Right about now you may be starting to think of winter and holiday sales. Leaves falling and cooler temps can make totally this happen, right? If this is you, I’ll share how you can make your selling experience easy for you and your collectors.
Consider Your Holiday Sales Process
Before you do anything else, make sure you have a sales mechanism in place. By that, I mean a way for people to clearly and easily pay you for your art and any of your offerings.
This is the start of the sales process. A lot of artists create their inventory for a holiday sale but they haven’t figured out how to exchange money for their work.
Depending on your technology confidence and needs, you can choose from low, medium, or high tech options.
Cash Is King
A simple, low-tech option is to accept cash as a payment. This is especially helpful if you’re at a pop-up holiday market and it’s a real possibility that your in-person buyers may want to pay with cash. To help with this, have change in case you need it. And list your price on a sticker and attach it to the piece you’re selling. This sales mechanism is readily available for everyone and worth keeping in mind that some people still like to pay in cash.
Go-Go-Gadget Card Swiper
Sometimes, especially for items with a bigger price tag, cash isn’t a realistic option. Get yourself a card swiper that you can plug into your phone or tablet. This is a great in-person option and it can also be used for buyers to purchase their holiday gifts online.
Did you know that most apps that go with a card swiper allow you to create a specifc URL for each item to make it easier to share and sell that piece online? This feature is avaialbe even if you don’t have an official online shop.
When you go this route, make sure you order your card swiper in advance and that you test it with your specific mobile device. Also, have a backup plan in case of technical or data/internet issues.
Bonus: If you’re planning an in-person event, make sure you check out these Body Language Tips For Better Sales. I’ve done literally hundreds of events so I firsthand that these tips work.
Online Holiday Sales
For the more technically inclined artist, set up an online shop where each of your pieces will be listed at a clear price. This could be on Instagram, Facebook, a website, or a third-party marketplace like Etsy or elsewhere.
A best practice for this option is to take the time to create shipping and return policies.
You’ll need to follow specific directions according to the platform’s terms and have a tolerance for working through the technical aspects - or be willing to hire someone to help you with the tech pieces.
Once you have it up and running, it’ll feel great to have an online place where you can always sell your work no matter the season.
12 Tips For Successful Holiday Sales
Be realistic about the time you have available if you’d like to make holiday sales this season.
Which of the above sales approaches —cash, card swiper and online shop— will work for you within your schedule and tolerance for technology?
Whichever you choose, make things easier on yourself by having a streamlined sales process from start to finish.
Have a complete art inventory of products to track sales
Price each piece
Decide where or how you want to sell your art (e.g. online or in-person, and in individual pieces or bundle multiple pieces)
What packaging and inserts will you include? (e.g. craft paper to wrap art, cushioned envelopes, business cards or artist profile)
How will you deliver? (e.g. install in the collector’s home, ship only, or have pickup options)
Add prices, shipping fees and any other requirements to your art listing
Make sure you know the correct tax amount to charge
How will you take payments? (e.g. cash, card swiper, online shop, etc.)
Have appropriate sales permits, as required
Return policies. In what condition will you take back a piece of art, and how long after the sale will you accept returns if at all?
Shipping policies. How long until you ship it, what is your last day to ship, and what shipping company will you use?
Gather emails to grow your mailing list (e.g. host a giveaway or ask buyers if they’d like to be contacted with your next art series and events)
Real-Time Holiday Sales Updates
Want to learn more in-depth on how to succeed with your holiday sales?
Follow me on Instagram for inspiration, holiday cheer, and encouraging words to keep your spirits high during this sales season.
Learn how you can feel great about helping others gift your art while making money at the same time.
Cheers,
Kate