Murals are a bright and fun way to add a bit of personality to a room, and the business possibilities for painting murals are endless.
For example, a mother might want some animals painted on the wall of her new baby’s nursery, while a local café owner needs a unique interior to entice customers. And of course, upscale office buildings often like their lobbies to have that “wow!” factor that only a mural can provide.
Outdoors, murals are used to get the public to engage with art, to brighten up dull streets and alleys, and to discourage taggers. So it can certainly be a lucrative market for artists with the skills to create large, custom pieces of art.
Here are the initial steps you’ll need to take if you’re looking to launch your own mural business:
Create your portfolio
Before you begin painting murals for money you’ll need to create a portfolio of work to entice customers. One way to do this is to offer to paint murals in the homes and businesses of family and friends.
When you’re finished, ask a photographer friend to come and take pictures. You’ll need professional quality photographs of the entire mural as well as close-up detail images.
Choose the best pictures and place them in a portfolio book that highlights several projects and your range of abilities as a muralist. Additional images can be uploaded to an online portfolio on your website and to. Carry your portfolio book with you everywhere so you can show potential customers what you can do.
Print eye-catching business cards and promo materials
You’ll want your marketing products to include samples of your work. I recommend using something unique like Moo cards or larger postcards instead of standard business cards, as these give potential customers a better idea of what your can do.
You may also want to print up some larger posters and cards to decorate a stand at events (more on this in the promotion section below).
Alongside your shorter, more visually appealing promotional material, create an A4-sized printout explaining all your services and prices. Mural artists often charge by the square foot, or by the hour, and once you’ve completed a few murals you’ll know which pricing method will work best for you.
Promote your mural business
Once you have a portfolio and all your marketing materials it’s time to get out there and find potential customers.
One of the best ways to attract new mural customers is to book a booth at a home and garden or baby show. People who attend these shows are always looking for unique ideas to decorate their homes or nurseries.
Have your portfolio and posters on display, and be sure to introduce yourself (and explain what you do) to anyone who stops by. You could even try a little “live art” to attract attention. Get a friend to watch your booth while you paint a mural on a large board. Potential customers can see firsthand the quality of your work, and you could even auction off the painting for charity at the end of the day!
Another excellent way of promoting your mural business is to create a content-rich website and/or blog about murals, and focus on ranking well in Google with location-based keywords. To do this, your blog posts should pair phrases like “mural artist” or “children’s mural painter” with the name of your city and surrounding regions.
Be sure to hand out business cards to happy clients and ask them to tell their friends and family about your business. Word of mouth is a great way to increase business, but you MUST ask for it if you want to have a steady stream of referrals from your regular customers.
If you’re willing to take on the challenge and follow the steps above, mural painting can be a great way to earn a little extra money as an artist.
Good luck!