When you stand back and look at your recently completed piece of art, do you imagine it being purchased? Have you identified your target market? In recent times, there are marketing gurus telling people to spend significant time developing an “avatar” of their quintessential perfect client. That’s great for creating online ads or sales pages on your website, but in the real world at an outdoor art fair: are you 100% sure that there are specific people who are more likely to purchase your art and specific types who don’t?
When someone enters your area and begins to ask the completely “uninformed” questions, or doesn’t seem to have the “means” to afford your work, do you find yourself less involved? Do you find yourself resisting giving them much of your time since you are quite convinced that it will be wasted effort? And the minute someone else shows up, do you drop the “lookie-loo” and head for greener pastures.
Do you ever find yourself thinking, “This is going nowhere – they aren’t buyers.”
If you are saying yes to even one of the above questions, it’s time for a reality check. You do not have a crystal ball, and therefore, you do not have permission to decide that someone is unqualified to buy your work. You may have developed a pretty good sense of who is most likely, but you do yourself, and your art, a big disservice if you pre-judge every single person who looks at your artwork.
Even In a very busy show environment, it’s important to do your best to serve each person as though they are a likely buyer. It is possible to keep two separate buyers engaged if you are showing each person or couple that you care enough about what interests them. They’ll stick around.
Art sales grow when you treat lookie-loos like your best collectors! Click To Tweet Assume that everyone will buy! What possible harm can come of that assumption? You might just discover collectors come in all shapes and sizes when they feel comfortable, cared for, and appreciated. Oh, and you do have a payment plan, right?
The worst-case scenario? You’ve had a nice conversation, gathered some contact information to build your email list, and had another chance to hone your presentation skills. So even if you are 100% sure that this person is a lookie-loo, just ignore your instinct to ignore them.
In fact, they may be visiting the show or know someone who is your perfect buyer. You never know when the next pre-qualified enthusiastic referral will show up!
It perturbs me to no end when artists sit hidden behind their booth, or worse, sit in a chair at the front of their booth reading and never once looking up to acknowledge the presence of people in their “zone.” Why did they even bother to leave home??
I have a director’s chair so that if I need to sit, I’m still near eye level with people. I rarely use it, though. I usually stand in front of my tent, or just inside in the shade. I greet as many people passing by as I can; those that stop and look from outside, or slow their pace to have a glance, and even those that are looking straight ahead who, by all outward appearances won’t look, much less stop and come in. It’s remarkable how many times a simple “Hello,” or “Hi, how ya doin'” or “Come on in, I have shade!” will get them across the threshold. Getting folks into the tent is a huge step toward sales. If they don’t come in, they aren’t going to buy. It’s as simple as that.
Don’t think you have to be like a used car salesman or carnival sideshow barker. Just a friendly greeting and/or invitation to come in is usually all it takes to engage visitors. Frequently people stop at the threshold to look. I always invite them to come in, and most times they do. Some will say, “Oh, no, I’m just looking,” to which I say something like, “You can see my work better inside,” and most of the time they will enter. Many, many times that’s all it took to make a sale. They only needed me to give them “permission” to enter!
Whenever you make a mental assessment of someone, know this – 99% of the time you will be wrong. Dead wrong. I can’t count the times that I’ve made sales from folks I never would have dreamed to have any interest, “means,” or any other reason you might have to think they wouldn’t buy.
In summary:
1. Mckenna is exactly right – you can NOT predict what any person will do.
2. ENGAGE people. If you ignore them, they will most certainly ignore you – and likely tell others how unfriendly you are!
I devote a lot of time in the E’s of Selling Art System to the very subject and I especially loved this part in your comment James: “I can’t count the times that I’ve made sales from folks I never would have dreamed to have any interest, “means,” or any other reason you might have to think they wouldn’t buy.”
One of the most AMAZING sales I have made was told in detail in a guest post I wrote for Carolyn Edlund of ArtsyShark. THIS is a quintessential “lesson learned” story!
Thank you for this post I get ready for my first ever outdoor art show!
Everyone must go and look at Natalya’s fabulous art! So just remember, Natalya —- it’s ALWAYS all about the needs of your collectors or would be collectors. Please let everyone here know how your first ever art show goes. Be sure to tell EVERYONE that it is your first ever art show and you will have a wonderful day of well-wishers and as well as some who will want to be among the first to support you! READ the rest of the Art Blog Posts and pay close attention. Actually, you should by the book, but save some money up from for sales and INVEST in you business by purchasing after the show. OH… and tomorrow I have a guest post coming out on Artsy Shark that you will want to read. I will send you a link tomorrow when it is published!
I also agree with McKenna. My story – to encourage people to buy at my table I have $5 art cards of my work, I give the buyers of my cards great attention just because they could be future buyers of my work. I had one lady spending ages buying a card and we chatted, she didn’t even look at my paintings or prints. She took out her money, looked at me for a while (or I thought she did) and asked if I took credit cards. I said of course and gave a big smile! She just nodded her head and said “OK, I’ll have that one behind you” I could have fallen over in a dead faint, she bought a piece for $1000. Just like that.
BIG chicken skin! Wow… Love that story, Samantha. But then, your work creates so much emotion to start with, too! And I’ll bet to this day, every time she sets eyes on piece, she thinks of you. Hope you have her on your email list. She’s very likely to want more of your work!
Hi McKenna,
I mentioned you and the book at ArtFairInsiders.com in a post about the recent art fair I was in, as a reply to a post that another member made about that show not being so special.
I related that I made a change from that show on by not breaking down my booth before the official closing time. Previously, I relented to my wife’s pressure to start packing up some 20 or more minutes before the end of the show as she got cranky and wanted to go home ASAP.
I posed this dilemma before others and they agreed with me that it was not the thing to do for several reasons.
At exactly 5PM on Sunday that show, two visitors came into my booth just as I was about to start taking down the artwork. I greeted them as if they were the first visitors of the show on Saturday and they looked around without any sign of haste. I thought they would finish looking around and leave, seeing that the show was over but I nevertheless waited and answered some questions. One of the women asked me how much was a print she looked at and after I told her the price she said: “I’ll take it”. I was astounded! I had never sold an item at the end of a show before and certainly never had someone so decidedly ask to purchase one of my higher priced items within a minute of entering my booth.
That made my day and the show.
It also justified my insistence that I stay until the very end and be fully committed to any visitor who enters my booth no matter what time it was.
I had posted that having studied the “E’s” book, I changed my approach and thus feel that I had a few more sales I would not have had previously, mostly by limiting my talking about me.
In the past I might have brushed off the two women who came in at the last minute, or just gone about quickly taking down the artwork, giving the very visual sign that I was closed for business.
It’s a learning process, one that I hope will help me get better sales this year, so I can continue doing shows in years to come.
You were a test case for me, Bari! I know you were a bit resistant, and now you are clearly a big fan of the E’s System. I am SO happy to hear you are experiencing sales that you can directly attribute to having the guidebook. And here’s some more good news: the more time you spend really working on the system, doing the worksheets, and studying the departure list, the easier it gets. I am very excited for you. You have a very bright future. AND thanks SO MUCH for telling this story. Brilliant. Great instincts to just let them be in your area and shop despite the clock striking five.
And I love this line from you: “I changed my approach and thus feel that I had a few more sales I would not have had previously, mostly by limiting my talking about me.” THOSE are Golden Words, my friend! AND thanks for spreading the word at ArtFairInsiders!