We have a new contest and this one requires teamwork and also a little marketing strategy.
2023 is Draw A Dot’s 10th Year Anniversary so I would like to create a fun contest for everyone in this group, and also give you the incentive to create a plan for yourself this year! I realized that a lot of members in this still do not know how to market themselves so this contest will be helping you a lot.
One of the reasons I created Draw A Dot is that I would like to create a community where artists can support each other and help each other to grow. One of the goals for this contest is to help each other to achieve something in 2023, and one of them can receive a fund that may help them to create an online store in 2024!
Back in the early days, I had a project called the Orange Dot project. This is an anniversary project in which I invited different artists to create illustrations based on the orange dot. Originally I was hoping to have this project happen every year and eventually created an art gallery show to showcase all the pieces. Unfortunately, I stopped a few years ago because I was working on other stuff and didn’t have a lot of time to work on this project.
This year, I would like to bring this back. At the same time, I would like to incorporate this with the online store. This is the ONLY contest that I will allow the $5 tier to sell at the online store so make sure you read the following instruction carefully.
What you need to do:
Your task is to create a 8 x 10 (inches) illustration that is inspired by the orange dot (color code: F15B29) of Draw A Dot. This illustration should represent you as an artist, with a celebration theme. You are allowed to use other colours but the particular orange of the logo must be the main focus. You can look at these illustrations as references. I recommend you survey your followers and ask them what joy, happiness and celebration mean to them. The more information you get, the better chance you can create the perfect illustration for your potential customers.
Please no fashion brand should be involved in this illustration. Or else you won’t be able to sell at the store (copyright issue).
1) Please prepare an illustration (only 1) in .jpg or .png form. If the file is more than 5MB, please use Dropbox or WeTransfer and send me the link. You can only submit one illustration. Please name the file with the following format: firstname-lastname.jpg.
2) Send the illustration to marcus@drawadot.com.
3) Once I have received the file, I will look at it and see if there is anything you will edit. When everything is good, then I will require you to give me a small paragraph (2-3 sentences) to describe your illustration.
Deadline and Publication Date: The deadline is January 22nd, 2023 11:59pm EST. That will be the last day I look at your illustrations. I plan to have the entire series on Draw A Dot online store by February 1st, 2023. I will also have a post on Draw A Dot website to talk about this project.
Your print will be exclusive to the store for a year until January 2023. Afterward, these prints will be gone and I will start a new round with new prints.
Prize:
Why do I say this is a contest? Here is the answer:
Once I approve your illustration, I will have your print selling at the Draw A Dot online store. The price will be $30 USD. For each sale, $5 will be going to the artists and $5 will be going into a fund. At the end of January 2024, whoever can sell the most 8×10 prints from this series will be getting the entire fund. I will be paying your $5 cut monthly when you have sales.
To make it simple for you to understand, here is an example.
If you sell 25 prints by the end of the year and you are the top seller (assume 100 prints are sold in total combining everyone’s sales), here is the breakdown:
$5x 25 = $100 $5 x 100 = $500
So you will be getting $125 from your own sales, plus taking away the $500 fund from the group.
In case you want to know the breakdown of the price ($30 USD), here it is:
$10 – $12 will be the cost of printing + printing tax (this varies from place to place. If someone orders the print from LA, the tax will be roughly $3 (the printing tax is based on the retail price in that particular State)
$3 will be the transaction fee (+ PayPal Fee).
$5 is going to the artist
$5 is going to the fund.
$5 goes to me.
Total: $12+$3+$5+$5 +$5 = $30 USD
For those of you who have not had an online store, this is a perfect contest for you to build your mailing list, set a goal each month, and think of creative ways to advertise your product. If you can successfully get a lot of sales from this one print, then you should be able to develop your own online store and get all the sales you need. If you are feeling pressure, then all I want you to do is to find 2 people to buy the print every month. This will still give you $120 USD in total by end of 2023 (basically your Patreon membership would be free).
** I will DM you when there is a sale so you can keep a tab for yourself. At the beginning of the next month, I will tell you to send me an invoice with the number of prints you have sold. (E.g If you sold 10 pieces in Feb, then on March 1, I will tell you to send me an invoice of $50 for the sales of the prints ($5×10))
Extra chance to win:
You are allowed to replace the print ONE TIME after July 31. This means if you feel inspired, you can create a new print and I will replace it with your existing print. This may draw new sales.
Marketing Plans:
In order to have a successful business, it is very important to set a mini goal each month. Or else, you will not be able to move forward and gain valuable assets for your company.
Since this is a group project, you can think of creative ways to work with other artists in this group to promote the works together. I am also open to doing any LIVE with you if you think your audience would like that.
I would recommend you start a newsletter so that each month you can send out an email to your followers to let them know your latest works, and also tell them about this print. If you tell them that buying this print can help you win the fund, maybe they will more likely to buy. This is also the perfect time for you to build your mailing list. The mailing list is a very useful tool to notify your customers about your shows and your online store.
Another way you can attract people to look at and purchase your artwork is to pin the illustration on your Instagram account. This is a very useful tool.
I am also here to help you so if you have any questions, you can ask me. Consider I am your free resource for this contest for the entire year!
*Make good use of all the social media accounts you have – Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tik Tok
There is ONE requirement if you are entering this contest:
You must be subscribed to the Patreon group for at least 7 months in 2023 (any tier except the $1 tier). If you cannot subscribe for 7 months (don’t need to be consecutive), then I will still have your print up at the online store until the end of the year, and pay you for any sales, but you will not be competing for the fund.
Resources:
I will have a session on December 18 at 1pm EST to talk about this contest, and give you some insights on e-commerce (especially if you are planning to open a Shopify store, I will tell you what kind of cost you need to calculate). https://www.eventbrite.com/e/december-2022-contest-session-tickets-476724314257
Note:
– By entering this open call, you agree to let Draw A Dot and to post your submission on their social media platforms.