In April 2020 I founded a business showcasing and selling my collections of artwork. The business was centered around development and marketing of an online store created through a Weebly business account and PayPal integration. As the sole proprietor I was the lead in all aspects of business and did not outsource any parts of the development. This lack of delegation was done purposefully, as I used this business to explore a variety of my capabilities, expand and use my knowledge, and assess my personality within various fields. The cliché visualization for this could be the “wearing of many hats,” for example the artist’s hat versus the marketing hat versus the shipping management hat.
Duties
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Successes
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Virtual Exhibition
PR Media Kit
Created a media kit for myself to announce upcoming news, such as a collection release. Local and international news sources picked up the press releases, conducted interviews, and ran articles about the business.
Marketing Analysis
Email Marketing
As part of my marketing initiative, I designed, developed, and wrote a monthly email called The Collector. I integrated a pop-up within my website to encourage visitors to join. Emails were designed and sent through MailChimp. I also set up a number of automated emails that sent out when people subscribed. All marketing efforts were GDPR compliant.
New Year Email Statistics
64.7% open rate 26.5% clicks 40.9% clicks per unique opens 0 bounced 0 unsubscribed |
Social Media
Created regular content for Instagram involving product photography, blurb writing, and appropriate hashtags for stories and posts, as well as reel creation. Branded with the Ashley Stuart Art brand but added more vibrancy to encourage visits. Integrated Linktree to guide users to the website. Researched and managed best practices for instagram advertising. This account has now been made private with the closing of the shop.