Do You Need Marketing?

I like to ask my students, 'Where are you?" That is, where are you on these axes?

1. The more your practice is based on commissions, the less you need marketing (unless you are driving the commissions with a sales generating strategy). The more you work "on spec" (creating work with out a predetermined buyer), the more you need marketing.
2. The more your practice is based on creating work for which there is a proven market, the less you need marketing. The more you make work to soothe your soul, from within, or that you "have to"make, the more you need marketing.
3. The more unique your talent, visual language or technique, the less you need marketing; the less unique your work, the more competition there is and the more you need marketing.

The blue dots is where I see a majority of my students positioned.

Marketing is a science. It is a significant skill when done well and good marketing is supported by many other business practices such as effective sales copy writing, demographic studies and consumer research. Take a course, hire or trade/barter for marketing advice.