Hey Circle,

Another day, another conversation with a struggling creative. This time, a friend told me:

Ah, yes, the mysterious disappearing buyer. They loved you once. Where did they go? Did they ghost you for a new ceramicist? Did they move to the mountains to live off-grid with their one favorite sculpture?

Or maybe… they just didn’t have a reason to stay.

Welcome to the Marketing Funnel — another simple framework that maps the journey of a person encountering your work, falling in love, and becoming a loyal part of your world.

The 4 stages of the funnel:

1. Awareness – They find out you exist.

2. Consideration – They poke around, stalk your Instagram, maybe DM you.

3. Conversion – They buy (hallelujah).

4. Loyalty – They come back, they refer, they show up like it’s a religion.

🍶 Storytime: Mateo, the ceramicist

Mateo sold out at his holiday market. Yay! But months later… silence. No repeat buyers, no growth. Just the eerie echo of clinking unsold mugs.

Why?

Because he stayed stuck at the conversion phase — he got the sale, but didn’t nurture loyalty. And this is where many artists lose momentum. The show ends, and the connection dies there.

Let’s zoom in for a second.

They already know you. They already trusted you. They even paid you. So why would you let them disappear? Nurturing Loyalty is cheaper, easier, and smarter to cultivate than constantly chasing new strangers.

Here’s what I want you to do:

• Collect contact info from every client — email, social, smoke signal, anything.

• Stay in touch: A thank-you video. A “thinking of you” note. A small gift. A peek behind the scenes.

• Offer value just for them: a discount code, a private drop, or early access to a new piece.

• Treat them like allies, because at ArtistAlly, that’s the game. We’re not just building sales — we’re building relationships.

At Artist Ally, we’re not here to plant new seeds and abandon the garden.
We tend what’s already growing, creating beautiful reasons for people to stay.

Here’s how Mateo turned it around:

• Awareness: Started sharing his process on TikTok — new eyes weekly.

• Consideration: Built a landing page with the stories behind each piece.

• Conversion: Offered a limited collection drop with a waitlist.

• Loyalty: Sent thank-you videos, gifted 10% codes to past buyers, and created a low-key collector’s club.

Sales increased — sure. But more importantly?
People started sticking around.

Xav’s Final Take

Here’s the thing: not knowing about frameworks like the funnel? It’s not just a blind spot. It’s a trap. It leads to avoidable mistakes — the kind that leave you burned out or with low self-esteem, wondering why people “don’t come back,” or why your amazing work keeps getting seen but not collected.

That’s why I’m sharing these tools with you.

These frameworks are not just business jargon. They’re rooted in human psychology, in how people behave, decide, hesitate, and return.
It’s not magic. It’s behavior. It’s systems. It’s formulas that work.

But here's the twist:
While you use these frameworks, don’t stop being you.

Your tone, your values, your style of communication — that’s sacred ground.
You choose how to nurture loyalty.
You choose what you want your collectors to feel.
You choose when to reach out and what to say.

The funnel doesn’t ask you to become someone you’re not.
It simply shows you the path someone else might be walking — so you can walk beside them with intention.

So yes, learn the funnel. Use the funnel. Slide the funnel.
But let your inner compass steer. Always.

Because your art isn’t a product. It’s a relationship.
And like any good relationship, the more you understand each other, the better it gets.

🤝 Curious about how I help artists like Mateo bridge the gap between artistic passion and market success?

If this resource resonates with you, you might benefit from working more closely with me.

I'm Xav—artist mentor, creative director and co-founder of Artist Ally. I work with artists 1:1 to build strategies and experiences that align with their values, personality, vision, and long-term career goals.

If you're an artist who wants to make your path clearer, your practice more sustainable, and your voice louder, I’d love to help.

Let’s navigate cities—and your career—together.

🌐 Visit our website to learn more about my work mentoring artists and developing their brands.

📱 Follow us Instagram for project updates and class announcements.

Keep building systems,
without losing your softness.
— Xav 💜