I spent hours these past few weeks auditing artist websites and Instagram profiles for my coaching calls, and let me tell you... I've seen some things.
I’ve seen some beautiful art.
I’ve seen loads of potential.
I’ve seen artists actively trying to grow their businesses.
But you know what else I saw?
Unorganised brand messaging that’s basically playing hide-and-seek with potential customers. Except the customers aren't playing. They're just leaving.
I saw Instagram bios that list 47 different things (okay, maybe it was 12, but it felt like 47).
Websites where I clicked three different menu items only to end up on the same page.
Shop pages that made me feel like I was solving a puzzle just to figure out what was actually for sale.
And every single time, I thought the same thing: your customers shouldn't need a treasure map to figure out what you sell or how to buy it.
When you make people guess, they leave. When you make them work for it, they bounce. When you confuse them, they're out of there like they just spotted their ex at a party.
So today, I'm sharing the two biggest ways artists accidentally make customers work way too hard (and exactly how to fix them).
Ready? Let's go.
Holiday Cocktails by Melody Jeffries:
Style: Bold, whimsical illustration with strong iconography and a crisp vector finish—super print-ready.
Theme: Celebratory and nostalgic—perfectly captures the cozy chaos of the holidays without going full kitsch.
Perfect for: Gift wrap, party supplies, cocktail napkins, Anthropologie-style kitchen towels, greeting cards.
I've been deep in research mode lately, looking at what makes some artists sell and others struggle, and the same patterns kept showing up:
Confusion kills sales, and clarity creates them.
Whether you're selling wallpaper, fabric, stationery, or anything else, if your customers can't quickly understand what you do and where to buy it, they're moving on to someone who makes it easier.
These are the two biggest clarity killers I see.
Tip #1: Sell ONE thing (or complementary things for the same customer).
Can I tell you what I see all the time?
An Instagram bio that says: "Artist | Surface designer | Custom textiles | Wallpaper | Home decor | Stationery | Gift wrap | Fabric | Also I make candles sometimes"
Or a website shop page with: home textiles, kitchen towels, throw blankets, wall art, phone cases, tote bags, greeting cards, and... wait, is that a yoga mat?
I am not judging because I get it.
The thinking is: more products = more ways to make money.
“Mandy, people talk about having multiple income streams to make it in this industry.”
Yes.
But there’s more context to that.
To make 6 or 7 figures, do you need to be selling your own product AND licensing your art AND do wholesale?
Perhaps.
What you don’t need though, is creating art for everything that could potentially have your art. People don’t want the art alone. They want the product that fits their aesthetics, or the season, or their vision even.
And they won’t come looking for you, when what you think you’re selling is the art itself.
Because what actually happens is when you sell everything, customers have no idea what you're actually known for.
I was looking into wholesale consultants this week (because several artists I know are going that route), and I started browsing through the artists they represent who are actually succeeding and getting into stores.
Want to know what I found?
Every 👏🏻 Single 👏🏻 One 👏🏻 focused on ONE core product.
One artist, just tea towels. That's it. Beautiful tea towels with stunning designs.
Another, exclusively art prints. Multiple collections, tons of designs, but all art prints.
Another, planners. Just planners. But she's KNOWN for planners.
One product. Multiple designs and variations within that product. Focused.
Now, some artists do sell multiple products. But when they do, those products are complementary. They serve the same customer in the same context.
A home decorator buying wallpaper for their living room… might also want a matching art print for that same room. That makes sense.
But wallpaper and kitchen towels?
Those are completely different customers with completely different needs. They don't belong in the same shop. Greeting cards and throw blankets? Different buying occasions, different use cases, different everything.
So if you're going to sell multiple products, they need to pass a very specific test.
The "Same Customer, Same Context" Rule
Before you add a second (or third, or twelfth) product to your shop, run it through this test.
For any two products to belong together, they need all three of these:
Same Customer: The person buying both products should be the same type of person with the same needs and shopping for the same reason.
Same Context: They should use both products in the same space, situation, or moment in their life.
Same Outcome: Both products should help them achieve the same goal or solve the same problem.
If your products don't pass all three, they're confusing your brand. They're diluting your message. They don't belong together.
Let me show you what I mean:
Wallpaper + Art prints = ✅ PASS
Same customer (home decorators), same context (styling the same room), same outcome (creating a beautiful space).
Wallpaper + Kitchen towels = ❌ FAIL
Different customers (home decorators vs. people shopping for kitchen stuff), different contexts (living room vs. kitchen), different outcomes (aesthetic vs. functional).
Greeting Cards + Blankets = ❌ FAIL
Different use cases (gifting vs. home comfort item), different buying motivations, different customers.
And before you think this might make you limited, it won’t. It will help you become known for something specific so customers actually remember you and know when to buy from you.
Look at everything you're currently trying to sell. Ask yourself:
What actually sells the most?
If I could only be known for ONE thing, what would it be?
If I sell multiple products, do they serve the same customer in the same context?
Pick one core product, or two complementary ones that truly belong together.
Everything else needs to go.
Now, I know what you might be thinking:
“But Mandy, what if I have inventory sitting around from products that aren't selling?”
Do what I’ve recommended in one of my coaching calls: discount it heavily, clear it out, and move on. You'll recoup some of your costs, and you'll finally have a focused brand that makes sense to customers.
Tip #2: Remove barriers to entry (fix your confusing navigation).
Answer this honestly: do you have a CLEAR website?
And I don't mean "clear to you, the person who built it and has clicked through it 700 times." I mean clear to a random person landing on it for the first time who has exactly 8 seconds of patience before they click away.
I ask, because I’ve seen plenty of websites in during my audit, and let’s just say, this is one of the things we typically spend a lot of time on.
There are layers to being “Clear”.
You need to be clear about what you sell and who you sell to.
And you need to be clear with what actions you’d prefer they take, when they reach your website.
Do you want them to buy some products?
Do you want to show your portfolio?
Are you open for freelance work?
I know we’re not exactly UI/UX designers here, but it gets far more easier when you think about it as a journey where someone can get to the point as quickly as possible, “removing all barriers to entry” to give you the $$$.
Don’t expect the customer to “understand”.
Don’t expect the customer to try to clarify something.
Because like we said, confusion kills sales.
We need to meet the customers at their level of awareness.
All marketing assets like your website, your IG bio, your shops, they are all meant to meet your customers at their level, and then easily and clearly increase their level of awareness. Make it easy for them to get to know about you and your work.
Not make them decode your organizational system like it's the Da Vinci Code.
Simplify ruthlessly.
What you need is to create a clean path to what your customers are looking for.
And speaking of confusing... Instagram bios.
I came across one this week that said: "artist, designer, author, textiles, home goods, fabric, wallpaper, colorful designs, bold patterns, fun vibes, inspiring creativity, DM for collabs"
That's 22 words trying to cover the entire universe, which means it says absolutely nothing.
I wanted to rewrite it so badly. Something like: "Botanical wallpaper for timeless interiors | Available for wholesale"
Now it's immediately clear: what they sell, who it's for, and where the focus is.
Every click, every word, every menu item on your website should move your customer closer to buying. If it doesn't, it's in the way.
And I encourage you to do the same:
Take an honest look at your website and social profiles:
Do you have, too many places to navigate?
If yes, can you cut it down? If no, can you literally have two paths speaking to different target audiences, like if you have products for sale and you’re open to license your art? Have those two options as simple as you’d tell them to your friend at a coffee shop:
Looking to buy Click here
Looking for licence worthy art for you Click here
Can someone land on your homepage and know within five seconds what you actually sell?
Does your Instagram bio clearly state what you offer and who it's for?
Can someone find your shop and make a purchase in one or two clicks, or do they have to hunt for it?
Go through and simplify ruthlessly. Create clear paths for your Ideal Customer(s). Rewrite your bio to be specific instead of exhaustive. Make buying from you so easy that your customers don't have to think about it.
Because confusion doesn't convert. Clarity does.
It’s been a while that I shared any hacks from Photoshop and this is one of my FAVORITE.
Layer Masks: Your Design's Witness Protection Program
Imagine you're a secret agent (stick with me here) and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make certain elements of your design disappear without a trace.
But!!! You might need to bring them back later.
That’s where we use Layer Masks: the witness protection program for your design elements.
Layer Masks let you hide, reveal, or partially obscure parts of your design without actually erasing anything. It's like having an invisibility cloak for your artwork, but way cooler because you control exactly how invisible things get.
Everything You Can Do Using Layer Masks:
Undo Button on Steroids: Made a mistake? No sweat. With Layer Masks, you can always bring back what you've hidden.
Blend Master Flex: Want to seamlessly merge two images? Layer Masks let you blend with the precision of a Michelin-star chef mixing the perfect sauce.
Pixel-Perfect Control: Need to tweak just one tiny detail? Layer Masks give you that surgical precision. It's like having a magnifying glass and tweezers for your pixels.
Experiment Freely: Try different versions of your design without the commitment issues. It's like dating, but for your art!
How to Wield This Magic Wand:
Create a Layer Mask: Select your layer, then look at the bottom of the Layers panel. See that rectangle with a circle inside? Click it! Boom, you've just added a Layer Mask.
Paint on the Mask: Grab your brush tool and get ready to play hide and seek with your design. Here's the cool part:
Paint with black to hide parts of your layer.
Paint with white to reveal hidden parts.
Use shades of gray for partial transparency.
Fine-Tune Your Masterpiece: Switch between black and white to adjust the visibility. It's like conducting an orchestra, but instead of music, you're orchestrating which parts of your motifs show up at the party.
💡Pro Tip: Keep an eye on your Layer Mask thumbnail in the Layers panel. It's like a tiny map of your mask's territory. White areas are the "visible lands," and black areas are the "hidden realms." It's your own little design kingdom, and you're the ruler!
That’s it! That’s the power of building a clear business
Stop making your customers work too hard. The clearer you are about what you sell and how to buy it, the more sales you'll make.
Simplicity scales. Complexity fails.
Before you go, what's your biggest takeaway from today's Eduletter?
Hit reply and let me know which one you picked. I read every single response, and I'd love to hear what you're working on.
And if you implement the "Same Customer, Same Context" Rule this week and it helps you finally decide what to keep and what to cut, tell me about it. I love hearing your wins.
Now go simplify something. Your customers (and your bank account) will thank you.
Aaaand whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you ⬇
Hey there! I’m Mandy Corcoran, the creative force behind Amanda Grace Design. With a deep passion for turning art into seamless patterns, I’m here to help artists like you merge creativity with technology and transform those artistic dreams into thriving businesses. My journey in surface pattern design is all about making tech tools fun and accessible, turning the transition from sketch to digital masterpiece into an exhilarating adventure.
Through my courses, eduletters, and engaging reels, I’m dedicated to helping you streamline your processes so you can focus on what you truly love: creating. Let’s dive into the vibrant world of digital art together and manifest those wild creative visions into reality. Ready to turn your art from under appreciated to unstoppable? Let’s do this!
