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Selling and Self Promotion

by Ryan Lewis

Selling Yourself

The truly successful artist is not only a master of their craft, but also knowledgeable in the art of selling. While you may think that your artwork will sell on its own, promoting your name and your style will make a significant difference.

Selling is a skill that is acquired through practice in speaking, presenting and discussing your work. It’s a skill that gallery owners have well developed and a skill that will benefit an artist immensely. Selling yourself is not only valuable when actually attending a gallery opening or when people are looking at your work; it is useful when approaching a new gallery, other artists and art buyers yourself.

While practice and confidence is the key to successful sales, focus on targeting these aspects of the process and you will see great results in your career.

Networking

The skill involved in networking is just as valuable to an artist as to a real estate agent, business executive or car sales person. Art buyers want to own art that they can talk about and have people impressed with. As more people learn your name, not only will your work be more in demand but your prices will go up, your gallery representation will increase and you will gave great momentum in your career.

Successful networking relies as much on luck as on skillful conversation. Since you never know when you are going to meet your next client, you need to speak with as many potential buyers, artists and gallery owners as you can. Attend gallery shows, join artist groups, visit artist-run community galleries and talk to everyone you can. The greater the number of people you meet; the greater the odds of finding someone to help move your career to a new level.

Be Professional

Above all else, you need to create a sense that you are committed to your work and are proud of where you are in your career. Being professional does not mean that you need to rush out to buy a suit and tie; however, it does mean that you need to dress according to the event. If it’s in a formal gallery with high classed clientele then wear a comfortable suit. If it’s an exhibition of new artist’s work then wear something more casual. You may create your art in ripped jeans and a t-shirt, but successful art buyers want to see a successful approach in the artists they purchase from.

Make Them Interested

Think back to all the conversations you have had over the years. The memorable ones are those involving a place you have visited or about someone you know. Of course, you’re not always going to know the person you speak with but when they are looking at your work, tell them about why you created it; what you were thinking. Pique their interest and they will be more likely to create an emotional attachment to the piece.

Ask Questions

Every conversation you have, regarding your art, is another method to get yourself remembered and talked about. When a buyer or gallery owner is asking about your artwork, ask them about what they like about landscapes, flowers, galleries etc. Get to know what they like and get them to tell you a story about it.

If it doesn’t come easy at first then don’t worry. Just be yourself and ask leading questions that direct the conversation to a positive outcome. When a gallery owner expresses interest in your work there many questions you could ask. Some will result in a positive and some in a negative response. Examples of two possible questions you can ask are:

Would you like me to bring some pieces to you? or
How many pieces would you like me to bring to you?

It doesn’t take any longer to ask the second questions but it increases the odds of a positive answer. While in the first question they can answer with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, in the second question you require a positive response. Use open ended questions and close them on the deal.

Give a Business Card

Use your business card as a marketing tool as well as a means of conveying your contact information. Always have cards ready to present to gallery owners, art buyers or business owners. By accepting your card they make a commitment to remember you – if only for a short time. Having a business card increases the odds of a call back or a visit to your website. It is a constant reminder of who you are and what you do.

A business card cannot simply have your name and phone number any more. Include an image of your artwork and a statement about your work. If the person likes your art, they will be more likely to keep it and show others. Get your cards printed or use a high quality card-stock and a reliable colour printer. Include your name, address, phone number, email, website, the type of work you do and whether or not you do commissioned work. While a business card will not make the final sale, it will keep you in their mind when they purchase art in the future.

Follow-up

If someone expresses interest in your work, ask them for an email address or a phone number. When someone buys art from you get their information and send an email thanking them. You may even want to think about creating a ‘newsletter’ that features your artwork and your career as an artist. If they really like your work, they may be interested in receiving a notice every time you have a new piece ready for sale. The point is to follow up with your contacts and make them remember you. Every time you have contact with a potential buyer you increase the odds of another sale.

Final Words

The art of selling and self promotion take a long time to learn. When you begin, make sure that you are being yourself and adapting some of the above techniques to fit your style. People want to talk with genuinely interesting people. They want a conversation about art, about you and about what motivated you to create the work in front of them.

When you begin to adopt these techniques, look at how each one affects the person you are speaking to. Make mental notes about what happened as a result of a specific question or discussion. How did you approach the person to begin with and what was the ice-breaker for the conversation. Remember, you can learn as much from a failure as from a success. Continue to learn and change your methods. Selling is a skill that must be practiced to be improved but once learned it will be valuable tool in your art career.

About The Author: Ryan Lewis, Artist and BComm graduate, is a member of ArtistLane and currently shows his artwork at the Gust Gallery in Waterton Lakes National Park. Ryan Lewis writes articles for ArtistLane pertaining to the business aspect of being an artist. You can view his work on this site or at his personal website RyanLewis.ca.
To contact Ryan Lewis, send a message via e-mail to Lewis@ArtistLane.com.