Month 04
Momentum and collection teaser: the 6-week method
In 30 seconds
A collection launched without a teaser sells 3 to 5 times less. 5-phase method: weeks 1-2 sow (vague allusion), weeks 3-4 show (details), week 5 name (title and date), week 6 sell (launch with VIP early access). Momentum is built through the accumulation of small signals.
Why without momentum you sell poorly
If you launch 10 works on a Monday morning without saying anything, your followers are surprised. None of them mentally prepared to buy. With a 6-week momentum, your 50 potential buyers arrive at the launch having already mentally chosen an artwork. You generate 5 to 10 sales in the first week.
The 5-phase method over 6 weeks
- Phase 1, weeks 1-2: SOW. Vague clues to create curiosity. Studio vibe, heavily zoomed detail, rhetorical question. (2-3 posts/week)
- Phase 2, weeks 3-4: SHOW. Unveil partial details, process, short creation videos without revealing the whole. (3-4 posts/week)
- Phase 3, week 5: NAME. Reveal title, theme, launch date. Manifesto post and countdown. Newsletter sent to VIPs. (3-4 posts/week)
- Phase 4, week 6 D-Day: LAUNCH. Precisely timed sequence. 9 AM VIP email access, next day 9 AM public announcement, then social proofs of first sales.
- Phase 5, weeks 7-8: MAINTAIN. Continue post-launch. Artworks in situ at buyers' homes, behind the scenes recap.
The 4 mistakes that kill momentum
- Mistake 1, over-revealing too early. Showing a full artwork in week 1 defuses curiosity.
- Mistake 2, under-promising. Teasing for 6 weeks for 3 not-so-new artworks ruins the effect.
- Mistake 3, announcements too spaced out. Audience forgets between posts if frequency < 2/week.
- Mistake 4, launch without VIP early access. You don't reward your loyal collectors.
FAQ
What is the minimum number of works to justify a 6-week momentum?
6 to 8 works minimum. Below that, the momentum seems disproportionate.
Should you do a teaser for every sale or only for collections?
Collections yes, individual sales no. Momentum is reserved for coherent sets.
Can this method be applied for a single commercial commission?
Adapt: 2-3 weeks instead of 6. Same structure, shortened duration.