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Why is running giveaways more effective than paid ads for most artists?

Most artists fall into two camps with ads: serious operators who understand the long game and have nurturing systems in place, or those looking for shortcuts who boost posts without strategy. The beautiful insight is that the cost of printing and shipping a giveaway item is essentially the same as ad spend, but it’s a more effective investment. When you look at the cost to print and ship as an ad cost, it changes your thinking. You’re not giving away your art—you’re running an ad that works better than traditional paid advertising for building genuine connections.


Asked by general teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2023-08-16