Marketing is such a heavy, loaded word.
We all know we should be doing more of it. But it often feels difficult and shouty, time-consuming and uncomfortable. So we avoid it.
Most of us want to make a living from our creative work, not become influencers. We want to make art that lasts, not ephemeral content.
I get that. But we still need to tell people about our work. To connect with our audience, our fans, new clients.
So maybe it’s worth reframing it.
What if marketing didn’t have to be a chore? What if didn’t need to feel icky, fake, pushy?
Could you see it instead as connecting, helping, relationship-building?
Would it be easier if it didn’t have to be perfect? And what if the number of followers didn’t matter at all?
Here’s my experience.
I have been posting on LinkedIn 4-5 times a week for the whole of 2025.
My numbers have barely changed in that time. Less than 2000 followers. Lots of my posts only get seen by only a 100 or so people. By any normal measure, my experiment has been a failure.
And yet.. All year, I’ve had a steady trickle of new clients who say they first saw me on LinkedIn. The hour or so a week I put into posting there has resulted in some serious extra income.
It’s also been fun: I’ve reconnected with some old friends, and made quite a few new ones.
No idea what to share?
To be clear, I’m not advocating for LinkedIn, particularly. Just for some sort of regular outreach to your people – wherever they might hang out, online or off.
You don’t have to be fancy, original, epic, funny. And you certainly don’t have to be perfect. (My posts are littered with typos.) Just let people into your world.
And if a post, a talk, a description of your work gets a good reaction: repeat it, every few months. Let this be as easy as possible.
To get started here are seven simple things you could share about your work:
1. Your process
How you do what you do. Remember that details that are mundane or obvious to you are often fascinating to others.
Show the work, the skill, the care and attention that goes into making what you make. Show the prep, the polishing and editing, the tools you use (and how you use them). Talk about your kit, your materials.
The more people appreciate the time and effort you put in, the more they’ll be willing to pay for it.
2. A great review
Share your press, your awards, comments from satisfied clients. If anyone ever says anything nice about you and your work – why not let others know about it?
Don’t expect people to put testimonials in writing. If they say something lovely, write it down, email them what they said – and ask if you can use it.
3. What you’re working on now
The rough sketches, a vocal demo, the mock-ups, the title ideas, the first marks on a canvas.. It feels vulnerable to share this, and sometimes we do need to protect a fragile idea.
But your biggest fans will really enjoy getting a more intimate peek into your process. They might even pay for this! And in return you’ll get feedback, a degree of accountability.
4. Your world
Your studio, your gear, your area, your background, the problems you solve for others. The films you’re watching, the music you’re listing to while you work, the material you use, things that interest or inspire you, old and new.
All the stuff that makes you… you.
This doesn’t mean you have to lay out every detail of your life for scrutiny, or take endless selfies. I LOVE seeing photos of people’s desks, for instance, and the places where writers write. What they’re wearing, or what they had for breakfast? Not so much.
5. Your past work
Reuse it. Remind people of the things you’ve made. The release date of a book, film, album or similar project should be something you mention, every year.
Use it to attract similar work:
- “I haven’t done a food shoot in a couple of years. I’d love to do more…”
- “I loved composing the soundtrack for this documentary. So different from recording an album!”
Or tell the story behind it. Give people a glimpse behind the scenes. Especially if there were problems, and you solved them creatively.
6. Essential information
What questions do you find yourself answering from clients, fans, stockists, again and again? Create content around it. It will save you time and energy repeating yourself, but also if a handful of people are asking, there’s probably many more wondering but not daring to ask.
- If people worry how your artwork will get to them, make a short video showing how well it is packaged before you post it.
- If clients ask the same questions when you start a job with them, make a PDF to send them as soon as they book. They’ll feel cared for and seen; you’ll save lots of time! (And also perhaps make some content you could share more widely?)
- Put a FAQ on your website – but use each question and answer as a bit of content on your socials, too.
7. Don’t forget to ask.
Add a Call To Action to everything you post or create, giving people a next step to take. Ask them to sign up to your newsletter. Tell them how to buy what you make. Make it clear how to book you. Link to a contact form.
I’ve realised even as I’m writing this that I forget this, constantly. I’m trying to grow my mailing list. Writing my weekly newsletter for creative professionals takes a lot of work, and I’d love more people to read it. Yet I hardly ever mention it, in my social media posts.
Note to self: do better on this. I’m betting you could, too.
You’re not trying to go viral, here.
That’s not the point. You’re showing who you are, what you make, how your services help people. By being visible and being truly who you are, you’re making it easier for your people to find you.
You’re connecting with your tribe, with the people who love what you make, who need your services. And you’re inviting them in, to find out more.
People buy from people they know, like and trust.
So any marketing you do should be about letting people get to know you a little more, building trust – and then genuine, lasting relationships.
Engage with people. Answer their questions. Send them helpful information if you have it. DM anyone who engages with you regularly and see if there’s anything they need from you.
Connect, connect, connect.
But don’t over-polish it. Sometimes a quick photo, a single sentence is all that’s needed. Show up as yourself. Be authentic and real: it’s much less work, and makes it much easier for people to relate to you.
It’s not hard to create a perfect world of smoke and mirrors, especially online. But people buy from people. Not shiny avatars leading perfect lives.
Remember who you’re working for.
Hint: it’s not Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, or the owners of SubStack, TikTok, or any other platform. It’s you.
Get clear on what your goals are, what you’re trying to achieve. Sales? Downloads? Bookings?
Track that, and ignore their follower counts and metrics. Fifty followers who book you or buy from you are worth more than 500,000 who don’t.
Your job? Find those 50 people. Then hold them close. Get it right, and you’ll build lasting, reciprocal relationships and they’ll continue to support you. You’ll be talking to friends, not shouting at strangers. That’s how we transform our own lives, and grow our business. One relationship at a time.
What do you think?