Festivals and Other Events:
The Art of the Sale
Imagine this: ArtsPlosion 2004! It’s Saturday afternoon, the weather
is perfect, and you're showing off your work at one of the premier
arts festivals in your area. You glance at your booth and setup
- your work has never looked better! All the time you’ve spent on
your art, mounts, mats and displays has been worthwhile. People
pause, look and you smile; but the crowd passes you by. You glance
at the booths to the east and west ¯ buyers are so thick, they’re
waiting in line. You look closer; the work is okay, but not nearly
as good as yours. You listen for a moment; the prices are high.
But there sure is a lot of chatter next door..
You’re an artist with art, fine art; quality art... but have you
refined the art of the sale? The following tips are written with
festivals, art shows and other events in mind, but hold true for
gallery settings, as well.
4 STEPS TO PREP & SET
- Pack your portfolio and showcase it. Potential customers will
be more inclined to purchase when they can visualize your art
or photographs in home or office settings. Past sales beget future
ones.
- Looking busy is a precursor to being busy at business. Before
a show, alert your existing customers and potential customer base.
If possible, send ‘exclusive’ invitations, e-mails, or hand-deliver
flyers through your local network to optimize visitors and visits
from friends and supporting artists..
- Invite a friend or two to help ¯ it’s often easier for chatty
friends to promote your talent and custom work, offer framing
options, up sell frames and additional art and prints. Meanwhile,
you may want to consider operating a workstation, which will intrigue
potential buyers, invite their questions and create comfortable
and natural opportunities to discuss your art.
- Measure the ‘friendly quotient.’ Is the spectator space inviting?
Open? Warm and friendly? Offer a range of art, themes, color and
prices? Remember, small cramped spaces will deter traffic, since
customers don’t want to feel trapped. Think of your spectators’
breathing room just as you think of your works’ white space. Open
space and visitor incentives such as hot coffee, Italian ice,
a glass of wine, popcorn or a surprise might compel them to stay,
along with seating and a table to flip through your portfolio
or catalogue.:
6 STEPS TO SELL
- Greet your customers as they enter your booth...say "hello".
- Watch for opportunities to engage customers: to draw questions
and answers from them, to suggest, ask for opinions about likes
and dislikes, room design, art interests. Share preferences, anecdotes.
Think of the relationship as your objective, not the sale, and
your time invested in selling will be a genuine investment, now
and later!
- Offer information about your work - what motivates you, where
you find subject material, themes, inspiration and meaning. Whenever
possible, give visitors a ‘leave-behind,’ something to take away
about your work as a memento, possibly a pre-printed card with
one of your images and a brief bio on the back. This extends opportunity
to purchase. In return for your gift, ask for their information
so you can alert them to future shows, sales, and promotions.
- Personalize the sale. Ask potential customers to describe the
setting: its mood, colors, light and the ‘feel’ or ‘look’ they’re
seeking. Don’t be afraid to make suggestions or to ask about budget.
Often, a customer’s budget is a driving concern and they are probably
reluctant to mention it.
- Consider your return and payment policy. Artists who ‘loan’
art, offer installment plans and agree to accept returns may be
taking risks, but they’re probably surpassing any losses with
increased revenues.
- Be aware of the fine line between pushing vs. servicing and
selling. Offer, suggest, describe and inform, then allow your
visitors the time to think, the time they need to become buyers.
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