Your Work Is Beautiful. Your Message Isn’t Clear.

Written By Alfred Twj

Why people admire your brand but don’t buy

I recently met a good friend who created her own brand selling beautifully printed dresses based on her original designs—she designs and produces them herself. However, things weren’t moving as well as she hoped, and sales were slow.

I checked out her Instagram page—the only platform she uses to market her brand—and wow, it was beautifully aesthetic. Within five seconds, you’re drawn to her bright designs, filled with colours that almost entice your taste buds.

So why wasn’t her page converting into sales?

Sometimes, as creatives, we forget to sell our products.

What I mean is, we get so busy creating and beautifying our pages that they turn into galleries instead of platforms that actually sell. This happened to me too.

Let me share a story.

When I first started my photography journey, my goal was simple: to get hired and make a living from my newfound passion. I built my Instagram by sharing cinematic street and lifestyle photos—the kind of work I wanted to be hired for as a lifestyle brand photographer.

But that wasn’t what happened.

I was so focused on creating a beautiful Instagram homepage that I drifted away from my original intention: selling my services. Yes, my page gained likes and followers, but at the end of the day, I wasn’t making money.

In short, I was creating a gallery instead of running a business page that clearly told visitors what I did. This same pattern showed up with my friend—and with many of my clients.

The good news? This can be fixed with a simple mindset shift.

The online pages you use to market your products need to function as sales pages, not just galleries. That means clearly communicating that your work is for sale—and making it relatable to your audience.

Start with your Instagram bio or website

In her case, her Instagram bio stated that she was an artist who designs and creates her own line of dresses—but it didn’t clearly say that she sells them. When I asked her about it, she said she wanted to be identified as an artist first, which conflicted with her current goal: selling her products.

Yes, you can be an artist and sell your work. But if customers aren’t clear about what you offer, they’ll simply scroll past.

Always state clearly what your brand is about.

In her case, something as simple as:
“A shop selling customised dresses designed by the artist herself.”
Add a link to the store and a clear call to action—and you’re already on the right track.

Shift your content toward your customer

Next, adjust your content to be more relatable to your audience while still maintaining your artistic identity—if that’s the direction you want to go.

For me, since I wanted to be hired as a lifestyle brand photographer, I had to start with my bio:
“I’m a lifestyle brand photographer helping brands create images that connect with their customers on a personal level.”

Then, I shifted my content to reflect my ideal client’s perspective. I began photographing lifestyle products—fashion, luxury bags, hotels, and spaces—paired with models to create a lifestyle feel. This allowed potential clients to visualise how I could help their brand, while still giving me room to practise my creativity.

Art meets clarity

As artists, we naturally want to put beautiful work into the world. But sales and conversions are a different game altogether.

By simply improving your page bio and writing clearer captions, customers can understand what you do—rather than just admiring your work as “aesthetic” or “gallery-worthy.”

Here are some caption examples I shared with my friend:

“The idea behind this dress is inspired by a fruit basket—colours representing different fruits, paired with the texture of a woven basket. Stitched with 100% cotton, it’s perfect for everyday wear. For more details, visit our store via the link.”

“With Christmas just around the corner, check out this matching dress set inspired by Santa’s little helper. A fun and comfortable gift for your friends—perfect for Christmas parties.”

These captions give customers insight into the creative idea behind each piece while clearly communicating that the items are for sale and guiding them on what to do next.

It’s all about leading your customer and not making them second-guess. Every step counts.

Summary

Create your work—but always think from a customer’s point of view first.
If someone lands on your page, do they immediately understand what you do?
Are there clear links to your store and obvious calls to action?
Do your captions communicate that you are a brand that sells products?

With a small shift in mindset and direction, things can start flowing much more smoothly.

Alfred Twj
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