Thomas Kinkade is the most successful artist on the planet. That's a tribute to his marketing savvy as much as his artistic ability. Here are some marketing lessons that you can learn from him.
Critics don't count. Lots of folks in the arts establishment and lots of critics don't think much of Kinkade's paintings. That hasn't stopped him from selling more paintings than anyone else in history. Kinkade can ignore the critics because the critics are out of sync with the people who buy Kinkade's paintings.
Customers buy for their own reasons. Know what those reasons are. The ten million or so folks who've bought a Kinkade painting were seeking an experience of a simpler time and simple values. All of Kinkade's products deliver on that.
Make it easy for folks to buy. Most art galleries are distinctly unfriendly to all but the in-crowd. Not Kinkade's galleries. They're welcoming and comfortable with sales staff trained to help the customer.
Give customers lots of places to start. Kinkade's most expensive prints go for tens of thousands of dollars, but you don't have to ever buy one of those. You can start with an entry level print. You can even start with a coffee mug or Christmas tree ornament or a lamp.
Keep customers for life. Kinkade doesn't just offer customers lots of different kinds of products. There's also the Thomas Kinkade Collector's Society and other vehicles to keep people buying.
Keep things interesting. There are always new prints to be announced and sold. Older prints get "retired" and no longer offered for sale, adding to the value of the ones already bought. There are special offers and special collections. There's a story for every painting.
Work the brand. Kinkade has registered "Painter of Light" as his trademark and it appears on all his wares but he also works to build the brand's image. He's also careful to describe all of his works as "classic."
Thomas Kinkade may not be the best artist on the planet, but he is surely the most successful. He owes that success to products that deliver what his customers want and effective marketing that tells his story and makes it easy and fun for folks to buy. It's a powerful formula.
26 April 2004
Check out Wally's Monday Memo: "Thomas Kinkade: Marketer of Lightness."
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