Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon inside your cereal box or get invited to a customer preview sale at your favorite department store? These companies know that their current customers are the best—and most profitable—they’ll ever have. So it’s not surprising that they go out of their way to keep these customers happy and keep them coming back again and again.
Believe it or not, the same concept applies to your artistic career. While you don’t want to ignore potential clients, you’ll find that when you pay a little more attention to the clients and collectors you already have, it will really pay off: you’ll increase sales and profits from your art business. The following 10 practical strategies will help you get started.
1 – Understand how and why your customers buy art
Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. What’s in it for them when they buy your art? Maybe they feel good about having an original piece of art. Or they are happy to support an emerging artist. Perhaps they are eager to show their new painting to their friends. Start listening to your customers and asking questions, and you’ll learn a lot, fast.
Don’t underestimate the power of being an art collector yourself. You will know firsthand how your collectors feel when they buy your work and you will be a great role model for them. Even better, you’ll be supporting other artists.
2 – Make the first purchase a fabulous experience
When you sell a piece of art, remember that it is also an exciting event for your customers. So let them get excited about their purchase. Accept any compliment with kindness. Then share something personal that lets them know you’re excited about the sale, too. Tell them how the sale is meaningful to you: it’s your first one; the first to someone in New Jersey; the first of this series, or the last like this. A positive connection now can pay off for years to come.
3 – Be professional in everything you do
Treat your art like a business and treat your clients professionally. Be meticulous about meeting deadlines and keeping appointments. Always provide the materials or information you promised, complete and on time. And remember to personally thank your collectors when they attend one of your shows or support you in any way. A quick note or email will be appreciated and remembered.
Also, be professional when pricing your artwork. Keep your prices constant: from the gallery to your studio and from city to city. And stick to your prices no matter what; never dismiss your work.
Naturally, it makes sense to present yourself professionally every time you show someone your work. That said, never try to be someone you’re not. Let your personality shine through and you will be the best businessman you can be: you.
4 – Make it easy for your clients to buy more of your work
I was at a friend’s house recently and admired a beautiful handmade journal she had bought at a local craft fair. Thinking it would be a perfect gift for another friend, I asked for the name of the artist. When she couldn’t remember, we looked inside the diary and found that the artist’s name and phone number were nowhere to be found. The result? He or she lost a sale.
Put your contact information on everything that leaves your studio: letterheads, invitations, show announcements, note cards, etc. Affix has a custom label on the back of each painting that includes your name, plus your email address or website.
And send your new collectors home with an “Artist Pack” – a professional-looking folder with your business card, resume, artist statement, biography, articles about and written by you, etc. You’ll be surprised how often your customers will share it with their friends and associates.
5 – Request another sale
When liquid shampoo first came out, it gave consumers a convenient and easy way to wash their hair. “Lather and rinse,” the label read. But shampoo sales really took off when just one word was added. His shampoo bottle now says, “Lather, rinse, and repeat if desired.”
Repeat sales can also revolutionize your business. So display your work in your home and studio where visitors will see it. And when customers are making a purchase, be bold: Ask them if they’d like to buy a second (or third) piece. Ask your collectors for referrals to another collector, or to a shop or gallery where they think their work might fit. Or suggest a commissioned piece you’d like to make for them. The key here is to ask for the sale.
6 – Improve your customers
Another way to increase your income is to upgrade your clients to a more profitable product (“luxury” shampoo for colored hair, for example). It’s pretty easy, once you get the hang of it. Here are some upgrade ideas that have worked well for my clients:
o Encourage your customers who normally buy giclee prints to buy an original painting.
o Introduce your existing clients to some of your largest or most expensive artwork.
o If you have collectors who have only bought your sketches or drawings so far, suggest that they buy one of your paintings next time.
7 – Cross-sell your customers
Cross-selling is simply selling your customers something different from, but related to, what they are already buying. Consider the example of shampoo. Wouldn’t it be relatively easy to sell hair conditioner to someone who already uses shampoo?
Now take a look at your own piece of art. Cross-selling might mean selling a piece of your pottery to one of your painting clients, selling a painting to one of your sculpture collectors, or suggesting your art note cards as an upsell when a client stops by to pick up their pet. . portrait. Be imaginative and you can increase both sales and profits.
8 – Know your customers and collectors
Remember that your customers are first people, then customers. Take your relationships beyond “business” and build personal relationships as well. If appropriate, invite them to social gatherings, send them a Christmas card, or send them a postcard from their favorite vacation spot.
When you talk to your collectors, make it a habit to hear about important dates and occasions. Then remember your very special occasions with a gift of art. Imagine having a small piece of your artwork forever connected in your collectors’ minds to your 50th anniversary, the birth of your first child or grandchild, or your child’s medical school graduation. Sometimes a little goes a long way.
9 – Let your clients know you and your art
Don’t you love it when you can watch another artist at work and see for yourself how they do what they do? You’re not alone.
Almost all art collectors are curious about how you create. So it makes business sense to find ways to share your process with them. You can invite them to an informal demonstration. Show them pictures of the place that inspired you. Or even let them try the process themselves. Take the time to show your clients what makes you and your art unique.
Clients who understand how you apply your paint, why you use those weird-looking long brushes, or how you get so many layers of color on your canvas are not just informed about what you do, they are interested in what you do. And that will translate into more sales and more referrals.
10 – Build strong and ongoing relationships with your collectors
Don’t be embarrassed to ask your clients for advice and input, whether it’s about how you display or hang your work, or about new projects or techniques you’re trying out. Do it one on one, or host a studio open house (note I didn’t say “studio sale”) to find out what they think.
And when you’ve finished a new series or collection, or are ready to hang a new gallery exhibit, invite your best clients into your studio for a special preview of your new work. They will love it.
Most importantly, be yourself with your clients and collectors. Yes, you might know a collector or two who wants to be dazzled by the rhetoric and doublespeak of art. However, most collectors will want to know their true self. They’ll love to hear your feelings about your artwork, some of your artistic quirks, and even some of the mistakes you’ve made.
Once clients and collectors really connect with you and your work, they’ll come back for more. And that’s good for every artist’s business.