Art Marketing 101 Excerpt

Learning to Sell

Think of sales as introductions. "Sales" usually implies luring someone into a lair and selling them something they don't want. This is not the approach you want to take as an artist. It will surely backfire.

Most people will say that it's hard to sell art, that no one wants to buy art. They are wrong. There are plenty people who want to buy art, want to improve their life-style, want to feel good about themselves and like art in their life. You need to find these people-where they hang out, what they do for their livelihood and hobbies. That's what marketing is all about-finding and contacting the right people.

People ask all the time, "Where is the most active art market in the U.S.?" When I tell them their own city, they get really mad. They want to hear some magical answer, like Santa Fe, New York, Seattle. It's ridiculous to think that there is a better city than your hometown for starters. Within each city many persistent and active artists are selling lots of artwork, but they're not the artists asking that question!

The term 'marketing' is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for selling. Marketing is the sum of several different kinds of activities: promotion, intelligent research, planning, pricing, studying competition, as well as selling.

"The art market's down," is another commonly-used excuse. "You mean the auction market?" I ask. They don't know, they just heard somewhere the art market is down. If we're talking about the $20,000+ range, this could be true. Are you in this category? No? Well, then don't believe this myth about the art market being down.

Art has been made out to be a thing for the rich. How absurd! I've bought many art works for under $250. Generally small, I still value them, even after many years of viewing them. When I go to outdoor shows, there are beautiful pieces in the $100-750 price range.

You need to instill confidence in small-time buyers who approach your artwork. It could be their first such purchase. They've been under the myth of "investing in art" and just don't know if they're making the right choice. At this level, a customer is not investing in art and needs to be told this. He is simply purchasing a piece of art to improve his life-style, to enjoy, to receive energy from. Indeed, the works might increase in value, but if he wants to invest in art, he will need to make larger monetary purchases.

Everyone who comes before you is a potential customer. If you have excuses, it is because you don't want to make the effort to sell to them. When you are in a confident mood, you will not make up these excuses.