7 Quick Easy Tips on How to Sell Your Art
July 2, 2010 Art Business Plan, How to Sell Your Art
7 Quick Easy Tips on How to Sell Your Art
As you know, selling art can be a challenge just like any other business. You have to know the in’s and outs of marketing your art whether online or offline. You have to know different strategies and techniques to use to help propel your art career into the right direction. There are several art marketing books and articles on how to sale your art that you can find online or at your local bookstore. With experience and the wisdom from some of those books and I have found the right methods to marketing your art via an art gallery, an art festival or online. I don’t know it all but I do know that what I’ve learned has help increase my sales within the past seven years. Below are art marketing tips I’ve listed to help you as you take on this endeavor of becoming a successful artist and businessman. These tips are not in any order, just take away any key points that will be helpful to you.
1.)Create art the buyer wants. A lot of musicians get this concept. They sing or play what the crowd likes. I am not telling you to sell your soul. I am just telling you to stop creating artwork that is not selling. You need to paint what sales. I know of an artist who can, as I like to say paint her butt off but her painting are so dark. Her paintings are of people with somber looks and have dark tones within the pallet that she uses. She asked me to suggest art galleries in the area that she could look into and I am thinking no gallery is going to take her work. Now don’t get me wrong, her painting skills are awesome but no gallery really cares if your painting skills are awesome if it runs people away instead of drawing them to the paintings. Especially during these economic times, people want to feel good. It is as simple as that. That’s why movies do so well, they want to escape their reality. So again, paint what they want and what sales.
2.) Sell Where the Buyers Are. You hear this in real estate all the time. Location, location, location. Well the same applies to selling art. I am not saying you can’t sell art anywhere or that you have to be in New York to make money as an artist. What I am saying is that you may not sell any work by having your work in the library, coffee shop, hospital or restaurant. Believe me I have tried at least three of the four and none of them brought any promise. My point is this, in order to sell any of your work you have to put it in areas where people are would buy art. Well, where are they you may say? Art galleries, art shows, art festivals and trade shows that cater to your niche. If you paint fish and lours then a great place to sell work is at a Fish and Boat Show.
3.) Present Your Artwork Carefully: Any business person knows that to do well you have to look the par. Art work needs to be clean and neat. Hooks and screws need to be tightened. Display area and tent needs to be inviting. Clothes need to be clean and in tact. And, please no cell phone when at an art show, gallery or trade show.
4.) Be Like-able. Be polite when dealing with a customer. When talking on the phone with potential customers always call the customer’s name when having a conversation. This will let them know that you are interested in them. The most important person is the customer. Pay your bills on time. If potential customers try to call you on your cell or by website it would be ashamed if you lost sells because you didn’t pay your cell phone bill or you lost the host for your website. Little things like that can hurt you in the long run.
5.) Have an Artist Statement. Many galleries and art show ask for an artist bio that gives a brief description about you and your work. I have seen so many artist give boring stories about themselves. If you have done a bio that’s really what it is, a story. So to intrigue you reader and potential customers make your story or bio have some pizazz. For my story I talk about how I am an art teacher and have to come home to paint to relieve the stress from working with students. When readers read my bio they want to know where I teach, how is teaching, when do you have time to paint and things of that nature. So be creative and create a story.
6.) Be Confident with Yourself As An Artist. There are several artists who again, can paint there butts off but will not take it upon themselves to make a little extra money from there talents. They come up will all kinds of excuses of why they can’t set up at the next local art festival. “Oh I got to buy a tent”, “I don’t know if my work will sell” or “I am not as good as you”. The latter I hate the most. There are people who really suck and there are people who think my work sucks but guest what? I am making some money from my work. All these excuses are all caused by fear. As an artist you need to move forward and push on.
7.) Be Persistent. Unfortunately there will be hurdles you have to overcome and challenges that will come your way but the best solution is to dust yourself off and keep moving. I didn’t get in every art show I applied to. In my mind, I just knew I was going to get accepted but I didn’t. Also, I have made some big mistakes in creating strategies of selling my work but through it all I still get a phone call from someone saying I saw your work at X art gallery and wanted to know if I could meet you or come to your studio to buy a piece. If that’s not a motivator I don’t know what is. So all I say, is keep moving and don’t give up.
If you like these tips and feel that they were helpful please download a free copy of “Three Deadly Mistakes Artists Makes When Marketing and Selling Their Artwork” at the top of this website. Just enter your name and email. We respect your privacy and promise there will be no spamming.
Also if you like this post please feel free to leave a comment below. I would greatly appreciate it.
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