For over 23 years, I have sold my art in various ways, including art shows, gallery representation, co-op galleries, public venues, Airbnb, online sales, and owning my galleries. I know the art world well. I built my business by taking action and nurturing each baby step until I got it right. As an art business coach, I am amazed by the questions I receive daily. That is when I realized that most artists began their journey, consuming diverse content around them, fantasizing about how they should sell their art with the many options offered and adopting many myths and misconceptions along the way. Getting confused on your art journey and getting off track is understandable.
Today, I plan to debunk some myths surrounding the art business, providing you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions. So, let’s demystify these myths! 1. I can sell my $200 painting for $2,000 if I position it in the right market. No, that is a myth. The price of your painting goes up by demand. Your art will sell for more only when you have a few sold-out collections. You can then raise your price by 10% yearly when economy deems it appropriate. One way to raise your price quickly is to find a well-sought-after gallery with an elite art collector list to represent your art. When your art sells well in their gallery, they can raise your price faster. The problem is getting accepted by one of these galleries, especially when you are just breaking into the scene. Gallery wall space is an expensive commodity, so they naturally seek artists who have built a reputation for themselves with a good sales track record before giving you the attention you deserve. That is why, if you want to make a business out of your talent, it is best that you represent yourself first and sell your art. Once you have a few almost sold-out collections, approach the galleries because it is easier to convince galleries to accept you when your art sells. 2. I'll sell a lot of artwork if I use the Sotheby’s selling technique. Sotheby is an auction house; their sales technique is effective but designed for art collectors who purchase art for investment. Most of these elite collectors view their art collection as a commodity. Sotheby's clients are very different from yours. Because of the difference between the target audience, the language they use to sell art will not be the exact words you would use because your ideal customers resonate with different phrases, prices, and words. Selling art is about connecting your art with your ideal customer, so your marketing materials have to speak to your audience for it to sell well. Therefore, using the inappropriate sales strategies with your target audience will likely not work. 3. I am waiting to be discovered. You can not wait to be discovered because there are so many artists out there, and the ones who are busy pursuing their art careers will be rewarded. Waiting to be discovered is kind of like a shot in the dark. You will have a better chance to learn to break dance than to be found by some great galleries or art buyers. 4. My beautiful art sells itself For all the years that I have sold art, I have only seen art sold without any salesmanship, maybe less than a handful of times. Unfortunately, this kind of effortless sales is rare. That’s why when it happens, it’s like magic! Since art is considered a luxury item, people often need help to purchase it due to its price. Therefore as an artist, you are responsible for being good at salesmanship. You need to convince potential buyers that owning art is necessary for their lives. And show them how beautiful art can transform a house into a home, and you also need to address any doubts buyers may have. Learn authentic, ethical, and joyful sales skills to sell your art effectively. Seek opportunities to showcase your art and practice your sales techniques. The better you are at connecting with your customers the better your art will sell. 5. You must have an art degree to sell well. That’s bullshit! Not every successful artist is schooled. Your credentials are not what confirm whether your art will sell or not because good art and effective marketing is what counts. 6. I can't sell because artists are not meant to be business people. That is another myth; creative people have a stigma about selling art because they don't think they are good at it but the truth is artists make good salesmen because we are intuitive. As an entrepreneur, I know artists make great entrepreneurs. You have strong intuition, so you naturally have a sixth sense of things. Artists are creative, which means you can solve problems with innovative ideas. And you are also naturally good at sales because you are sensitive and relate well with people. You may be an introvert, but don’t let that be your downfall. You must rise above that because you are a courageous artist capable of doing hard things. So don’t sell yourself short; applying your knowledge and energy to nourishing your intuition will make you an unbeatable entrepreneur! If you want to find out just how awesome you can be at sales, click here. 7. Once accepted by a gallery, the success of my future is sealed. That is another myth. Ideally, most successful artists that sell through galleries need at least five or more galleries to represent them simultaneously to sell enough art to do well. First of all, galleries take 50-60% of your sales. This means you must be prolific and in high demand. And the galleries you work with must sell at least 70 paintings per year at $1,000 each to bring you $35,000 in sales annually after commission. Therefore, if you want to depend on galleries to do it for you, understand your challenges. But there is also advantages to be represented by sought-after-galleries, which you can find out more here. 8. Starving artists is a true statement. A myth that only applies to artists who believe all of the above myths. I hope you find this blog useful and have helped shine some light on the common misconceptions of the art world. If you have other further questions, please don’t hesitate to respond to this blog. I am always here to help you better understand the art world. With Joy, Ting
2 Comments
I agree with this. The very first exhibition I did, the organiser said don’t worry, your art is beautiful and it’ll sell itself. Yes, I sold 16 paintings on that exhibition but I only sold something when I was there myself to talk to people. Good art doesn’t sell itself. It’s the artist selling it when they find the right tone with the potential buyer.
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Ting Yuen
3/15/2024 07:45:08 am
Congrats, Eszter! What's you've said proves that you are good at selling. And you are absolutely right, art does not sell itself. Art is a luxury, it is not a necessity, so you need to convince your audience why they need it in their homes. But one thing about sales, is that it is actually a meaningful transaction. The connections that we make with our customers are priceless.
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Ting YuenI am an artist and art marketing strategist that is passionate about creating meaningful art and courses that inspire your life, business and home. Archives
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