. In the case of courses or memberships or other offers that launch certain times of year, the launch phase ends when the cart closes and nothing is available for purchase anymore. And when selling art collections, it's common for the launch phase to just overlap and continue with the post-launch and all the other phases of the artist launch cycle if the collection doesn't sell out. And this is... perfectly normal. This is what happens most of the time.

Then we come into this post-launch phase. And that is the phase where you are fulfilling orders or serving your new students. You're pulling those who didn't purchase. You can also take the stats of your launch so that you're tracking data and lessons learned. And the length of that period can truly vary, depending on what you just launched.

The next phase is celebration. And I don't have to tell you what this means. But regardless of how the launch went, this is a non-negotiable in my book. It is time to recognize your hard work and treat yourself to something that feels really celebratory. It doesn't matter what the outcome of the launch was. It matters how you showed up during that time of preparation and launching. It's a huge outward effort, and that is so worthy of being rewarded. So I don't want you to lose track of this if you don't see the results that you were expecting.

The next phase is rest. If you can, resting after a launch is critical for the sustainability and wellbeing of your creativity and business. Creating from an empty well is grueling. Making recovery a core piece of the launch process and building time, blocking off time around it, ensures that you're gonna be in this for the long haul.

Which brings me to... Phase number seven, the inspiration phase. You're probably gonna be gathering inspiration everywhere you go and not just during this phase because it's not like there's just the beginning and end to the inspiration period. But I wanted to make sure that I called this out as a separate part of the process because it's so important to replenish your inspiration. This period of inspiration, can also overlap with pre-launch for your next collection. You can start capturing photos and videos and thoughts as you're feeling inspired and will help you prepare for pre-launch. And if you're sharing about this in real time, it helps drum up interest.

And finally, the last phase of the artist launch cycle is the creativity phase. And this is a time that... you get to create your next pieces or your next offer. And as I mentioned before, all of these periods can kind of overlap. It's not a clear division between one and the other, but it's important that you are aware of your artistic process so that you can bank enough time in between launches and resting to have the time to create your work, giving you... plenty of time to explore and play and go nurture that creativity of yours. All right, now you know everything about the artist launch cycle.

And I just want to leave you with this quote. Picasso once said, learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist. And that's the spirit I'd like to encourage you to have when trying the artist launch cycle. or any other launch strategy out there.

Believe me, I know exactly that the day you decided you wanted to sell your art, you never imagined how much work it would be. Not only do you need to find your people, you also need to attract them and make it easy for them to just fall in love with and buy your art. And sure, your art speaks for itself, but in this noisy world, you need more than that to sell your work online. You'll need a reliable set of tools ready to take your work to the hands of Delated Patrons time and time again. And I am so stoked to tell you about the Artist Launch Toolkit. It's everything you need to pull off a sustainable launch for your next collection, educational offer, or service. Let me guide you through everything you need to know about the Artist Launch Cycle. how to plan for your launch, and do it in a way that doesn't compromise your ability to make art. Today's episode was just a primer. There is so much more to learn. So check out marianadurstudio.com/launch and check out the Artist Launch Toolkit. The toolkit has things like a launch guide, which demystifies the process of launching and lets you build a sustainable launch one step or one launch at a time. There's no formulas, there's no fill in the blank. There are just frameworks that are meant for you to take as your jumping-off point and make your own. There's also the Launch Discovery Workbook, which helps you gain clarity around your offer. Set healthy goals that you can accomplish and get familiar with your audience so that you can fine tune that messaging and all the details of your launch. There's also a launch stats tracker, an audience service swipe file, and launch email frameworks. Pretty much all the email frameworks you can use to launch any of your offers. I'm serving up all of this guidance so that you can develop authentic and sustainable ways to connect with your people without sounding like anyone else. You'll also get frameworks for sales pages, collection pages, product listings, and lots and lots of copywriting tips so you can pull it off on your own. Please visit marianadurstudio.com/launch.

Alright friend. Well, today we've explored the pitfalls of traditional marketing practices for artists and how they can stifle creativity. The artist launch cycle provides a sustainable alternative that protects your vision while still achieving your goals. By embracing each phase of the cycle, from ideation to audience engagement, you can create a launch strategy that is both effective and true to your artistic voice. So with that in mind, this is your host, Mariana Durst, reminding you to launch with confidence, creativity, and integrity.

Thanks for listening to the Liberated Artist Podcast. Be sure to visit liberatedartistpodcast.com for show notes, bonus materials, and to subscribe to get new episodes dropped straight into your pretty little inbox when they're published. If you enjoyed today's podcast, I invite you to follow or subscribe to the show wherever you're listening so that new episodes magically appear on your feed. If you have any artists in your life who desire to or are selling their art online, then please be sure to share this episode with them. Want to connect? Me too. Let's continue the conversation on my Instagram @marianadurstudio.