Want to sell your art online but get stuck when it comes to promoting your campaign? We get it, it’s not an easy thing to do, especially if you’ve built your network up organically. We’ve put together some guides that cover the basics of using different platforms like Instagram and Facebook, but we know it’s always best to hear directly from an expert, so we went to Jor Ros for some advice.
Based in Barcelona, Jor is an illustrator who builds entire fictional universes out of his drawings. He works across pop culture, music and streetwear, and develops concepts for different brands as well as working with some of the biggest fashion magazines on the planet.
We loved his Daruma Meat Market and Self-Titled campaigns for two main reasons:
- He smashed the promo, incorporating his designs into illustrations and videos that created a ton of buzz around his campaign on Instagram and Facebook
- He didn’t rely on visuals alone to sell his T-shirts, he thought carefully about all the info a buyer might need, and made that info easy to access.
Here are some key points to keep in mind from Jor himself, to help you promote your T-shirts on Instagram and beyond:
Use Visuals to Tell A Story
Don’t be afraid to add context – the visuals you use to promote your campaign are a great opportunity to flesh out and expand upon your designs. Whatever your practice, try incorporating your T-shirt into an image that showcases it; if you created visuals you didn’t end up using for your final garment this a great place to show them off. Building a broader context is a big part of Jor Ros’ practice, “It’s important for me to tell a story,” he says. “[When designing] I imagine the world or universe first and then try to answer the question: What type of clothing or branding would you find in there? What would its characters wear?”
Don’t skimp on product details
For Jor, it’s a courtesy to provide as much product detail as possible in your posts. He includes everything from cotton percentage to image positions to screen print method: all the details that you look for when you buy clothes from any site. As he puts it, “If one of the goals is to get people interested in the product and the story, I think the least they can expect from you is complete transparency, so they know what they’re getting from you.”
Try To Be As Impactful As Possible
Working out how to best promote your campaign isn’t an exact science. If you’re struggling with what platform you should be using, check out our quick guide. (Short answer: the majority of our sales, about 40%, come from Instagram, but it’s always best to use the platform you’re most comfortable with). It also pays to think about the kind of impact your posts will have in a visually saturated market. Jor makes promotional videos, because in his experience, “it helps to be as visual as possible.” Above all, he favours bold, concise content. “Especially on social media, where people’s attention is constantly bombarded with audiovisual inputs,” he says, “being able to deliver the absolute minimum yet necessary information will help you get your message delivered.”
Believe in your product
Running your campaign will be easiest when you really believe in what you’re selling, and that conviction comes from creating a product that you’re proud of. In Jor’s words, “You need to be able to put yourself behind your product and believe in it. After all, how can you expect someone else to do that if you can’t do it yourself?” For him, designing great merch is a matter of having a clear idea of what you want, taking on feedback, but above all listening to your instincts; “Take your time and figure it out, it’s not a race. Asking for external opinions helps, but the final say should be yours.”
Know What You Want to Say
“The most important thing for me is to have a clear message,” says Jor, “If you work that out and have a clear structure then the outer layer is just a matter of finding the right aesthetic for it.” Clarity is key: as well as your designs themselves, it’s important to make people as aware of your campaign as possible. That’s everything from the dates that your campaign will run for, to exactly where people can access your campaign.
… And who you’re saying it to
Think about who your audience is – whether that’s existing followers, or new people you want to engage – and work out the best way to connect with them on your own terms – it’s all about authenticity. Jor is no advocate of pandering to what you think people might want, but it helps to be able to tailor your vision to them, as he says, “Don’t dilute your message, but be comfortable in modulating it to find the right tone.”
And a final word from Jor, “Remember, there’s a market for anything, so it’s just a matter of finding your voice. It might take a few tries but have fun with it.”
Head to our Instagram promo guide for more useful promo tips.