How would you like to sell more of your work? Maybe get a few more shows, too?
You make really good work. It’d be nice to bring in enough money to cover the cost of your supplies. And it’d be even better to sell a bit more than that, right?
So, I'm going to let you in on a secret. There is a great way to do it. It’s pretty straight forward, too. Ready for it?
Connect with people.
Notice I didn’t say sell or pitch to people? Connecting with them in ways that are helpful is what I’m talking about. We’ve already covered the fact that you’re making good art. So why not share it with the people who like what you make? And with the people who want to support what you do?
I’m talking about genuinely sharing what you do without all the icky-sales-y approach. This is one of the best ways to sell more of your work: Regularly connecting with your audience.
At this point you might be wondering, how can I easily connect with people to sell and show more of my work? Can it really be that simple?
No worries, I’ve you covered here. Today I’m sharing the first of three ways you can genuinely connect with collectors, gallerists and your audience so you can get more eyes on your work and sell more of it.
The First Way to Genuinely Connect with Collectors, Gallerists and Your Audience
Go out and meet up with people in real life. Going to art openings, events and meeting-up for coffee in person are all fantastic ways to do this. As an artist, I recommend you do this as much as you can. In person meetings are the gold standard way to genuinely connect with people.
But, how do you have enough time for meeting up with your entire community of friends, family, collectors, gallerists and acquaintances? On a regular basis? Below are a few suggestions to help you jumpstart this idea.
Take ACTION!
To help with adding this kind of outreach activity to your practice, can you pick one or two art events to go to each month? And, put them on your calendar so you don’t lose track of it?
An easy, low pressure start is to go to your town’s recurring art opening day like Third Thursday, First Friday or Second Saturday. If you have that kind of event where you live, can you make this a recurring appointment on your calendar so you don’t miss it?
How would it feel to grab lunch or coffee once a week with an art buddy? Maybe visit a gallery show or museum with someone. I’ve had some of the best times doing this with fellow art geeks like me.
Who would you like to get to know in your community? Maybe a curator or gallerist who you’d like to show your work. Or an artist you admire. Or an organization's event where you think your collectors might be. Can you attend their next event?
While this is the gold standard for genuinely connecting with people in a non-salesy way, it does take time to do it. And those lunch or coffee dates can add up. Find what works for you and your schedule. Putting yourself out there is worth the time, effort and sometimes social anxiety it can bring.
Having said that, if connecting with people through live events or in-person isn't your thing, look for next week’s article. I’ll share a second way to connect with collectors, gallerists and your audience so you can get more eyes on your work and sell more of it without having to be somewhere in person.
Until then, take action now and decide how these suggestions might work their way into your schedule. Let me know in the comments what in-person events or meet-ups you plan to do over the next month.
Cheers,
Kate
P.S. I dug into this topic a little deeper during a Facebook live to talk about a few more ways connecting with people can help you art practice and the reason behind why it works. Watch the replay here.
P.P.S. Click here to read Part 2 or here to read Part 3 of The Key to Selling Art That You Maybe Missing so you can have all three proven ways to connect with people in your practice.