Refined Product Proposal (Concept, Objectives, Business and User Needs)
KihlstromFineArt.com is and e-commerce website that is meant to promote and sell artwork. It is a place that people can go to see a large body of original paintings and screen prints. The home page should have the product presented to let people know what the site is about immediately.
The business research for this project revealed that in 2016 aproximently $850 million in revenue was generated by online art sales in the U.S. That number is expected to increase in 2017. This website aims to tap into that market.
The site is also meant to educate visitors about my background, past art shows and the process that I use to make my artwork and the meaning of the artwork. This education of the customer will serve in the sales process to provide benefits of ownership and support the value of the work.
Because I am selling a higher ticket item the buyer will likely want more information than if I were selling a low priced product. My questions have revealed that my users want to feel a personal conection to the artwork that they buy. Providing more information about the artwork and the artist will help to create the personal connection that the users are looking for.
The artwork needs to be presented in a way that emphasizes its uniqueness and strengths. The artwork also needs to be very clearly presented in terms of color and sharpness and quality of photography. The website should have a feeling of sophistication.
Descriptions of the artwork should be thoughtful and compelling. The biographical and exhibition information should be well written. The shopping cart should function very smoothly. The newsletter sign up form should be simple to read and use and it should have some enticing reason to sign up such as a discount on purchases. The sign up form will serve as an important tool for future email marketing campaigns that can lead to repeat customers. Thought should be put into the navigation of the gallery categoriesso that they are easy to get through. Visitors should come away with a feeling of positive energy that comes from the artwork and the overall user experience.
From a business stand point the construction costs of the web site will be minimized by using Big Commerce platform as recommended by an e-commerce business consultant that I discussed this project with. I can construct and revise this site myself to avoid the significant cost of working with programmers. The cost is $29.95/month ($359.40/year). The site will pay for itself if one screen print is sold per four months at a price of $150.00. The site will be paid for the year if one original painting is sold at the price range of $1000.00-$5000.00. The website will be a success if I turn a profit selling more than $500 a year of product.
Personas
- Name: Volwin Ross
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: African American
Age: 35
Occupation: Interior Designer/Store Manager
Salary: $45K
Location: Valley Forge, PA
Housing: Apartment with girlfriend
Attitudes towards technology: Average skills, has a smart phone, Researches interior design products online,
does personal shopping online
Psychographics & Behaviors:
- He works regular store hours. Works with other stores in his franchise
- Cooks and watches TV in the evenings. Shops and goes out with friends on
the weekends.
- He has an appreciation for the arts and creativity that comes though in his work. He follows trends in
interior design, color and style.
Fears & Frustrations:
- Concerned with the ongoing success of his store.
- Concerned with helping customers and making sales.
- He is concerned with staying on top of trends and stocking product that will sell.
Needs & Goals:
- He needs to meet quarterly sales goals for his store.
- He needs to do everything he can to make his store a success.
- He needs to have stability in his personal life.
Stories:
- As an art buyer for my stores I like to buy art that fits in with the current trends.
- As an art buyer for my stores I like to buy art that fits my customers needs.
- As an art buyer for my stores I like to buy art that is a good value fo the price.
- Name: Bill Johnson
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasion
Age: 52
Occupation: Ceo for a major finacial company
Salary: 250k
Location: Soho, New York
Housing: Apartment
Attitudes towards technology:
- Has a smartphone. Is active on social media sites such as Pinterest, Facebook and Linked in.
Psychographics & Behaviors:
- Works very hard for his company.
- He has a very keen sense of taste. He understands what a good art investment is.
- He is very concerned with buying quality art first and formost.
- He is willing to pay more for a work of art if he thinks it is a great work.
- He is an serious art collector and he follows the art market by visiting galleries and reading art magazines.
Fears & Frustrations:
- He is afraid of losing his edge.
- He fears making a bad investment
- He fears not staying on top of his business.
Needs & Goals:
- He needs compete in his business.
- He needs to invest in art that he likes and feals good about.
- His goal is to help to grow his company.
Stories:
- As an art collector I would like to buy quality art.
- As an art collector I would like to see new work on the market.
- As an art collector I would like to buy art for my home.
- Name: Pablo Ortega
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Spanish
Age: 47
Occupation: Frameshop owner
Salary: 80K
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Housing: Apartment
Attitudes towards technology:
- Has a smartphone. Orders framing products online. Reviews artist websites. He is on Linked In.
Psychographics & Behaviors:
- Works regular hours, 10-7.
- Organizes art shows.
- He likes to show art that promotes the city of Hoboken.
- He likes to promote the artwork of artists that buy framing from him.
- He has a strong appreciation for the arts.
- He does not feel artists should be too commercial in terms of subject and color.
Fears & Frustrations:
- He fears that he will lose business due to the decrease in appreciation for the arts and because of
down markets.
- He may have to work harder to keep his business going.
Needs & Goals:
- Keep a steady flow of customers to grow his shop.
- To maintain a happy family life.
- Continue to promote art and Hoboken.
Stories:
- As an art collector I would like to buy a unique work of art for my wall space at home.
- As an art buyer for my gallery I would like to buy art that my customers will like to buy.
- As an art buyer I would like to see what kind of art is on the market for my own knowledge.
User Research Interview Questions:
Victor Daniels
- How involved are you with technology and online shopping?:
- Very involved but wouldn't consider myself a "techie" or shopaholic
- Are you involved with social media? If so which sites?
- Facebook and a few online dating sites
- Do you have an interest in the arts? If so in what way?
- I have an interest in pop and Impressionist art, photography and interior design
- Do you purchase art either for yourself or for the company you work for?
- I have purchased a few original pieces directly from local artists
- If you do buy art is it usually and original art or a reproduction?
- Do you shop for art online? If so what kind of art?
- I have checked out some art online, both original and reproductions
- What are your favorite websites to visit?
- When you buy art what price range do you buy in?
Willie Sanchez
- How involved are you with technology and online shopping?:
- I use a computer and other mobile devices everyday. Occasionally I will shop on line.
- Are you involved with social media? If so which sites?
- Not a constant participant of social media, but I do check into FaceBook and LinkedIn at least once a week.
- Do you have an interest in the arts? If so in what way?
- Yes. I visit museums, art exhibits, performance arts and I am also a visual artist.
- Do you purchase art either for yourself or for the company you work for?
- I purchase art for myself.
- If you do buy art is it usually and original art or a reproduction?
- My art collection consists primarily of original works.
- Do you shop for art online? If so what kind of art?
- I do not shop for art online.
- What are your favorite websites to visit?
- MoMa, PAMM and Artsbythepeople.org
- When you buy art what price range do you buy in?
- Anywhere from $100 to $3000.
John Ericsson
- How involved are you with technology and online shopping?:
- Do you mean in general? I work with technology on a daily basis and use it for personal reasons
every day. I shop online 1x a month
- Are you involved with social media? If so which sites?
- I use twitter, linkedin. I have a facebook page but don't like using it as I don't trust facebook to use
my information in anyway that benefits me and may actually be detrimental to me.
- Do you have an interest in the arts? If so in what way?
- Yes. I collect images I like online everyday. We have some art at home but price and style are
difficult to match (can't always afford what i like...).
- Do you purchase art either for yourself or for the company you work for?
- sometimes buy digital art for work (1x a year). We sometimes buy art for the house but we can't
afford too much.
- If you do buy art is it usually and original art or a reproduction?
- Do you shop for art online? If so what kind of art?
- only digital images online. I prefer to buy original art in person. I have to feel a personal connection
to the art and this is difficult to do online for physical original art.
- What are your favorite websites to visit?
- amazon, linkedin, nhl.com, bbc.co.uk, new york times
- When you buy art what price range do you buy in?
Susan Micheals
- How involved are you with technology and online shopping?:
- Heavily involved. I both build websites including e-commerce as well as shop online. I also believe that we
must learn new techniques and functionality every day, so we can be ahead of the curve and that way better help others.
- Are you involved with social media? If so which sites?
- Social Media has given me a voice like no other type of marketing. I do believe it should be used correctly.
Knowing where your target audience is and talking directly to them. For example: My nonprofit organization,
Frogs Are Green does well with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, whereas my branding business
does well on LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Facebook.
- Do you have an interest in the arts? If so in what way?
- I consider myself an artist as well as a patron of the arts. I love to visit art galleries and museums,
plays and the opera. I also host a live video, podcast and written interview series that helps to feature other creatives.
- Do you purchase art either for yourself or for the company you work for?
- Yes, I purchase art for both my business (images and art for client projects) and fine art for my home.
- If you do buy art is it usually an original art or a reproduction?
- When I buy art for my home, it's usually an original, or of limited edition.
- Do you shop for art online? If so what kind of art?
- I do not shop online for art, however, occasionally I may visit an artist's website who I know to see
what they've done lately. I may then buy something to give as a gift.
- What are your favorite websites to visit?
- My favorite websites to visit are NYTimes, National Geographic, Huffington Post, Seth Godin's blog,
and of course Google, which I must use at least 5 times a day.
- When you buy art what price range do you buy in?
- I try to buy something that's affordable and it depends on whether it's a print or an original. In most
cases the original would probably not be in my price range.
Questions: Results Sumary
My users have an interest in the arts and are very involved with technology and Social
Media. They buy both originals and reproductions. They are willing to pay a good price for art. They buy
art for themselves and for their business. I may need to keep searching for users who buy art online
because there is a weakness in that area so far. My questions have revealed that my users want to feel a
personal conection to the artwork that they buy. Providing more information about the artwork and the
rtist will help to create the personal connection that the users are looking for.
Brand Persona: Overview and Voice
Kihlstrom Fine Art is a brand that is warm and positive. A respect for creativity
Is an important part of what the brand is trying to get across. The voice of
The brand is serious but not too stuffy that it can’t laugh at itself.
Because contemporary fine art is almost becoming a lost art form education
about art in general is part of the goal of the company. Since Chris has been
and artist his whole life he feels a need to carry the torch of creativity and
expression in art to the next generation.
Images are a very big part of the brand. The images made by Chris are pleasing
and relaxing to look at however they can sometimes be thought provoking.
He is influenced by the impressionists but he wants to explore new concepts
with his art that give the work a more contemporary flair. Combining styles
of painting that are very rarely seen together makes the work unique. Chris’s
art is more about blazing new trails rather than following trends. Following
trends is a sure way to blend in rather than stand out. If your brand is blending
in that is a sure way to not get noticed and therefore it is to be avoided.
Artist Chris Kihlstrom is the face of Kihlstrom Fine Art
and he is the personality of the company. Chris is very passionate about
his art and has been so for his whole life and that is clear on the website.
Brand Traits
- Classical style and yet new at the same time
- Creative and exploratory
- Bold and strong
- Fresh and innovative approaches to making art
- Positive and optimistic
- Familiar and easy to relate to
- Textural and fluid brush stokes
Copy Examples
Bio:
Chris has had a passion for art starting at a very young age and continuing throughout his entire life.
Art in one form or another such as drawing, painting, sculpture or printmaking has always been there.
Experimenting with new ideas, growing learning new mediums and techniques is very important to him.
At Syracuse University he majored in illustration. As his skills developed he discovered screen printing and
took a strong interest in it. Two of the screen prints that he made in college in the late 1980’s were later
accepted in the prestigious Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition in New York.
Art Listing:
This painting features NewYork and Hoboken at the same time. Many people who have seen this image
have commented that it is a "Classic Hoboken" scene. It shows the Hoboken Ferry Terminal as well as
the Empire State building. ”Hoboken Breeze” 24”h x 30”w Original Oil Painting $850.
Home Page:
Contemporary Impressionist paintings by artist Chris Kihlstrom. Chris has a great appreciation for the great
masters of the late 1800's and early 1900's. In the sixteen years of his professional career as an artist in the
fine art and licensing industries he has had the good fortune to work with many of best companies and most
well established artists in New York and the world. He has developed his own unique, colorful and painterly
style that takes viewers to a calm place of solace and positive energy. These original oil paintings are available
for sale and represent an excellent investment value.
Visual Lexicon:
Color
The website colors are conservative and soft in the background as to let the bright colors of the art stand out
in the foreground. Lighter and warmer colors are used to give the feeling of sophistication.
Typography
The headlines of the site are a sophisticated Script font reflecting a refined and upscale feel. The copy text is
plain, simple and easy to read.
General Style Notes
Interface elements art flat and strait forward in order to make them as easy to use a possible. Elements from
the paintings are used as background textures to add accents to the site.
The artwork and the descriptions of the art is the main focus of the site. It should be very easy for the user to
buy art from the site. The artist bio and supporting information has a secondary emphasis.
Engagemant Methods
Element of Surprise
New artwork is introduced on a regular basis. New art shows are announced
by regular email newsletter and social media.
Giving Back
Art is donated for auction to benefit the Hoboken Homeless shelter and other charities.
Rewards
T-shirts with art printed on them as giveaways.