These are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years when selling my art.
Table Setup.
People don’t pay attention to what they can’t see so finding a way to grab their attention is key. Keeping your work flat on a table won’t attract much attention but if you had a stand at one side of the table displaying your work people will notice and come to see the rest of your works.
Prices.
Make sure your prices are visible! People love knowing how much something costs without asking.
A number of artists don’t put prices on their work for 2 reasons.
A) They’re well established and their target market already knows their price range and if a person is really interested in a piece they’ll ask about it. Or
B) they want people to ask how much something is so that they can engage the customer and possibly guilt them into buying it. It’s very sad, but it does happen.
Most of the time however, the person doing the buying won’t want to ask the price because they think it costs too much, they don’t want to converse with the artist, or they’re just not interested enough in the piece.
Best to make your prices visible and avoid all of the above.
Be engaging.
The more welcoming you look as they pass you, the more likely they are to stop talk to you.
A person who’s alert and smiling is always more intriguing than a person sitting slouched with a bored look on your face. Just smile and give a simple ‘Hello’ as people pass. 9/10 they’ll stop and see what’s happening.
Know your work.
This may seem like a silly statement but it’s true. People who stop by your table want to know about you and your work. Be prepared to answer questions about it. Such as
-How long did this take you?
-What medium is this?
-How did you get ‘such and such’ technique?
-How much is this?
-Is there a way I can contact you later? (ie, website/email) ßBUSINESS CARDS
Business cards.
Business cards are KEY when selling your art. There are many instances where people don’t have money on hand or they have to run. A business card is an easy way to give customers to speak with you AFTER they’ve met you. Many sales on items are completed after an event with the help of business cards.
All business cards need:
-Name
-Email/Phone/Address (1,2, or all of these)
-Website
-What you do artistically (photography, painting, graphic design, portraits, landscape, workshops, etc)
-Make them Unique! Choose interesting designs.
You can purchase business cards in any office store and even online.
I recommend VistaPrints.com if you’re going to purchase business cards. They offer free business cards so long as you pay the shipping (around $4)
Or
You can design and cut your own business cards.
Find a heavy stock paper, cut it, do your art and print all your information. These have become a huge hit because it’s some of your artwork and it’s free.
These are just a few things to take into consideration when selling your art.
