Selling art? Create a customer scenario

SUMMARY: Selling art can be difficult. Create a scenario of what your customer might be looking for and understand what pieces sell.

Matted photographs - Fun and Cheap Art For Tourists

It's Thursday afternoon and Lindsey Blass and Kalli Wright have already washed down their crab cakes and calamari with a bottle of Napa Valley Chardonnay. They are spending the rest of the day buying art.

"San Francisco is so gorgeous," Lindsey smiles as she walks through Fisherman's Wharf toward Ghirardeli Square. "I can't wait to find a picture to give my sister."

"I want a fun photo to hang in our house," said Kalli. "We haven't had time to shop for anything decorative since we moved into the new house six months ago."

Kalli is looking for a cheap art photograph with a crisp, white mat board that will spice up her blank living room walls. She wants something with bright colors to brighten up the room and put a smile on her face when she sees it.

The girls browse through the art and photography booths lined up on the sidewalk between Ghiridelli Square and the Bay.

"This is nice," Lindsey holds up a black and white 8" by 10" inch photograph of the Golden Gate Bridge. She looks at the price on the back, sees the sticker price of $29.95 and puts it back. Lindsey can only afford one cheap art piece for her sister's birthday. Her budget is $10.

Money is tight for both girls and buying an expensive gift is not an option.

Kalli and Lindsey move from one stand to the next, carefully examining each photo and its price. The prices for small 5" by 7" photos in an 8" by 10" mat board range from $10 to $20. The larger 8" by 10" photos cost between $20 and $40.

After bouncing from booth to booth talking to each artist Kalli finds a color photo of a cable car. The signed and matted photo is an inexpensive yet beautiful souvenir from their vacation in San Francisco.

"This is just what I was looking for," she says of the $25 photo. "I wanted something colorful and tasteful, but not just a stereotypical picture of the Bridge. This photo shows how unique San Francisco is."

Lindsey buys a small 3" by 5" matted black and white photo of sea lions hanging out near Pier 39. Since her goal was to find inexpensive wall art she does not negotiate the $10 price tag.

"My sister will love the sea lions," she said. "I did not spend too much and I know my sister will appreciate that I got this for her on my trip rather than just buying her a new toy."

Between the two they spent only $35 on their little tourist art treasures, and they couldn't have wished for a better day on the Wharf.

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