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How to be Pitch Perfect

Pitching yourself effectively is a critical skill to have as an artist. Whether you are looking to sell your artwork, land a brand partnership, or seal the deal on a commission request, showcasing your talents and telling your story go a long way in demonstrating that you’re the perfect fit for the job.

Pitching is a daunting task. It is hard putting yourself out there, and even more so when you’re trying to convince someone to do business with you.

This week, we share 9 valuable tips and strategies on how to craft a winning pitch as an artist, so that you can work towards leaving your mark both from an artistic and business standpoint.

Let’s dive in.

1. Start with a clear objective

Prior to crafting your pitch, start with a clear objective.

For example, if you are looking to partner with a brand, what does that look like? The more specific you can be the better. Likewise, if you’re looking for an opportunity to be showcased at a gallery, make sure you are clear about when and how you would like your art to be featured.

Understanding your desired outcome and clarifying your intentions not only help both parties save time, but also help to make your message bold and succinct.

2. Do your research

When reaching out to potential clients or collaborators, doing your research is key.

If engaging with a brand, understand their values, messaging, and overall marketing objectives. Look up and understand how they or similar brands have collaborated with other artists (for example, H&M Home with Amber Vittoria and Lulama Wolf), and evaluate if your style seems like something that the brand would align with.

Additionally, doing thorough research allows you to better target the right brands and collectors, while also demonstrating that you have taken the time and consideration to get to know them.

3. Help to solve a problem

Every pitch is an opportunity to solve a problem. Even if you are simply trying to sell your art to a collector, your unique artistic point of view sets you apart, and is an opportunity to fill a gap in any collector’s collection.

Focus on the other party’s perspective, and answer the questions that they are likely to have as they are getting to know you or any other artist.

For example:

• What can they gain from working with you or collecting your art?

• What makes you different from other artists?

• Who else has collected your art?

• Have you collaborated with other brands or artists in the past?

• Have you been featured in any exhibitions or publications?

4. Don’t shy away from your achievements

Bragging about your accomplishments can feel awkward and unnatural. However, including your experience and credentials in your pitch builds credibility and helps demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and experience to deliver quality work.

Remember, you can’t expect others to recognize your achievements if you are not telling them about them.

5. Tell a story

A pitch is not just an opportunity for you to demonstrate why someone should invest in you or your artwork. It is also an opportunity for you to tell your story.

After all, an artist’s story is as important as the artwork itself.

Personal stories that underscore your motivation and inspiration allow others to find and build a meaningful connection with you and your work. Clients and collectors both typically enjoy knowing how an artist likes to work, what excites them, and what makes them special.

Additionally, personal stories can also help you find common ground with whomever you are engaging. If you have done your research, you may even be able to surface anecdotes that resonate and align with the other party’s mission.

Lastly, when delivering a visual presentation or portfolio, include high-quality images of yourself, your artwork, and even product mockups if relevant to capture the attention of your audience.

6. Less is more

Once you have a clear objective for your pitch, understand what the other party is looking for, and are clear of the story you would like to tell, challenge yourself to keep your pitch as focused and as specific as possible.

Particularly when engaging with brands, it is likely that whomever you are reaching out to has a full inbox. Conveying key information concisely upfront can help you land the follow-up meeting or convince the other party to take a deeper look at your proposal.

Likewise, if you are putting together a portfolio, it is better to feature 10 of your best work, than 20 that include mediocre pieces.

7. View yourself as an opportunity

While pitching yourself can feel like you’re trying to sell yourself to someone, reframe your outreach as an opportunity for the other person to work with you.

Instead of presenting yourself as someone who needs a favor, reposition it as an invitation to partner with you. Show that you are offering value and can make a difference.

8. Have a strong call to action

If there is one thing to remember… always have a strong call to action.

To get what you want, you have to ask for it. That's why it's important to include a clear call to action in your pitch. Whether you are seeking a partnership, collaboration, funding, or membership to your community, make sure to clearly state what you're asking for.

Further, make it easy for your audience to take action. For example, include a link to your calendar so they can easily schedule a follow-up meeting, or provide a link to your work or contact information. Making your audience track down how to take action is losing half of the battle before you’ve even begun.

9. Don’t take it personally

If your pitch doesn’t go your way, don’t take it personally. Often, you have no idea what constraints the other party are working with. A collector could have maxed out their budget for the month, a brand could have a pre-existing arrangement with an agency, or someone could have simply missed out on your email or DM because they received it at an inconvenient time.

As an artist, you have to be your biggest advocate. If you don’t believe in yourself, it is unlikely that others will. Keep creating, keep refining your pitch, and don’t let your worth be defined by numbers.

Closing Thoughts

Pitching is a lifelong practice. While challenging, consciously incorporating these tips and strategies into your pitch will better your chances of generating leads and finding success.

Want to see pitching in action?

This week, instead of Twitter Spaces, we are going live on video with our HUG Studios Demo Day! See these tips applied in practice, as different creators working on everything from tarot in Web3 to empowering children with disabilities pitch their projects and get live feedback.

In the News

Industry News

• Sotheby’s is putting Natively Digital: Glitch-ism, its glitch art auction on pause in order to redress the imbalance in representation within the sale — a noteworthy outcome after other artists spoke out about it.

• Ticketmaster debuted token-gated ticket sales with metal band Avenged Sevenfold, allowing true fans to get priority access, seat selection, and best prices — a far cry from the ticketing chaos that was experienced when tickets to Taylor Swift’s concert dropped last year.

• Gucci announced a partnership with Yuga Labs to bring luxury fashion into the metaverse. Read more here.

• US taxpayers — the IRS is looking into classifying NFTs the same way as physical art and collectibles, which could have implications on capital gains taxes, and more. Catch up on the latest guidance here.

• Following our coverage of Bitcoin Ordinals a couple of weeks ago, NFT marketplace Magic Eden is continuing its multi-chain expansion with the addition of support for Ordinals assets.

Tools and Resources

• Renowned animator DeeKay just released DeeKay Tool Light, a free animation rigging tool developed together with Motion Design School. Learn more and access the tool here.

• Learn how to stay organized with filing taxes as an artist, thanks to this handy guide from Artwork Archive.

• Generate new videos out of existing ones with nothing more than an image or text prompt through AI with Runway. Learn more here.

Notable Creators

• Proof has teamed up with Transient Labs to announce the Outliers program, a new program for digital creators who are pushing technical barriers and innovating through their artwork. Artists for the first cohort include Tiffatronn, Terrell Jones, Photon, ALIENQUEEN, and more.

• Nyan Cat creator Chris Torres announced that everyone’s favorite cat will be featured in Reddit’s next generation of digital collectibles. Read Chris’ announcement here.

• MoonPay is teaming up with filmmaker and producer Julie Pacino on her upcoming movie inspired by NFT-native photography. Read more about Julie’s inspiration here.

Artist Grants and Opportunities

• HUG is introducing a new Innovation Laboratory for artists in partnership with no-code creator tool HeyMint!

  Take part in a 2-week boot camp where you will collaborate with fellow artists on your next art drop, receive complimentary minting support, and get your work showcased at our NYC gallery. Sign up by March 31st to get the early bird pricing of $69.

• Creators looking for support to launch a full-fledged business can also apply for other HUG Studios programs — learn more and apply here.

• Get featured in the Daily Ralpha, a Web3 newsletter with a daily circulation of 75K. All you have to do is apply for your own HUG artist profile, and submit your interest here.

• Applications are open for Meta Angels x Adobe’s artist-in-residence program, which gives you a $1,000 grant, access to Adobe Creative Cloud, mentorship, and more. May’s artist-in-residence will be shortlisted by April 15th. Learn more and apply here.

• Calling all muralists! The National Academy of Design is awarding grants between $10,000 and $40,000 to create or restore public murals. Learn more and apply here by April 23rd.

• Post your best work to Creatively every week, let the community vote, and stand a chance to win a $5,000 cash grant each month.

This Week’s Art Drops

• The Weight of the World by Shavonne Wong (Timed Open Edition, 0.09 ETH): Showcasing a woman weighed down by the struggles and responsibilities of life, this piece is a poignant reminder that we all face challenges that can feel insurmountable at times. A dynamic NFT, the artwork and price will also change as more editions are minted.

• Smoke and Mirrors by Justin Aversano (Limited Edition / Physical Good, 1000/1000, 0.08 ETH): A physical book featuring photographer Justin Aversano’s black and white portrait series that deep dives into the world of tarot through photography.

• The Curious Chamber of Divination by Sammy Lewis (1/1, 0.2 ETH): Step into Sammy Lewis’ or rather Tobeus’ world, where he takes a Sunday to shine his treasured crystal balls.

• Protect by Caroline Harroe (1/1, 0.03 ETH): Part of Caroline’s Beautiful Bodies collection, which celebrates womanhood, and the strong and beautiful experience that connects all women.

• Sands of Time by HOUSTON (1/1, 0.2 ETH): This animated piece from 3D visual artist HOUSTON depicts how every grain has a story originating from nothing, but how they eventually accumulate to a lifetime of memories and moments.

• Self-Discovery by Soritoea (1/1, 0.1 ETH): This piece by Soritoea reminds us to have patience, and draws our attention to the sentiment that everything aligns the moment we are focused on ourselves, instead of others.

• In Love with the World by Hemilylan (1/1, Collection of 50, 0.069 ETH): A collection of 50 1/1 abstract portraits, each piece invites you to fall in love with the world.

• sofia in starlight by Antonis Tsagaris (1/1, 15 tez): A whimsical piece sitting at the intersection of cartoon and surreal by sci-fi and horror artist Antonis Tsagaris.

Creator Spotlight: Leah Ibrahim Sams

Leah Ibrahim Sams is a British-Malaysian artist whose work celebrates empowered women from around the world through vibrant colors, striking compositions and compelling messages.

She is also the Founder & Artist at Power Of Women, where she has collaborated with renowned brands like Manchester City Football Club and Adidas.

Learn more about Leah in her HUG Artist Profile, or follow her directly on Twitter.

We asked Leah, what is the importance of storytelling in your work?